Remember Your First Time...

If he'd said just "clutch" I probably would have depressed the clutch pedal.

It was the "de" that threw me.

Teaching is a lot harder than people think, that's why the best teachers are not always the best in their field, like boxing trainers.
 
EyeMWing said:
Do you live in the same United States that I do? Most drivers don't have ANY of those things. At any rate, I'm not arguing against tons of instructional time (whether it's formal or informal) - in fact, I'd like to see more of it.

My lady friend (whom I'm trying to convert to be a proper petrolhead) is a product of the state of California. When I first started driving with her, it was TERRIFYING. I thought I'd die every time we went down the damn block (and I don't blink driving at 70mph on curvy roads next to cliffs). Indeed, because she got her license after the age of 18, she was neither required to take a class nor did she have any mandatory instruction. She learned how to drive from the DMV manual, 20 minutes in the car with a girlfriend parallel parking, and went and passed the damned test. The fact that this was even possible is actually rather terrifying.

Every stop was what I'd consider panic braking. Every start was to WOT (not that there's anything really wrong with that... when you're at the front of the line). She was UTTERLY FLUMMOXED by anything other than a 90 degree corner - she was USELESS on any roads with bends. The only thing she could do well was stay within the boundaries of a lane in Los Angeles surface street traffic. Stop signs? They're just suggestions, right?

I've worked her up over a few years so that now she doesn't bat an eye at multi-hundred mile roadtrips - now that she can actually drive the damned car properly, and can sit in the seat long enough, I just need to teach her how to navigate without calling me for directions (I swear sometimes I'm a human GPS) and then maybe later the whole speed thing.
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Don't be a schmuck. What you're saying here is you have ONE friend who's a crap driver. I don't see how it's relevant. I have a friend who's crap driver too. I have friends who are wonderful drivers as well. What's your point?
 
The test in this state is horrifyingly easy. Literally the drive down the street, pull over, and do a 3 point turn stuff. 4 years later I still don't know how to parallel park properly. The driving lessons are also stupid and require like 6 hours of "observing". You are in the back seat how do you observe? All you can see is the bitch instructor yelling at the kid in front for no real reason.
 
Only reason I can parallel park is I went to school in Worcester. Did a bit in Driver's Ed but that was on the instructor's recommendation, it wasn't part of any test.
 
First time my dad let me drive was in a totalled 2001 Honda Civic. Made it round the cul-de-sac and make it back into the driveway before steam/smoke erupted out of the driveway.

First time driving for real was in my moms 2001 Volvo V70 XC.
 
Ah, I remember my first time driving with a permit. Probably because it was only a year ago. (I had driven twice beforehand without a permit, but they were both uneventful as they contained me just scared and frustrated in a parking lot).

My dad drove down the road for a while, and brought me to a company parking lot- void of life on a Saturday. He told me to drive around the building in the parking lot, which allowed me to get a feel for the car - speeding up, slowing down, turning, etc. After doing that a few times he told me to go on the road. I freaked out and told him I didn't think I was ready to do that after only driving in a parking lot for 10 minutes, but he insisted.

Thankfully the road was pretty empty as well. I kept on asking questions about where to stop and when to use the turn signal. I freaked out if I saw a person coming. But even so, my dad told me to keep going. I had an hour and a half going towards the 60 hours I needed by the end of that stint.

Though the NEXT time my dad put me out on the road, we went on the highway. Great job, dad :rolleyes:

But now, after probably 120 - 150 hours of driving, I am WAY more confident. When I drive my friends around they always comment on how OK they feel and how I'm a way better driver then them. Though most of their parents don't let them even touch the car (even after their license!) while my mother and father frequently tell me to run errands or allow me to drive them places, so I get a lot more practice.

Now, my first time with a stickshift in a 2003 blue Mercades convertable, well... :woot:

EDIT: In this state, we don't get drivers ed included in our schooling. It's 30 hours classroom, 6 hours with an instructor (3 2 hour lessons), 50 hours daytime and 10 hours nighttime. I got the most expensive course, taught by police officers, and had a hell of a time. They did show us videos, but the told us personal stories of incidents, not just traffic accidents, every one humerous, and we probably pulled out of that not only how to drive but a respect for the police force.
 
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First time without a permit was oddly enough....in a bus. My dad drove public transportation buses and one day when I was with him in a huge parking lot he let me fool around a bit, i was 12 and all I remember was massive excitement and having a hard time reaching the gas pedal....while standing up.

First time with a permit was very boring as I drove many times before hand and was pretty good at it by then. I remember the guy testing me saying I was a bit too good with the clutch to be new at this lol.
 
Well came back from driving in a Parking Lot this morning at a Home Depot near by in a TSX

Cept starting the car thought my foot was on the brake but started it up with a roar so obviously it was on the accelerator *facepalm*

Uncle kept shouting "DON'T GO SO CLOSE TO THE CART STALL!" even though i was like 5 ft from it LOL

Overall, pretty fun but need to get used to the sensitivity of the gas and brake pedal.
 
Technically speaking, my first time driving would have been when I was about 10. My father knew an Engineer for Union Pacific, so he took me out one night and let me drive one of the Union Pacific Locomotives.

First time driving a vehicle would have been when I was just about 15, my mother took me to a parking lot and taught me to drive in her F150. Learned and took my drivers test in that, then the first car I got to drive was my Mustang.
 
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