InflatableBuddha
Diamond Member
- Jul 5, 2007
- 7,416
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Glad she's agreed to going with a "lesser" vehicle.
A few points:
It's been alluded to, but just to be clear, driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. If you can't do it properly and responsibly, you shouldn't be on the road. Bus pass/ridesharing are good options.
Defensive driving classes are absolutely the best thing for new drivers. IMO, they should be mandatory for getting your license. I took Young Drivers back when I was 16, and I still use the lessons in my everyday driving. I check my mirrors frequently, maintain space around my vehicle and always look far ahead. I notice parked cars well in advance, and I am already anticipating potential problems before many other drivers see them. As a result, I have had only a couple of close calls back when I first started out, and none since (I'm now 26). I've never been in a collision *knock wood*.
It is psychologically more difficult for older drivers to learn to drive if they haven't been behind the wheel ever (in this case, I mean late 20s +). This is because neural pathways for learning are already becoming set - similar to how it is much easier to learn a new language as a child, compared to as an adult.
I have seen this frequently in the city where I grew up - lots of Asian people who immigrated to Canada as adults. They never needed to drive back in China and Hong Kong, but because of our less developed transportation system here, driving is unfortunately necessary. Thus they have to learn to drive as adults, and it is obvious that they struggle to become competent (although they are usually overly cautious, as opposed to being reckless). This is not a racial statement - I have seen it in other ethnic groups who immigrated here; it is just that the majority of our immigrants are from China and Hong Kong.
It's not impossible to learn to drive as an adult; it merely takes more practice and patience. Proper driving instruction is strongly recommended.
A few points:
It's been alluded to, but just to be clear, driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. If you can't do it properly and responsibly, you shouldn't be on the road. Bus pass/ridesharing are good options.
Defensive driving classes are absolutely the best thing for new drivers. IMO, they should be mandatory for getting your license. I took Young Drivers back when I was 16, and I still use the lessons in my everyday driving. I check my mirrors frequently, maintain space around my vehicle and always look far ahead. I notice parked cars well in advance, and I am already anticipating potential problems before many other drivers see them. As a result, I have had only a couple of close calls back when I first started out, and none since (I'm now 26). I've never been in a collision *knock wood*.
It is psychologically more difficult for older drivers to learn to drive if they haven't been behind the wheel ever (in this case, I mean late 20s +). This is because neural pathways for learning are already becoming set - similar to how it is much easier to learn a new language as a child, compared to as an adult.
I have seen this frequently in the city where I grew up - lots of Asian people who immigrated to Canada as adults. They never needed to drive back in China and Hong Kong, but because of our less developed transportation system here, driving is unfortunately necessary. Thus they have to learn to drive as adults, and it is obvious that they struggle to become competent (although they are usually overly cautious, as opposed to being reckless). This is not a racial statement - I have seen it in other ethnic groups who immigrated here; it is just that the majority of our immigrants are from China and Hong Kong.
It's not impossible to learn to drive as an adult; it merely takes more practice and patience. Proper driving instruction is strongly recommended.