You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Whatcha Doin' - 2022
Here in Aus, a learner driver must do a certain number of hours in a twelve-month period before they can get a Provisional Licence (as well as do a written test). I think it's 100 hours at the moment. A proportion of these must be done with an approved driving school, but the rest can be done with any licensed driver.
Kids take classes here, but need a certain amount of practice hours with their parents (or other licensed adult driver). Then, they need to take a written test to make sure they know the rules and a driving test with an official in the car with them. Most states are similar, but not all the same. Ages for first licenses and rules for teens with licenses can be different between states too.
Yes, that is how it is here. They did a written test and got a learning permit to drive around with another driver 21 or older. Now they need 65 hour of driving before taking the driving test with an official. Ten of those hours have to be at night, and 5 in bad weather. My 17 years old will do 8 hours with an academy, but they require to have at least 10 hour of driving before the first lesson. This is completely new to me, since in Uruguay you do, after the written test, 30 hours of driving before the test, but all with an academy instructor. The cars have double set of pedals, so the instructor can take over if necessary. It seems weird to me that I have to drive with him the first 10 hours, which are probably the worst. The good part of the academy is that he can take the exam in their car that is automatic (ours is manual), and the instructor will know better than me when he is ready to take it.
My 20 years old son is coming back to college at the end of the month, so he can't do the academy. On the other hand, there is no requirement of hours for him, since he is older than 18.
We started teaching our girls in empty parking lots to let them get the hang of how the pedals and steering felt before allowing them on roads. We've actually taken G into parking lots a few times and let him drive. He's pretty decent at it now and can drive a stick shift if he has to. Hopefully, this will make it easier on his mom when she has to take him out driving for real. He still has a few years before he's ready for that though.
Thanks all! Here it's similar to Uruguay, except there's not a minimum. It just depends in how fast you learn, the instructor decides when you're ready to take the practical exam. I think some people need only 15-20 lessons (of 1 hour), others need 40 or 60. I think the average is around 40. So I think on average less hours than in the US or Australia, but all with an instructor in a car with extra pedals. Your worry is exactly why I'm always surprised. There's no way to take over if needed. How do they check whether someone actually did all those hours and in different circumstances?
I guess it's definitely cheaper though, not having to pay for driving lessons! The average price for a lesson is €47, so times 40 lessons is almost €2000 just for lessons. And then there's additional costs for the written and practical exams.
Kristie wrote: "We started teaching our girls in empty parking lots to let them get the hang of how the pedals and steering felt before allowing them on roads. "That is how I've done it. We started in an empty parking lot, then moved to a very quite neighborhood that is very empty during working hours, then to our own neighborhood which is quite but less so, and we only moved to busier roads and avenues at night. Actually my oldest son has 3 hours of night driving already, because at the beginning I only left him drive after 10 pm. Now he is driving at daytime, trying to avoid the busiest hours, and also downtown, which is a whole different level of difficulty. Our downtown is very small but right next to the university campus, and the students crossing the road wherever and whenever they want is a nightmare.
I feel well better driving with him now, but again, the first 10 hours seem to be the worst.
Peggy wrote: "Thanks all! Here it's similar to Uruguay, except there's not a minimum. It just depends in how fast you learn, the instructor decides when you're ready to take the practical exam. I think some peop..."The 65 hours requirement is only for kids under 18. You can drive at 16 here. For adults there is no limit. You do it when you think you are ready.
I'm keeping a log of the hours, conditions and skill practiced each day. According to the webpage I will have to sign a document attesting that the log is accurate to the best of my knowledge, so it is based in a trust system, really.
