driving lesson

[pianistimo]

i shouldn't tell on my son - but he said the instructor was telling him a story - and he inadvertantly lost focus and almost went in front of a truck.  the truck waited and he turned since he made a movement in that direction.   instructor turned a pale white.  what will happen today?  no stories at the intersection (i must remember this as a mother - when talking).  he's turning seventeen this month.  my advice - don't change radio stations at intersections either and don't rely on the person next to you as to whether you should go through the intersection or not.

[Ruro]

I'm coming close to the end of my Driving Lessons now (had about 40 odd), and when my Instructor dishes me a story (which is rare), I must admit I hardly pay attention, merely because I will probably miss a thousand mirror checks, or lose focus on merely what the car infront is doing - bad enough noticing when they bluddy break!

As much as I would love to have some music rolling when I'm driving, I'm afraid if I don't postpone that luxery I might not live to enjoy it further O_o So indeed, I plan to avoid all possibly distractions for some time. I am therefore in agreement Pianistimo *Nods*

EDIT: Btw, I must say the big-ass roundabouts with like 5 friggin turn-offs is one of the harder things to deal with comfortably for me personally, along side the troubles of Double Roundabouts - leave us be when we tackle them

[timothy42b]

pianistimo,

I think I could have been there.  I know that story.

I can hear the instructor telling it now.  Yes, it went something like this, "Hey,  watch out for that truck. The truck!  THE TRUCK!  OMG, STOP!!!" 

And I know what your son said, too.

"What?" 

That's because I have kids too. 

[pianistimo]

yes.  what's terrible is last night he stayed up half the night.  i barely got him awake for the driving lesson.  he quickly drank a brisk (caffeinated ice-tea), which made him start stomach cramps halfway thru the lesson.  i said - why didn't u tell the instructor you had to go to the bathroom.  he said 'because that's lame.'  so, when i pick him up he's doubled over saying 'hurry hurry  - i have to make it home quick.'  what else can happen during a driving lesson?  i'm sure the instructor was glad he didn't let a load in his car.

[pianistimo]

ruro, i can sympathize - but am wondeirng - where do you live.  40 lessons?  i think my son is only scheduled for 8 (one hour) lessons.  do you think this is enough.  he's already had 50 hours of driving with parents.  but, i'm wondering if he really knows what he's going to need in those driving rain storms where the fastest cycle on the windshield doesn't cut it.  seems that there are so many mailboxes and telephone poles close to the road.  and, if you don't see them at night - you can really get hurt.  at least on the freeway you can sort of maintain a speed.  but, it's hard when you can't see very far ahead.  i think freeway driving should be planned ahead for as good of weather as can be.  if you know there's going to be a thunderstorm at night - don't pick that night to go shopping or on a date, right?

of course, i'm older and my eyesight is going anyway.  i slow down for everything.  for bicycles, for pedestrians, for deer, for rabbits, for squirrels, for birds and geese.  it's just that you have to sort of plan when you're in a 'territory' for certain activity - to look farther around than just the road.  i've saved several squirrels and ducks to the dismay of the people behind me.

[timothy42b]

We are Virginia residents (even though we don't live there) so my child has to follow the Va rules.

These are:  classroom training, seven 50 minute lessons driving, seven 50 minute lessons observing as passenger, 40 hours practice driving. 

[living_stradivarius]

We are Virginia residents (even though we don't live there) so my child has to follow the Va rules.

These are:  classroom training, seven 50 minute lessons driving, seven 50 minute lessons observing as passenger, 40 hours practice driving. 

Wow, and it's not even New York traffic they have to worry about.

[pianistimo]

i can't imagine driving in ny.  the stress of it all.  reminds me of a movie where the guy backs up and knocks a parked car behind him out of the way. 

[gruffalo]

How many lessons has he had? it took me 3 lessons to get past the worried focus stage and thereafter more natural. and then i passed test after another 7. He has to learn how to half listen because you cant just shut yourself off from a passenger, but at the same time he cannot give the passenger his full attention. Ruro, you should learn to drive with music on. what happens when you have loud kids, or adults even, in the car and you cant cope?

Gruff

[johnny-boy]

I hate it when a second hand driver is in the car with me. I usually tell them that unless it's a critical situation be quiet. Cell phones and gabby passengers we don’t need.

I instilled this in my son when he started driving. I told him to make his own decisions on the road - and don't pull out in front of traffic until you feel it's safe. If the person behind you starts blowing his horn for you to move before you’re ready - take even longer.

