Learning to drive ... in real life!

[Martal39]

Before i get to the subject i dunno if this is in the proper forum but it was the closest i could get.So if its in the wrong forum dont MURDER me k ?

Now, im already 16 and i cant drive at all.I know, i know , most of you GT fanatics prolly knew how to drive at like the age of 5 but bear with me.to the meat of the question.

What do you think : Is it better to learn to drive in an older car [With ... i dunno hows it in english ... powersteering(??) and without ABS or anything else] OR would it be better to learn to drive in newer car , something that i would prolly end up driving.

 

[Pupik]

For the most part, the way to drive a car is the same from model to model, from age to age. The only real exceptions are when you're driving a manual or automatic transmission, there's a bit more to do when you're changing gears yourself.

I've been told over and over again that it is easier to learn to drive with a manual transmission first, rather than automatic. But it really makes no difference, because an automatic transmission allows the beginner to concentrate on the basics, rather than worrying about making your shifting appear smoother or worry about the clutch movement. One way or another, you should learn how to drive an manual transmission car, and once you perfect it...teach someone else to do it!

Stuff like ABS and power steering are becoming much more commonplace, so it's not a big deal to learn on them. Once should learn the difference, although a lack of power steering assistance just means you have to give your arms more of a workout, and no ABS means you have to be gentle with the brakes in perilous conditions.

You might as well get used to the car you're going to learn on, or take your driving tests with, since you'll feel more comfortable. Once you have your license, you'll want to try to drive just about anything (especially if you're a car nut or gearhead like most of us), just to have the experience of describing other cars and to compare them. Anyone can shout stats and opinions from a magazine, or say how they drive in a video game, but to actually drive them is a completely different experience.

 

[Duke]

The post above pretty much says it all. The mechanics of driving are not all that different from car to car, at least at first. It's the smaller differences that make or break a car.

If it were me, I'd learn on a middle-aged, mid-sized, mid-powered car with an automatic transmission. After a few lessons, when you've got the basics down pat, try a manual transmission car. But I believe that it's easier to get used to the whole overwhelming experience when you're only concentrating on gas, brakes, and steering. You'll have plenty of time to learn manual shifting once you learn to look ahead instead of at the speedometer, and checking your mirrors is becoming a habit.

Driving too powerful a car means you're likely to crash it... but learning on too slow a car means that you'll still be likely to crash the first powerful car you drive.

 

[Gil]

What he said.
All of the above in a car that you don't mind a ding or two in, or preferably already has a ding or two.
You want to prevent any more, but it is better to be able not to stress out too much if you do ding the thing.

 

[retsmah]

I learned on a manual, and did a lot of driving around in a big parking lot just practicing starting, stopping, shifting... basically you should have a decent handle on working a manual transmission before you try to drive in traffic with one. Make sure you can handle starting on a hill too, if you are more comfortable using the handbrake at first that's fine too. You just want to be able to concentrate on not hitting anything when you are in traffic, rather than focusing only on operating the clutch.

ABS or not doesn't matter much, either way go out and do a few hard stops, so you can get a feel for what the car is going to behave like under full braking. You don't want your first experience with the ABS system kicking in or a wheel locking up to be in an emergency situation.

 

[Wolfe]

I'd say you should aim to learn in a car that has as few safety nannies (ABS, traction control, stability control, etc.) as possible. Knowing how to brake and how to keep a car under control without the car helping you will be far more beneficial, because then those safety nannies (should you buy a car in the future that has them) will serve as a net, rather than a crutch.

As for an automatic transmission vs a manual transmission, I whole-heartedly recommend a manual, but as Pupik said, an automatic can help you concentrate on other things. It depends on how comfortable you are with driving.

Just do me a favor and learn how to drive with a manual transmission sometime, if you do start with an automatic.

 

[Martal39]

I'd say you should aim to learn in a car that has as few safety nannies (ABS, traction control, stability control, etc.) as possible. Knowing how to brake and how to keep a car under control without the car helping you will be far more beneficial, because then those safety nannies (should you buy a car in the future that has them) will serve as a net, rather than a crutch.

As for an automatic transmission vs a manual transmission, I whole-heartedly recommend a manual, but as Pupik said, an automatic can help you concentrate on other things. It depends on how comfortable you are with driving.

Just do me a favor and learn how to drive with a manual transmission sometime, if you do start with an automatic.

Thats pretty much the same that i thought would be good.
And i will most definetly learn with a manual.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Seen as manual shifting has risen in this topic and it's about learning to drive...

Do many driving instructors in the US have manual cars, and those that do, do they have their own clutches?

In the UK pretty much everyone learns to drive manual, and straight away they drive abit on the road and have to change gear, except it's usually the instructor doing the clutch work in the first few lessons.

 

[///M-Spec]

Seen as manual shifting has risen in this topic and it's about learning to drive...

Do many driving instructors in the US have manual cars, and those that do, do they have their own clutches?

I learned to drive on my parent's car which was auto. Here, you have the option of driving your own car or paying for a school. I'm fairly certain student driving school cars are 99% auto. Manuals are very uncommon here and most people assume to drive autos.

It's an interesting reversal from European countries where most people drive stick and autos are generally found only in expensive luxury cars.