I'm sure all this stress is cultural, because of the way I learned and I was used to. All my friends here think it is not big deal and were never so stressed. My husband tried but he got super nervous and ended keeping his hand all the time on the wheel, which doesn't help. So I took over the job. I still have 5 more to teach, so I guess I will get used to it. :)
Oh no. Wheel touching is a big no no. Good on him for realising that. I think I've mentioned here before that my Mum freaked out one day when I was learning and pulled me out on to the other side of the road where another car which she didn't see was coming.So I started going to an instructor (with the pedals). The aim was that I would start there, and then would practice with Mum, and then I could tick off the instructor tests heaps quicker (at the time it was minimum 10 hours with an instructor with two tests, or a longer, more intense skills test if you didn't have an instructor).
Cost her a fortune in driving lessons. I don't remember ever being so angry at a parent.
Next time I did drive with her, someone cut me off on a roundabout. I swerved, missed the car, corrected, continued round the roundabout, all while leaning on the horn. She still tells people about that, she couldn't believe I had the balls to beep someone while I was on my Ls lol.
Great way to build up skill, Sandra. Peggy, that is crazy expensive!
lol, Rus! I love that you honked at someone while you were still learning! Some people should take extra lessons...
For my generation it has often been used as an incentive to not start smoking. Many parents promised their kids they would pay for their driving lessons (which you could then only start at 18) if they didn't smoke. No idea how effective that strategy has been.
We have Alberta Motor Association (member of Canadian Motor Association) and they offer courses. There are also private accredited courses. If you take lessons from AMA or an accredited teacher, you get a discount on your insurance. Otherwise, it's sky-high for beginning drivers so it's a great incentive to get official lessons. My mother taught me and she was very nervous. Actually, freaking out is more the case especially when I had pulled over to the curb, but was inching forward towards the parked car in front of me. Our bumpers did, in fact, kiss but there was no damage. Not so to my mother. LOL! That encounter is permanently engraved in my memory.
I remember when my cousin just had her license and she took her mom for a drive. They came to a roundabout and my cousin turned on the left blinker to indicate she would take the third turn from the roundabout, by my aunt started screaming: 'nooo! stop!! you have to go right on a roundabout, not left!!'
Rus, you got all the skills including yelling to another driver!Peggy, I payed $380 for the 8 hours + test, but it is done by the Community Education department of our school district, so probably not that expensive. I'm sure a regular academy is way more expensive, but we do not have any in our little town!
There is a few academies, though, in the city my oldest son is going to college, so the plan is if he doesn't pass the test before leaving, he will go to an academy there so we can finish with this now.
That's a much better price! Hopefully your son passes his exam before he leaves.
Sorry to hear about your mum's dog Rusalka, how awful. I hope it is ok.And, I did not see a single mole hill at Avebury this time, very strange!
That does sound stressful Sandra! I don't think I could teach someone how to drive.
That is such a cool idea Peggy with the sustainable employment, more places should do that for sure,
I have a buyer for my boat! A lovely couple who are going to live on her. I think I said I was feeling a bit protective of the boat so I'm pleased she will go to a good home. Received the deposit today and should complete 26th August. Fingers crossed it doesn't fall through. Feels very strange, a right mix of emotions.My parents came to visit today, one of the main reasons being to bring the spare set of boat keys. Accept they forgot them. Oops. We had a nice day though.
That is great that you have a buyer you like, Sarah!
That is so exciting Sarah. I'm glad your boat sold quickly and that the buyers seem to be a good fit.
Congrats, Sarah! That's wonderful. Too funny your parents forgot the keys. Great excuse for another visit!
Sarah wrote: "I have a buyer for my boat! A lovely couple who are going to live on her. I think I said I was feeling a bit protective of the boat so I'm pleased she will go to a good home. Received the deposit t..."Great! It sold fast, And it great that you have a good vibe about the new owners.
My Dad taught me to drive on deserted country roads in the late ‘60s. One day I hit a cow! Guess I didn’t have Rusalka’s skills of beeping and swerving.Great news about the boat Sarah.
Peggy, talking about incentives related to smoking - when I was at College, the Blood Bank would come to collect blood. To encourage the students to give blood, they gave out free cigarettes.
Oh my gosh, Shirley! I don't know if I ever would have driven again. lol Too funny. What a story to tell.
