What did you learn in?

[RICHARD]

I was watching a car program on the tube where three guys took non-four wheel drive cars and crossed Botswana-mostly desert and dirt roads.

One of the cars was a 1963 Opel Kadet.

I learned to drive in a manual transmissioned 72 Opel. A friggin great car! Simple, small and easy to manuver.

I learned to ride motorcycles on a Honda 360 Twin. That was a great bike!

What did you learn in?

[Karen]

My mother's Ford Pinto station wagon, and various other family cars. Learning to drive standard transmission one day, I stalled out Dad's Ford pick-up at the lights in the center of town (okay, the only set in town), and after my second attempt, the guy in the corvette behind us started beeping his horn angrily and incessantly. Dad - a not-small-guy - jumped out to tell him to go around, and I think nearly gave the kid a heart attack, as Dad could look pretty intimidating if you didn't know him!

[Taz_Zoee]

The very first time I got behind the wheel was in our 82 Cadillac. I was 14, I think. And it was on country roads. I pulled out to get on the road but instead ended up across both lanes. Then a car was coming the other direction and I began to panic. Crying and yelling at my dad. Now I think it was funny, but at the time I was MAD :mad: !!

I've also tried in MANY different cars to drive a manual trani. But never picked it up. I did drive my friends VW Cabriolet from point A to point B without stalling and pissed her off a bit. She stalled constantly when she first got it. LOL

[DJFyrewolf36]

I learned how to drive in my dads Jeep...offroad lol. The first time I ever drove was out on the indian reservation on this dirt road with a lot of small hills. Dad kept telling me to go faster lol. I caught a little bit of air that day! When I fianally got my licence, before dad got me a jeep of my own, I was taking my mom out to dinner and backed OVER a cart return. Luckily my dads Jeep is tough and the store had been closed and scheduled to be demolished so no one really cared. I was rather embarassed though. :o

My first stick shift was my little Pill (still happy I have her too :D ) My dad bought it for me because of its insanely good gas milage (I couldn't afford the jeep anymore and the pill was selling for a whopping $800 lol). He told me though if I wanted it I would have to drive it home from work myself! I had never driven a stick shift other than in a parking lot, so I had somewhat of a clue what to do but not really lol. I did manage to get the thing home though, and I DID teach myself how to drive it running around my neighborhood. Ive been driving it so long though now automatic transmission cars drive me nuts. I keep looking for a clutch and hitting the brakes :eek: .

[Cinder & Smoke]

I learned to drive a BOAT! :eek:

Drivers Ed was a high school course - taught by real Teachers using cars loaned to the HS
by local car dealerships ... the Fleet had a Chevy, a Dodge, something else,
and The Car - a HU-Mungus 1960 Caddy --- bigger than a school bus!

Since I drew the "senior instructor" - guess which Ride I was assigned to?
First Day of class, Teach wanted to go uptown on an errand ... we all headed out to the Caddy.

"Who's got a littl behind-the-wheel time already?"
I looked at The BOAT and thunk this is NOT the time to admit I had a couple hours of
experience thanks to Mom & Dad and a Stage Crew senior who'd let me pilot his souped-up
stick-shift Chevy a few times after shows in the auditorium. I played DUMM!

"HEY, Phred - you've got some wheel time - I've seen you in that hot chevy!
Let's do our walk-around!"
*NUTZ!*

I shudda packed a lunch ... out of breath before we got half way around the thing!
I checked the oil - the stick was longer than I was tall!
"Hop in"

It took two hands to get the barn door closed again. The other two kids looked *lost*
in the back seat - all four of us could have fit back there without any crowding!
We did a shake-down lap around the parking lot - I didn't bounce off any curbs so I
I got a feild promotion to Road Qualified and we headed off to the Big City of uptown.

1960's Pittsburgh, and all it's suburbs, did "mass transit" with either buses or "Street Cars" -
huge railroad car-sized steel monsters that ran on RAILS that were flush to the
concrete or brick pavement - and ran down the center lanes of all major roadways! :eek:
"Trolley Tracks" would catch a tire and toss your car a foot to the left or right before you knew
what had happened! Usually right beside one of the raised platform "safety islands" built
between the center & curb lanes for Trolley passengers to board a Trolley from.

Despite my strong protests - I navigated a mile & a half of Trolley Tracks, and dodged
several safety islands, before we reached Teach's destination. THEN he told me to "wait"
in the curb lane, RIGHT Beside a safety island - a serious No-No in Pittsburgh -
while he ran into the store! ... I pictured the Cops towing us away.

