Teaching someone to drive. Any tips?

**crow_noir** · 08-08-2007, 03:06 AM

The only advice i could think of is to keep a low quiet, but affirmative voice. Give all corrections in a slow monotone (not so slow you're doing "fake stupid", just boring lecture teacher.)

As others have said... make sure to praise when he does something well.

**king2005** · 08-14-2007, 09:50 AM

I let Joe drive yesterday as he asked. I said sure! We turned onto a street & he said, you seem really calm to be letting me drive. I said Ya well, Your not a bad driver, your only jerky. I do feel safe with you so why wouldn't I be calm?

I'm really watching like a hawk, but I'm not scared of his driving, because I can see he's trying really hard to drive really well & to show me he can do it right.

We're still have a few issues with getting the car going & to stop using his left leg. I have a trick I'm going to try to get him to do with his left leg, as I had the same issue when I started driving. I keep my left leg bent & close to my seat, so my foot is flat on the floor. I still drive like that most of the time, I don't when my leg is sore, but I don't have the left leg issue anymore, as I got out of that years go...

I have to go to the MTO (<- Canadian...USA-> DMV) today & I'm going to buy Joe a drivers handbook as a gift

I cannot afford it, but its worth it, as it'll help boost his confidence even more

You guys should see the big smile on him & the happy vibes I get from him everytime I hand him the keys

This is a kind of happiness that I have never seen from him, so I know it means the world to him to be driving my car

I need to remember to bring my camera with me more often, as I want to take a couple photos of him in the car

**Logan** · 08-14-2007, 10:42 AM

OK, Jess. Did you say he is using his left foot in an automatic? Why? Drivers training, at least what I know about, says to use the right foot only on the gas pedal and the brake. Of course, if there is a clutch, then the left foot gets put to work.

I took my 14 year old stepdaughter out on Sunday afternoon, at her request, to begin driving lessons. We found the biggest, emptiest parking lot in town and did a lot of moving the foot back and forth between gas and brake before I ever let her take the car out of drive! LOL! She requested that I teach her to drive, not her dad, not her mom, not her stepdad. I guess I appear to the calmest of the 4! She won't be eligible to have a permit until late April 2008, so we are getting a head start. But I will not be letting her drive on public roads at all.

Logan

**Edwina's Secretary** · 08-14-2007, 11:12 AM

Driving is a serious responsibility. Teaching someone to drive should be left to the professionals. Practice (off the road) is one thing...teaching is another.

**king2005** · 08-14-2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Driving is a serious responsibility. Teaching someone to drive should be left to the professionals. Practice (off the road) is one thing...teaching is another.

You don't need a pro to teach you how to drive. I agree its the best option, but its also 600.00, & he cannot afford it & there is no law for it either. I don't want him giving up & going back to his old ways, or learning from one of his other friends (that would be BAD & he might not know it!!!).

**lizbud** · 08-14-2007, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by king2005

You don't need a pro to teach you how to drive. I agree its the best option, but its also 600.00, & he cannot afford it & there is no law for it either. I don't want him giving up & going back to his old ways, or learning from one of his other friends (that would be BAD & he might not know it!!!).

Do you know if your friend is covered by your car insurance? If, God forbid,
there is an accident while he's driving, be sure you are both covered.

**king2005** · 08-14-2007, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by lizbud

Do you know if your friend is covered by your car insurance? If, God forbid,
there is an accident while he's driving, be sure you are both covered.

I have full coverage which includes 3rd party... I had to check when Chad got his G1. So all is well in that department

**king2005** · 08-14-2007, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Logan

OK, Jess. Did you say he is using his left foot in an automatic? Why? Drivers training, at least what I know about, says to use the right foot only on the gas pedal and the brake. Of course, if there is a clutch, then the left foot gets put to work.

I took my 14 year old stepdaughter out on Sunday afternoon, at her request, to begin driving lessons. We found the biggest, emptiest parking lot in town and did a lot of moving the foot back and forth between gas and brake before I ever let her take the car out of drive! LOL! She requested that I teach her to drive, not her dad, not her mom, not her stepdad. I guess I appear to the calmest of the 4! She won't be eligible to have a permit until late April 2008, so we are getting a head start. But I will not be letting her drive on public roads at all.

Logan

Joe has driven before & he had his own car. Only problem is that it was 99% illegal driving & no one taught him... He taught himself. He hasn't driven in a few years now, so breaking his habbits can easly be corrected.

This is why he came to me, becuase he knows I'll teach him properly & I wont get all crazy on him.

He knows the rules of the road fairly well & does stop properly, uses the turn signals & does the shoulder check 80% of the time. So hes not the best, but the areas we are driving have very little to no traffic. I refuse to let him drive where there is a lot of traffic until his jerkiness is gone & that left foot issue is resolved. I know hes trying really hard to break that habbit, as he tells me NO left leg when he uses it. Its cute how he corrects himself before I do hehe So he is learning.

I also think making him drive in a parking lot would do more damage to his confidence then anything. I don't think he'll hit another car or anything, he does the speed limit & doesn't come close to tailgating or anything else bad like that. Hes really good at his distances.

I know his jerkiness is caused by who he is & it'll more then likely always be there. I'm just hoping we can get it more under control, as I think driving with him for an hour or more, will make me car sick.

When I say jerkiness I don't mean hes all over the road, hes never left his lane & hasn't even come close to hitting a curb...Hes VERY hyper active (this is why he cannot put on weight & is a bag of bones.. hes about 6' & weighs 125lb)... He also has Anxiety like me, so he a bundle of nerves trying to be perfect.

When hes finished driving I let him know he did great. He brings up the left foot thing & the jerkiness & I just brush it off, as I don't want him to worry about it. I know he knows its incorrect & I see him changing, so there is no need to rub it in his face more... I tell him he should just be glad that instructors don't use tazers to correct driving errors

He loved that comment... we laughed & joked about that hehe