funny how kids think driving is so easy

[lynn]

Until they get their permit and get behind the steering wheel for the first time.

The first time my dad let me drive was the first day I had my permit he picked me up from work and told me to drive home, yeah that was um, interesting. My brother jumped out of the car when we got home and made it clear that he "would never get in the car with me driving ever again!" That's how bad it went.  If it wasn't rush hour I think I would have been much calmer.  

So what's your first time driving story?

[Gil]

I was a good driver from my first time behind the wheel, and by the time I was able to drive legally, I was very experienced at it.

[gingersmom]

My mother spent the entire time yelling at me :)

 

I also asked a lot which was gas pedal and which was brake. Just being careful!

 

My 18 year old is scared to drive and I am not thrilled about teaching her.

[Onceuponatime]

My father tried to teach me on our old VW van, which was a stick shift. I couldn't get the coordination of my feet on the brake, clutch and gas. The first time I backed out of the driveway, my dad was yelling,"Brake, brake!" I was yelling back,"Which one?!" while stomping on each pedal. The van eventally came to a stop against the car of my husband-to-be. 😳

[lynn]

We live in the county area with narrow roads so it takes a bit to get the turning down.  Although some people think they can turn on these narrow roads one handed because the hand has their cell phone.

[elegantlion]

My dad didn't teach me, not enough patience or time. My mom and I took drivers training together from an instructor, yes my mom. I got my license in the fall and had to pick up my mom from work the first winter. I learned how to brake on ice very well that winter. My mom still doesn't drive much, more to the fact my dad is hyper picky than her ability. 

[The Girls' Mom]

My step-dad let me drive his truck in the fields a lot as a kid, and we had 4 wheelers so driving a car wasn't a big leap for me.  However, my mother couldn't handle it without a 6 pack....that is why my husband is the one that got me road ready..lol.  (I was 15 when we met)  He taught me how to drive a stick.  

 

My younger two get their permits this week.  It should be interesting.  One has never driven anything other than a go-cart.  The other has driven up the drive way a couple of times and was amazed at how hard it was to not jerk the van around.  My oldest was a PAIN to teach how to drive because she was terrified and did NOT want to learn.  She is a good driver now though.

[The Girls' Mom]

We live in the county area with narrow roads so it takes a bit to get the turning down.  Although some people think they can turn on these narrow roads one handed because the hand has their cell phone.

 

The roads around here terrify people that aren't from here.  (twisty mountain roads).  Makes it interesting to teach teens to drive, that is for sure.

[Annie G]

I took driver's ed but I had a broken arm so I think they just put me on the simulators rather than take me on the road (1970's here, folks!) and when I was done I badgered my dad to let me drive our family car, which was a VW camper van. We'd been at a friend's house and he let me back out of the driveway, I drove to the stop sign a block away, and he told me to put it in park and turn the car off. That was the last time I drove with him. It was like 500 feet. 

 

In his defense, the first time he tried to teach my mom to drive she wrecked his dad's new car.  

 

I'm 54 and have never had an accident or a ticket- so once I figured it out, I did ok. 

[MyThreeSons]

Back in my day, we took Driver's Ed in high school as a half-credit class. We met 50 minutes, five days a week, for a full semester. We had classroom instruction, time driving the simulators (1970's style), and time in the car with a teacher and two other students. 

 

My first time driving: my Dad took me to a big, empty parking lot. After some initial words of instruction, and a little practice just moving forward, backward, turning, and stopping, Dad put me through his own "test" before we hit the road. He would indicate a line on the pavement that I was to approach, and stop with the front of the car just above it. Then I would put it in park, get out and see where I really was in relation to it. Same thing with backing up to a line and having both the right and left sides of the car along the line. I would pull into marked parking spots, etc. 

 

I followed the same program with my sons.

[Cammie]

When I drove for the first time at 16 I decided I was not ready for the responsibility.

 

I didn't get my license until I was 25 (and only then because I had to rent a car with a friend...she did all the driving.)  I didn't really start driving until I was 30.   I still don't like it and don't do it.  I could NEVER driver here in India...OMG - crazy!

