Tales from teenage drivers training

[rogerwa]

I am not sure I am going to make it through my daughters drivers training. I know she needs practice but most times I am not in for the hairraising experience.

To make it worse, like my wife, she will not listen to a word of advice from me. I the get the famous teenage, "yea whatever".

So much to my horror, yesterday I relented and decided to let her drive as she needed a ride to her school, where she threw the car into park while we were still going ~7MPH. This is with our 2004 Suburban, our primary mover.

It made awful sounds as we ground to a halt of which she seem oblivious. As I was throwing a major rant, she promptly exited the vehicle and went on her way.

This is on top of her friend, who is a child of our friends, who ran her car into our cabin and pushed the wall in.

While I am not a fan of buying your kid a car when they get their license, I am serioulsy considering picking up a cheapie that they can drive, just for the piece of mind that I don't have to get mad when they bang it up.

I have three behind her that I am sure this will not be the end of the stories..

 

[Arabian180]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

GrrrraaaaaaaaaaaNK eeek . The car's parked daddy !

Yeah get a cheapie old battle wagon for the first one. They always wreck the first one so the older and heavier the better. something along the lines of a 60s Galaxy 500 or old Impala. Crown Vics are pretty tough too.

 

[bhammer]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

We are going through the same stuff right now. Ours turns 16 in June and she's had her permit for about 10 months now. It isn't easy but I had very simple rules when she was first starting out. Now, if she makes a mistake that she has been corrected for before, she pulls over and the driving is done. The first time it wasn't a big deal to her, the second time, she was driving her friend to the movies. It was embarassing for her to have to pull over and let me drive.

We spent a lot of time, probably 20 hours, just in parking lots going over the very basics until it was second nature to her. Then we went to an housing deveolpment that had roads but no houses and she practiced for a bunch more.

It is scary to think that she will be behind the wheel by herself when Mom thinks she has grown up more.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Make sure she has a cell phone and can text while driving................and double your liability and life insurance coverage on her..for some reason I believe she already has her own cell phone right? If she has one NOTHING AND I MEAN NOTHING YOU SAY OR DO WILL STOP HER FROM USING IT WHILE DRIVING.NOTHING!.......so prepare for the grief thats coming.

 

[Bass Tracker TX17]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Absolutely get HER a car.

I did that with my boy. Made my life a lot easier because I knew my ride to work was ok. Make her pay for the added insurance and maint. Time to grow up.

The "Yea Whatever" response is a red flag. Time to put her back in her place.

She is not ready I'm sorry to say and please i mean no disrespect.

Entitlement is not a right.

I did blow up at my boy a few times too.

I would sit down with her and explain the big bill you would get if that parking pawl broke because of her actions. Her "whatever" would change to "I can't pay that".

They don't know. There forward thinking ability has not developed.

One thing for sure. With three more to go you will get better at it LOL



I wish you well.

 

[zach103]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

GrrrraaaaaaaaaaaNK eeek . The car's parked daddy !

Yeah get a cheapie old battle wagon for the first one. They always wreck the first one so the older and heavier the better. something along the lines of a 60s Galaxy 500 or old Impala. Crown Vics are pretty tough too.

i agree but if you find a cheap galaxy tell me

oh and good luck.. i gunna move to canada before my sis gets her license.. she asks if she can drive the truck.. ya not in my lifetime

 

[Mike722]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

The oldest boy got his license after the manditory 9 months and 50 hours of permit driving with mom or dad. We purchased an older car that would be his after he got his license. This way he was doing to supervised driving in the car that he would be doing his solos in.

We purchased a cell phone for him in case he needs to call for any reason. However, we told him if we ever find out that he was talking and driving, his car was gone and no using our vehicles. Texting was blocked.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Texting was blocked. when mine were learning if they did not respect and keep the vehicle clean, they did not get to use it. they lost their driving priviledges several times, when the pose' told on them. we had a group of friends, that had kids the same age. we ratted to the fellow parents.