Best, John

[Tash]

me and my driving instructor used to have great conversations while i was driving, he said it was pointless making me drive in silence cos the chances of me doing that while there are friends in the car is highly unlikely. and i never really got myself into any trouble, missed a turnoff cos we were arguing about a band i'd never heard of, and maybe i did something else silly cos i was too busy thinking of what he was saying, but other than that it was ok.

funny story- my dad when he was 20 or something was driving home slighlty drunk (this was back when it was legal), and was changing lanes, looked in his mirror to see if there were any cars in the other lane and then smashed into the car in front of him cos there was a red light. thus don't change lanes near traffic lights!

[johnny-boy]

...and don't drink and drive!

[pianistimo]

good points.  agreed, too, about making ur own decisions.  except, a couple of times i saved my husband from hitting a car when he was going to make a lane change.  i could see from the passenger side better than he was seeing in the rear view mirror on my side.  but other than that - i try to keep my mouth shut.  usually, if he 's going kinda fast - i hold on to the side and press my foot into my pretend brake.

giving three or four car lengths (according to speed) is a good idea, too.  as tash said, u don't want to have a sudden episode with no reaction time. 

i think it's always good to go through the scenario of 'what if...' as well.  what if an accident DID happen?  someone suggested to us to always carry a cell phone/ camera in the car to document (especially if someone tries to flee the scene).  to take a pic or two and diagram where the cars hit and where they ended up.  sometimes the police report can be off on one slight issue and u might have to prove it was slightly more in ur favor.  also, immediately try to find a witness or two and take their name and number.  then, deal with the insurance card trade and taking of license number and name.  i think if people work things out under $500. damage between themselves it's much better than calling police.  of course, nowdays - just getting scratch fixed can cost more than u thought.  bumpers, too. 

i think the first time teenagers have an accident, they are so in shock they don't know what to do.  i remember accidentally running a red light (slowly wierdlY) because i thought the camper next to me was going through the yellow light and i was semi-protected.  well, the camper stopped as i was changing radio stations and i hit the front end of a cadillac.  my car hood immediately went up and the engine started steaming - and i got a scrape on the knee.  i hopped out of the car and ran over to the two older people in the cadillac (husband and wife) and asked if they were ok).  thankfully, they didn't start yelling at me.  they even tried to make it like they were fine - but i hit their front end - thankfully not passenger side as they hadn't fully pulled out - and probably gave them a bit of a jolt

all i remembered after that was going into a panic. what will my parents think.  i called them on the phone and was shaking worse and worse.  by the time they got there i was just shaking - having done nothing to remedy the situation.  of course, when u know it's ur fault - it's just a matter of waiting for the police to get there.  and, in my sad case - being a small town - the local tv station got it too.  (desperate for news).   

[timothy42b]

Hmm.

Like mother, like son? 

[arbisley]

I haven't had any of those experiences yet, since I'm 16, but in the car I often talk to my mum, she just tells us to shut up in difficult situations!
Otherwise, my brother has only tried driving once in a car that was too powerful for him.
And thirdly, the most scary experience you can have as a driver (in town) is driving round the Arc de Triomphe in Paris! No lanes, hardly any rules, and people constantly swerving in and out as if no one else was there! Even though I've done it a few times now, it's a bewildering experience every single time.
well, that's as far as my experience goes...

[Mozartian]

-

[pianistimo]

driving is not as bad as it sounds.  it's just that there are occasional 'situations' that call for knowing more than the average driver.

i think i'm a pretty good driver now, but it takes being in some bad situations sometimes.  also, i don't drive terribly fast.  to me, that's increasing ur risk of accident.  u have less reaction time.

sometimes it's looking ahead to see something coming.  i used to have tunnel vision.  now i look all around - just in case someone loses a wheel or something off the end of a tow truck. 
 

 

[johnny-boy]

No, not too bad. Only about 50,000 auto deaths per year.

John

[pianistimo]

you know what's really wierd is in the winter - when the freeway suddenly has oncoming traffic from the other side.  they slide or spin through the middle section (if there's no divide).  ice driving is easy and hard at the same time.  your first instinct is to slam on the breaks.  but, if you just drive through it steering around obstacles and touching the wheel lightly, you're more likely not to go into a deadly spin.  this has helped me a lot.

also, if you lose brakes, don't forget drive 1 and drive 2. they automatically slow the car down by sort of locking it a little.  this has helped me in situations of no brake or bad brakes.  just shift right on the spot.

 

[thalbergmad]

also, i don't drive terribly fast.  to me, that's increasing ur risk of accident.  u have less reaction time.

Regretfully, there are women all over the world driving at slow speeds. Might be safe for you, but dangerous for all the poor buggers desperate to get past.

Thal

[pianistimo]

well, if it is any consolation - i don't drive below the speed limit on the freeway.  have never been caught off the freeway - although there is this one spot i almost always stop and look both ways for geese.