"Our Caddy" managed to survive Drivers Ed with all it's fenders intact.
I learned to almost enjoy piloting it around town - figured I could handle a City Bus
if I ever needed to! And the "little" family Chevy handled like a sporty car!

:D

[pitc9]

My first car was a 1979 Olds Omega, I was the 4th person in my family to get the car and I was the last, she went to the junk yard in 1992.

I learned to drive stick in a 1986 Chevy Cavalier, I was the 3rd one in the family to drive that one. I also taught my husband (before we were married) how to drive stick in that car!

Being the youngest of 4 kids, everything I got was a hand me down, down, down.

[Jessika]

I learned to drive in my parents' '00 Dodge Durango and a '92 Chevy Lumina. The Lumina was passed down to me as a "graduation" present and was my first car :) I LOVED that Lumina!

[binka_nugget]

I learned to drive in a Dodge Shadow. I forget how old it was.. but I think it was around 1991. I also took driving lessons as the same time, so I learned to drive in a 2005 Toyota Corolla as well.

I just recently got a standard 2001 Toyota Corolla so I'm learning how to drive stick in that. I tried learning how to drive stick in my mom's late 80-something VW Cabrio.. NO THANKS! I can drive my Toyota just fine without stalling -- I can't get anywhere without stalling in the Cabrio though :p

[kuhio98]

I learned in a 1969 VW Bug. It was so old and worn out by the time I was ready to learn how to drive that my folks figured I couldn't hurt it any more than it already was. Took me awhile to get the hang of shifting, but once I did (except on hills, of course) all went well. :)

[jennielynn1970]

Oh my.. my first car that I learned to drive (not very successfully) was a Subaru Brat, manual transmission. That didn't go over too well, because dad didn't know how to "teach" me to drive manual, rather just yelled "POP THE CLUTCH!" which I had no idea what that meant! It was sold again within 2 weeks of me having it, lol.

My first automatic was a 1984 Ford Bronco II. I loved that one! It hauled around me and my friends, and was such an awesome vehicle. I put it through so much, and it just kept going.

My actual first manual that I actually drove was a 1984 Mustang GT. I had to figure out how to drive manual because the guy I was dating who owned it was asleep and not in any shape to drive home. Thank god it was 2am and hardly anyone was on the roads. It prepared me for my Nissan Sentra, which I bought after my Bronco II, but after driving the Mustang and dealing with that motor and clutch, I practically put the clutch of the Sentra right through floor, lol.

I drove manual since 1989 up until last year when I traded my VW GTI for a Nissan Versa. I thought with all the cat transports I do it would be better to have an automatic so I'd have my one hand free to deal with the kitties. It's better for that, but gosh it's boring to drive!

[Catlady711]

My mom gave me several lessons of her own on a '85 ford mustang. My official training in drivers ed was in an olds 88

[lizbud]

My Dad gave me my first few lessons in stick shift driving in our old
Plymonth. I did pretty good once I got the foot work down pat. :)

[cassiesmom]

I had drivers' ed right at the time when the gear shift moved from the side of the steering wheel to the "floor" at the front of the console, and right before the right-side rear view mirror became standard equipment. I learned to drive a manual transmission on my dad's 1979 Dodge Omni, which was grey and had an AM radio. That was a terrific little car. I'd switch back to a manual transmission in a heartbeat except that it costs extra! Bummer! I miss driving stick.

My youngest niece is in drivers' ed now, and her behind the wheel car is a Honda Accord. It's got air bags for both front seats and on both sides, all the way into the back seat. And anti-lock brakes, I'm glad they have them driving cars with good safety features.

[Cincy'sMom]

The first car I ever drove was a 1978 Black Trans Am. Explains a lot, doesn't it? After one trip it that, I did most of the rest of my learning in "my" car.

My first car was a 1982 Olds Forenza. It didn't go quick, but it went from Point A to Point B...but forward only!

[moosmom]

I learned in my Dad's automatic. Then I had to learn a standard in his 1966 Mustang Fastback on Jordan Lane in Wethersfield. It is THE steepest hill in the town and teaches you REAL fast how to use your clutch.

[jennielynn1970]

I still don't understand why we still had Driver's Ed in school, but no CAR!!!

The teacher we had for Driver's Ed had smashed up the car before, had a nervous breakdown or something, and it was never replaced. Sigh. So, we watched film strips and read a manual about how to drive.

Yeah... that was so helpful!

[Edwina's Secretary]

I learned in a 1965 Dodge Dart that had been my grandfather's, my father's, my brother's and then for me to drive. My father disconnected the radio and the cigarette lighter so there were be no distraction (yeah right!) and the gas gauge did not work.

