I survived my son's first drive! - Page 2

Subdued · #11 07-02-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

All of my kids are grown now and have driven for years. When my oldest child, my daughter, got her first car at age 16 I made sure it was a 5 speed manual transmission because I wanted all of my kids to be able to drive a stick.

She was a great driver (had started driving a little at age 13 with me in the car) and she learned how to drive that 5 speed very quickly. I was so proud and thought that I had passed on every important piece of driving know how she could possibly need.

However just two or three months after she got this car a teenage boy hit her and totaled it. She thought she wanted an automatic transmission so the replacement car had one (I was ok because I knew she knew how to drive a sitck if needed).

So months after the manual transmission car was wrecked and replaced with the automatic we got in a conversation and I turned white when I learned that the two or three months she drove her 5 speed she had almost parked and left it in NEUTRAL with just the emergency brake on!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it didn't roll down some hill and hit somebody or something. When I told her that was nuts, that everybody knows you leave a std. transmission car in gear she actually heatedly argued with me that I was wrong. Apparently she ran it by a couple of folks and when they got done laughing at her she figured out I was right.

Moral of the story is don't take for granted your kids will know or do something logical with a car, make sure you cover EVERYTHING involved with both driving and parking.

Well, once we got into our neighborhood today, I made sure to tell my son, "Don't hit the bike-rider." He said, "I know mom." Then I said, "Don't hit that person walking." He said, "I know mom." And then I told him, "Don't hit that parked car." He said, "MOM, I know." Then, as we turned onto our street, I saw my husband out jogging, so I said, "Don't hit your father."

My son did pretty good, actually. Although he sure grips the steering wheel tight!

Rico · #12 07-02-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC1

All of my kids are grown now and have driven for years. When my oldest child, my daughter, got her first car at age 16 I made sure it was a 5 speed manual transmission because I wanted all of my kids to be able to drive a stick.

She was a great driver (had started driving a little at age 13 with me in the car) and she learned how to drive that 5 speed very quickly. I was so proud and thought that I had passed on every important piece of driving know how she could possibly need.

However just two or three months after she got this car a teenage boy hit her and totaled it. She thought she wanted an automatic transmission so the replacement car had one (I was ok because I knew she knew how to drive a sitck if needed).

So months after the manual transmission car was wrecked and replaced with the automatic we got in a conversation and I turned white when I learned that the two or three months she drove her 5 speed she had almost parked and left it in NEUTRAL with just the emergency brake on!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it didn't roll down some hill and hit somebody or something. When I told her that was nuts, that everybody knows you leave a std. transmission car in gear she actually heatedly argued with me that I was wrong. Apparently she ran it by a couple of folks and when they got done laughing at her she figured out I was right.

Moral of the story is don't take for granted your kids will know or do something logical with a car, make sure you cover EVERYTHING involved with both driving and parking.

Brother, there's nothing wrong with leaving a stick shift in neutral and using the parking brake. If you are parked headed uphill you just turn the wheels away from the curb, and if you are parked headed downhill turn the wheels towards the curb. I've had several stick shifts and don't always leave them in gear when I park. In fact, if your car has low compression, leaving the car in gear, even with the parking brake on, won't stop the car from rolling forward or backward. I had an old truck like that once and had to get a wheel chock to use anytime there wasn't a curb handy.

Rico · #13 07-02-2007, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subdued

My husband took our son out a few times prior to driver's ed just so he could get the feel of the car & be comfortable with maneuvering it. Not on major roads, though - mostly in our neighborhood & parking lots.

Are 15 y.o.'s not allowed to take driver's ed in your state? They have to be 14 yrs. 8 mos. in mine. My son will be 16 in December; at that time, he can get his level two license & drive alone. For now, he has a level one license & can only drive w/my husband, myself, or another driver over 21 w/our permission.

I think they have to be 15 1/2 here in IN, unless they live on a farm.

Rico · #14 07-02-2007, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subdued

Well, once we got into our neighborhood today, I made sure to tell my son, "Don't hit the bike-rider." He said, "I know mom." Then I said, "Don't hit that person walking." He said, "I know mom." And then I told him, "Don't hit that parked car." He said, "MOM, I know." Then, as we turned onto our street, I saw my husband out jogging, so I said, "Don't hit your father."

My son did pretty good, actually. Although he sure grips the steering wheel tight!

Ahhhh, white knuckle driving. I remember those days! LOL! The hardest part for me was learning how to control my foot so the car would stay at an even speed. That, and learning when to brake.

Subdued · #15 07-02-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico

Ahhhh, white knuckle driving. I remember those days! LOL! The hardest part for me was learning how to control my foot so the car would stay at an even speed. That, and learning when to brake.

Oh wow -- my son is having those problems, too! In fact, his instructor kept telling him that that's what he needs to work on... keep his speed steady.

You should have seen him getting ready to make a left! LOL!!!! I thought he was going to stop a block before his turn. He began slowing down WAY too soon. (But I guess that's better than stopping suddenly.)

PRAY FOR ME, EVERYBODY! This is STRESSFUL!

Margies3 · #16 07-02-2007, 09:19 PM

Subdued, I am beginning to pray for you right now!!!!

Poor Justin had his temps before Walt's aneurism happened and Walt had driven with him some. But then he was in ICU and then the rehab hospital all last summer, during which time I could NOT bring myself to go out driving with Justin. I had way too much on my mind to venture into something like that as well.

By the time Walt got back around and able to get to the car to go riding with Justin, it was November. His temps were going to expire in DECEMBER! So we made him renew them and he couldn't even take driver's ed until a few months later.

Now he does fine. I don't know about letting him out on an expressway alone yet. But to get to Toledo or around here, he's fine.

But it definately is the most stressful thing I've ever had to do!!!!! I can't imagine how it'll be with our second son. Justin is the level-headed kid and very meticulous. Keith is polar opposite!!! He'll be much more interested in impressing his friends with a radio blaring than in driving safely. I can see it now!!!