plansrme Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Just wanted to put in a plug for this: it is a reflective magnet that says "New Driver." I paired it with this one: "Nervous Parent." My brand spankin' new driver drove almost straight from the test across town--and "town" is Atlanta, so she drove around 285, at 5 in the afternoon, and back at 9:30 (!), and reports that she definitely felt like drivers were more considerate of her and gave her a wider berth. She has been making that exact drive with me in the car (my car--not hers, so no magnets) for months, so she knows how difficult it usually is and is confident that the magnets were a help. I know they are no guarantee of her safety, but $15 to encourage other drivers to be extra careful and patient with her is money well spent. One of my FB friends saw the pic of them on her car and said something to the effect of how embarrassing they must be, but my driver is not at all embarrassed. She knows she has nothing to be embarrassed about and accepted the signs in the spirit in which they were intended--as a mom's plea for the world to be nice to her baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I agree with that, BUT.... As a caution it can also make them a target. New driver = less experienced driver and likely a young one at that = someone targets them to purposely cause an accident and get a payout from your insurance. I do think it is far more likely that the majority of folks on the road just decide to steer clear of her if possible. :) But there's always that one jerk that justifies everyone else's paranoid about jerks, yk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I agree with that, BUT.... As a caution it can also make them a target. New driver = less experienced driver and likely a young one at that = someone targets them to purposely cause an accident and get a payout from your insurance. I do think it is far more likely that the majority of folks on the road just decide to steer clear of her if possible. :) But there's always that one jerk that justifies everyone else's paranoid about jerks, yk? I considered that and decided that was a hypothetical risk versus the very real experience we have every stinkin' day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 And I opened this thread to see who had a new chauffeur. . .! (Which is really a result of living overseas at times where having a professional driver was necessary for survival.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 And I opened this thread to see who had a new chauffeur. . .! (Which is really a result of living overseas at times where having a professional driver was necessary for survival.) No, no, quite the opposite: a chauffeur has been fired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose in BC Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 In my province we have graduated learner licensing. For one year any car they drive must have an "L" on back of car and for two years after that an "N" (for new driver). These are issued during the testing process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 In Australia, learners had an 'L' and newly licensed drives had a 'P' placard. It was a big deal for a kid to get Ls or Ps. It was great for other drives to be aware and extend some extra grace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Our state hands out "new driver" magnets and stickers through the drivers' ed program. It's very common to see here on the roads; I think it's a very good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Gah--she drives on 285 as her regular route? She's probably an expert driver by now. I only use that road when absolutely necessary, e.g. taking a kid to Scottish Rite. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 We put student driver magnets on our soon to be licensed dd's car. Like yours, our dd loves them because drivers give her a wide berth. I'll have to ask her if she'd like the new driver magnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Anecdotally, I've noticed that the girls I've known love the idea of the magnet, and the boys hate it, lol. Back when mine were getting their permits, we knew many other kids getting theirs in FL, and were talking in a largish group about it. The boys were truly appalled! I would have liked it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 In my province we have graduated learner licensing. For one year any car they drive must have an "L" on back of car and for two years after that an "N" (for new driver). These are issued during the testing process. In Australia, learners had an 'L' and newly licensed drives had a 'P' placard. It was a big deal for a kid to get Ls or Ps. It was great for other drives to be aware and extend some extra grace. Our state hands out "new driver" magnets and stickers through the drivers' ed program. It's very common to see here on the roads; I think it's a very good idea. I wish they'd do something like that here. I think it's a great idea. My youngest will be getting his learner's permit in a few weeks, but since those kinds of magnets aren't commonly seen around here (that's an understatement -- I've never seen one), I think he'd be hugely embarrassed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm super close to having a new driver, also in Atlanta. She has had her permit for months but is too nervous to actually drive. And I'll be honest.....I have no idea how to teach her. She's gone through the classroom portion of Driver's Ed and does the in-car training stuff in a couple of weeks. I'm definitely going to make her get back behind the wheel prior to that (probably starting tomorrow) to at least get more comfortable again starting, stopping, turning, adjusting the mirrors and seat, etc., but I'm looking forward to her having