I've been driving for 28 years. Where did the time go?

It’s been 30 plus years for me now. I did my required time with teacher which wasn’t much and maybe drove with my mom 3 times kn permit. Lost my wallet so she wouldn’t drive with me anymore nor get me a new one. Had me take the test when I was 16 (the teacher assured her I would fail sNs they would give me a new permit). I passed. Mom told me we had to drive everyday between then and school. We did not. Watching my two oldest learn to drive I was either naturally gifted (no), all the lawn mowing helped or I got incredibly lucky early on in my driving career. Much like UHM most of my driving was west of Randall road or even 47. The Elgin area was a bit different.


My daughter was in a small accident a few months ago. Can’t say it was her fault at least but she makes me nervous. Probably will the rest of my life. Son is in driver’s Ed portion with just the driving hours required. Super cautious driver (my daughter was too). I’m afraid I’ll need a helmet and racing harness for the youngest.

Now I'm so tired of having to be with her taking her everywhere she apparently needs to go, I dont' care if she's the worst driver in the world, I'm just done dropping her off to all the places she needs to go.

i actually thought this thread was going to be about people who put "new driver" bumper stickers on their car

it seems like i've seen a lot of them lately . I don't really get it. Yea the driving school places have the 'student driver' stuff, but why the fuck you would put a new driver bumper sticker on your personal car

So other drivers have more patience and are aware of the mistakes a new driver will make.

So other drivers have more patience and are aware of the mistakes a new driver will make.

I think it's a good idea. I've passed cars in my road rage state and glared over to see a nervous young driver at 10 and 2 on the wheel.

my co-worker has a daughter that's in her 20's now and she just wrecked her 4th car.

My daughter just started drivers ed this year. Took her to the school parking lot to show her the basics of driving. Setup some cones and she hit every one of them. Wouldn't listen to basic commands on how to steer the car. Insisted she knew and then hit another cone. Ended that lesson knowing she was not ready to drive yet. Not mature enough get behind the wheel of a car.

Fast forward a couple months of her progressing in her drivers ed course at school. She logged a few hours of driving with the teacher and talked me into letting her drive into town. I hesitated at first, but decided to see if anything had changed. She started out fine and listened to basic commands on speed and street awareness. I told her to make a left at the light because I was taking her down the back roads and didn't want to drive into heavy traffic areas. She asked what lane she should be in. I looked at her and said, "What? the left lane follow the yellow line, it guides you into the correct turn lane." She said, she had not made a left turn at a light in drivers ed yet. I knew I was in trouble, but decided to let this play out since traffic wasn't too heavy and we were almost at our destination.

We get into town and a bicyclist decides to ride in the left lane of a two lane road like she is driving a car. My daughter freezes and I tell her just slow down and follow slowly behind the bike because the lady was putting her arm out to turn. My daughter panics and stomps on the brake, then turns the wheel and hit the gas to go into the next lane without looking for other cars next to her. I yelled. STOP! What are you doing! She stops in the middle of both lanes and starts crying... I told her stop crying, you are driving, "No crying while you are driving!" Felt like a scene out of a league of their own.

The bike turns and she continues down the road crying and saying, "I don't want to drive anymore!" I told her, pull over into the parking lot down the street on the right. She then keeps crying and doesn't slow down at a yellow light. I said STOP! she said, tell me when... I said, "NOW! What do you mean when? You don't see the traffic light ahead! OMFG! #$#@#@!

Light turns and I tell her turn left into the parking lot. She hits the gas on the turn and screeches the tires until we finally come to a stop. I get out of the car, look up to Jesus and ask what have I done to piss you off. I drove the rest of the way explaining to her every move I made in the car and why I made it.

16 for some kids is just way too young to start driving. I'll keep trying to teach her, but until she matures a little more, she will not be driving.

I'm sorry your daughter is an uncoordinated dork.

Next time she encounters a bicyclist on the road, just tell her to roll the window down and scream, "ON YOUR LEFT" as she cruises past.

My daughter just started drivers ed this year. Took her to the school parking lot to show her the basics of driving. Setup some cones and she hit every one of them. Wouldn't listen to basic commands on how to steer the car. Insisted she knew and then hit another cone. Ended that lesson knowing she was not ready to drive yet. Not mature enough get behind the wheel of a car.

Fast forward a couple months of her progressing in her drivers ed course at school. She logged a few hours of driving with the teacher and talked me into letting her drive into town. I hesitated at first, but decided to see if anything had changed. She started out fine and listened to basic commands on speed and street awareness. I told her to make a left at the light because I was taking her down the back roads and didn't want to drive into heavy traffic areas. She asked what lane she should be in. I looked at her and said, "What? the left lane follow the yellow line, it guides you into the correct turn lane." She said, she had not made a left turn at a light in drivers ed yet. I knew I was in trouble, but decided to let this play out since traffic wasn't too heavy and we were almost at our destination.

We get into town and a bicyclist decides to ride in the left lane of a two lane road like she is driving a car. My daughter freezes and I tell her just slow down and follow slowly behind the bike because the lady was putting her arm out to turn. My daughter panics and stomps on the brake, then turns the wheel and hit the gas to go into the next lane without looking for other cars next to her. I yelled. STOP! What are you doing! She stops in the middle of both lanes and starts crying... I told her stop crying, you are driving, "No crying while you are driving!" Felt like a scene out of a league of their own.

The bike turns and she continues down the road crying and saying, "I don't want to drive anymore!" I told her, pull over into the parking lot down the street on the right. She then keeps crying and doesn't slow down at a yellow light. I said STOP! she said, tell me when... I said, "NOW! What do you mean when? You don't see the traffic light ahead! OMFG! #$#@#@!

Light turns and I tell her turn left into the parking lot. She hits the gas on the turn and screeches the tires until we finally come to a stop. I get out of the car, look up to Jesus and ask what have I done to piss you off. I drove the rest of the way explaining to her every move I made in the car and why I made it.

16 for some kids is just way too young to start driving. I'll keep trying to teach her, but until she matures a little more, she will not be driving.

I think a lot of the challenge for teenagers is first spatial and geographic awareness when they are a passenger. Being able to do that part easily makes being able to focus on the driving a lot easier. Having your head buried in a smartphone or tablet when you are a passenger from the age of 4 can't really help.