parent of 'L' plater - how did u handle it?

[jphanna]

My son got his L plates on Fri afternoon. For the ‘older’ parents out there, how did you feel when your firstborn got their L plates? On top of the other aspects of life to deal with, good and bad, I find that I have a new concern that has not left my mind since Fri afternoon. He is now on the road in a ‘real’ car, and his only previous experience driving was on PStation….playing Grand Turismo.

How did it feel for u, when your kids got L plates?

[sik_dose]

Im not a parent but I wouldent stress untill he gets his red P's. L's gives parents alot of control and time to observe their childs driving ability and there isnt much room for serious danger. Red P's are a dangerous time and parents have real reason to worry, I never had any scares on my L's but thers been a few times ive nearly been killed/ nearly killed others during my year or red P's.

[ruffiano]

I've taugfht a couple of people to drive, and I appriciate your fear. When you think that this young person is in control of a large heavy piece of machinery, and it requires every ounce of their attention and concentration, it's scary. I've nearly been in accidents whilst teaching people to drive, when they've gone when they shoudln't etc, but I guess the important thing is is to keep your cool with them, and try to make them feel as relaxed as possible whilst learning. Getting angry and stressed and yelling helps no one.
Good luck!

[Kikki]

I have to say I think I will be the same.... My eldest is only 9 years away from getting his L's but I am already packing it!

I remember with my ex when I first met him he had an XC Falcon with a fully worked V8 in it, of which I made him sell when we had kids, he was 32 and had had it for a long time. His mum came to me and said "Thank you so much, for the first time in 10 years I will be able to sleep at night" LOL I think when my boys have cars... it'll be the same for me!

Try not to stress, easier said than done I guess. But you being stressed will add the pressure on him and he's bound to make mistakes, you with a calm mind will react better to those mistakes rather then being worried.

[HSVchixy]

i use to be a driving instructor. most parents use to freak out seeing how i was also very young (22 at that stage actually). but it's good for your sanity if maybe for the first few drives you let them go with a qualified instructor who actually has the 2nd peddal set which allows for better control for kids who think they know it all. most instructors will let a parent sit along for the ride in the back seat at no extra cost. i never had any problems teaching them, it was more frustrating watch them throw it all away on test day because of all the nerves. it really helped with the parents around, as it lets the parent get to know the person they're trusting with their kids lives with and helps set their mind at ease.

i myself was thrown the car keys at age 7 and told to reverse dads manual land cruiser up a hill... bad experience

[jujibelly]

No need to stress now he won't be using hardly any throttle with you next to him. It's when he gets P's you start to stress but then again the way P plate laws are going he'll be restricted to 20 kph in a electric car.

[Maci]

i still remember my first day on my L's, mum took me to the RTA on my birthday and i passed, and drove the car home.
mum was always the hardest to drive with, very loud and boarderline crazy, whereas dad was more calm, but pointed out how to do something, or how i could have done it better next time.

that was only a few years ago, and from my experience i believe if everyone was just a little calmer, (take your kid out to an industrial area first up or something until they "learn the ropes") the whole experience would be easier.

as for the "idiot inexperienced" p plater thoughts, if your kid has a brain between his/her ears, they shouldn't do anything stupid anyway, a car can be a weapon, and should be treated that way.


EDIT: buy them driving lessons for their 17th birthday, they'll learn the basics without you having to stress about your car, and they'll get a good head start

[coolngroovy]

My youngest has only 30hrs to go until he can sit the test.
He will be going to a driving instructor for the last 10 lessons......in a buzzbox manual. Then use their car for his test. I only have 1 manual vehicle, & he isn't getting the keys just yet!
He already has a VS sitting in the yard, waiting.

I taught him [& his brother] the finer arts of peddl'n. Practising emergency stops in the industrial area for precautions.......smashing down thru 5 gears. lol [ the poor VL]
I'm confident that when he has his red P's, that he will use his good judgment. I've taught him how to anticipate, & he is reasonable regarding car control. I've done all i can.

I think that when your kids get their L's, it makes you feel a little older.
When they get their P's....you feel a little accomplished!
It's like opening a chapter on a whole new rollercoaster ride! LOL. .....because it's around this time that some of them start working, they have 18th birthdays, some even fly the nest.
They grow up so quick. lol

[DannyboyDS]

Ive been teaching my girlfriends sister, I have to agree with the above screaming and getting upset helps nobody, she wont even go with her mother anymore flat out refuses as all she does is grab the "oh jesus" handle and yell, you guess it "Oh jesus"

The first time I took her out I found myself calmy saying "And if you pull the wheel down slightly to your right we will be off the grass and back on the road" as sticks flung up and scratched the side of my VS, another scar to the respray

Remember just as important as the skills you teach are the values you teach, over the next few years you need to be also watching yourself, making sure none of your bad habits pass on to them.

Good luck it's no easy task but the reward is piece of mind

[STEALTHY™]

My son got his L plates on Fri afternoon. For the ‘older’ parents out there, how did you feel when your firstborn got their L plates? On top of the other aspects of life to deal with, good and bad, I find that I have a new concern that has not left my mind since Fri afternoon. He is now on the road in a ‘real’ car, and his only previous experience driving was on PStation….playing Grand Turismo.

