Teaching the Grandson, To shift a teener Options

[PanelBilly]

A friend shared an idea with me a Christmas time that stuck with me. He said that we should give the gift of a skill rather than something we buy from the store. Well, I gave my Grandson a Nintendo gift card, but I also told him I was going to teach him how to shift the 914. He’s only 14. His dad has given him some driving lessons in their truck on gravel roads while out hunting, so he was comfortable behind the wheel already.

On Christmas Day it was snowing in Seattle, so all we did was sit in the car and practice the shift pattern and pressing in the clutch. Still he was happy. Finely, this morning the weather was good and both of our schedules fit.

We did an hour of starts and stops. He was very gentle with the throttle so we didn’t have too many neck breaking events. Overall he did great and I had a blast! He even shifted into second a few times. I’m going to need to find a longer empty road for the next lesson.

He had to ask me if we could quit because his leg was tired. It’s funny, but he’s the only other person who has driven my car.

[Tom_T]

Good on ya Bill!

Although both our kids initially learned to drive in our 88 Westy, which is an automatic, I also took them both out to learn the stick in our 85 BMW 325e too, which my son picked up easily, while my daughter continued her lessons with her then boyfriend/now hubby. Then later they "shared" a stick shift 88 Honda Civic Hatchback, which is now our son's car - actually now his wife's since August when he got his Tesla S.

It just cracks me up when I hear on the news that some bumbling car thief tried to steal some high end Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche, etc. - but left it cuz they couldn't drive a stick!
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Yes the modern autos are better, more fuel efficient & shift much quicker than a human - but the stick shifting skill is still good to have!

... as is parallel parking, which I have heard is no longer on the CA driver's test! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

So there's your next "gift", teach him how to parallel park properly.

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Tom
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