Tips You Would Give a New Young Driver

The pet peeves thread has a bunch of driving peeves and I would like to see what kind of genuine advice people would give a 15 or 16 yr old newbie. Here is something I have learned:

Hurrying rarely ever gains you any significant time. Especially on surface streets it's not how many cars you pass or how much over the limit you go, it's a combination of traffic volume and how many traffic lights you have to stop at that determines your drive time. For the typical trip if everything worked out perfect you probably wouldn't save 5 mins so what is the point in taking chances on wrecking or getting a ticket [ which is a real time saver :down: ].

So go with the flow. It's less stressful, safer, saves gas, etc and doesn't take any longer .

 

Oh yeah !!!!!

TURN OFF THE CELL PHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DISTRACTIONS !!!!

 

Park the car before getting your girlfriend to give you a hummer.

 

Stay out of the left lane.

Stay four cars or more behind the car in front until/unless you are ready to make a pass.

Stay out of the left lane.

 

Turn down that fricken booming bass crap!
I don't care what you listen to but it doesn't need
to be rattling the windows in my house or moving my
car into the next lane.

edit: maybe this should be in the pet peeve thread?

 

Keith Code's analogy of comparing your available concentration to a $10 bill is very applicable to new drivers (you “spend” amounts on each thing that is a distraction).

We take many driving tasks for granted because we've got them burned into muscle memory. Even in an emergency situation you don't have to think, you just react. But for a new driver, the loud radio, friends etc. are already taking up $8-9 out of that $10 worth of concentration.

My advice will save you thousands in insurance: just when you start to feel confident (about 6 mos. experience), that's the time to realize you shouldn't feel cocky.

 

Parents -

Teach your kids to drive. A leanrer's permit and keeping them in town does nothing for them. Teach them to drive in crappy weather. Teach them how to get a car stuck, and get in unstuck. Change oil, change tires, what idiot lights mean.

I learned to drive in the best possible vehicle. A 1952 Willy's Army Jeep. Manual, No power nothing and oversize tires. Top speed 45. mph. Man I loved that thing. Plus, no radio and only 1 passenger seat.

 

Get gas money from your parents and friends. Save your lunch money to buy weed!:up:

 

best one i have heard is if you decide to commit to turn, just go
second guessing yourself is whats going t take the time up, and get you hit.

ofcourse this only applies with proper distance judgement in the first place.

 

my advice to any 16 year old who gets a car...


Chanes are your frist car isnt going to be anything that new... becuase, in reality you're going to wreck it anyways and your parents arent stupid. I'd advise any young man to learn even just the basics about automotive care and repair... helps them respect what they have and understand responsibility...

and id also say when yout parents say home by 11, that dosent mean 11:01.

Unfortunately... the rest is all personal experience... i dont care how many times mom says "look out for old people in blue station wagons" it dosent register with anyone until they have a run in with an old person in a blue station wagon...

 

My advice to parents who have driving age kids.

Make them drive you everywhere when holding a learner's permit. (WI was 6 months) Be patient with them. Be a good example when you drive.

That's why Roger taught Rhiannon to drive. I'm not patient.

And ferchrissake do not buy little junior a brand new car. They're gonna get in at least one fender bender. Get them something reliable, but not too expensive. Make them help pay for it, because then they'll have a sense of ownership.


Once they get their license:

No texting. If you catch them texting while driving, revoke their privileges, even if it's inconvenient for you.

Only one friend at a time in the car as a passenger.

Make them pay their own portion of insurance. That means they need to have a job in order to drive. No job? No car. Yeah it sux, but that's the real world.

 

Well the saying goes:

Old men drive slow, old men in hats drive slower,
Old ladies drive slow, old ladies with blue hair drive slower.

Most old folks around here are in gold colored Grand Marquis or Buicks.

 

i have deterimined that they drive slow becuase 1. they dont give a rats patooty anymore and 2. theyre in no particular hurry becuase they're early for everything.

I have also determined that their inability to merge or change lanes safely is becuase of poor neck flexibility so they just dont look, glance in a mirror and go for the gusto...

 

You are probably correct, especially on the later part. I get on Roger's case when he doesn't look adequately. (yeah, I'm a naggy passenger, but only to him ). He has neck flexibility problems as well.

 

pretty much all of the above...

my daughter just got her license last week... in a stick... the day after the worst snowfall on record (and the roads were SHIT).

But that still doesn't mean she just has carte blanche access to the cars. We make her drive with us and don't really let her drive alone too much yet as we're not 100% comfy with it.

"that driver's license gives you a legal ability to drive alone. it does not provide you any entitlement to my vehicles. Additionally, it does not mean you're a perfect driver. It means you have enough skill to gain the EXPERIENCE you will need to become a good driver."

Yeah, she hates me...

 

Old people usually drive slower because they can't see as well and don't comprehend and react quickly enough to feel confident driving at the speed most others do.

You may have something with the neck flexibility thing though. After I got my shoulder reconstructed, turning my head to do a shoulder check caused immense pain. Not sure why but it seemed like more cars were using their horns

That, plus using a walker for four months gave me a taste of what it'll be like to be old. It's gonna suck.

 

Fasten your seatbelt. No excuses, no exceptions. Always.

Never start the car until all your friends have fastened their seatbelt.

 

Well hell yall just ruined it for my nephew, i was going to buy him a $80,000 BMW for his b-day in 2 weeks, let him talk on phone, smoke cigs and drink beer while driving. Save the weed til he gets home! lol..

 

Don't trust your mirrors. Always turn your head and look before changing lanes. :up:

It just amazes me the number of people that drive with "tunnel vision".

Rule #1 should be:
"You are not the only one out there on the road so always be aware of others".

I am almost always scanning both ahead and rear-view mirrors trying to remain "aware" even if I'm not planning on any upcoming lane changes. I feel that the better that you are aware of your surroundings the better decisions you can make should the unexpected occur.

Of course, if you have your head up your ass while talking on the cell phone all bets are off. :down:

 

Try and keep aware of your surroundings. Another driver may not give room or may not see you. Thats for cars or bikes on the street. :up: