Daughter's driving lesson

[Alfisto Steve]

My youngest daughter wrote this to her older sister as she was told by her older sister not to get me to try to teach her to drive a 5-speed. She has been learning to drive our Jeep and QUIK SILVER 164 both w/AT up to this point.

"TOP NEWS STORY!

Sara, 16, was spotted today on the streets behind the wheel of her father's manual Alfa 164. Today she first took a few spins around a local high school and gradually progressed to a circular pattern around the neighborhood. Including many mistakes and a few stalls.

Let me say she didn't drive with such grace and ease as was expected...If there was a record of stalls or jerks she was pretty far up there. On record we count approximately 8 stalls, we lost count.

Then later she was able to maneuver her way home, avoiding all major roads and trying her very hardest not to stall the car. And yes, she was successful. With all passengers in good health, just a little whiplashed.

This is a developing story, as for now wish her luck and pray you do not drive behind her or pretty much the same road as her.
--Update at 7:00--

So today was an interesting day,

Dad, Shawn, and I all had a first experience with myself trying to master the stick shift. Let me say we all made it home safely and the only discomfort would be some whiplash and my knocking knees/shaking legs when I got out of the car.

I do see how it is a little difficult to work with Dad, but he got me home and gave me a taste of driving with a stick shift.

Though actually I'd have to say that I think Dad was more uncomfortable than me since I was kind of hurting his car, but he eventually was able to say good work when we arrived home. In general I had fun and am willing to continue driving and learning from Dad.

Wish me luck!
Love,
Sara"

[modena782002]

That's great Steve. I'm going to show this to my 15 yr old daughter, to give her more confidence. I took her to a large parking lot at an industrial park on a recent Sunday, with the 164. I think that she did well, with the expected stalls and jerking back and forth (I lost count too). On the other hand, she came away a bit less confident, and not asking about trying again...We will be going out this coming weekend.

[bshorey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfisto Steve My youngest daughter wrote this to her older sister as she was told by her older sister not to get me to try to teach her to drive a 5-speed. She has been learning to drive our Jeep and QUIK SILVER 164 both w/AT up to this point. "TOP NEWS STORY! Sara, 16, was spotted today on the streets behind the wheel of her father's manual Alfa 164. Today she first took a few spins around a local high school and gradually progressed to a circular pattern around the neighborhood. Including many mistakes and a few stalls. Let me say she didn't drive with such grace and ease as was expected...If there was a record of stalls or jerks she was pretty far up there. On record we count approximately 8 stalls, we lost count. Then later she was able to maneuver her way home, avoiding all major roads and trying her very hardest not to stall the car. And yes, she was successful. With all passengers in good health, just a little whiplashed. This is a developing story, as for now wish her luck and pray you do not drive behind her or pretty much the same road as her. --Update at 7:00-- So today was an interesting day, Dad, Shawn, and I all had a first experience with myself trying to master the stick shift. Let me say we all made it home safely and the only discomfort would be some whiplash and my knocking knees/shaking legs when I got out of the car. I do see how it is a little difficult to work with Dad, but he got me home and gave me a taste of driving with a stick shift. Though actually I'd have to say that I think Dad was more uncomfortable than me since I was kind of hurting his car, but he eventually was able to say good work when we arrived home. In general I had fun and am willing to continue driving and learning from Dad. Wish me luck! Love, Sara"

[Palmer]

Good luck everyone. My kids are now in the position where they are correcting me on my driving Must have picked it up from their mother

[La Voce]

You guys are such good dads! My favorite technique to stop the jerking and stalling is to ensure the car is on a level surface such as a parking lot and then make them place their right foot on the floor and start the car forward using only the clutch, easing it out ever so slowly. No gas pedal allowed. Works like a champ.

[gt601]

My old man made me shift through all four gears (1970 VW Bus) w/out touching the gas. After we went through that several times he would toss an aluminium can out the window and tell me to back over it with one of the rear tires or one of the front tires. He then had me do it going forward and do the same thing. I can barely hit anything now going forward with a rear tire. It gave me a real good idea where the four corners of the car were at all times. I see so many folks today out there who have no idea where the car is on the road. I get so pissed when I'm going down a narrow street and some guy in a big SUV has most of the road blocked because he doesn't realize that he still has three feet where he can scootch over and get the heck out of the way. I think that part of the drivers test should be that you have to show that you know where whatever you are driveing is at all times. You start out with a small car and have to test into a bigger one if needed.
JMO
Paul

[alfanick]

I've been teching my son to drive by going around and around our Circular driveway in my 1750.

He loves the experience of being in a classic car and always has a smile on his face at the end of the lesson.

I've told him that once he is 4 (he's only 3 now) he can go round by himself.

(might have to strap some boxes onto his feet so he can reach the pedals)

I was driving tractors at 8, never too young to start learning.

Nick

[Pat Braden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by La Voce You guys are such good dads! My favorite technique to stop the jerking and stalling is to ensure the car is on a level surface such as a parking lot and then make them place their right foot on the floor and start the car forward using only the clutch, easing it out ever so slowly. No gas pedal allowed. Works like a champ.

[Del]

I remember teaching our exchange student from Finland to drive in my 91S (it's much cheaper for them to get their license here than back home, same for Norse,and even the Japanese. Wooooeeee, broke at least one engine mount, but the clutch held up and now has 137k on it. She thought it would be a piece of cake, as people from Finland can do pretty much everything, lol. Needless to say, she soon realized that yes, they may have some great race drivers, however, the average person still needs to practice.

The norwegian exchange student learned on my wife's 78 Alfetta sedan, and did ok, but she sure didn't see the need!! for a stick shift, as why would anyone want to do all that work of shifting when you can let an automatic do it for you. Needless to say, when she got back to Norway, all she could afford was a stick shift car, hah. She now thinks it's fun, well, sort of.

The japanese exchange student took one look at our cars, and decided it wasn't worth it, as they have great public transportation in Japan she thought.

[marco246]

My daughter is a junior in college and is doing a semester abroad in Greece. Recently she and 8 other American kids flew to Crete and rented a couple of cars to drive around the island. The cars came with manual transmissions, and it turned out that she was the only one who could drive a MT. She had to train a couple of the boys in a parking lot to drive. She was mighty pleased with herself.

[Alfacliff]

I taught my daughter to drive a stick shift, she drove a 95 saturn for a couple of years and was one of the few in her high school to drive a stick. she also changes her own oil and wiper blades. she had to help a few of the boys get their cars running in the parking lot also. I hope she dont forget how to shift hwo that she has an auto trans.
cliff

[modena782002]

LaVoce,

Great way to learn, I'm going to try that with my daughter. I kept telling her to ease on the gas, not use too much, but still got the jerking back and forth. Many times such as backing out of the garage and driveway, I will not use the gas at all.

Marco,

I explained a similar hypothetical situation to my daughter. Saying, that if you know how to drive a manual, you can drive any car, and therfore, be that more independent.

Cliff,

Exactly...I told my daughter that she would be one of a few. There are no drivers ed schools in our area that have manual equipped cars.

Back when I learned in the 70's, both drivers ed schools in town had manual and automatic cars. They charged $10 more for the overall course if you learned on a manual. I reckon that they would go through a few clutches. I had the advantage of riding dirt bikes at 13, and later, before I started drivers ed my dad would take me out in his Austin Healey 3000, and practice. Heavy Clutch!!

[Pat Braden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alfacliff I taught my daughter to drive a stick shift, she drove a 95 saturn for a couple of years and was one of the few in her high school to drive a stick. she also changes her own oil and wiper blades. she had to help a few of the boys get their cars running in the parking lot also. I hope she dont forget how to shift hwo that she has an auto trans. cliff

[Palmer]

Here in the UK it's the norm to learn on manual trans' cars. It's also the case that the test is in two parts. One must sit a theory test based on the UK highway code inclusive of hazard perception. This is computer based and has multiple choice questions. It's only after in pass in the theory can one progress to the practical road test. The road test must be taken and passed within a limited time of the theory pass. If not the theory must be re-sat.

Must admit when I passed my test back in the post Edwardian days (my sons description), it was a fairly simple drive around town followed by a few questions! This then gave me cart blanch to drive everything up to a seven and a half ton truck