a "practice car"?

[baron555 934]

I cashed in my clunker Jeep back in July for a new Malibu for Alla. She's not driving it yet but she wanted a small car and not the newer big Cherokee I usually drive.

I am not afraid of anything she may do to it. She used to drive in Moscow, so she's not a kid in that regard. And, here, as she has noticed, most people follow the rules of the road pretty well and the streets are in better condition and the signage is excellent.

She also has a GPS that sounds off in Russian if she needs.

[mox 298]

The fallacy is that you seem to think that an older car means unsafe.

...

I mean if you choose to teach your wife to drive your new Lexus, that is fine, I really couldn't care less, but please do not insinuate that it is somehow safer, taht is just preposterous.

Gary...I know you're not my biggest fan, but please do start reading what I actually post before making assumptions. This is what I said:

My personal preference would be to put any of my loved ones in the safest car I have. Scratches, dings, scrapes...welcome to life.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Gary...I know you're not my biggest fan, but please do start reading what I actually post before making assumptions. This is what I said:

Because we disagree on some points does not mean I am not "fan". (or that I am, I do not tend to think of myself as a "fan" of VJ personalities, but don't take it personal, Selma Hayek does nothing for me either) Certainly a knowledgeable liberal guy can accept criticism of his statements and ideas, it is not like I called you a "liar, liar pants on fire" or something.

However the question of the OP was (and he sought input) on whether or not he should bother to buy a special car for training. Your response was regarding safety, which was not an issue at any point. Had he asked "Should I use a safe car or one with bad brakes and bald tires?" my response would have been to suggest a safer car. I would never suggest anyone buy an unsafe car for their loved ones and NO ONE drove the car I bought until it was sent to a shop and checked over and needed safety repairs made...and it still cost less than $1000.

On the same note, I found that Alla was confused by all the "gadgets" and never used most of them. She refuses to use cruise control, will never use AC etc. She has since chosen a simple, small sporty coupe with crank windows. She is very pleased with it but not so happy that she has less room to carry around her baskets of "stuff" (make-up, shoe polish, extra shoes, swimming bag for the health club, etc.) and her car is basically a "two seater" with the tiny back seat filled with her "stuff". But it parks EASY! LOL

I have a Ford 4WD PU with manual transmisiion and she just has never got the hang of shifting, though we tried like hell, she kept running off the road looking for the next gear.

[mox 298]

Because we disagree on some points does not mean I am not "fan". (or that I am, I do not tend to think of myself as a "fan" of VJ personalities, but don't take it personal, Selma Hayek does nothing for me either) Certainly a knowledgeable liberal guy can accept criticism of his statements and ideas, it is not like I called you a "liar, liar pants on fire" or something.

I can always accept criticism when it's warranted. I even accept outright insults. But you didn't criticize, you made an assumption that turned out to be wrong. Seems to be a theme with you is all I'm saying.

[visaveteran 1]

I can't really afford a "practice car" as I bought a new car last year that tapped me out. A $1000 for a practice car is a lot of money to me at this point, even if I could find one.

In my area, the driving schools are all run by Hispanics or Indians or other non native born groups, and so they're not always easy for ME to understand, much less my Russian wife. Plus the cost is a rip-off IMO.

I have let her drive in an empty parking lot and she's done fine. The better cars today almost drive themselves which helps. My wife is quite brave when it comes down to it, so I think she'll do fine . The issue right now is she's failed the learners permit test twice. One more mess up and she has to go to school which will cost hundreds. Too bad they don't offer the test and study material in Russian.

More and more, the subway and bus system is looking better and better to me.

[Jeff and Tatiana 0]

I think this was posted in a previous thread, but it is worth a repost. The only state that offers a Russian Language version of the Drivers Handbook I think is California. Here is the link to the site and just choose Russian Language from the drop down in the handbook section. It is a PDF and you are set. The rules are not so vastly different from state to state, but you may want to compare to your own state to mark out the differances for the loved on.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

-Jeff

Oh and on the car thing. Well I have a truck and a little econo car, so she can choose whichever she wants to try. Right now she is telling me she wants to be up high and try the truck. LOL we will see.

[baron555 934]

I think this was posted in a previous thread, but it is worth a repost. The only state that offers a Russian Language version of the Drivers Handbook I think is California. Here is the link to the site and just choose Russian Language from the drop down in the handbook section. It is a PDF and you are set. The rules are not so vastly different from state to state, but you may want to compare to your own state to mark out the differances for the loved on.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

-Jeff

Oh and on the car thing. Well I have a truck and a little econo car, so she can choose whichever she wants to try. Right now she is telling me she wants to be up high and try the truck. LOL we will see.

Nope the state of Washington and New Jersey also have a downloadable driver's manual in Russian. Iowa as well but not that many pages.

Alla has print outs of all and I've told her to study those first and then we'll concentrate on the Illinois Rules of the Road. I also have access to the questions via the test available (for a fee of course) via DMV.org.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Teaching someone from FSU is more difficult generally because they have not had the exposure to cars that people in the USA have. My kids grew up going everywhere in cars. Even though we didn't notice, they were learning about the car from us, thus teaching them to drive was relatively easy.

IMO, it is better to teach someone to drive an automatic to give them confidence and pass the drivers exam. However, if you have the opportunity to teach them to drive a stick shift, then do it. Once they learn to drive a stick, the entire world of autos and trucks is open to them. I have two daughters that can't drive a stick, but my stepson now drives a 5 speed 4 wheel drive pickup that I taught him how to drive. First he learned on the family car. I nice big automatic, which he now wishes was his.

As for my wife, two auto accidents in Russia (both with her Dad) has her scared to drive. It is frustrating taking her everywhere, but she says she'll learn soon.

If you are looking for a cheap practice car, try the local junk yard. A lot of auto dismantlers have found new sources of income by taking parts and putting them together for a whole car to sell. Most are in pretty good shape, but loans are impossible to get because of the clouded title problems. Still, this is a pretty cheap way to get a vehicle.

[Jasman0717 8]

I mean, Irina is not 15 or 16 years old (pretty sure I-129 would be rejected), but that when I was learning to drive at that age I did not damage my "practice car" (an old Dodge Colt).

I had a 1951 Chevy pickup that already had paid the price. I got it from my 93 year old grandfather that still drove but not very well

[slim 1,514]

She also has a GPS that sounds off in Russian if she needs.

I've heard you can now download all kinds of voices to relate the directions. Famous people too.

[LvivLovers 39]

I just can not understand how anyone hits mail boxes, fire hydrants, and trees. When my kids were 12 years old they drove better than that.

My wife is VERY careful because she knows the first time she hits something like that she is done.

If your wife is coming after you with a golf club and beating out the back windows with it, I can see how it might happen. I'm just saying...

[Steve S 2]

If your wife is coming after you with a golf club and beating out the back windows with it, I can see how it might happen. I'm just saying...

[SuperDuper! 230]

I can't really afford a "practice car" as I bought a new car last year that tapped me out. A $1000 for a practice car is a lot of money to me at this point, even if I could find one.

In my area, the driving schools are all run by Hispanics or Indians or other non native born groups, and so they're not always easy for ME to understand, much less my Russian wife. Plus the cost is a rip-off IMO.

I have let her drive in an empty parking lot and she's done fine. The better cars today almost drive themselves which helps. My wife is quite brave when it comes down to it, so I think she'll do fine . The issue right now is she's failed the learners permit test twice. One more mess up and she has to go to school which will cost hundreds. Too bad they don't offer the test and study material in Russian.

More and more, the subway and bus system is looking better and better to me.

I agree. Buying a $1000 practice car is a mistake. What condition can the tires be in? How about the brakes? How about the transmission and AC? I dont need to remind anyone here how expensive it is to fix any one of these systems on a car. Unless you yourself are a wiz under the hood, you will be paying a whole lot more soon to keep this junker roadworthy.

Plus, how useful really is a car if it is not reliable? The last thing you want is your honey to be stranded on the side of the road, where a friendly stranger can come along and "give her a hand." If that does not make you pony up at least $7-8K for a decent used car, then she should not be driving yet.

Just a thought.

Edited January 2, 2010 by Hopp

[justashooter 430]

All I can say is...wait until they get their first traffic ticket!!!!!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!!! And be SURE to tell them NOT to try and bribe the cops in the USA!

my wife got a chinese liscense (paid $200 for a dozen eggs at the shop across the street from the dirving department) and an international translation. when she arrived USA i tried to teach her how to drive in the 30 days before i had to go to india for 4 weeks. not much luck on that. i told her to get my brother to take her around every few days, and to read a lot. at the beginning of a big snowstorm she decided to go shopping.

one dented fender later she called my brother to help her out.snow is slippery, ya know. he asked her where she was. she told him she was "at the Giant near the big hill". he went to shrewsbury, and called her when he couldn't find her. the woman she hit told him they were in red lion.

she asked my brother what would happen next. he told her the police would come and file a report. she asked him "how much should i pay them". he told her to put her wallet away till he got there.

she called me as soon as she got home. it was 2AM in bhopal, and i was in day 11 of an 18 day oddessy involving 22 foundry shops in 19 cities. i had slept about 3 hours a night on average and was in the throes of "viral fever" (indian malaria, which is not quite as bad as chinese malaria).

she bashed my new yorker 3 times in parking lots in the first year before telling me she was done having accidents, so i bought her an el dorado. i tried to get her to drive the F150, but she refuses to drive it to this day. on a positive note, she does like sitting real close in the middle when i drive it. she likes the way her pony tail swings in the wind thru the sliding window.

it's worth the effort. never look back. just relax and enjoy the ride, and you'll laugh about it at christmas parties in later years when people tell the stories.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I just can not understand how anyone hits mail boxes, fire hydrants, and trees. When my kids were 12 years old they drove better than that.

My wife is VERY careful because she knows the first time she hits something like that she is done.

Your kids knew more about driving at 12 than my wife. She also had to learn to drive in a Vermont winter... road curves, car doesn't and that is where they put the fire hydrant. It happens. There are trees everywhere. She had two very distinct problems when learning. One was maintaining speed, she simply couldn't get it. She would gradually creep up in speed until I said something and then slow way down. The other problem was continually drifting out of her lane, usually to the right. Drift out to the right, hit the snow pile on the edge of the road and it sucks you right off the edge...good bye mailbox! Sometimes it would happen faster than I could correct her for it. Almost all two lane roads, no shoulders to speak of...I am just glad she didn't hit bike riders, joggers, etc. She was afraid of that and gave them wide berth, thank you God. I guess she didn't worry so much about mail boxes.