August 12, 2008
-
Learning to Drive
My bf’s nephew reminded me a few weeks ago that I had promised
to teach him how to drive. He told me
that he’ll be getting his permit in a year or two. I was surprised that he remembers these
things since I mentioned it to him a few years ago. He said
he was 10 when I told him that. I
started to tease him “How come you can remember these things but not other
things like doing your homework and things like that?”He quickly replied “I remember important things.” I started to chuckle but there was this tone
of innocence in his response that was touching.
I’ve never taught anyone how to drive before. I don’t know if I’ll be a good teacher. I’ll want him to take formal lessons first
before he even sets foot on my car.
After all, he will have to learn how to drive standard if we use my
car. I joked to my bf that since his car
has automatic transmission, then we’ll be using his car. I noticed he gripped the steering wheel a bit
tighter after that. I just remembered one of our mutual friends also made the same promise. His car is now an automatic (it also used to be standard). So maybe he can also be involved. But this guy likes to drive fast (and he's not Chinese in case you're wondering).My dad taught me how to drive but I also went to a driving
school. The insurance company pretty
well mandated that in order to get lower rates on the car insurance. I got my license when I was 17. I’ve been very lucky. Despite all the crazy drivers and sometimes
my own craziness, I’ve never been in a serious accident. I’ve had a couple of drivers bumping into my
bumper and I think I nudged someone once.
I think there are a lot more stressed out, distracted and careless
drivers out there now compared to a few years ago.If you were teaching someone how to drive, how would you go
about doing it?
Comments (25)
That's awesome that your BF's nephew remembered
My mom taught me when I was 13. She just let me get in the driver's seat and GO. Slowly, of course. Within a month, I was driving... illegally. She would send me to get groceries and run errands for her that were close to home. So, technically, I've been driving for 13 years!!
I then had to teach my brother. I adopted my mom's method, just let my brother get in the seat and GO
Of course, once we both reached 16, we went to Driver's Ed for insurance purposes. I was sooo bored in those classes because I knew it all.
I say just have confidence and don't freak out... whatever you do.. DON'T FREAK OUT. Let him know that you know he won't wreck and won't go all GTA (Grand Theft Auto, the game) on ya.
Before setting foot into the vehicle, I have to learn the basic traffic rules, also have to pass a written exam as well. So, I suppose driver's education comes first?
i've taught a person to drive. even took her to her exam. failed first time, passed the second. daddy feels proud.
It is good to have someone outside the parental chain of command do the teaching. When parents are the teachers, there's too much stress and drama on both sides. You can be the cool, patient uncle.
I've been thinking about this lately: how would I teach my nieces to drive? I've decided that I would start the teaching long before they are behind the wheel. I'd put them in the passenger seat and we'd begin to talk about awareness of what else is going on on the road. Have them be my second set of eyes. This process could probably begin now, as it is never too early.
Once they showed that they were paying attention, we'd move on to the mechanics. Learning to handle a vehicle in a parking lot or other safe place. Definitely would use a manual transmission as I think you learn to "feel" the driving more and understand what's going on with the car. Automatic transmissions further disconnect the driver from the driving.
The biggest lesson - one that I didn't take seriously until my first accident (thankfully very minor) and until I had been rear-ended - was that cars are deadly weapons and that you really need to pay attention and drive, not defensively, but patiently.
Oh my, have mercy, and teach him on an automatic! It would be less nerves for both of you, I think!
I have taught three classmates, and they all passed on the first round. First, they need to pass the dirver's ed and written test, and had several hours of school's driving training to get the basics done. First we practiced in empty parking lots before going to the street. Then, all I did was sat next to them, and feedback to them what they do right, and what they did wrong, with a smile (sometimes forced smile, lol). Motivate them to be careful, and yet to demonstrate confidence. The few days before the test, we drove around throughout the area where the driver's test would take place, and rehearsed driver's test many many times. It seemed to have help.
Well, let's be honest - at my age I would pay for the driving school that would teach him to drive. I am not sure my patience is that good. Although I used to take my niece out driving when she had her learner's permit and I or maybe she was very good
.
Good luck for your teach driving!!!
I found out is more hard to teach someone you know than a stranger.
Though I have got a driving licence, I can’t use a manual transmission.
in hawaii it's the law that if you get your license before you are 18, you have to attend driver's school. hahaha if he's your bf's nephew, i don't see why you can't use your bf's car to teach him how to drive =D
hm? can one be taught to drive by one's family? or should you go to driving school? in hk we are all going to schools.
I would definitely use an automatic. I can't stand standard shifts myself. My father also taught me how to drive. The one thing he didn't have was patience. Patience is very important when teaching something. You don't want to make them nervous while they're at the wheel. I actually drove around the neighborhood when I was taught. I would think that a makeshift sign saying "Student Driver" affixed to the vehicle would help keep you from getting dirty looks from all those nasty drivers out there. At least you'll be giving ppl a warning that you have an novice driver with you. This is the best advice I can give.