Here even the most basic econobox comes with an auto (you can usually order a stick, but most dealers don't stock them) and sticks are usually found in higher end performance cars.


M

 

[Duke]

I've never seen a manual transmission Driver's Ed car, ever. Most often, they are nearly-base-model, 4- or small-6-cylinder sedans with ATX. For public school driver's ed, they are usually unsold leftovers on loan from a local Big Three dealer looking for some tax writeoffs. For private instructors they are almost always Toyota Corollas.

I have seen full dual-control cars, but most are bone stock. The next most common would be ones with just a teacher's brake pedal so he can slow the car down when required.

I 'officially' learned to drive in an Oldsmobile Omega, a 4 cylinder from the dark days of American automobiles on the Citation FWD platform. It was a complete dog. I grew up in the sticks so I had actually been driving for about 5 years by the time I took the class and got my permit. My teacher spent about 15 minutes watching me drive on the first day, and then gave the rest of my time for the entire semester to my class partner.

 

[Eric.]

I've never seen a manual transmission Driver's Ed car, ever. Most often, they are nearly-base-model, 4- or small-6-cylinder sedans with ATX. For public school driver's ed, they are usually unsold leftovers on loan from a local Big Three dealer looking for some tax writeoffs. For private instructors they are almost always Toyota Corollas.

I have seen full dual-control cars, but most are bone stock. The next most common would be ones with just a teacher's brake pedal so he can slow the car down when required.

I 'officially' learned to drive in an Oldsmobile Omega, a 4 cylinder from the dark days of American automobiles on the Citation FWD platform. It was a complete dog. I grew up in the sticks so I had actually been driving for about 5 years by the time I took the class and got my permit. My teacher spent about 15 minutes watching me drive on the first day, and then gave the rest of my time for the entire semester to my class partner.

I officially learned to drive in a late model Mercury van. Great... It definitely made you watch your speed on this hilly, straight highway that we had to drive down for like 6 miles. The wind had a pretty big effect on it too.

It only had the brake pedal for the instructor. My dad's current car was an ex- drivers's ed car. It still had the pedal when he bought it (but the dealer removed it).

 

[Freddie]

I'll give you a small tip about powersteering and the lack of it; on a car without, just inching forwards or backwards will ease the steering tremendously. On a car with, powersteering only eases your arms, but if you drive it like you didn't have powersteering (only turning the wheel while the car is rolling), there's much less wear on cars' steering-mechanisms.

In fact, my driver instructor applauded me when I used this method on his then brand-new S40. He hadn't seen that technique in years, according to him (no wonder, I learned how to drive in an ancient Saab 99 GL).

 

[retsmah]

The drivers ed classes in Portland run ex-police Caprices, which is kind of funny when they make you do parallel parking.

 

[blargonator]

drive whatever.
seat time is the only thing that really matters. personally i had the most basic honda civic available at 1989 for my first car (year or so ago).
power options are meaningless, i don't understand how anyone can complain about the lack of power options in any car. unless you really don't like it, don't go out of your way trying to get a car that doesn't have it.

personally though i'm a purist and can't stand anything like that. i'm all about low power, light weight, no nanny machines.

p.s. relax when you're driving. be smooth, but don't try so hard to be smooth that you do more damage than good. best of luck with everything.

 

[Eric.]

drive whatever.
seat time is the only thing that really matters. personally i had the most basic honda civic available at 1989 for my first car (year or so ago).
power options are meaningless, i don't understand how anyone can complain about the lack of power options in any car. unless you really don't like it, don't go out of your way trying to get a car that doesn't have it.

personally though i'm a purist and can't stand anything like that. i'm all about low power, light weight, no nanny machines.

p.s. relax when you're driving. be smooth, but don't try so hard to be smooth that you do more damage than good. best of luck with everything.

As if you can tell that your car is lighter because it doesn
't have pw/pl...

 

[Gil]

I've never seen a manual transmission Driver's Ed car, ever. Most often, they are nearly-base-model, 4- or small-6-cylinder sedans with ATX. For public school driver's ed, they are usually unsold leftovers on loan from a local Big Three dealer looking for some tax writeoffs. For private instructors they are almost always Toyota Corollas.

I have seen full dual-control cars, but most are bone stock. The next most common would be ones with just a teacher's brake pedal so he can slow the car down when required.

I 'officially' learned to drive in an Oldsmobile Omega, a 4 cylinder from the dark days of American automobiles on the Citation FWD platform. It was a complete dog. I grew up in the sticks so I had actually been driving for about 5 years by the time I took the class and got my permit. My teacher spent about 15 minutes watching me drive on the first day, and then gave the rest of my time for the entire semester to my class partner.

I concur,
I grew up in a fairly well-funded school district and we had several cars, all with ATX.
I "officially" learned to drive on the Monterey Peninsula in a series of Datsun B210s.
Of our ten sessions with myself and 2 partners, I got reprimanded 3 times in the first five minutes I was on the street.
"Take your arm off the windowsill."
"Why have you put the car in a lower gear going down hill?"
"Slow down!"

Off the books, I had been driving for more than a year, and I'm here to tell you a B210 feels like a Hot Wheel after you've been driving a Country Squire.

Like Duke, I pretty much got relegated to the backseat after I parallel-parked pretty flawlessly on a busy street our third time out.