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Most of us here took drivers Ed in school at some point. After watching a teenager a few years ago tying to figure out how to pump gas into his, $45,000 SUV he got for his 16th birthday. I would like to see the state make some changes when you get your first drivers license. I believe they should teach 3 things before your able to get your license.
Should be able to change a tire.
Should know how to change your oil./ Be able to check your fluids windshield, coolant,etc.
Be able to change your battery out.
I would think that perhaps this would show those getting their license that there are responsibilities. Driving/ owning a car. This should for male AND female students.
Actually, where I live, you are not even asked to park during the driving test. Since everyone who drives needs to park, I would think this should be a pretty important part of the test.
I also agree it would be good for the test to include making sure people know how to check the fluids in a car, since its unsafe to drive a car which has been neglected in that regard. I don't see why knowing how to change your own oil should be necessary to get a license though, you just need to know how to check it.
While those are admirable DIY skills, (and I taught our daughter to be able to do those and more), what parts of those tasks make for a better 'driver' on the road, in real world driving today, dodging texters, distracted parents, people watching the net on their NAV, etc.?
Last edited by motordavid; 04-16-2012 at 05:21 PM..
Most of us here took drivers Ed in school at some point. After watching a teenager a few years ago tying to figure out how to pump gas into his, $45,000 SUV he got for his 16th birthday. I would like to see the state make some changes when you get your first drivers license. I believe they should teach 3 things before your able to get your license.
Should be able to change a tire.
Should know how to change your oil./ Be able to check your fluids windshield, coolant,etc.
Be able to change your battery out.
I would think that perhaps this would show those getting their license that there are responsibilities. Driving/ owning a car. This should for male AND female students.
Any opinions on this?
Yes probably 75% of drivers today cannot do those three things.
But those 75% do have cell phones and credit cards.
While those are admirable skills, (and I taught our daughter to be able to do those and more), what parts of those tasks make for a better 'driver' on the road, in real driving world today, dodging texters, distracted parents, people watching the net on their NAV, etc.?
Agreed. US drivers need more skills, but specifically those that relate directly to driving.
Most of us here took drivers Ed in school at some point. After watching a teenager a few years ago tying to figure out how to pump gas into his, $45,000 SUV he got for his 16th birthday. I would like to see the state make some changes when you get your first drivers license. I believe they should teach 3 things before your able to get your license.
Quote:
Originally Posted by reed067
Should be able to change a tire.
Should know how to change your oil./ Be able to check your fluids windshield, coolant,etc.
Be able to change your battery out.
I would think that perhaps this would show those getting their license that there are responsibilities. Driving/ owning a car. This should for male AND female students.
Any opinions on this?
Yeah....it's one of the most absurd things I've ever read on City-Data.
Sure, it's a good idea to teach people how to change a tire or check their fluids. I think change the oil and battery is a little overboard. (Heck, I know how to do it, and I even have a garage, and I still pay someone else. I also let someone else put in the battery.) But they should know that it's necessary to have it changed, as well as other maintenance that needs to be done. Then they could choose whether to learn or pay someone else.
But, these aren't driving issues and thus are not and should not be part of licensing. These are auto maintenance issues for when you own a car. Difference.
I'm all for making a license harder to get though. But let's have it to do with serious driving issues.
Most of us here took drivers Ed in school at some point. After watching a teenager a few years ago tying to figure out how to pump gas into his, $45,000 SUV he got for his 16th birthday. I would like to see the state make some changes when you get your first drivers license. I believe they should teach 3 things before your able to get your license.
Should be able to change a tire.
Should know how to change your oil./ Be able to check your fluids windshield, coolant,etc.
Be able to change your battery out.
I would think that perhaps this would show those getting their license that there are responsibilities. Driving/ owning a car. This should for male AND female students.
Any opinions on this?
I agree that knowing how to check your fluids is important but I don't know why being able to change your battery or oil should be a requirement. What teenagers should learn is how to drive without needing to text or talk on the phone. I've honestly seen some women (both teenagers and 40+ year olds) apply lipstick and/or makeup WHILE driving.
I know how to change my oil but I've never done it; too much of a mess and the thought of an oil spot on my driveway or garage floor would bother me more than paying $40 at Jiffy Lube.
Most of us here took drivers Ed in school at some point. After watching a teenager a few years ago tying to figure out how to pump gas into his, $45,000 SUV he got for his 16th birthday. I would like to see the state make some changes when you get your first drivers license. I believe they should teach 3 things before your able to get your license.
Should be able to change a tire.
Should know how to change your oil./ Be able to check your fluids windshield, coolant,etc.
Be able to change your battery out.
I would think that perhaps this would show those getting their license that there are responsibilities. Driving/ owning a car. This should for male AND female students.
Any opinions on this?
Your criteria are more tied to the maintenance of a car and not so much to do with operation of a car, which is the actual purpose of licensing. There's little need to know how to do these things to drive a car when you can always pay someone to do the maintenance.
I'd say a more fitting criterion would be something along the lines of, say, asking a prospective licensee if they believe they can tell how fast they're going by comparing their speed to the traffic around them. Anyone who answers "yes" automatically flunks.
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