Have you ever taught someone how to drive?

Yes, my daughter. She is 24 now and a great driver but it was no picnic being in the passenger seat. Kids are headstrong and think they know it all, depending on your sons personality he will be 50% of his own experience. lol
If he listens and heeds your advice and coaching great, but, as he gains confidence you’re probably going to hear a whole lot of emphatically exclaimed, ” I KNOW MOM!”

My daughter once almost sandwiched me between a huge Oak tree and an oncoming giant ranch truck loaded with hay on our tiny little road. After telling her to slow down she exclaimed ” I’m FINE!”

Uh, nothing to do but close my eyes and hope for the best! haha
Skimmed by the tree and the truck by inches…whew!

Only the wife on the golf course, anyone playing at the same time would be wearing safety helmets, something had to give.

Yes, both my sons, and two grandsons, so far. The teaching took part every time we were in the car from a very young age, Hubby and I commented on relevant parts of driving.

I taught a friend to drive a stick shift once, but that’s not entirely the same. My only core advice would be to start in a wide open parking lot… nothing to hit there.

I taught my oldest son. I had him tell me what he was going to do “so I would not be nervous.” “I see the stop sign. I am slowing down for it.” “I see that car up ahead waiting. I will let him go first.” “I see the jog in the road. I won’t slow down for it.” We only had to do that a few times before I had confidence in him and he was able to show he was looking further down the road than the hood of the car. He is now a pilot.

My other son I sent to driver’s ed.

I am in the process of teaching my daughter how to drive. I started her out in a nearly vacant parking lot. I told her to play with the steering and the breaks to get a feel for both. After she went ‘round and ‘round that lot I had her drive home. (No traffic lights on nearly empty streets). We built up slowly to where she now can handle up to 60km/hr, traffic lights and changing lanes. Next step is taking her to a secondary inner-city hwy. that the speed limit is 80km/hr. Lastly, is our inner-city hwy that is 100km/hr and crazy people drive 120 to 150km/hr plus two lane roundabouts.

As a parent you have to try to keep your cool as best you can. I had my heart in my chest when she blew through a crosswalk (that a car had partially hidden) and nearly smoked an old couple. We both learned a lot from that.

I want her to know the basics before we sign her up for lessons. The lessons in this area are $650 and up.

I have taught several people to drive when I was in my twenties. I had a job where I was a manager, and we needed people to learn to drive so they could get promotions.

I was not a happy camper. I did not like teaching people to drive. It was pretty scary. I don’t think I would be good at teaching my kids to drive. I hate that “pounding the invisible brake” feeling. Shit! I do that when my wife drives. That’s bad enough!

I think I could take them driving in a parking lot. But on the streets? Not so much.

I taught my son who passed his test first time. Once when we were out in the car he was changing gear and the lever came away in his hand. That was a tricky moment.

Everyone. Both of my sisters, my boyfriend at the time, my three kids, my daughter’s boyfriend (THAT was a trip!) and my grandson.
I haven’t read through the posts, but make sure to practice using the blinkers and different things while you’re sitting still.

My friend suggested the cemetery. Also, I believe there is an actual driving coarse available in town. I need to check into that. For me, it’s not so much as to where but how to go about it. I’m teetering between terrified and excited here. I need to come up with a game plan.

LOL @wundayatta I would seriously love to grab a sack lunch, sit on a park bench and people watch with you!

My son and then my daughter. Somehow, we all survived. There was a large parking lot attached to the private school whose grounds abutted onto our property.

If I were to do it again, I would send them to driving school.

On our way to the police barracks for my son’s driving test, I (behind the wheel) had a small collision. When we arrived, my son had to climb out the window on his side. Luckily the tester provided the car.

He remained a very conservative driver always.

Also, practice moving from gas to brake while sitting still.
After he has gained some experience, first icy day take him to an empty parking lot and teach him how to recover from slides and spins on the ice. Of course, you’ll have to spend 10 minutes demonstrating. You probably shouldn’t say “Wheeeee!” during your demonstration, but you might not be able to resist. :)

Gosh…I remember when it was offered as a regular class in HS. WTH is wrong with this country today? That is probably one of THE, if not THE, most important skills a young person could learn.

Many people and I used to charge some of my customers to teach them too. What’s more important though is knowing the rules of the road where you live and drive.

@Neizvestnaya Not just the usual “rules of the road” but the things that so many kids (some of whom are now adults) are not taught. On a 4 (or more) lane highway, the left lane is for passing only. Get back in the right lane when you’re done. Throw out that staying behind a car on the highway “one car length for each ten miles per hour you’re going.” Stay a quarter mile behind them, unless you intend to pass, then get up close and PASS. If you aren’t going to pass, stay ¼ mile behind. Don’t talk on the phone. Shit…don’t TEXT.

The other day my phone rang while I was driving. I was at a good stopping point (or I wouldn’t have answered it) and as I answered the phone I said, “Hang on! I’m pulling over!” and I turned onto a residential street to pull the car over to the side of the road and stopped. My daughter had called and she said, “It’s not illegal to talk on the phone when you drive! You don’t have to pull over! It’s only illegal to text.”
Since it WAS my daughter, and I will forever be teaching my kids, I snapped, “Illegal and stupid are two different things. It’s STUPID to talk on the phone while I’m driving and I’m not stupid so I’m pulling over! To hell with illegal!” She laughed. But I do hope I made my POINT.

Yes step-daughter on a stick shift. Her mom ( my lovely wife, just was a wreck trying to teach her ). No pressure, just tried to remember how my Driver Ed teacher taught me. She did real good and asked to take her test at DMV on the stick-shift, we had an automatic too.

Our son. We talked him into buying an old police interceptor for his first car. It went pretty well we almost got killed only twice. Those old Crown Vics will stick to the road like a magnet no matter how you suddenly jerk the wheel at he last moment.