Parents urged to help kids drive

GXL078 · 22-11-2006, 01:14 PM

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...0-1702,00.html

I would have thought a professional driving instructor would have been capable of doing a better job. One would hope so.

BeStRaFe · 22-11-2006, 01:20 PM

i only got my licence a few years back (still on greens (not for much longer though) )

i did one lesson with an instructor...
he took me for a basic drive around the course and said "you ready"

luckily i have had parents who have been drivers.|
my father involved in mortor racing/taxi/towtruck/truck
and my mother in taxi/towtruck/bus

so i had good tuitition..

but its down to who is teachinhg you.. and what they are teaching you..
i know some of my friends parents have the WORST driving habbits....
and that gets passed onto them...
she failed her p's test 7 times :(

merlin · 22-11-2006, 01:20 PM

I agree xcgxl - I think professional instruction should be compulsary. Not that parental tuition should be banned, just that they should both go hand in hand.

XCSEDAN · 22-11-2006, 02:09 PM

i went for a drive with an instructor once, and hated it, because they have the double peddles and there system overides mine. so we would be going down a hill, and the bastard would touch the gas a bit! then blame me for it when my foot was off the peddle!
man was i ****ed, it was a waste of $50 if you ask me, my dad tought me how to drive better then this bloke did!
i think a lesson or two should be compuluary though, because there are some guys n girls my age who have NO idea what they are doing.

castek · 22-11-2006, 02:49 PM

my driving instructor has been teaching for years, he even taught my dad. the good thing is he is in charge of the AAMI driving school (advanced driving etc) and he helps put those skills into practice. i've seen learners dragging, doing burnouts etc on the street, now thats sensible isnt it?

22-11-2006, 03:05 PM

I agree that parents should help kids drive. Not many driving instructors instruct during the night or on freeway/country roads.

I also hate the attitute that some parents have when teaching kids. I know too many fresh P-platers that have only driven in their suburb and instead of being able to identify hazards they just remember where they've been told to stop etc.

Most driving instructors anyway just teach you whats needed to pass the exam. I know of one in the local area that just has the maps of the RTA test routes and every lesson is guiding you around these routes.

L platers should be able to go 100 on freeways.

mowog · 22-11-2006, 03:17 PM

I am upto kid number 3 going thru the driving lessons. We start the kids with a driving school and when the instructor tells us they have the basics we then start to drive with them. We do this for about 4 months over a range of driving conditions and roads about a month before the test we hand them back to the instructor.

**GasoLane** · 22-11-2006, 04:07 PM

I've seen quite a few 'parents' driving skills. I wouldn't like their kids chances on the road later in life if they passed on their driving skills

**Polyal** · 22-11-2006, 04:41 PM

Absolutely parents should help, as has been the way for how long now?

Personally I think parents should stop there kids from purchasing cars that they cant handle.

uranium_death · 22-11-2006, 05:02 PM

Some instructors are terrible.

Some merely drive you around the testing areas. THAT IS NOT LEARNING TO DRIVE!
That is called "Learning to pass a test!"

My instructor took me all over the place, including areas I didn't even know existed. Due to this, I wasn't relying on personal knowledge and had to remain extra vigilant in looking for hazards, pedestrians, blind spots, poor roads, speed signs and other stuff.

However, it's too expensive to rely purely on an instructor. And it can lead to arguments having a parent instructing.
On my second drive ever, my father shouted at me saying, "You're a bloody fool. Hopeless." I then told him to get effed and to stick it up his behind.

But the old man gave me free tuition and the basics of driving, which is priceless and I am thankful for.

I did about 16 lessons with the instructor before going for my test to ensure that not only was I properly equipped to pass my test, but I was properly equipped to drive on public roads safely, confidently and alive.

**Polyal** · 22-11-2006, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Some instructors are terrible.

Some merely drive you around the testing areas. THAT IS NOT LEARNING TO DRIVE!
That is called "Learning to pass a test!"

Not completely true, my instructor basically only took me around the test area (mind you I had to drive 40 mins to get there), but still, thats basically all I did.

Six odd years later no prangs or mishaps....

Sapper · 22-11-2006, 05:55 PM

Parents play a vital role in the teaching of young-uns how to drive. Kids get their attitudes and habits a lot form their folks and there's no easier way to get up a wide variety of experience than getting the kid to drive whenever the car is used. However, I think that there needs to be a level of mediation and control in the instruction process. I'm a big fan of the idea that driver training of some form be incorporated into the school certificate. Its a darn side more useful than learning geography or history.

brenx · 22-11-2006, 06:04 PM

My 4yo I think he might have been three at the time has already had his 1st driving lesson. I don't think he'll want another one anytime soon.

