Reid, Reid, Reid,
I DO know -- HOWEVER, our local high schools no longer offer driver's ed.
courses. I had to pay fifty bucks for my son to take a "class" that prepped
him for the written exam. Now, I have to pay the same outfit for a total of
six hours of "behind the wheel" (again, the high schools out here no longer
offer this, which I think is a crime). Apparently, in his first two hours
behind the wheel, his instructer never had him pull over to the curb or park
in even a diagonal parking spot. We were told that he'd be ready to start
carting us around after his first two-hour session. Beyond that, we, his
parents, are obligated to let him clock 50 hours behind the wheel before he
can get his license in six months.
So in other words, we are STUCK. Oh, he'll be just fine and we'll survive
this, but it's a dicey proposition for the next six months, for sure.
Cheers,
Jeff in San Diego
www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
P.S. I'm not EVEN going to try to teach him how to manually shift until he's
been driving for a good six months or longer. Even then, there's no way
I'll let him (or anybody else!) drive my Spitfire.
----- Original Message -----
From: Simmons, Reid W <reid.w.simmons@intel.com>
To: 'Jeff McNeal' <jmcneal@ohms.com>; Spitfire List
<spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 1:30 PM
Subject: RE: Tense driving lately
> Jeff, Jeff, Jeff;
>
> Don't you know, you NEVER give driving lessons to a family member, close
> relative, or friend. It is very unhealthful for you the instructor, the
> student, and your vehicle. Let a third party (High School Driver's Ed?)
to
> do it, and this is the really important part, using a car that does not
> belong to you. :-)
>
> I taught my girl friend (now my wife of 19 years) to drive a standard
> transmission using my Spitfire, which was my only means of transportation
at
> the time. Well, I dodged a bullet on that one because she learned, no
angry
> comments were exchanged, and neither the car nor myself suffered any
damage.
> In fact the Spitfire still has its original clutch and transmission!
>
> My wife taught our daughter Tammi to drive using our relatively new Dodge
> Caravan. Well, Tammi also did the "curb thing", and that cost me a new
> wheel, CV joint, miscellaneous parts, and front end alignment! The
Driver's
> Ed course would have been only a small fraction of what the repairs cost
me.
> :-(
>
> Reid
> '79 Spitfire (original owner)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff McNeal [mailto:jmcneal@ohms.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 9:00 PM
> To: Spitfire List
> Subject: Tense driving lately
>
>
>
> Then, this
> evening, I let my 15-year-old son drive me around in our 12-year-old
Maxima
> so he can gain some experience. He JUST got his learners permit two days
> ago and I am NOT used to being a passenger for anyone, let alone a 15 and
a
> half year old kid who's still wet behind the ears. He drove over the curb
> when I asked him to pull over (" I haven't learned how to do that yet,
> Dad!") and I had to reach over three times to yank on the wheel to keep
him
> from driving into the curb again. This life flashing before my eyes stuff
> is getting old! I see a rash of gray hairs coming on FAST!
>
> Calgon, take me away!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff in San Diego
>
>
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