Now my son is REALLY driving me crazy!

[MadMike]

A week ago friday, my son turned 16. After three attempts, he managed to pass the test and get his permit. That same night, we tried driving around the development. It was a bit scary at first, and I probably left some claw marks on the passenger seat. I had to work with him not to drive with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas (my dad wants to teach him how to drive a stick, and you can't get away with driving that way with a stick), warn him a few times about rolling thru stop signs, and not to get too close to any parked cars. But overall, he did pretty good for his first time. We practiced some more earlier tonight. He got bored with driving out in our development, so we got out on the main road briefly to drive around in another development, then the school parking lot, and a little more on a couple of the main roads.

Where does the time go? I can't believe he's 16, and that in a couple more years he'll be finishing high school. I just hope he makes better decisions than I did in early adulthood, or even recent adulthood, for that matter. It seems like it was just yesterday that he was embarrassing the hell out of us, by saying things in public to my wife like, "You're just jealous because you don't have a pee-pee", or announcing to everyone in earshot, "Ewww, Daddy! You FARTED!"

If anyone in the central PA area sees a silver Saturn driving erratically, it's probably us.

[NightAngel]

Actually, I think you're lucky. My oldest is 18 and does not have his license yet. Every time he says, "Mom will you drive me to *whereever*," I look at him and wonder, "Why? Why don't you have your license? Why can't I just hand you the keys and keep doing what I want?"

Fortunately, he normally walks or bikes- it's only when the weather is really rotten that he wants to have his Mommy drive him.

[Broomjockey]

I look at him and wonder, "Why? Why don't you have your license? Why can't I just hand you the keys and keep doing what I want?"

Why? Because he LIKES mom, and it's a way to spend time with you!

[NightAngel]

Why? Because he LIKES mom, and it's a way to spend time with you!

Actually, I am lucky enough that this is true. My son does enjoy spending time with me... but I only come in a close second when his girlfriend calls.

[Plaidman]

Actually, I am lucky enough that this is true. My son does enjoy spending time with me... but I only come in a close second when his girlfriend calls.

If you um, want to be first again, I know a guy that knows a guy, that knows a guy that um. Is in concreate business/fishing business. Could ask to get her a job in one of those two. They tend to um... get lost in their work. You know?

(KIDDING!)

[BookstoreEscapee]

You want to break him of bad habits? Tell him every time you catch him doing it that's one more day/week/whatever time frame that he can't drive by himself.

When I was a teenager I had a habit of gripping the wheel with two fingers when I made a left turn (index and middle finger, grabbing the wheel with my palm facing up), and my mother was always yelling at me for it. After I was in an accident (which had nothing to do with that habit, but it was my fault..I'd had my license for about 6 months at the time), I wasn't allowed to drive by myself for a while, and my mom told me every time she caught me doing it it was one more day that I couldn't. Broke the habit real quick. 17 years later, and I still can't do it if I try.

[dalesys]

Is your car properly equipped for driver's ed?

Dual controls?

Prozac IV?

Zero/Zero ejection seat?

[Becks]

When I had my temps, I hated practicing with family members. Let me say, paying for driving lessons was one of the best decisions I ever made (and finally let me meet a guy in NJ named Vito!), even if I did end up having to go on the Garden State Parkway.

[MadMike]

Let me say, paying for driving lessons was one of the best decisions I ever made

That's what my wife ended up doing. She was almost 30 when she finally got around to getting her license. She passed the permit test on the first try, but she had no idea whatsoever how to handle a car. After letting her try once in the development, and seeing her go all over the road, up on the curb, and almost into someone's mailbox, we decided that a pofessional instructor would be better for her, myself, and my car.

My son actually did a lot better his first time than she did. We went out for a short drive earlier. We went out and picked up a new phone, because the one by the computer is shot, and then thru the drive-thru for some lunch. Once again, he did OK, but had a close call with some other idiot who turned into the parking lot without signalling. I saw him coming and thought he might do that, but my son doesn't have the feel for when the other driver might do something stupid just yet.

[fireheart]

It took both me and my sister one go through the computerised driving test to get our learner's permits (I only got three wrong, I don't know how many my sister got wrong). We're required to answer 6 give way questions and we can't get any of them wrong. We then have about 42 or so multiple choice questions and we're required to only get 32 to pass.

Practice driving lessons with dad have been REALLY fun....yesterday I was out on the road (in quiet back streets) for the first time, not counting the little stretch of road I'd practiced on once before. My sister is still at the carpark stage (It's my car they're practicing in)

[Hobbs]

I browsed the manual online for 30 mins before taking the computerized test. I only missed one question. The guy giving me the test seemed surprised, b/c all the people before me were epically failing. One girl who I had waited in line behind was sobbing to her parents how hard it was. I was a jackass and 'ed

[AdminAssistant]

Dad taught me how to drive at 12 on the backroads around our house (benefit of living in the boondocks). Turned 14, got the manual thingy, aced the written test, and took the driving test from a former state trooper who Dad happened to be good buddies with. Aced it!