Former Governor Sundlun gives up his driver's license
3:06 PM Thu, Apr 30, 2009 | Permalink
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JAMESTOWN, R.I. -- Former Gov. Bruce Sundlun has given up his driver's license. The decision, which his lawyer said came "upon reflection and the advice of family and friends," came a day after articles in The Providence Journal about a series of driving complaints against Sundlun -- including speeding, getting into minor accidents, driving through stop signs, and driving on a sidewalk. The 89-year-old former governor turned over his license Thursday morning to his lawyer, John A. Murphy of Jamestown, who said he will return Sundlun's license to the state. Sundlun will be driven by family members and friends, Murphy said. On Tuesday, the Jamestown Police Department contacted the state Division of Motor Vehicles to investigate Sundlun's ability to drive because of a spate of complaints, including allegations that he passed a stopped school bus and drove through stop signs. Two years ago, the North Kingstown Police Department also asked the state DMV whether Sundlun should be driving because of several driving infractions. But Sundlun met the approval of a state medical advisory board and passed a road test. On Tuesday, when he learned the police were again questioning his ability to drive, Sundlun defiantly challenged a Journal reporter to accompany him in another road test. Sundlun's decision to let his driving days end "was very hard," Murphy said in a phone call Thursday afternoon. In a statement on Thursday announcing Sundlun's surrender of his license, Murphy said, "The changes that come with age are something that all of us will experience. Those changes which affect one's ability to drive pose a particularly difficult problem for many of us who have elderly parents or friends. For mature adults, being able to drive in many cases is an important part of our independence ... "Governor Sundlun has a record of accomplishment and service as a citizen and public official of which he is justifiably proud. The last thing he, and all of his friends and family, would want is for his legacy to be marred by an unfortunate automobile accident." 
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Smart move for all of us whose lives could be endangered.
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Bruce, you are a First Class and Honorable guy.
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Congratulations to Governor Sundlun for coming to a very difficult, but appropriate decision.
Thank you sir.
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A wise decision. Maybe he can get Linc Chafee as his driver!!!
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Thank you Mr. Sundlun for "FINALLY" coming to the terms that your ability to operate a vechile was no longer. I'm sure the folks in South County will feel safe now.
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if this guy was anything but an ex governor is this state, he would have lost his license years ago. its about time we had one less idiot on the road.
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Had it not been for the Providence Journal and other media outlets exposing the driving situation with former Gov. Sundlun, his surrendering his driver's license would have never happened.
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They should fire the cop that opened his fat trap!!!
These do-gooders trying to make a name for themselves and then making sure the press gets ahold of the information! Shame on you!
The Governor is a war hero, a self made man, a man to look up to and you have to cast dispersions on his good name with this nonsense? Get a life, all of you!
Governor, I admire you and always have. You are cut from strong cloth and your stamina and no nonsense manner has done all of us well.
I wish you the best. The Jamestown police are nothing but a bunch of wanna-be's anyway. They got nothing going on down there, so they have to link up with the press to disparge you. Well I, for one, don't like it!
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Glad he and his family finally woke up , luckily he has enough money to pay for a driver.
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Thank God!!!!! The public is safe...Hopefully he doesn't have access to the car keys..I have no doubt that he would drive sans license and think that it is o.k. After all, "don't you know who I am"??
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Sundlun is a loose cannon on many levels. As a Jamestown resident, I've been nearly run off the road twice by him running through stop signs. On many levels, he acts as though he can get away with anything -- from the CVS fiasco to the recent issue at Citizens Bank in East Greenwich. It's about time he gave his license up, before someone got killed. This has nothing to do with the cops being out to get him, and if you've ever had the unfortunate experience of being on the road with him, you would know that.
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Governor Sundlun is a great and honorable man. He did many great things for Rhode Island as a businessman and Governor.
Thank you for once again putting everyone elses interests ahead of your own.
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BroadwayJoe,
How many accidents and how many hit and runs would he have to commit for you to decide that the lives of other drivers and pedestrians, like the crippled professor he nearly ran over, were worth saving? Or does a war hero get a free pass to kill a few pedestrians?
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Maybe Bruce can now be an advocate for public transportation.Good luck governor.
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BroadwayJoe your reply obviously stems from a sense of pride for a person that has quite a personal history. I don’t believe anyone is disputing the accomplishments of Mr. Sundlun’s past. However, you must agree that we are forced to forge opinions based on current circumstances and incidents as they are now happening. People change, and when someone turns into a short tempered, reckless, obtuse driving menace, are we not obligated to respond? You blame the Police for opening their “fat trap”, what a short sighted statement. We are fortunate that we have Law Enforcement who will not turn a blind eye because of someone’s political status. These Officers should be extolled, not rebuked by some sad response you’ve left on the projo website. Be grateful that Mr. Sundlun is off the road, perhaps in time we can remember his driving history as a minor hiccup next to all his other accomplishments.
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THIS SHOWS HE KNOWS ITS OVER CAN,T DO IT ANYMORE. REMEMBER IT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL OF US SOMEDAY!
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Please reconsider your decision Governor Sundlun. I would like to hire you as my personal driver.
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Broadway Joe, my sentiments exactly. This situation could have come to the same conclusion without having become a major news article. There are news articles and there are "manufactured news" articles. Not everything has to be put in the paper.
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