[.Michelle.]

My dad let me start driving the straight road to my Saturday morning babysitting job when I was 13.  He paid attention for the first time; after that he brought the sports section and let me be.

 

I still can't believe he let me do that, LOL.

[sarahbobeara]

Dad taught my brother and I to drive.  I learned on an automatic mid-80s Ford Econoline van--primer gray, we called it the kidnapper van.  It had the light dimmer down in the floor boards and the back doors were starting to rust through so it would bring the exhaust fumes back inside.  Dad would just roll down the windows a bit til we got fresh air coming in. 

 

No horror stories, we lived in a rural area--gravel roads, no freeway, and all the roads were 4 way stops or stoplights.  I passed Driver's Ed with a D and ended up not having to do the driving test to get my license, just do the written portion.  (I still don't know how to parallel park!  I will park way out or circle to find a pull-in situation!)  Most of my scary moments were when I was riding with my best friend...I don't think my parents ever knew how fast she drove!

[MyThreeSons]

My dh was driving a school bus when he was 14 or 15 years old. He would park it at home overnight. Many of the riders were his own siblings or cousins. 

[mamaraby]

Eh. I didn't find driving al, that difficult or scary. Learning to drive in a manual transmission added an extra bit of challenge is all. Funny thing, driving a manual transmission is like riding a bike - you never do forget how to do it. :0)

[Tap]

I completely see my kids personalities in their driving styles. I have done the majority of driving with both of our kids, and from start to finish, they drive just like they act.  LOL  

 

Ds20 started learning at 15.5 and stopped.  Restarted at 16 and stopped.  Restarted at 18 and had it easily down in just a couple of months.  Amazing what some maturity will get you with learning to drive.  LOL   He is an accurate driver but since the majority of his learning was on the city freeway going through rush hour every morning, he drives pretty quick and has the driving philosophy of "if I get out of the way, I won't be In the way".  LOL  He isn't aggressive, just very....decisive.  LOL 

 

 

DD16 is about 3 months into learning.  She is a good driver already and could easily pass the test. State law requires 6 months practice, and I am glad to see her get more practice in before cutting her loose. She has made some mistakes, but overall, is probably safer that a lot of adults on the road.  She needs to learn to make decisions Faster....which makes sense due to her dyslexia/slower processing speed.  She will get it, but for now she drives around the block more than necessary over missed lane changes, due to running out of time to move around in traffic.  (Again, we live in a large city so you have to learn to drive making quick decisions).

[Slache]

I have a vision problem that prohibits me from operating a motor vehicle safely, but most people think I'm just being lazy. I tried to drive once in a parking lot at 17 and knew I couldn't do it so I never tried again. Years later my mother in law told me that I was a selfish wife and that she was determined that I learn how to drive. She took me out and after I knocked the mailbox down we headed out to the freeway. I nearly hit two cars before we pulled into an RV lot to turn around. I hit the same RV twice. I legitimately didn't see it. She legitimately didn't believe me. We took the back roads home and for some reason she still has me driving. Part of the town that we went through always had people walking in the streets that didn't move out of the way for cars. I always found that very irritating. She expected me to slow down, though I don't know why because she knows me better than that, so as I laid on my horn driving the speed limit she screamed at me to stop and hit me in the arm repeatedly until everyone ran out of the way. I think at this point she started driving and told me I never had to drive again. 

[.Michelle.]

Eh. I didn't find driving al, that difficult or scary. Learning to drive in a manual transmission added an extra bit of challenge is all. Funny thing, driving a manual transmission is like riding a bike - you never do forget how to do it. :0)

 

My first few cars were all manual and I loved it.  Even now in the minivan, I will still try to change gears if I'm not paying attention.  

 

I remember the first time I bought my own car.  I took a model for a test drive and it was an automatic.  When we got back to the dealership, I stopped, turned off the car, pulled up the emergency brake, and then tried to take the key out of the ignition.  It wouldn't come out and the sales guy didn't know what to do.  After a couple of minutes, I realized that I hadn't put the car in park.  The sales guy laughed and laughed and said, "you weren't kidding when you said you learned to drive on a stick."