This is going to be Interesting!

I love this post. but i must ask: Have you ever considered moving to Melbourne? You wouldn't have to fly to work due to rain, SWMBO could run the kids to school, and Wilfred would be in jail. So would you, probably..

Mum tells the story ( mum is 101 ) of her brother Bill, who she thinks I take after. Bill was born in 1922. Mum's mum rang up ( they weren't rich, but grandpa was in Government, and had the telephone on ) and asked the maid could she speak to Bill, and the maid said "of course, I'll get him. He's just putting the car away". Bill had been shopping in Kew.

It warms my heart that there is a kid out there with that spirit. It's been leeched out of them down here. All little 'yes' people.

My two oldest grandchildren are learning (and have been for a while). One refuses to drive an auto, the other refuses to drive a manual (they bunnyhop!). Both actually started well before they were old enough to get a learner's, driving my 2a on the property. This seems to have put one off manuals, but the other is reasonably competent, and prefers the 110 to the 2a - I think it is mainly the power steering. She just needs practice.

One incident a while back - I sat next to her driving on her first trip Yass to Canberra - and there was a random breath test setup at Murrumbateman. Yes, they breath tested both of us.

throw them in the deep end, best way to learn.

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Originally Posted by Eevo

throw them in the deep end, best way to learn.

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Yep my son aged 13 was thrown my Disco keys not long ago while out camping.
I was in the passenger seat but he did fine.

Same way i learned. Old man threw me the keys to our Datsun 120 Ute and he said stay in second.

This guy in China had just passed his driving test & picked up his new car when this happned when he tried to read a text message.

Attachment 158408 He did end up in the water .:o:(:BigCry:

Johntins, how old was your Uncle Bill?
and if he was a youngster , the car might have been a big heavy USA machine ?

Hi,
We had a " sick " 14 yo at home from school for the day, while we were at work.
The previous weekend I had changed the oil on the car and noted the mileage on a whiteboard. And I had done a poor job of backing the car into the garage which made it difficult to get the motorbike past to go to work.
Backing the bike in that evening there was plenty of room, the car was parked neatly parallel to the wall.
Hmmmm!
More than 20km extra on the Speedo, kid not so sick any more.
He got a quiet explanation of the financial risks he had just exposed the family to, and the sacrifices that would be needed to finance even a minor crash with repair / medical expenses incurred by his actions.
Never happened again that I know of.
Cheers

I was still in primary school when my father taught me to plough paddocks on the farm.
Took a few goes to get my rows straight though.

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Originally Posted by jonesfam

I was horrified & just a little bit proud of him.

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We all know the pecuniary risks.
A) It's only illegal if you get caught.
B) Illegal is just a sick bird.
C) Fear Mum and Dad more than the police.

When I was 16, Mum had a 70's Rangie, Dad had a 1964 Triumph TR4A and a little Porsche.

The TR4A has no "power" anything, a very big and heavy clutch and about an inch of clutch travel. The pedal was also glass-smooth steel. No grip.
I had bare feet and had just walked over some washing soap-flakes my brother had spilled on the floor. Got into the Triumph to move it over the pit so I could to an oil change and my soap-covered foot slipped off the clutch pedal, at which time it lurched forward and took out the rear corner of the Porsche.

Frankly I'd have preferred dealing with the police.