In college I bought a 1960 Ford Fairlane -- no radio and a hand choke. It was like Phred's caddy...a real boat. I paid $175 for it...drove it from Illinois to Arizona -- drove it for a couple of years while in college...and sold it for $375!

Then I bought my first "new" car...a 1974 Mustang -- stick shift. Learned fast! But it was $212 cheaper than an automatic!

I too miss shifting! But urban driving and a stick shift don't go together too well...

[Freedom]

I learned in the family car, a red 1964 Rambler station wagon, with white top. It was an automatic. Never learned to drive a standard. When I was buying a car, the salesman was convinced it was SO easy, he could teach me in 10 seconds, took a NEW car off the lot and told me to drive it. I stripped the gears in about 4 minutes!!! I don't know WHAT he told his manager!!! :eek:

[RICHARD]

Oh, I always wanted a Subaru Brat....LOL, with the two ejector seats in the back....

------------

Who remembers the AMC Pacer? I perfected my clutch work in that car!

MY parents bought one and we called it the Spacer or the Great Pumpkin.

Yes, It was ORANGE.

It was an effing fun car to drive....when my parents brought it home I laughed and went to check it out....It was used and someone slapped an amp/equalizer into it and it didn't work. :( I popped the unit out and messed with the wiring and SUPER STEREO! That thing had some watts.....

I miss that piece of junk.

-----------

Driver's Ed was fun. We had simulators in a trailer. You had a car seat,a dashboard and two mirrors, facing backwards, right behind you head.

They would show a movie in a screen at the front of the room and when the
film asked you to look over your shoulder the film would change to a rear view that you would see in the mirrors.

The sims were auto and manual, column shift. The clutch pedal would fold down from under the dash.

The fun thing to do was to get the sim going a zillion miles and hour and drop it into 1st gear.....just to see the speedo drop..

Does anyone remember "Red Asphalt"? It was a classic crash film they showed to scare the bejeezus out of us.....

I was a trouble maker in that class and always asked the teach to see, "Stomp and Stop", he wasn't happy about that.

The cars we learned in had two brake pedal in them. One time I got stuck in a car with a kid that was brutal to drive with. The teach had a mirror in his visor where he could monitor traffic and who was sitting in the back seat.

This kid was tooling down the street when the teach had to slam on his brake, this kid almost crashed us! The three of us in the back were pitched forward and the other two kids started to laugh at the Brutal One. I looked up and caught the teach's eyes in his mirror.

He must have seen one scared kid. I could read him thinking, "Damn, that was close-thanks for not laughing."

Years later I still think of that kid and look for him on the Demolition Derby circuit. :eek:

-------------

DODGE DART!

My BIL bought one and took the dog to the park in it.

It was immaculate inside....until the dog scratched the hell outta the headliner.

Great car!

[DJFyrewolf36]

I had drivers' ed right at the time when the gear shift moved from the side of the steering wheel to the "floor" at the front of the console, and right before the right-side rear view mirror became standard equipment. I learned to drive a manual transmission on my dad's 1979 Dodge Omni, which was grey and had an AM radio. That was a terrific little car. I'd switch back to a manual transmission in a heartbeat except that it costs extra! Bummer! I miss driving stick.

My youngest niece is in drivers' ed now, and her behind the wheel car is a Honda Accord. It's got air bags for both front seats and on both sides, all the way into the back seat. And anti-lock brakes, I'm glad they have them driving cars with good safety features.

The Omni is an awesome little car. My husband had one when we first got together. I hope someday to get him another one :)

[Barbara]

Cool thread :)
I forgot what I learned in but my first car down in the early seventies was a Citroen Diane - also denominated the ugliest car worldwide. It had a centrifugal clutch and was dark red- as opposite to the white pic in the annex.
But- I had a bf with a BMW 2002 tii. Colour was called Mexico orange :D
Wow- that was a cool car!

[sirrahved]

I learned to drive in my mom's '97 Chevy Venture. My first car was an '88 New Yorker. Her name was Bessie. All the bells and whistles, leather interior... I miss her. Lots of good times with Bessie.

[sirrahbed]

I learned to drive in Bessie Mae, a white 63 Comet. She was so large as I recall - when I was a girl, my brother and I could actually sleep stretched out in the back seat when my family drove across the country. He got the seat and I got the floorboard :) Later, Bessie Mae became my first car and took me off to college, into marriage and through my first two sons. I sold her to the mailman before we went to Germany in 1988 so she served our family for 25 years!!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Driver's Ed was fun.

The cars we learned in had two brake pedals in them.

Oh, the memories! :D

Yup - our Driver's ED cars had the Dual Brakes, too. (No other controls were duplicated
for the instructor - just the Brake.)

