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locking/unlocking the car with the remote
operating the sideview mirrors with a button
Quote:
Originally Posted by hopeitsnevertoolate
Lol no. I had a 2004 Lexus SUV. It even had AC and power windows!
Yeah, my 1992 Bonneville had both of these features, these are nothing new.
That being said, I do think the significant changes to the vehicles' operating systems in the last five years would be the biggest thing. Things like keyless ignition, dials or buttons to operate the transmission, backup alarms, touch screen controls for the radio and climate control, various automatic adjustments, etc. I live in a rural area so I drive everywhere and always have, but the newest vehicle I've driven on a regular basis is a 2004 Grand Caravan whose controls are really pretty similar to those on the vehicles I started out driving 30 years ago so I struggle a little when my boss asks me to run an errand in her loaded late-model pickup.
A middle age relative of mine took a Defensive Driving Course. She said it helped her greatly.
She had never taken any Drivers Ed course to learn how to drive when young.
If you can find one - take it.
Have found that folks that drive in or near any large city to drive like maniacs and those that drive in rural areas to drive much better. That may be an over generalization. Seems people in cities are in much more of a hurry.
And is some places folks drive through stop signs and red lights.
As far as a therapist goes. Yes, most should be seeing a therapist. How many out there are really happy?
See the bolded. My wife was forced to take one by the insurance company due to her bad driving. She learned a lot from it and is now a much safer driver and am happy to say no tickets or accidents in the last 3 years since.
Just don’t be a timid driver. Going 40 in the left lane of a highway won’t get it. We have enough of those people on the road. Too cautious is not always a good thing.
I took a state mandated driving class once many many years ago. 6 hours worth of information, scenarios, issues, problems, pictures and videos of crashes, enough to raise the hair in the back of the neck. Of all of that, I retained only one thing, and that's the ONLY thing worth knowing for anyone, anytime, and anyplace they're behind the wheel of a car.
To the OP:
There has been a lot of good advice given above, and if you think a Drivers Refresher Course would help, then certainly consider it.
However: learning how car gadgets work is something you can do on your own time, after reading your cars Owners Manual (Yes, read the thing, front to back! LOL).
And then have your BF drive you over to some nearby unused parking lot, preferably without street lights too. And get behind the wheel in a very controlled, safe place re-acquaint yourself with long-ago reflexes. Just like you can get on a bike after 10 years. Just start slow, no wheelies, be careful, and soon you'll be no-hands. (on the bike that is).
Classes and all that might be helpful, but first just drive around at 10 mph. No faster, no obstacles, no traffic. Get used to having the car stop and go and turn as you want it to. It'll come back to you. No go faster. And again faster, till you're up to about 30.
When you do go out on the highway, again start conservatively. Drive with the traffic flow and don't try to hot-rod past cars. Get use to keeping lanes with others close by.
Make very sure you keep your focus. Get some months of bumper-to-bumper high-speed traffic experience before you try to drive AND touch up makeup. No hands-on use of your phone. Etc.
If all you need is practice, and confidence - do this. If you are genuinely scared and the above doesn't help, then try some classes. Especially those with driving simulators.
You're in a better situation, not driving or needing to do it. Don't throw that away and fall back into the unsustainable society, that is largely based on motor vehicle mobility. There's many alternatives to it, no matter where you're living. Don't contribute to environmental collapse, by changing your ways for the worse. Those who drive are carrying us all to Hell in a handbasket. Don't be one of them.
STAY IN NYC!!!! Trust me on this one, I live in the DFW area(fort worth) but for 9 years I lived out east(Cleveland) and I moved back down here 18 years ago and I'm still not used to it AND I WAS BORN HERE!!! everything is so spread out here and after living someplace where everything you need is within an 6 - 8 block radius it gets frustrating. Dallas has pretty good public transportation but in NYC you did not have public transportation you had MASS TRANSIT , trust me there is a difference. I was in NYC once for one week and I was able to pretty much find my way around within a day in Dallas and fort-worth(connected by the TRE train now) it will take you months to get a handle on getting around by bus & train and it gets harder the further you venture from downtown. and the people here don't seem to now how far they travel as if you have or get any kind of social circle here people expect you to meet up all over the place(as apposed to when I was out east you friends tended to do everything within 8 or nine blocks from where you lived) an idea of how spread out everything is? you can fit all of Manhattan in DFW airport. I know you are from here but once you have lived in a city where getting around is easy and everything you need is in walking distance coming BACK here will be a culture shock. plus here everything closes early and opens late.
I was going to mention that ABS and stability control are in all vehicles now, so it's easier for drivers with bad car control to avoid accidents. Although there are more distractions then there were 10 years ago, and infotainment systems have gotten more confusing.
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