Whoa! Didja get the numbers off that truck?!?


February 08, 2004 - 11:20 a.m.

Driver Ed

Not Ed exactly, Son2. He got his learner's permit about two weeks ago.

They were with me this weekend. I asked him how much driving he had done so far. He said he'd gone twice.

Twice?

I guess his mom is a little reluctant to let him drive her Grand Cherokee. I'm guessing that's because the car's not really hers, but that's a story for another day. It's not that difficult really, you just put the car in Drive and go. The biggest obstacle is predicting what the other drivers are going to do. He's already had a lot of classroom theory, so I felt it was time to put that to work.

I woke him yesterday about 9:30 and told him I needed a chauffeur so I could run errands. He got dressed very quickly and joined me outside.

My driveway is a very tricky maneuver because it's bordered on one side by the house and on the other by a hedge. Many inexperienced visitors have had trouble negotiating that driveway; some have simply turned around on the pad in front of the double doors of the garage and driven straight out. I explained to Son2 that it's simply a matter of watching your left hand mirror and maintaining a constant distance between the house and the car. He had to go forward and try it again a few times, but he got it.

Once on the road he did just fine. He liked driving my car, he said the steering has less effort than the Cherokee. He likes driving with me; he said there's a lot less panicky bitching coming from the passenger seat when I'm in the car. I figured he's got enough to think about without a lot of "helpful suggestions" from me. The only advice I gave was to look at intersections to the road he's on. If there are cars there, try to predict what they're going to do and anticipate it. I also am a firm believer in checking your blind spot before changing lanes. That has saved my bacon more than once. After driving without an accident for twenty four years, I feel I have some useful advice to give. His mom can't make that same claim.

He's a good driver too. His acceleration is smooth and his turns are planned and not jerky. He parks pretty well too! He'll be fine.







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