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Mister Toads Wild Ride, Revisited…
Posted under Daughters, Ex's by Mike
A few years ago, I wrote about my experiences of teaching my youngest daughter how to drive. I tried searching for it in my blog, but over the years, I’ve somehow lost that original story. Too bad, it probably was a good one.
What made me think to look up an old post on this blog is that just recently I’ve had to revisit driving training again. No, I didn’t have another child. If I had, there would be a doctor who I saw several years ago that I would be punching in the mouth. The training involves my youngest daughter, again. She didn’t forget how to drive, she does pretty well for the limited two years that she has had her California license.
It’s that in the infinite wisdom that is my ex-wife and her husband, they bought her a gorgeous late 60’s VW square back station wagon. The car has been a project of theirs for the last couple of years. They have spent many weekends rebuilding the car almost from scratch. The finished car is really a very pretty car to look at. It will be a great car for a teenager to drive back and forth to school and work. A cool car for Southern California.
The drawback. It’s a four speed manual transmission. Have you ever tried to teach a child how to drive a stick shift? It’s like trying to herd cats or push spaghetti uphill. It can be done, but with much difficulty.
Now, my personal car is a BMW 5 series with a 5 speed manual transmission. A stick shift (not the pedal shifters) but one that is easily driven. This VW is a pain in the ass to drive. The clutch has to be pushed down hard, the stick has to be moved hard to change gears, and the car drives like a slug. Add to all this a teenager who knows nothing about why there is three pedals and not just two on the floorboard.
So I begin the teaching process of how to feather the clutch and accelerator while still working the brake and getting the car into gear. I am revisiting what it took to have patience with a teenage driver again. I realize that you truly never get to escape these responsibilities. However, there are days that I think I’m just getting too old for these “E Ticket” rides anymore.
let your ex do it, he built it
good luck with that. VW sticks are HARD to drive.
M@´s last blog ..Free…well- my left arm is at least -
Sorry to say, but driver’s training is a dad job! My youngest is learning now and it’s more than I can handle.
I have never in all my years seen a VW wagon like that. The old vans, yes, but never that wagon. Very retro, esp. the color!
a beautiful car… i’d love to have one, but could no longer fit inside..maybe a bus?? didn’t we all learn to drive a stick in VW?
When we got our daughter her first car it was a 5-speed, and it took her a couple weeks before she could even drive it by herself. I was the driving instructor. Now it’s my son’s turn to learn… I’ll be spending weekends at the local community college teaching the boy how to reverse, go from a standstill to first and how to shift gears. I wish you luck in your own driver’s ed.
Tara R.´s last blog ..‘Close’ is not good enough
“push spaghetti uphill” Priceless. Just priceless. Describes the situation very well.
When I was young, and the earth was green.. I had to teach my then 19 yr old boyfriend how to drive a manual transmission so he could help me drive MY mustang. It very much was like rolling spaghetti up hill as he thought he had to look studly AND learn how to drive at the same time.
*sigh*
While he was not just learning to drive, learning a manual’s light touch is just like re-learning.
M
Mishelle´s last blog ..Friday – Off to Atlantic Playland
Oh, man. I can’t even begin to imagine attempting to teach my daughters how to drive a stick shift unless I’d had a least one good stiff belt of Jack Daniels. There’s just way too much involved that can’t be explained to a flustered, high-strung teenage girl even under the best of circumstances. I hope everything turns out okay in the end and you preserve your sanity.
Tom´s last blog ..Tiki Tuesday- Pork Lau Lau and Poi
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Awesome car! They’re letting a teen drive it? Oi.
Russ´s last blog ..Dentist- by Russ
LOL it IS a wild ride. What’s worse is teaching someone how to drive stick in your favorite car.
Have patience! I taught 2 daughters to drive stick – cringing with white knuckles!!!!
Oscar´s last blog ..Oh Hi! I didn’t know you were here…
My best friend’s momma taught us both (during the same lessons/all 3 of us in the car) how to drive stick. She had the patience of Job. I didn’t have quite the patience when teaching my brother. Oooh, all fun memories – hadn’t thought of those in years, Thanks.
Anne in SC´s last blog ..How Do I Name Thee Let Me Count the Ways
My first love was a red VW square back station wagon. I drove it all over Redondo Beach. Wish I still had it.
marla hansen´s last blog ..Sundays In My City
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