Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Andrew Is Learning To Drive
Andrew (my 18 year old son) has finally decided that he needs to learn to drive. It's not that he didn't want to drive before, but when we told him that he had to pay for his own driving expenses he decided that it was not that important. We live about 2 blocks from the high school, so walking worked fine for him. He had lots of friends to drive him around for lunch, etc. Of course my wife and I provided a lot of transportation for him too.
What has changed is that he is now taking a night class to help finish high school. He is also planning to go to Fullerton College next year. While the bus system could get him there, it would be slow and he didn't enjoy the company of his fellow riders when he rode the bus a couple of times last summer.
The thing that pushed him over the edge was a friend of our offering to teach him to drive. Our friends comment was something like this: "I can't teach you any better than your parents can -- the difference is that I am not your parent." Good point.
So the process started last week. He was added to our insurance policy and went to the DMV to take his written test. He passed and received a learner's permit. This allows him to drive when in the vehicle with a licensed driver that is over 18. I was out of town Tuesday - Thursday, so he was able to use my car. When I got home, I also had him drive for a few errands. He has now gotten experience with driving in a large parking lot, parking between cards, and driving around town day and night. The freeway is still looming as an unconquered learning experience.
The process is going well. He seems to have a healthy respect for the process and is taking it seriously. It's just a matter of practice now. He needs to learn to center in the lane better and get more comfortable with corners. He should be ready for his DMV driving test soon so that he gets a full license.
What has changed is that he is now taking a night class to help finish high school. He is also planning to go to Fullerton College next year. While the bus system could get him there, it would be slow and he didn't enjoy the company of his fellow riders when he rode the bus a couple of times last summer.
The thing that pushed him over the edge was a friend of our offering to teach him to drive. Our friends comment was something like this: "I can't teach you any better than your parents can -- the difference is that I am not your parent." Good point.
So the process started last week. He was added to our insurance policy and went to the DMV to take his written test. He passed and received a learner's permit. This allows him to drive when in the vehicle with a licensed driver that is over 18. I was out of town Tuesday - Thursday, so he was able to use my car. When I got home, I also had him drive for a few errands. He has now gotten experience with driving in a large parking lot, parking between cards, and driving around town day and night. The freeway is still looming as an unconquered learning experience.
The process is going well. He seems to have a healthy respect for the process and is taking it seriously. It's just a matter of practice now. He needs to learn to center in the lane better and get more comfortable with corners. He should be ready for his DMV driving test soon so that he gets a full license.
# posted by - Rob @ 8:46 AM 
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Heh, I remember being a new driver on Orange County. It was easy!
It sounds like Andrew is getting some good learning done, and I'm really impressed that you're handling it so well.
It sounds like Andrew is getting some good learning done, and I'm really impressed that you're handling it so well.
As for handling it well, it helps that he is 18 vs. 16 and that someone else did the initial instruction.
He has gotten more night driving experience since I last posted, but still no freeways.
He has gotten more night driving experience since I last posted, but still no freeways.
Trevor has his learner's permit and has gone thru the Driver's Ed program at the high school. In addition, he needs to complete 60 hours with us before he can try to do the actual driving test.
I'll probably work with him over the summer more on this. So far he's only gone around town on errands and once thru the mountains on the freeway with Lee to visit his cousin. No snow or rain, so that was an hour either way. So he's around 10 hours in since he finished his class last summer...
Diana is currently uninterested in driving (she'll be 16 in August).
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I'll probably work with him over the summer more on this. So far he's only gone around town on errands and once thru the mountains on the freeway with Lee to visit his cousin. No snow or rain, so that was an hour either way. So he's around 10 hours in since he finished his class last summer...
Diana is currently uninterested in driving (she'll be 16 in August).
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