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To: CholeraJoe
that cuban had better be a cigar, or female amigo!

I'm PMS-ing today. Tyke got her learner's permit yesterday and I am dreading her first driving lesson tomorrow...
34 posted on 08/01/2003 6:14:10 AM PDT by camle (dis blondes in MY presence willya?!)
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To: camle
oh goodness, camle. good luck to you and the tyke. i feel sick just thinking about it.
40 posted on 08/01/2003 6:15:12 AM PDT by xsmommy
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To: camle; xsmommy; Slip18; Cyber Liberty; secret garden; hobbes1
Everybody's different, but try this way.

(So far, it's worked three times with my kids, and a bunch of other kids in the band, girl scouts, and boy scout groups too as other parents have tried it....)

Figure you're going to break the "how to drive" problem into management sets of things they have to learn so well they're automatic - MANY of which HAVE to be MASTERED THOROUGHLY BEFORE you ever put the kid on the road itself.

(Then, AFTER they've really mastered the details of car control and steering and manuevering the car OFF ROAD, then they can get on the road and figure out the "look around and avoid other cars" part of driving.

So ......

First day, drive them to an empty school lot or company parking lot. (Not a commercial parking lot where other people could drive by ...) HAve the kid get behind the wheel (by themself!) and just park it - 15 or twenty times into various slots in various rows. The first 5 or 6 times they park - have them get out and look at how accurate they are.

then have them circle a few times, back up (straight!) at least 150 feet, circle some more in various figure 8's and around light poles and other obstructions they can see. Have them parallel park too - or at least try, if they begin getting a little "too overconfident".

Stop, take a break. Let them take a break too.

Do it all again to reinforce the mechanics of what they've done.

Drive both of you home.

Next day, or a few days later. Do it again, but emphasize backing up straight and (if you have a trailer) moving and parking and backing up and controlling the trailer.... All this still at slow speed, but emphasize accuracy - a 2" "miss" in a parking lot will still thousands of dollars in damage to both cars.

Cover parallel parking the second day also. Have them repeat until they can accurately parallel park - you might need some cones - two barrels, or even yourself as a "fender" of the car they parking behind. (At least you can step back when try to drive over your foot!)

After two or three intervals of "parking lot" practice, the kid will know how to control the car, and will be able to look "out" while on the road. AFTER you're confident of his/her ability to control the car, then have them drive home.

From that first drive on, EVERY TIME you get in the car with the learner for the next year, THEY DRIVE.

By the end of that full year of practice - IF they've driven every time they're in a car, they should be able to get over 15,000 miles of observed driving. Under all conditions (night, day, storms, snow, ice, highway, etc....) and you've seen how the react.

154 posted on 08/01/2003 8:01:53 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only support FR by donating monthly, but ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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