I was rigging up a 2nd air line in my garage and I hear a car start. Nothing unusual there. Got me thinking that sounds like my car. Looked down the drive out of the garage door to see my son driving off down the road. The car was left in 1st gear and the keys were left next to my wallet on the garage floor near my air compressor. I had no idea he even had the keys! I jumped off a 8-10ft ladder, ran down the road after my son and my car, swung the door open and turned the ignition off. He was screaming the whole way as he didn't know how to stop it. I'm glad he knows how to steer! He steered it passed 2 parked cars and about 40-80ft down the road.

I dare say he won't be doing that again. I'll be teaching my children how to drive as soon as they get their L's. Not sure what car I'll teach them in yet. I taught my sister how to drive as my parents wouldn't teach either of us. I'm not sure whether they'll teach my other two sisters either. I doubt it. Their excuse is the cars are too expensive to wreck. I can see their point.

Outbackjack · 22-11-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brenx

My 4yo I think he might have been three at the time has already had his 1st driving lesson. I don't think he'll want another one anytime soon.

I was rigging up a 2nd air line in my garage and I hear a car start. Nothing unusual there. Got me thinking that sounds like my car. Looked down the drive out of the garage door to see my son driving off down the road. The car was left in 1st gear and the keys were left next to my wallet on the garage floor near my air compressor. I had no idea he even had the keys! I jumped of a 8-10ft ladder, ran down the road after my son and my car, swung the door open and turned the ignition off. He was screaming the whole way as he didn't know how to stop it. I'm glad he knows how to steer! He steered it passed 2 parked cars and about 40-80ft down the road.

I dare say he won't be doing that again. I'll be teaching my children how to drive as soon as they get their L's. Not sure what car I'll teach them in yet. I taught my sister how to drive as my parents wouldn't teach either of us. I'm not sure whether they'll teach my other two sisters either. I doubt it. Their excuse is the cars are too expensive to wreck. I can see their point.

I know that is not funny.... but.......

brenx · 22-11-2006, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

I know that is not funny.... but.......

It is when you think about it. I was real angry at him for doing it. He ran as soon as I stopped the car. I found him hiding behind our garbage bins crying. He thought he was going to get a smack or something. I didn't smack him. I just had a ask whether he was alright and had a word with him. I did it this way as I remember when I did the same thing when I was younger. The only difference is I reversed and my dad was around 1-2m away. He was just about to get in the car. I copped a beating for it.

fmc351 · 24-11-2006, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Some instructors are terrible.

Some merely drive you around the testing areas. THAT IS NOT LEARNING TO DRIVE!
That is called "Learning to pass a test!"

Way back when i got my licence, the instructor I had (about 6 lessons, most of my instruction came from my grandfather and old man) did the test run on the last lesson. They can do both.

photn · 24-11-2006, 11:56 AM

i basically taught myself. ive never had a driving instructer when i was on my L's....My dad used to say alright lets go. and cause a majority of the time i was driving at night. my dad would fall asleep while i was driving. and wake up back at home.......got reds and greens on first Go.....i dunno. i must of learnt sumthing right cause the tester on the Red P's asked who was my instructor was and i replied i didnt have any. he said that was weird with the level of driving i was doing.... but yer....and instructor would be good to find out weaknesses and give confidence.

**GasoLane** · 25-11-2006, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Some merely drive you around the testing areas. THAT IS NOT LEARNING TO DRIVE!
That is called "Learning to pass a test!"

Just about spot on. Think about it. The only thing almost ANY driving instructor (pro or parent) is showing you, is how to drive around the block without hitting anything!
Emergency car control very rarely comes into the equation. You'll probably find the ones who live longest on the road are those from a rural backround who learnt to drive on dirt or the farm.

