Well, in my case, I'd already been driving for 2 years before taking
"lessons". I was a bit of a rebel in my youth and grew up watching "Speed
Racer". I wanted to drive in a bad way, so beginning at age 13, I used to
sneak out my parents cars when they were out at the races or dinner or
weddings or whatever. a '67 Buick Skylark and a '64 Buick Riviera with a
454 Wildcat engine under the hood that my father never realized the glory
of... In fact, by 15, I was a helluva driver. Stupid and lucky to be alive
and not dead or in jail, but a helluva driver.
Funny that my parents never questioned how I had developed such seasoned
driving skills...
When I was 15 (and before I got my learners permit), I accidentally filled
my mother's tank and knew that I'd have to confess, because she commented to
my father the next morning that she needed to go get some gas. (I filled the
tank on eight bucks, incidentally). I had tried, unsuccessfully, the night
before to drain the tank in every way I could think of, to no avail. So the
next morning, after my father left for work (who would have ripped me in
half had he ever known), I confessed to my mother that I had been driving
their cars illegally. "You weren't hot-rodding around, I hope". "No mom,
I'm a safe driver" (actually, I HAD been hot rodding around). My mother let
me know that she wasn't pleased, but capped off the conversation by saying
"Well, thanks for filling the tank, honey." She knew that I'd learned my
lesson and wasn't going to browbeat me over it. And she never did tell my
father.
God, I miss that woman.
Cheers,
Jeff in San Diego
www.ohms.com/spitfire/spitfire.shtml
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Thomas <vafred@erols.com>
To: Jeff McNeal <jmcneal@ohms.com>
Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: Tense driving lately
> Oh how soon we all forget we were once also beginners at driving, wonder
> what our folks said then about us, my how time flies when you are having
> =====@#$ "FT"
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jeff McNeal <jmcneal@ohms.com>
> To: Simmons, Reid W <reid.w.simmons@intel.com>; Spitfire List
> <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2000 4:51 PM
> Subject: Re: Tense driving lately
>
>
> >
> > 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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