Saturday, September 17, 2005
Driving school
I took my son (the new driver) to the "Car Control Clinic". The course was $150. , but I knew it would be worth it. We went to a 90 minute classroom session, then to the 4 hour practical clinic on the driving pad. The course was invented by a retired race car driver, and was very informative and good. The parent had to be in the car with the new driver, and at times that was scary. It is difficult not to "over coach". I tried to just sit there and not say anything, but it was impossible not to at least cheer him on. We did several exercises involving turning and getting the car between the cones. The most interesting part is when they wet down the asphalt with water and vegtable oil, then we skidded around on it. We had to do controlled braking, and "on and off" braking to stop the car within a certain distance. It really tested your braking reaction time, and shows you how far your car will skid when you loose control. Once the brakes lock up, you go into a skid, and you have NO steering control. I recommend this course for all new drivers. It was fun, and may save my son's life someday.
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They're doing something similiar up here in Cleveland. I wish I'd had a course like that to take when I was getting my license. My parents basically believed that everything I needed to learn was from Driver's Ed, where they only took you out to drive on dry days, no snow or rain. Yeah, like that's realistic. Six weeks after I'd gotten my own car, which was about a year and a half after I got my license, I was in a huge car accident and the car was totalled and I would have been also if I hadn't put my seatbelt on. And as for the weather conditions that day, a complete downpour of rain. My brakes locked and turning the steering wheel was useless. I remember just letting go of the wheel because the car was spinning out of control, just covering my head and screaming. I still get nervous driving in the rain even though it's been almost twelve years since that happened.
Anyway, great post and good blog!
I just recently started one of my own, I write and I needed a home for all the stuff on my floppy disk. Hope you stop by.
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