One of my high school driving instructors scared the crap out of me. They were all PE teachers and I got the impression that they weren't happy about having to teach Driver's Ed. I didn't pass my test until I was 20 and had gone to a professional instuctor. He wouldn't let me wear sandals during lessons but other than that he was a peach and quickly turned my fear of driving around. The only scary thing he did was tell me to turn the wrong way down a one-way street to teach me to pay more attention to the road signs than to the passenger giving directions.

The only scary thing he did was tell me to turn the wrong way down a one-way street to teach me to pay more attention to the road signs than to the passenger giving directions.

I disagree with that teaching technique. The DE is in a position of authority over you, so it doesn't feel right to me for him to do that. (Unless he told you at the beginning of your lessons that he might test you in such a way.)

I did fine in my classes, but my mom rented a car for me to take my driving test in (we had a stick, which I did learn to drive) and I almost flunked the driving portion. The guy noticed the rental sticker and I think took pity on me and passed me. I was always a decent driver, though.

I cannot parallel park. It distresses Hubby that I can't do it. But then, the man learned how to drive stick when his Forest Service boss took him out onto a runway in a fully loaded tanker truck, then left him there, saying, "Next plane's due in 20 minutes, you better have this truck off the runway by then." There's definitely a tough love approach to Hubby trying to teach me skills that doesn't work well, because I *will* drive around the corner to find a place to park that doesn't require backing and turning and praying the traffic behind you doesn't decide to ram you.

I liked my "behind the wheel" driving lessons. They were fun. The only thing I didn't like was once the instructor hit his brake to stop the car when the light turned yellow, telling me there was enough time for me to stop, when I was planning on just running the yellow light.

I remember the car - an Olds Omega. It felt kind of weird to drive, as it was the first front-drive car I'd driven.

Matt is on his phone interview now. I can't quite hear the words, but I love listening to him talk when he really know what he is saying . Smooth, confident, and articulate.

Competence is sexy. (Bitches conversation #24, and always work a revisit.)

Happiest birthdays to the lovely Kristin and Maria!

I was taught to drive by a fellow employee when I was 21ish. His normal job was prime painting steel so being my designated driver was a blast for him. He was totally stoned all the time and thought it was hysterical every time I ran over curbs and so forth. I was learning on a huge truck that was 3 speed on the column. The worst piece of crap I ever drove. I think they passed me on my driver's test out of pity because I stalled the thing twice. The upside was that every vehicle I have driven since then has been a snap.

I took DE because it meant my parents could get insurance for me less expensively. However, as the youngest person in my year, I only had a learner's permit ... and the others in my group were all older boys who already had their licenses. I never got to do any driving at all - the teacher took the easy way out and had them do all the driving, since they already knew how (and were only taking the class for the less-expensive insurance).

I cannot parallel park. It distresses Hubby that I can't do it.

Trick to parallel parking is to remember that "bumper" has the word "bump" right in it.

which car is required to back up when on a one lane incline.

Er... is it the downhill one? I know I knew this at some point.