Help? Learning how to drive...

[stansrailpix]

How about some tips for a parent (me) teaching a son to drive ?
          Thanks,
                       Stan

[MilesAhead]

How about some tips for a parent (me) teaching a son to drive ?
          Thanks,
                       Stan

-stansrailpix (September 02, 2009, 10:18 PM)

Wear a motorcycle helmet.  Not for crashes, but to keep you from pulling your hair out.   

[wreckedcarzz]

Oh god, I'm starting to freak

Mom took me out on Friday after school and I had another go at the parking lot - lots more crosstraffic and cut-throughs due to the Blockbuster, so I had a good time interacting with the traffic

Ended up hitting 35MPH (intentionally) and that was enough for me (bit fast for a parking lot though) and am getting good at pulling/backing to angled spaces (dad let me park at Wal-Mart this morning, and I did a "good job" at it ). Also tried to parallel park twice - first time was accurate, but 18" from the curb (about 1/2 a meter) and the 2nd time was 12" (1/3 meter). Not bad for a first time shot in a rigged environment.

Still gotta run down to MVD to get my Learners Permit, guess I'll do that next week or so (school has made things hectic) and then I can get out on the road with all you other crazy people

[olla86]

How about the special computer tests or programms

[sri]

You can't say you know how to drive unless you have driven in India.

[app103]

You can't say you know how to drive unless you have driven in India.

-sri (September 22, 2009, 11:08 AM)

Looks like parts of NJ. 

[redstarnyc]

Reminds me of midtown manhattan

[Deozaan]

I'm hoping that some of you can give me some thoughts on how I can prepare myself better before I go out to BtW (prior experience is a requirement).

-wreckedcarzz (August 22, 2009, 03:32 PM)

You absolutely must have prior driving experience before you can attend your Driver's Ed class? That doesn't make sense. Isn't the purpose of Driver's Ed to teach you how to drive?

I had never driven a car until I did so in my Driver's Ed class. Then after I got my license I had to learn how to drive stick shift because that's the kind of car we had, and my mom didn't want me driving her BMW.

To be honest, I didn't want to drive her BMW either. I hated driving for the first two or three years. I always saw it as a huge responsibility and not a fun, enjoyable thing.

[Shades]

And besides that, a BMW is a rear wheel driven car. Those behave (really) different when you encounter a traffic situation where drastic action is required. Front wheel driven cars are behaving more "friendly" in those situations.

Having said this, I like the driving experience that is BMW (yep, I'll admit it....BMW fanboy here). 

[sri]

When I was new to driving, I watched this video series:

http://www.youtube.c...ser/BSMDrivingSchool

[40hz]

And besides that, a BMW is a rear wheel driven car. Those behave (really) different when you encounter a traffic situation where drastic action is required. Front wheel driven cars are behaving more "friendly" in those situations.

Having said this, I like the driving experience that is BMW (yep, I'll admit it....BMW fanboy here).  

-Shades (September 28, 2009, 08:38 PM)

In Neal Stephenson's book Snow Crash, there are numerous traffic scenes where BMW drivers "immediately took evasive action."

Later on, he remarks that BMW drivers always seem to feel the need to be taking "evasive actions" - and wonders if this is how they justify, to themselves, the high price they paid for their cars.

From my experiences on the highways around where I live (and where skittish lane-changing BMWs abound) I truly believe Stephenson was on to something.

@Shades - So since you own one...is that true?

[Shades]

Hey....those 'horsies' in front keep working and working...when on the autobahn (Germany) you really have to take evasive actions all the time to show off those 'ponies' for those who are speed challenged. 

And I owned 5 of them during my Dutch driving career. Yep, I'll admit to being a fanboy.

Currently I don't even own a car but a motor cycle. All the evasive 'training' did pay off however. Entering the traffic here on my bike can be really hazardous. There are more than enough people here that have just bought their driver license. Unfortunately this is no joke.

Luckily there are not too many BMW's out here     

[MilesAhead]

You can't say you know how to drive unless you have driven in India.

-sri (September 22, 2009, 11:08 AM)

Hmmmmmm, looks more like "quadruple parking" than "driving" though.