 

[ne7800]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

This is why I am taking my dsughter to the farm to start driving lessons this summer (she is 11) get her started young. When I was a kid I had a field and a chevy wagon, i put 1500 miles on that car in that field. also learned how to drive a stick when i was 10 on a 1946 jeep willies cj2a

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

To those who say she is not ready, I heartily agree. She had an appointment shortly after her birthday to take her test.. Lets just say we canceled it until further notice and maturation. Boy we really sucked after that.

WE were just having the entitlement conversation this morning.

As for the cell phone she does have one.. with strings.

When she first went to high school, we gave her a phone on our plan with 250 minutes and no texting. Well one day I come home from a business trip to find a 67 page phone bill with $300+ in text charges. Let's just say that there is no free cell phone anymore. She pays for it and we still call the shots.

It has been a very good motivator for grades. Any weekly score below 3.25 and it goes away.

I am concerned about her using it when driving. Other than taking away when driving or putting a camera in the car, I am not sure what to do.

 

[JB]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Please do not confuse eligibility with entitlement.

All four of mine were trained by professionals at a driving academy and came out the shute decent drivers. They bought their own cars with downpayments earned with good grades and paid all (well most all) of the upkeep and all of the insurance.

Yes, they had jobs. Without jobs they couldn't have a car, including mine or their mom's.

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

I bought my oldest daughter a new vw beetle,tdi, bright yellow, 2000,
why
1 Its my kid, I want her in a safe car, one that's not going to break down on the side of the road so some perv can mess with her on the way home at night or when ever. and safe est technology, today's cars are far safer than cars 10 years old.
2 it stands out, every one knew it was her, ratted her out if she did anything wrong, never got a call.
3 Diesel , not the hottest off the line car , did everything she needed it to do.
she passed it on to her younger sister when she was ready to drive.

I just don't believe in the get em a clunker to wreck theory, these are your kids. Mine respect what I gave them, neither have had a accident, or a ticket. now 25 and 23 respectively. actually, neither have I,

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

histroy story. Mom had a 1974 Buick 225, my sister learn to drive in it, she was and is a great driver. but the car kept getting little dings in it. we had a lake house in the woods, years later, we learned that 9 of her girlfriends all learned to drive in that car.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

I guess make her pays for her own car, insurance, and maintenance is out of the question? If she have to pays for everything, she'll baby that car like you would with your. I am glad my parents couldn't afford to buy my car for me.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

2 words for you.....Cutlass Ciera. I hope I can find one when my son turns 16

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Driving is previlage not a right. Explain to her that unless she show's she can take care of every car she is behind the wheel of, she will not be getting the time behind the wheel like she wants. Also tell her that if she doesn't loose the teenager attitude and start effectively listening to you, she will not be getting her own car until she graduates.

It all seems tough, but growing up I saw way too many kids with cars that shouldn't have them. Think about her safety & the safety of others.

 

[idrownworms]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

I'm way ahead of you guys with my niece. She can't get her license for another 13 years but her driving training has begun. With her on my lap steering the boat when I point and tell her to go that way she turns the wheel the right way and when I tell her to go straight she turns the wheel back. Not a bad start for a 3(in July) year old kid.
I know she'll do stupid stuff even if she know the right way but at least she'll know how to handle a slide, flat tire, etc.

 

[zach103]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Please do not confuse eligibility with entitlement.

All four of mine were trained by professionals at a driving academy and came out the shute decent drivers. They bought their own cars with downpayments earned with good grades and paid all (well most all) of the upkeep and all of the insurance.

Yes, they had jobs. Without jobs they couldn't have a car, including mine or their mom's.

See now thats fair.. thats how i was gunna do it with my kids.. i pay for my insurance and gas and most small maintenance even tho i do some myself.. but for the big ticket maintenance that cost like 500.. my dad pays for and i pay him back over time.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

Just my honest opinion, but mistakes are one thing (the putting it in park while still moving). However, the nonchalant attitude is another. While putting her in a beater, and having her pay for insurance and such is nice, when and if she decides she doesn't want to drive if she has to pay, you are now paying for insurance, seeing as you have a licensed teenager, whether or not she actually gets to drive. Plus, her getting a license is half the battle. Let her show she deserves it before getting the license. Play the bad guy. She'll thank you later.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Tales from teenage drivers training

and that comes from one who is just got his license. Baconbiscut gets his in September.