several hours in the car with a professional before getting back into my car. Seriously....how in the world do you teach a teen to drive in this area? It's nerve wracking for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm super close to having a new driver, also in Atlanta. She has had her permit for months but is too nervous to actually drive. And I'll be honest.....I have no idea how to teach her. She's gone through the classroom portion of Driver's Ed and does the in-car training stuff in a couple of weeks. I'm definitely going to make her get back behind the wheel prior to that (probably starting tomorrow) to at least get more comfortable again starting, stopping, turning, adjusting the mirrors and seat, etc., but I'm looking forward to her having several hours in the car with a professional before getting back into my car. Seriously....how in the world do you teach a teen to drive in this area? It's nerve wracking for me. Other than potty training, teaching dd to drive has been the least fun parenting task ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Other than potty training, teaching dd to drive has been the least fun parenting task ever. I think I'd rather teach a whole class full of kids to use the toilet than to teach this one teen to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Seriously....how in the world do you teach a teen to drive in this area? It's nerve wracking for me. Fortunately for us we live outside the city. Ds1 got many many hours of experience driving to school 30 mins each way. I get what you mean by nerve wracking, though. I found it a lot more tiring to instruct him driving than to just drive myself. And none of that driving was in the city (ATL). Dh did that part; I don't think I could have handled it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Fortunately for us we live outside the city. Ds1 got many many hours of experience driving to school 30 mins each way. I get what you mean by nerve wracking, though. I found it a lot more tiring to instruct him driving than to just drive myself. And none of that driving was in the city (ATL). Dh did that part; I don't think I could have handled it. We're not in the city, either. We're in Cobb County. I swear it's just as bad, though. There is a lot of construction, it's quite congested, and there are just too many cars. This is basically the one and only reason I miss my ex-husband living close by. He could definitely teach her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 Someone suggested starting in cemeteries. We did not do that, but what we did do after she had driven in and around our neighborhood was let her drive increasingly longer sections of a route with which she was very familiar. She drove one mile for a few days (we drive this route 5 times a week), them pulled over and let me finish. Then she drove another mile for a few days, etc., until she drove the whole thing. My thinking was that familiarity is security. When it came to interstate driving, we had a crash course beginning on I-20 in Alabama. It is a lot easier than starting on 75 or 285! Familiar routes were infinitely easier than new ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 We're not in the city, either. We're in Cobb County. I swear it's just as bad, though. There is a lot of construction, it's quite congested, and there are just too many cars. This is basically the one and only reason I miss my ex-husband living close by. He could definitely teach her. Yeah, there seems to be a big diff in traffic in different parts of the county. We're in the north Cobb area where traffic is mostly tolerable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Dh and I, including our teen driver, have been wanting a sign that says "Beware Student Driver" to put on the car. My dd thought it would be great because maybe other drivers would give her more room. I still haven't been brave enough to go on the freeway with her - even at off times let alone rush hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Yeah, there seems to be a big diff in traffic in different parts of the county. We're in the north Cobb area where traffic is mostly tolerable. You think so? I'm in North Cobb. It makes me want to pull my hair out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 You think so? I'm in North Cobb. It makes me want to pull my hair out. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I agree with that, BUT.... As a caution it can also make them a target. New driver = less experienced driver and likely a young one at that = someone targets them to purposely cause an accident and get a payout from your insurance. I do think it is far more likely that the majority of folks on the road just decide to steer clear of her if possible. :) But there's always that one jerk that justifies everyone else's paranoid about jerks, yk? This would be my worry. I did put a "Student Driver" sign on the car when Dd was practicing WITH me in the car. NJ has red reflective stickers that new drivers are supposed to put on their license plates. There has been a lot of protest because people feel it's a safety hazard because people will target new drivers. When we bought her's, they actually told me they haven't even sold enough to cover 10% of the new drivers that were supposed to have them. My dd had to have them on her car to park in the school lot, but I had her take them off when she would drive to dance/work. She would return home at 9:30/10:00 at night, on a very dark, very quiet stretch of road. I didn't want anything that was going to announce to other drivers that she was a young person driving alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Interesting to think about the option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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