Falcon_Phill · 25-11-2006, 06:57 PM

I am SO over all this crap. All everyone is doing is trying to find one solution to a thousand problems. Being a P plater it annoys me to hell that all these new restrictions might happen. If someone is on their P's meant to be doing 90 then crashes into a tree at 120km, obviously restrictions wont help if people are going to break the law anyway. People are going to have accidents no matter what happens, and even if 'driving education' becomes mandatory, then lots of people still die, everyone will just come up with some new solution thats meant to save the day. Notice how you go past a policeman or speed camera and you slow down and drive like your about to get a fine? I dont know the solution, but unless you restrict P platers to cars that can only do 40km (which you could still die in) then i dont see a definate solution. Driver training wont make P platers invincible like you all make it sound like. My 2 cents, flame me if you want i dont care, its just how i see it as someone on their P's paying for other peoples mistakes.

punktured · 25-11-2006, 07:42 PM

being on my p's i also find the new laws pretty stupid, but shit happens, if it saves a few extra lives a year then its worth it. i think driver training has to improve alot and advance driving courses should be a must for all new drivers. i remember when i 1st got my license i drove around without a worry in the world then one day i lost it in the wet and didnt know what to do, but it was typical 18yo mentality, you think you can drive but you dont know shit

getting parents more involved is good but its something that should already be happening, i know i wouldnt let my kids go off and get their license with hardly any experiance. and a lot of instructors are shit, mine was alright but i never did any driving on the freeway, only did a few hill starts (then i got one in my test :|) and like some ppl have said, some only teach you how to drive a test course, they dont really teach you to be alert or sometimes even the basics, my gfs sister didnt even learn hillstarts in a man. anyways thats just my 2c

HOON69 · 25-11-2006, 09:09 PM

ever seen a country fellow at a race track getting lessons on driving skills
not likely

might work in these big city areas but how ya gunna make it compulsary for everyone ay?

i learnt to drive in a truck all be it in the country drive a 18 wheeler before i got my licence and have driven manuals before auto's
dirt roads 24/7 compare em to a city slicker on tar 24/7? then compare the road toll areas?

then come back and tell me it should be complusary for all it just wouldnt be viable for some neither is this engine restriction crap they have going,it does country folk no favour and hinders the majority whom have done nothing wrong,except being young etc

nobbystang · 25-11-2006, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

I agree xcgxl - I think professional instruction should be compulsary. Not that parental tuition should be banned, just that they should both go hand in hand.

I would have to disagree that it should be compulsory, but am all for it going hand in hand. Not enough parents spend time with their kids and instructors. How are these parents supposed to make sure the kids are going well if they don't know what the instructor is up to.

I only disagree because I learnt to drive mainly from my dad, but because he worked with a driving instructor he picked his brains and the guy basically said he'd be fine teachin gme without lessons. Dad let me and my brother drive everywhere, in all conditions which is alot more than my mates had. I reckon the L plates would have been on the car more times in one month than most of my mates got in one year!!

JTFG · 25-11-2006, 10:40 PM

I got all my driving with a driving instructor due to no choice, god it cost a lot but was worth it

XFshep · 25-11-2006, 10:45 PM

i learned to drive for about 2 years prior to getting my license, just used to drive anywhere my parents had to go, had one lesson with an instructor who corrected a couple of bad habits then got the license. i cant believe how shocking alot of my mates driving is who had all their teaching from instructors.

normxb · 26-11-2006, 12:28 AM

My wife & I taught both our daughters to drive , we got them to use the clutch & brake in the front yard (very big yard) and to Reverse .....before they got their "L's". Then when they got on the road they could start smoothly , brake confidently and reverse.

I took daughter No 1 for her first drive on a public road and ended up doing over 80 k's . Next was to drive around the outskirts of town with a bit of traffic . (Oh! the joy's of living in the country.) After a number of 1 to 1 1/2 drives I took her out to a back lane and do an emergency stop (at 30 k's)on the dirt road , Shyte , scared her a bit , but she realised how the car reacted under these conditions . Then took her night driving & driving in the wet (that was when we had rain out here :hihi: ) . Finally took her to a Driving Instructor to pick any faults & he said "very good driver , go for your test , you're ready ".

Wife did the same with daughter No 2 , same results and they both got their "P's" first go , and I must say I'm quite confident being a passenger with either one .

BUT , I must also say a lot depends on the parent and how they approach teaching their kids , patience and attitude is MOST important (No screaming at them) .

My wife has 33yrs driving experience & NO driving infringements & I've been driving 35 years with 2 infringements , last one in 1984 .

Like others have said here , most instructors only follow the "Test" area , just enough to say " they'll get you to park here , U-turn here , stop at this Stop sign , etc . not really "every day conditions". But going with an Instructor occasionally is also important to make sure they don't have any bad habits , nothing like a Second Opinion.

Just my 2.2 cents worth (GST Inc)

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