Teaching teen to drive with minivan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid learned to drive on our minivan (and still prefers it) and I have no idea what you’re talking about wrt pillars.

This is why we’re a country filled with awful inept drivers. People who don’t even understand the basic parts of a car.

Imagine getting on a plane where the pilot didn’t know what the ailerons are.


Maddening.

Mash that go-go pedal is all you gotta know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, so let me change my question, when you are reversing out of a tight spot, like a parking space, when do you know you are safe to turn the wheel?

I know as adults we just KNOW when we are safe. But if I want to teach a teenager, what do I tell him to look for?

I don’t think there is a specific thing to look for as each vehicle is different. You back out and start turning wheel while watching to make sure you don’t clip either cars on sides.

"watching to make sure" -- you can't see the outside of the car, a young teenager behind the wheel for the first few times does not know how to judge it. That's why you use the pillars -- so that you make sure you don't hit the other cars!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, so let me change my question, when you are reversing out of a tight spot, like a parking space, when do you know you are safe to turn the wheel?

I know as adults we just KNOW when we are safe. But if I want to teach a teenager, what do I tell him to look for?

Did your parents teach you about pillars? How is that you just KNOW? However that is, your teen will know, too. At least after a bit of practice.

Well, I bumped plenty of things while I was learning and I was hoping I would be a better teacher so that my teenager won't be bumping anything!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay, so let me change my question, when you are reversing out of a tight spot, like a parking space, when do you know you are safe to turn the wheel?

I know as adults we just KNOW when we are safe. But if I want to teach a teenager, what do I tell him to look for?

I don’t think there is a specific thing to look for as each vehicle is different. You back out and start turning wheel while watching to make sure you don’t clip either cars on sides.

"watching to make sure" -- you can't see the outside of the car, a young teenager behind the wheel for the first few times does not know how to judge it. That's why you use the pillars -- so that you make sure you don't hit the other cars!

Practice with non-vehicle barriers, such as carbboard on stands.
Don't teach your kid to drive and back up using other people's cars in parking lots. Good way to get hurt or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid learned to drive on our minivan (and still prefers it) and I have no idea what you’re talking about wrt pillars.

This is why we’re a country filled with awful inept drivers. People who don’t even understand the basic parts of a car.

Imagine getting on a plane where the pilot didn’t know what the ailerons are.


Maddening.

I learned to drive in the UK, where the testing is just a bit more stringent than what we have here and I've never heard of "pillars" either.

[Anonymous]

I know what pillars are but I had absolutely no idea you could use them to gauge whether you could turn without hitting the car next to you. How do you factor in the width of the parking space?

[Anonymous]

Lots of good YouTube videos OP.

But my kids learned on a minivan with no issue. Better than Tahoe/Expedition!