How did it feel for u, when your kids got L plates?

Not a parent.

Now is the worst time for you, you're about to find out what bad habits you have taught your son in 16 years of driving. Hopefully not many......

[Dayvo]

My 21 year old son has just come off his P's but yeah it was a stressful time when he got his L's, I took him down to the old stock yards in Dandenong and got him to just drive around there for an hour to get to know the feel of the car. He drove like he was on the Playstation,he only turned the wheel about an inch.After about a week he started having lessons once a fortnight and i took him out the rest of the time .I remember the day he got his license , he wanted to go and visit a friend just as it got dark and his mother said " Get you father to drive you its dark, needless to say i didn't .But when he got home he said it felt soooo illegal driving without someone sitting next to him .I think i stressed more about him than i did with my daughter

[edals]

Not a Parent, But i think it was worse that i was out on a bike, could just tell my mum was always freaking out about it, But dad was always with me riding on his bike.
When i got my Ls, I refused to drive with my mum, She was just freaking out way to much on everything, Lucky dad always took me, first started in a car park just learning the car etc etc.
He also took me to the farm to throw a car around to let me see how quick things can happen.
I do think we need driver defence courses straight up, so we can be given a chance to learn how quick things can happen on a skid pad.
I have been driving 4 years now and still learn stuff every day. Like the other day, turning right into a street then all of a sudden a car took off from the curb and almost ran straight into them, lucky i was only driving slow.
Stop teaching people how to get a licence and maybe more on car control. Not just street signs. More like bike tests, over 2 days you have to go around cones and hard braking etc

[Maxxiz]

I just came off being an L plater and from my perspective and from observing my supervisors and my mates parents etc..
Dont be too slack.. Pay attention as if you were driving..
Dont be the complete opposite, dont be constantly pointing out things just for the sake of it/dont constantly talk, its distracting...
jm2c

[cdtoaster]

my brother taught me to drive, was pretty relaxed

[Lost_Pete]

I am almost up to number 4 learner.

The first few are quite stressful and from the learner's point of view there is a lot to take in. All of our have learnt in the VN Wagon manual.

My advice (right or wrong) in no order;

1. Scout out quiet safe locations. These need to have the intersections, roundabouts, traffic lights and hills. Some long straights as well.
2. Plan the lesson. Don't just take them out. Tell and show them on paper that today we are going to learn about (say) roundabouts. Then practise them in the car.
3. Talk them through the drive. Get them to talk you through what they are doing, what they see, what they plan to do (very hard).
4. Teach them how to STOP!
5. Get a second interior mirror for you to use.
6. Turn off the radio/phone/ipod.
7. Teach them about keeping space around them. Space is your friend! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
8. Keep calm and talk slowly and calmly. Once you are stopped and safely out of the car you can scream at them.
9. Review the drive. Point out good and bad aspects, or refer to #9.
10. Don't worry about people behind you.
11. Keep calm!!!!!
12. Teach them about each control in the car, including high beam, wipers and horn. This is great fun in a household with a "European" blinker system and a normal system.
13. Really know the road rules. You really don't know them as well as you think. This does mean you have to read the book.
14. Critically assess your own driving and improve it. You have gotten lazy and sloppy.
15. Don't teach them bad or lazy habits. Refer to #14.
16. Keep calm even if you have missed numerous traffic lights because they have stalled 47 times. Remember rule #10.
17. Honestly assess them and think about whether you feel comfortable about letting go on their P's. L plate fatalities are very low. P plate fatalities are high. Would they pass your driving test?

Lots more but you are probably bored now.

[Rufus®]

I still have another 10 or so years before my oldest is ready to drive, i dont envy you at all at this time, and i really have no idea what to expect in10 years time either..... good luck!!

[sik_dose]

I had my first drive of a commodore on my L's, parents VR v6, I thaught it had so much torque. loved it. ended up drifting into a tree stupid me.

[W84N01]

My daughter is 12yrs old, I have a worked VC fuel injected 5ltre with a hammershift 3spd. She has driven that before, a couple of years ago actually when she was 10. Drove it up and down the driveway and loved it. I also had her on my lap a few times and she'd steer the car and change the gears.

She has recently driven the HSV Senator Signature 250 up and down the driveway aswell, and is actually pretty good. Everytime i drive my VN manual, she changes gears for me. I don't even have to tell her when to change the gears anymore, she does it all by sound and sense now.

I think i'll be fine when she finally goes for her "L"s, althou we are buying her a moped first, just so she can get the sense of the road rules lol.

I have a Hyosung 250 at the moment, and she has also ridden that around the backyard, she loves it and can't wait to get her moped. : )

My 15yr old daughter on the other hand worries the crap outta me, she just has no sense of anything and thinks the law doesn't apply to her and that she can do what she wants when she wants.........i refuse to teach her any part of driving until her attitude changes thou, and that scares me to bits : (