I think it depends on where you live. I grew up in the middle of nowhere with lots of country roads and I would drive down to the little store to get stuff for my mom, that was at 13... so I never really had to take a class. I dont like driving though.
haha. my mom always tells me how back when she first came to the united states, her older brother taught her on the highway in their old oldsmobile delta 88 (LOL). there were no driving schools or rules back then...she just roared down the highway in that huge car, haha. my mom mostly taught me, whereas my dad spent more time with my sister before she got her license. i had to do driving school too, which i think is a complete waste of time...they should just send us out on the highway like my mom did haha.
i'll let the driver do it. lol! best thing of course is to equip one with knowledge then add experience.
I think I am not a good hands on driving teacher
I could give a great instructional lecture though
How are you?
Sadly, I didn't get my license till I was 20. And I live in California! haha. I think the best way to learn how to drive is to do it at night, where the streets are generally secluded, and the learner won't be as nervous.
tsk tsk tsk
making a commitment and trying to find a loophole outta this
=]
...just trust him
like my parents did
..
and let him drive in an abandoned parking lot
just making turns and such
@cafexpresion - omg, my dad learned how to drive when he was 13 too!
@curry69curry - I think so - unless I'm just on a parking lot with him.
@JonasApproved - "daddy" hahaha
@christao408 - I like this approach. It's hard to teach them what to look for while they are driving.
@stevew918 - I think I'll send him down to you instead. hee hee...
@Fatcat723 - It will be interesting to see how patient of a teacher I am.
@orchidgrass - The insurance companies give a reduced rate if you go to driving school. I don't think it's mandatory though to attend it though.
@zionlover - yeah, it'll be easier on him learning to drive on an automatic. I remember driving with those big driver ed signs - I thought it was embarassing.
@masecam - 13! I guess it was okay on those empty country roads.
@Love_Eternal_Desire - hahaha... I can just see you standing on the gas pedal and blasting down the highway.
@Renatojr3 - that's probably what I'm going to do.
@gyjcwang - maybe I'll play your lecture while he's driving. hee hee.... I'm doing fine - thanks!
@Rm2046 - at night? I'll be nervous... maybe I'll take him out early Sunday morning on some side streets or the parking lot in a shopping mall.
@Devilzgaysianboi - don't worry, I wasn't trying to get out of it. I hope I like doing it though.
take em to a very very big empty parking lot and let em play around for a little and get used to the car. After that set up cones (you can use balloons attached to rocks if you want to save money) then have him practice driving through the cones, parking and so on. After that then you can take em through a park where the speed limit is 15 mph or something crazy. After he masters the park then move residential areas that you know aren't busy. After all that he should be good to drive home. Then after about a month or so of consistent driving get him on a high speed rd. Higher speeds cause you to have to think faster and look down the road a bit. After high speeds low speeds are easy.
thats how ya go about it. Best wishes.
one last thing, when he's just learning don't freak out on him too much. He's not going to hurt anyone in a big empty parking lot so just let him figure out how the car reacts and keep your mouth shut for the most part unless he ask a question. It might even help to get out of the car and let him do it solo. It's so much harder to learn to drive when you have a backseat driver yelling at you constantly.
i only half know how to drive now... my dad is a horrible teacher! he always tells me to avoid the 'hard things,' i never switch lanes or anything. so definitely allow him to drive on a bunch of different roads/situations.
Good Luck!
My parents taught me to drive at first, and then I was passed onto a driving instructor. Learning to drive with my parents was fun and scary. My mum was usually stressed when I was driving and that stress made me more nervous and fearful of the road lol. I look back at those times fondly, though.
I think it's cool how you're now TEACHING someone to drive. I wonder when I'll get my turn at teaching.
I think it's best you let him get a fair idea of driving with an instructor first. But since he wants you to teach him (maybe he'll be embarassed with the instructor that he can't drive?), maybe a few minutes each week driving down a quiet, empty place is a good idea. I think it'll be a good way to bond with each other!
@gogreen3 - great ideas - thank you!
@sunnysidedown828 - thank you for the feedback.
@twistedoff - he's also been playing a lot of GTA so I may have to rein him in. hee hee...
I thought my more care-free parent would be the better teacher, but I freaked that one out and we fought. It was too intense for them. So I had to ask the other one to teach me. I thought my slow-driving, meticulous other parent would be awful to learn to drive from. Right when we got in the car they said they reserved the right to pull the emergency break or grab the wheel at any time which was annoying. But they stayed calm and only maybe pulled the break once. It allowed me to be calm and to learn. So I was wrong, the other parent was the better teacher.
i wouldn't have a clue. i drive worst than a 90 year old vision&coordination challenged man.
Comments are closed.