Lol Shirley, those were different times! Imagine that happening now..
Congrats on selling your boat Sarah - it must be bitter sweet. The saying about the two happiest days of a boat owner’s life…the day she buys it…and the day she sells it! Hope all goes well. Lol on the cow/vehicle encounter, Shirley!
Fantastic news, Sarah! I completely understand being invested in the new owner and what will happen to your home. Sounds like a good fit.Lol Shirley! I love you have the most Aussie learning to drive story ever. We all have a cow story, yours just trumps!
Lol, even I have a cow story, and I was there for only 7 months!
Peggy wrote: "Lol, even I have a cow story, and I was there for only 7 months!"Don't leave us in suspense!
Thanks guys. Sometimes sales fall through so the next few weeks I'm going to be on tenterhooks .But it's a non refundable deposit and it isn't subject to survey or anything like that so should be fine.I've been out exploring the area around my new flat today. I walked around a lake and ate chips in tge picnic area, dropped in to the farm shop, and had a ride on the steam train. I did a bit of drawing too, not done any easily in a year. So it's been a good day.
We're having such lovely weather at the moment . This next week is going to get very hot again ,it's going to be fun at work!
So sad to hear that Olivia Newton-John died. I remember going to the drive-in to see Grease.
Janice wrote: "So sad to hear that Olivia Newton-John died. I remember going to the drive-in to see Grease."Yes, I saw it this morning.
Peggy wrote: "Lol, even I have a cow story, and I was there for only 7 months!"Let’s hear the cow story! To be honest, it was more the cow hitting me, not me hitting it. You know how a cow always leaves it to the last minute before it decides the grass is greener on the other side? Well, just as I decided it wasn’t going to cross, it did! Unfortunately my car was dented slightly but fortunately the cow wasn’t hurt.
Janice wrote: "So sad to hear that Olivia Newton-John died. I remember going to the drive-in to see Grease."And Judith Durham a few days ago. They both had fantastic singing voices.
Christine wrote: "I’M BACK EVERYONE!"👋 Hello!
Thanks everyone and the reason why I wasn’t on goodreads was because I had a hard time getting on there
The new book page of Goodreads is difficult to getting used to. I thinkt it will take a while for me.
I'm still on the old Goodreads version. The new page is still optional for me.
I just got ported over to the new book page when I clicked on a book title in the What are you reading thread. I did not like it!
Oh my, I've just read the news about Salman Rushdie. He was stabbed in New York, and his condition is not good.
The story that I saw said that he was stabbed and in surgery. I have not seen any more.
The latest update I found is from 1 hour ago. He might lose one eye, he is on a ventilator, and his condition "unclear".
I don't like the new Goodreads book page. I didn't have a choice. Ugh. That was terrible about Salman Rushdie. I hope he recovers quickly.
I also heard that Anne Heche died. She'd been in a coma since her accident last week.
I did not know about Salman Rushdie. I actually didn't know who he was and went to look him up. I found this article: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/12/us/sal.... So scary. I did not know Anne Heche had died either. I knew she had been in a coma and the outlook wasn't good, but didn't hear the news. That's too bad.
I have a week off work now so I'm looking forward to doing some nice things. I've made extra effort to plan stuff in so I don't just waste it sat at home. I'm excited! Today I am meeting with a group of guys I play board games with. We're playing a 10hr game!!! I've not played it before so I've been learning the rules and strategy this last week and today is the day. I think it might be a long day of me losing though lol. It's going to be 34C too. I didn't get much sleep last night because it was hot so I'm not on best form. Should be fun though regardless.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Devil's Way (other topics)Honor (other topics)
Grimmish (other topics)
Grimmish (other topics)
Midnight’s Children (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gordon Korman (other topics)Roald Dahl (other topics)
Beverly Cleary (other topics)
As for dogs: untrained dogs/owners are an issue here too, more so since the pandemic. People got dogs because they were bored but many skipped puppy training.