Are you teaching your children to drive ?

[TCJBOLDIE]

Kids are like sponges a s soak up all of your driving habits good or bad from observing what you do over some 15 years so it would be in both of your interests to swot up on the current road rules as the authorities will almost certainly have slipped a few extra in since you passed the test that you were blissfully unaware of.

Dare I say that most drivers have not had a single day of extra training/instruction since the test and that quite a number of drivers have lapsed into bad habits including ,tail gating,speeding, driving with one hand on the wheel,poor steering technique, failing to indicate before turning or lane changes etc etc.

May I suggest that if you have a child learning to drive then I recommend that you go with them when they are with an approved driving school and see/learn exactly what the qualified instructor is showing/teaching so when they are getting more hours driving experience with you that you will be up to speed on exactly what is required for your child to pass the test and you may actually learn something as well .

 

[old-git]

Then the kids were tiny they used to sit on my lap on the mower and steer. We got an old Austin Metro when they were in their early teens. They hacked around the paddock so they knew all about clutch control and steering before their first lesson.

They had profesional lessons but I taught them how to clutchless gearchange and handbrake turn. I also taught them cadence braking but there is not much call for that these days. Despite this they both failed first time (on silly things), which isn't a bad thing.

Fortunately, both of them have inherited their parents' phylosophy on driving - you never stop learning.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Steve you are obviously a skilled driver and great teacher but I tend to think that you are not representative of the majority of drivers/parents instructing their kids as they can't teach/pass on what they don't know.

I regularly see L platers in private cars turn left into a dual lane road and go straight into the right lane despite the left lane being clear as well as ignore the "keep left unless overtaking" signs when there is ample space to do so . I can but assume that the parent teaching ? has no real clue on the correct way to drive and the rules only apply to other people .

PS I am still learning as well

 

[stamford]

I must admit and say I taught my wife to drive with the basics but then handed over to the pros to do it correctly as I knew I had certain habits. I did the same for my three daughters, gave them extra tuition but handed them over to the pros. The wife was the tough project, a bag of nerves but got there eventually after some pushing. My three girls all passed 1st time. I agree we all develop habits which are not test calibre but I wouldn't say were poor or dangerous. Saying that I have seen plenty of instructors doing daft things on the road between lessons so they are no better.

 

[Yugguy]

@TCJ - that's to do with the fact that kids won't do what you say, but they'll do what you do. So if they see their parents sail straight into the middle or outside lane they'll think that's the correct thing to do.

When the time comes I'm going to take my daughter to the in-laws farm, where her cousins learned car control basics safely by trundling an old car up and down the farm tracks and fields. I'd like her to be able to stop, start, change gear, corner proper, before she ever gets on a real road.

But most of all, I want her to be observant, so even now at age 9 I will play a game with her when we are out in the car, to spot the hazards, and guess what the car in front might do, that kind of thing. I just make it fun for now.

The more observant you are, the better you can protect yourself. There are too many drivers out there that don't look further than about 10 feet from their bonnet, with what's happening further up being a perpetual surprise. It's scary frankly.

 

[stamford]

As the late, great Gerry Marshall used to say in his fast driving classes............

'Do as I say, not as I do!'

 

[Aerial Andy944]

Both my girls have been going to driving lessons since they were 11 with the Young Driver under 17 driving school. We go-to Cribbs Causeway centre in Bristol. The girls do an hour lesson in the schools Seat Ibizas on the circuit they have there then we all go into the shopping centre for lunch and mooch around. The Government was looking at introducing driving lessons into the school curriculum at 13 like other European countries do. The kids can learn all the 'under dash mechanics' as it were like braking, clutch control, smooth acceleration, gear change etc in a controlled environment so when they do go on the road in traffic all of that is second nature and they can concentrate on the road more.
My girls have a record books of what they've achieved and so insurance companies can see how experienced they are and insure accordingly. Admiral insurance is partnered with Young Driver but there's quite a few out there.

 

[Yugguy]

Cool! I wonder if they do something like round my way?

 

[Aerial Andy944]

Cool! I wonder if they do something like round my way?

Take a look or search for under 17 driving lessons and a local company may come up. We have a private driving school starting to do it at our local airfield in summer which is only couple miles away. Sorted

https://www.youngdriver.eu/

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Andy/Stamford sounds like your kids are on the right track to becoming good drivers

PS having switched on parents is a bonus for them

 

[Aerial Andy944]

As we home school our 2 girl's also they think we're really awesome Means we can get out during the week and include what we call 'real life' skills into their education

 

[troyleemac]

I used to live in a small town with many many country/dirt very lightly traveled roads where I have let my children sit on my lap and drive since they were babies standing on my lap to see over the steering wheel. Doesn't sound safe I know... but trust me our speeds were minimal. My kids learned at a super young age to keep it between the ditches And I was serious about no playing behind the wheel. I myself am a PROFESSIONAL truck driver and when I say this I am humble and safe on the roadway. I take driving serious. only my oldest boy has his lisence right now and seems to take it all serious. No horseplay that I know of. With their permits is where they get their real experience and I must say it gets scary out there... lol .. I do feel like I am a qualified teacher for my kids because I am literally a professional driver and have much experience But I too have made the mistake running a bit over the speed limit in my personal car to gain time from being late. This is something I have seen my teen do and will not make this mistake with my younger kiddos. I am a professional and to be so I gotta respect the limits given to me. Kids will pick up their parents bad habits.