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Old 08-11-2010, 11:11 AM
 
14,780 posts, read 43,517,334 times
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I think it's something that you need to start teaching early. I remember learning how to shift gears when I was 8 or so sitting in the front seat with my dad. He would be driving and working the clutch, but I moved the shift lever. By the time I was in my teens it wasn't uncommon for my dad or brothers to let me drive in an empty parking lot or on a trail while we were camping. I learned early to respect a vehicle and what it can do.

With my own son who is only 5 I have let him sit on my lap in a big parking lot and steer a couple times. He thinks it's cool and we have a nice father/son moment. A friend of mine also grew up racing go-karts and has let my son drive one of his smaller karts a few times at a local club. Just listen to the song "When Daddy Let Me Drive" by Alan Jackson and you kind of get the point.

PS When you're kids are old enough to actually drive, please, please, please, teach them how to drive a manual transmission. It's such a lost art form and can help them in more ways then you think. When I was a freshman in college I went with some friends to a party. It was during football season for me so I didn't drink, but my other friends did. The guy who drove us there had a manual trans in his Civic and he was pretty drunk, but insistent on driving. Good for us that I knew how to drive a manual and could get us all home. Even if you don't own one, it's a good skill to possess.
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Old 08-11-2010, 11:15 AM
 
Location: The Midwest
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Funny I stumbled across this thread- just this past weekend my kids were at their cousins house. They live in the country and have about 5 acres of open land and 2 of wooded land (which has paved trails through it actually). My BIL has a very old Jeep, and (as I found out when I picked them up the next day) my 15 and 12 yo daughters as well as there 12, 12 and 11 year old cousins drove the Jeep through the woods and the fields, without an adult in the car with them. When they first told me, I almost had a heart attack..I couldn't believe they had done that! But after I thought it through, I realized that it was good practice for my girls. After all, they'll be on the road soon (especially my 15 yo). I would've preferred an adult be in the car, but it was a good experience for them.

So my answer is YES, a 13 year old should be allowed to drive a car in a parking lot, a field or somewhere where there's nothing for them to crash into. And an adult should probably be in the car too
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Old 08-11-2010, 11:39 AM
 
Location: Richardson, TX
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My Dad piloted a plane before he got his license to drive a car. But the sky wasn't crowded over Blair, NE in 1942.
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Old 08-11-2010, 11:51 AM
 
Location: Back in COLORADO!!!
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I have a small 40 acre ranch and I've begun teaching my 10 year old how to drive my tractor and my old Scout. There is really nothing she can do to hurt either one and nothing to run into. Of course, I'm in the vehicle too to supervise and instruct. In my father's day it was not at all uncommon for young kids on the farm to routinely operate trucks and equipment at a young age. I think this is a good thing. With plenty of early, supervised practise driving a car becomes just an ordinary part of life and not a great adventure at 16 years of age.
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Old 08-11-2010, 12:29 PM
 
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I'd rather be on the road with young drivers who have been behind the wheel since age 12 than with some who had never driven until Driver's Ed at 15 or 16.

The confidence levels are way up for those who drive early.
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Old 08-11-2010, 12:35 PM
 
Location: Richardson, TX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoExcuses View Post
I'd rather be on the road with young drivers who have been behind the wheel since age 12 than with some who had never driven until Driver's Ed at 15 or 16.

The confidence levels are way up for those who drive early.
I have a friend who is very protective of her boys and doesn't want them to get their licenses until they are 18, when they are "more responsible." I asked her if she is ready to see her boys go away to college, with little or no experience whatsoever behind the wheel and then sart learning to drive when this is the time that they should already have this skill. No worries then, huh?
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Old 08-12-2010, 08:22 AM
 
Location: Durham, NC
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Yep, my dad started us (off-road of course) when we were 12-13. I agree that it probably only helps you get acclimated and comfortable.
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Old 08-12-2010, 02:18 PM
 
Location: Grosse Ile Michigan
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I start my kids driving as soon as they show interest. First they drive a lawnmower. That gets them used to operating a streeing wheel, brake, clutch and throttle. Later they can drive the tuck or a car around on our property, back it down the driveway etc. They need to know how to change a tire, check the oil, rpeplace the battery, check spark plug wires. Then I may allow them to drive on a dirt track on private property. Eventually, they can move the car or truck on private property without supervision. The only thing for them to hit is a tree and they are not going fast enough to hurt anything so they are fine. I want them to have a basic understanding of operating a vehicle by the time they start dirvers ed. Kids learn so little before they turn them out on the streets.
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Old 08-12-2010, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Richardson, TX
8,734 posts, read 13,768,637 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens View Post
I start my kids driving as soon as they show interest. First they drive a lawnmower. That gets them used to operating a streeing wheel, brake, clutch and throttle. Later they can drive the tuck or a car around on our property, back it down the driveway etc. They need to know how to change a tire, check the oil, rpeplace the battery, check spark plug wires. Then I may allow them to drive on a dirt track on private property. Eventually, they can move the car or truck on private property without supervision. The only thing for them to hit is a tree and they are not going fast enough to hurt anything so they are fine. I want them to have a basic understanding of operating a vehicle by the time they start dirvers ed. Kids learn so little before they turn them out on the streets.
Sneaky, start them on the riding lawn mower. Grass is getting high, time for some more "practice."
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Old 08-12-2010, 04:43 PM
 
Location: Australia
1,492 posts, read 3,222,914 times
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My grandfather had a house on a fairly large block of land. On the way in, he would stop at the gate and let us drive from there. When we were younger, we would sit on his lap and steer while he did the peddles. Certainly by 11, he would stop at the gate and get out, open the gate and just walk to the house and leave me to drive to the house, turn the car round, unload the shopping.

One time when I was 15, we were travelling and my mum became ill, she pulled over and asked me to drive. So my first drive (illegally mind you) was on the highway. When we reached the next town, we checked into a motel so she could sleep and recover.

When I went to get my license, the hardest part was the written rules test. The driving bit was easy. Then the next challenge was learning to relax. You know teens they want to drive 100mph everywhere.

Personally I think that kids should start driving at a very young age and do years of supervised drivng practice before they get to drive on their own.
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