The Adjusted Normal, 44. Beware the New Driver.
Yesterday, my daughter went to pick up the paper that allows her to drive while her definitive license is still being pushed through the system. I drove her up, and waited, then drove back part of the way, and let her drive the rest.
If you ever want to watch a snail crawl by, ride as a passenger with a brand new driver. Aside from her lack of experience, she is cautious. Very cautious. If the limit is 50 kph, there's no reason why she has to drive exactly at that speed; she can drive under it. Apart from that, she was taught that to incorporate onto a highway, she has to push on the gas so she can get to the speed everyone is driving at, quickly. But our car has a problem with the clutch that needs to be fixed, and if you press too quickly on the gas, the revolutions will go up too much and too fast. Our car admits only a slow and steady acceleration. At least it saves gas.
After she exited the short trip on the highway, she had few problems on the regular roads. Today, we went out again, and we returned to the highway, where she incorporated slowly
and steadily, and reached cruising speed. Although she did reach the limit of 120 kph, every single last car behind us said bye-bye, and passed. The L in the back windshield means that every other driver wants to avoid that car. New drivers have to have a white L on a green background in the rear window of the car they're driving. It's a warning to other folks. Whenever I find myself behind one, I also try to get rid of them by passing.
It's not easy being a passenger with a new driver. You get the itch to shift gears or press on the gas when you feel the car needs it. You also sometimes get a sudden urge to grab the steering wheel. I found myself looking directly down into the ditch next to me at times. All in all, she's not a bad driver. She's still not sure of herself, and she's cautious. She's also getting used to our car, which she didn't learn in. Our car is older than the driving school's and has different reactions, such as the clutch. She will learn with practice. According to accounts, she drives better even than an acquaintance who's had their license for a while. I don't want to ride with that acquaintance.
What I try not to do is be like my father was with me. The screams, the nerves, the sudden shouts. He never gave me much confidence in myself. The very first time I drove by myself was here, almost a year after first getting my license in Boston. I was so scared, I was hyper-attentive to everything, and went no faster than 60 kph, and felt I was racing. With time, I did what no young person should do, and forced myself to go as fast as I could, to see what my driving limits were. Luckily, I'm still here, and still have all my extremities in their place, despite trying to emulate a Formula 1 race car driver along these twisting, hilly roads. Hopefully, she won't feel the need to do that, ever. She is pretty responsible, and conscious of possible consequences, so I think I may very well trust her. It's one thing when you do it, it's another when your child does it.
I just hope she learns to drive well, and that she stays safe.
Life continues.
If you ever want to watch a snail crawl by, ride as a passenger with a brand new driver. Aside from her lack of experience, she is cautious. Very cautious. If the limit is 50 kph, there's no reason why she has to drive exactly at that speed; she can drive under it. Apart from that, she was taught that to incorporate onto a highway, she has to push on the gas so she can get to the speed everyone is driving at, quickly. But our car has a problem with the clutch that needs to be fixed, and if you press too quickly on the gas, the revolutions will go up too much and too fast. Our car admits only a slow and steady acceleration. At least it saves gas.
After she exited the short trip on the highway, she had few problems on the regular roads. Today, we went out again, and we returned to the highway, where she incorporated slowly and steadily, and reached cruising speed. Although she did reach the limit of 120 kph, every single last car behind us said bye-bye, and passed. The L in the back windshield means that every other driver wants to avoid that car. New drivers have to have a white L on a green background in the rear window of the car they're driving. It's a warning to other folks. Whenever I find myself behind one, I also try to get rid of them by passing.
It's not easy being a passenger with a new driver. You get the itch to shift gears or press on the gas when you feel the car needs it. You also sometimes get a sudden urge to grab the steering wheel. I found myself looking directly down into the ditch next to me at times. All in all, she's not a bad driver. She's still not sure of herself, and she's cautious. She's also getting used to our car, which she didn't learn in. Our car is older than the driving school's and has different reactions, such as the clutch. She will learn with practice. According to accounts, she drives better even than an acquaintance who's had their license for a while. I don't want to ride with that acquaintance.
What I try not to do is be like my father was with me. The screams, the nerves, the sudden shouts. He never gave me much confidence in myself. The very first time I drove by myself was here, almost a year after first getting my license in Boston. I was so scared, I was hyper-attentive to everything, and went no faster than 60 kph, and felt I was racing. With time, I did what no young person should do, and forced myself to go as fast as I could, to see what my driving limits were. Luckily, I'm still here, and still have all my extremities in their place, despite trying to emulate a Formula 1 race car driver along these twisting, hilly roads. Hopefully, she won't feel the need to do that, ever. She is pretty responsible, and conscious of possible consequences, so I think I may very well trust her. It's one thing when you do it, it's another when your child does it.
I just hope she learns to drive well, and that she stays safe.
Life continues.
Sympathies, Maria. I taught both my daughters to drive in South Africa, and I had to learn extreme patience in the process. Good luck to your daughter on the start of her driving adventures!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI told Llara one should never teach a person who they diapered to drive. I didn't ride with her for years. Then we rented a car (I didn't have one) and she did really well. She'd been driving for some years. "Wow, I can relax with you now."
ReplyDelete"I can change that," she said.
Hahaha! I think I remember she told me she was learning to drive a stick shift by shifting gears from the passenger side when you told her. It is not an easy matter!
DeleteWhen I was learning my mother pull off my hair saying: " Reduce, reduce ".
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahaha!
Delete