After class, all the different car groups would compare notes to see who had made
their Instructor "STOMP his Brake" the most times during the road adventures. Our car
had the frequent *winner* - a lil tiny slip of a girl. She needed both hands and a deep breath to
lift and toss the hood open - then had to stand on the bumper to reach in far enough to
grab the oil dip stick. Then had to stand on the bumper again to reach high enough to pull
the hood back down to close it!

Her "driving" was a non-stop Thrill Ride every day! Teach *covered* his brake with BOTH feet
and kept one hand gripping the seat and the other in a death grip on the door handle. Us guys
in the back seat weren't allowed to utter a word when we were moving ...
and if we made too loud a >gasp< <GASP>he'd turn around and give us a dirty look.

:D

[Jessika]

I still don't understand why we still had Driver's Ed in school, but no CAR!!!
Lower insurance rates? ;)

When I was in high school that's pretty much the only reason why anyone took that class. We didn't have a car, either, or if we did we had to pay extra and it wasn't cheap, at least a couple hundred bucks.

[davidpizzica]

RICHARD, I learned to drive and took my driver's test in my dad's 1965 Ford country squire station wagon land yacht. You talk about a big car! It was like driving a small bus!

[RICHARD]

RICHARD, I learned to drive and took my driver's test in my dad's 1965 Ford country squire station wagon land yacht. You talk about a big car! It was like driving a small bus!

Was that the model with the wood decals on the side? :confused:

Before the Great Pumpkin the folks owned a yellow station wagon, the Screaming Yellow Zonker....I always wanted one with the rear facing seat in the back-but no luck there!

[Grace]

OMG, it was so long ago, I don't remember. This was long before Driver's Ed in schools, so my mother sent me to AAA for lessons. All I remember - it was manual. Back then, in Rhode Island at least, if you took your test in an automatic, it was stamped For Automatic Only. To drive a stick, you had to retake the test in a manual.

If you took the test in a manual, you were good to go for either.

[davidpizzica]

RICHARD, you're right. Those country squire station wagons did have the wood grain decals on the sides. Our car was pale green and I don't remember if the third seat faced to the rear. That car was the size of TWO Cobalts!

[Sevaede]

I learned to drive a few years ago. I'd started in a '0- something Suburban (MIL)! Plus, it was in her driveway which just so happens to feel like a flippin' race track. :P

[Catlady711]

The first car I ever drove was a 1978 Black Trans Am.

WOW. The car I've always wanted most is a '79 black trans am. You were so lucky!!!!

[Catty1]

My dad took me out several times in an old white Dodge pickup, which was standard shift. I remember stopping at a Stop sign and driving on again in 2nd gear! Dad said, "you aren't supposed to be able to do that!" :D

Driver's Ed was good (new nickname for kitty, RICHARD? :) ) - thorough classroom teaching and lots of road time. I learned to drive an automatic - and in Winnipeg in January! This was back in 1974 or so...I was ready for winter driving! The plough drifts atop the curbs were higher than the car. I am NOT making that up! :D

Drove a Pinto at home...Dodge Valiant, VW car that looked like a mini Cooper(still can't recall what it was).

These days, I drive standard. Cheaper to fix the tranny and way better on gas!

[davidpizzica]

My dad learned to drive on a 1925 model "T" flatbed truck!

[Cincy'sMom]

WOW. The car I've always wanted most is a '79 black trans am. You were so lucky!!!!


I know! My brother and I were crushed when my dad sold that car! (even though he replaced it with an '86 Trans Am (which has now been replaced with a '97 Trans Am). If money was no issue, I would definatly have at least 1 late 70's TA!!! ( along with a Mustang, a Corvette, a Charger and a BIG Truck!)

[Andie]

I started learning to drive on the gravel back roads/farm roads in a 1950-1960's Ford pick-up. No power anything! It took all 140 pounds of me to turn the thing. I had a blast the whole time though. I actually took the test in Mom's car though - easier to parallel park. ;) Learned to drive a ATV at 15 - more back road exploring.

[cyber-sibes]

My brother taught me to drive in his "60-something Corvair, that was before the Corvairs were retired for their stupendous safety record. :)

I tried teaching both my sons in my standard-shift Plymouth Tracer.... the younger one did fine, but the older one got freaked out about stalling & then didn't get his drivers license till he was 22. Still won't touch a stick shift. (Guess I should cross "driving instructor" off my list of potential careers?)

[Twisterdog]

I learned to drive my dad's and brother's trucks out in the desert when I was much too young to have a license.

I learned legally in my first car, a 1980 Camaro.

I learned to drive a standard in a Nissan Stanza. Great little car, until my then-SO totalled it hitting a telephone pole.