[s-cars] Kids and cars

[Postupack, Jeff]

Mark wrote: "
From: "Mark Strangways" <Strangconst at rogers.com>
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Kids and cars
Cc: <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Message-ID: <00e501c5cf95$d069ab70$6400000a at Strangwaysgroup.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"

My point here, and I am really holding back, is why do we have to learn
how to drive out of a bad situation. They can be avoided well before
they begin.

I am not saying that the instruction of high performance driving skills
are not an asset, far from it. The thread has focused on what car to get
to survive a hit, or now, how to correct the car from a skid or hydro
plan. This is all well good, but my money and time has been spent
getting my child to understand why shit goes bad in the first place and
to make sure she is not there when it does go bad.

Kids need to know when things are going south, so they can save
themselves. Your child may own a tank on wheels, but that ain't doing
nothing when so idiot is behind the wheel that the car she / he is a
passenger in. I would think my daughter knows enough to tell that person
to pull over and let her out.

This to me is more important than the car she drives (which is a 1988
190E POS). It isn't pretty, it isn't overly fast. But it's big enough
and heavy enough to stay on the road in traffic.

(going back to lurk mode now)

Mark"

>From JP..... 

I appreciate your point of view and find it fascinating this list has a
lot of member with near driving age children. Let's learn from each
other!

There is one fundamental difference Mark,

Correct me if I misunderstood..

You're teaching your daughter and she listens, learns without testing
the limits. She wants to know why incidents should be avoided.
Young girls also have special respect for their father. And boys, well
there's this competitive element in some parent relationships and among
peers.

Not to be gender biased, but I'll say this about raising boys to be
independent self reliant people.

"Boys test everything". At least mine does. 

He'll listen sure and may go out and explore the limits of 'any' system,
be it a Mtn bike or a car or a social situation. It's gonna happen, so
ask yourself this- 

Whether they tell you about what they are exploring or not relies on
father-son relationship and the principles taught to guide decisions
when _you are not present_.

Given this observation and personal experience (at 16) my goal is to
equip my son with driving knowledge, techniques, positive role models,
and events to explore and learn safely.

Which is why Andrew attended Audi Team Driving at Road Atlanta. He
admires those SCCA drivers, learned a great deal about controlled skids
left AND right, soft shoulder recovery, braking intervals etc. He still
talks about it today. Well worth the $900 plus weekend flight/hotel to
Atlanta.

I knew damn well internally he would test the limits of driving,
encouraged him not to, even offered Lime Rock and Track events. I did
the same damn thing without the training.

I did not berate him after the accident and focused on the learning,
lapse in judgment as a temporary incident certainly not to be repeated.
In life we DO make mistakes, must learn rapidly, move on. 
Lots of wisdom is internalized because it's his personal experience.

He actually knew what to do the moment adhesion was compromised, tried
to solve the problem, carried too much speed.

Would it have as much powerful meaning to an adventurous boy had I
lectured on all this. I think not.
Now I do believe he's much wiser.

Everybody, save up, research your school, bring your children to Audi
Teen Driving, O'Neil or Steamboat.
And go with them, it's the time of their lives and yours.

Jeff Posto
Es-car-go