I want my money back on my daughters drivers education class.
We went to the dump and by the store today. She cannot backup. When she tried to reverse at the dump, she stopped about 1/2 way in and attempts to turn around to back up. at this point she misses another truck by a couple feet (ON HER SIDE). When she needs to back up, she insists on turning the wheels as sharp as they will go before moving then getting frustrated because she cant get it.
At the store, there are three parrallel parking spots infront of the store (all empty), she parks over 1/2 way across the parking lot, manages to take up four parking places, then cant seem to get it straight.

what makes this so bad is we were in my nissan frontier... Think how bad it would have been in a real truck.

Thank you for letting me vent...

 

Although backing up may be easy to you, it is not easy for all. The driver ed teacher should have relized that she need more help backing up and should have made her do more backing up. Backing up is especialy hard for a beginner when they have to worrie about others around them. Maybe put her in an empty parking lot hand have her drive around backwards. In driver ed we were told never to use our miors backing up. Always look out the back window, they will even fail you on your driver test for not looking backward.

I would say that its in your hands now. You need to teach her how you think she should be able to back up. I found when trying to back up it stunk being told how to do it. I just had to try it on my own.

Coop

 

Got to call you on this one.

I raised 3 daughters. They are now 26,27,29. Before they could drive or leave home they had to:

1. Back up a trailer, straight for 300 feet.
2. Light a pilot light, on a water heater & a furnace.
3. Change their own tire.
4. Each month check their own oil, tranny, and wiper fluid, & tire pressure.
5. Change their own oil. (this was optional, but they had to know how to do it.)
6. Know the major parts of the engine compartment.

I am serious as a heart attack. They could NOT date, or drive, or leave home until they knew how to do these things.

Sounds to me like YOU have some edumacating to do.....Dad.

Are you raising a young woman.... or a little girl?

 

I thought drivers ed was to get the majority of the basics. I realized practice will help fine tune the skills, but come on she can barely back out of the driveway.

 

I had a gf who found that a Visa card/cash can do 1-5 pretty easy.... She's 45 now - wanna have a shot with her??

Good luck with #6.

 

If she was my daughter she would still be living at home.

 

I dont expect much out of her driving, I just think she needs to be able to put a vehicle exactly where she wants it either forward, backwards, or sideways if needed.

 

Just think of that as Phase One of her driver Training.
This is Phase Two.

By the time she completes the second phase, she should be able to parallel park coming in at 50 mph.

 

Just another example of a parent not being involved enough in the education of a child.

 

Back when I took drivers education about 15 years ago. My drivers ed school didn't do much with reverse training at all. But on the flip side they said most likely the first accident you will have will be backing up. Teaching to back up useing mirrors is the best way in my opinion, My drivers edu taught the turn around and look out the back window, but in the police academy we focused on useing mirrors which is a much better way. But I do agree most drivers education places do no focus much on backing up. I think your just going to have to work with her and tell her your not going to turn her lose on the road till you are comfortable with her driving, you will be amazed how much she will listen and improve.



(2 cents)

 

Now I realize that y'all are talking about cars and pickups here, but try backing up a semi-truck without using the mirrors. Scary.

 

Its not so much Im not involved in trying to teach her to drive. Its more of a trial of patients and Im loosing.

 

I remember going to driver training, i drove myself to it , in the tractor , because i was ploughing the field next door to the building. It was more like driver taxi service for me , i already knew how to drive, i have been driving stuff around the farm since i could reach the pedals.

 

I never took drivers ed, so Im not sure what is supposed to be taught. I would have thought for $150 for a one day class, they could cover how to go backwards. She does alright forward, but when its time to go backwards, she is at a complete loss and will not listen to what Im saying.
Perhaps its time to bring a dozen drums out to the local industrial park and let her put some dents in something....

 

I used 55 gallon drums. Works great and no damage to the cars.

Next you can work on changing the oil and lighting pilot lights!