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04-17-2003, 05:41 PM
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#1 of 33 
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Local Time: 02:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,042
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Time to run for cover. My daughter just took her first driving lesson
And, as I watched the car literally carom from the curb on one side of the street to bouncing off the opposite side curb over and over as she left, my neighbors and I just laughed our asses off. No doubt about it, my 15 year old daughter is going to take some time and patience. Of course, I won't tell her this, but yikes.
She's overachieves in most every way (probably starting college this summer, lead in school play, etc.), but mechanical things and her just don't mix.
I need some comfort. That, or stories of other first driving experiences would be greatly soothing to calm my nerves, as well as those of my still laughing neighbors.
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04-17-2003, 06:24 PM
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#2 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Local Time: 01:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 600
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I recall when I took driver's ed 12 years ago....
We were in a red Pontiac Grand Am, and my instructor was a demon from hell. She kept pumping the brake on the passenger side of the car, and I couldn't figure out why I kept slowing down. Whenever she let go of her "safety brake", DAMN we started movin'!
\"My name is El Nino which in spanish means.... The Nino!\" - Chris Farley
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04-17-2003, 07:27 PM
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#4 of 33
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Member
Join Date: May 2000
Local Time: 09:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 453
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I never took driver's ed.
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04-17-2003, 07:40 PM
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#5 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Local Time: 02:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,042
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Well, she just got back...an hour late. But, she and the instructor are in one piece. Didn't get to talk to her about the experience, because it was immediately off to voice lessons.
Scott, luckily her instructor is extremely nice...and patient. Can't wait to find out how it went. I'm excited though, as completion of lesson #1 entitles us to go out with her. Nonetheless, I think it will be very wide roads, with little traffic for a while.
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04-17-2003, 08:16 PM
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#6 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2000
Local Time: 02:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,125
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My parents made my brothers and I drive 100 hours with them before we could get our license. At the time I didn't enjoy it but looking back I think it was a great idea. I was the only one in my circle of friends to not get into an accident. I also learned stick (manual transmission)...
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04-17-2003, 08:43 PM
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#7 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Local Time: 04:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,751
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I took drivers ed in the beginning of winter in chicago. Rain, early darkness, and cold temperatures. Very interesting times.
Michael Alletto
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04-17-2003, 10:01 PM
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#8 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Local Time: 02:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,042
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I'm glad we aren't learning where you had to Mike.
I HAVE A STRAINED MIDDLE RIGHT FINGER NOW!!!
How???
Well, we took our daughter to a big deserted parking lot to practice turning, stopping, etc.
She had told us that the instructor had taken her into relatively heavy traffic for two hours and she could handle much more. As the parking lot is only a three blocks from my home, in a quiet residential neighborhood, I told her to take us home. Afterall, she had driven for three hours now and seemed much more comfortable around the wheel. Three quiet blocks, what's that...
She got out of the parking lot, made the left onto the street. No problems. That street stops in a T intersection with our street. She pulled up to the stop sign, stopped, looked both ways. No traffic. The only car near us was the new SUV parked on the other side of the T intersection. Great. No problems.
Well, you see, the brake and gas pedals are different. She started, then intended to brake to check for oncoming traffic one more time, before proceeding.
ALERT!!! ALERT!!! That's not the brake. That's the accelerator and you floored the thing.
She had pressed down on the accelerator and, in her panic,
was headed straight at the SUV...going faster every second. I thought there was no way to avoid impact. I pulled as hard as I could at the hand brake with one hand, while reaching over desperately trying to turn away from the SUV with the other. We came within inches of the SUV, running across the sidewalk and a few feet onto the person's lawn. Luckily, I know the homeowner and, after calming down, could explain and check to make sure there was no damage to the lawn.
Anyway, in reaching over to steer, I sprained my right finger...but only slightly.
We're going to spend a lot of time in parking lots for a while, with little splashes in quiet neighborhoods.
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04-17-2003, 10:24 PM
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#9 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Local Time: 05:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 9,647
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I just love stories about people "learning" to drive. 
I never really thought about it as something you had to "learn," but rather something you just couldn't do until you were old enough. Riding as a child with my parents, through observation and such, I feel I had years of learning and, once I reached proper age, never had any difficulties with Drivers Ed. or taking the tests for the license. I guess I've just always been amazed that driving doesn't come naturally to some people after you've spent years being trucked around by adults and watching them drive.
My step-sister hit another car while taking the driving test for the first time for her license. Obviously, she failed. 
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04-17-2003, 11:23 PM
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#10 of 33
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2002
Local Time: 03:58 PM
Local Date: 10-07-2008
Posts: 2,113
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I wouldn't worry about her totaling the car. I'd worry about her ramming some other persons car. Then you being sued for everything you own, loosing your house, your savings, your retirement, your whole life down the shitter. After getting older I read about those cases where teenagers kill people in cars and the family looses everything.
Damn, I look back on the things I did when I first turned 16, almost makes me never want to have kids because of the liability.
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