Alaskan's Journal

Alaskan

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Blah...

Hard having 4 drivers and 2 cars.....

Kid 3 was getting an allergy shot... had to leave before getting it... drive home, switch cars.... run back into town.

I forgot to remind kid 3 he had to take the stick into town... he took the auto...

Eldest (yes, eldest) can't drive the stick, and had a job interview....

I told eldest I could have driven him.. but eldest would like to NOT be driven to a job interview by a parent....

Whatever... we really need another functional vehicle...

:he

Actually... we usually have 5 drivers for 2 cars... and of the 3 driving kids only ONE can drive the stick....

But kid 2 is still taking care of the in-laws... so gets to drive their very nice, shiny, shiny truck.
 

Bruce

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Seems like it is time for the boys to learn to drive stick!!!

Of course my girls have no experience, they've never driven anything but a Prius. When DD2 was in driver's ed and it was her turn to drive she knew she had to put the key in the slot (having watched others do it) but had no idea what to do next.
 

CLSranch

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I've showed my wife enough to get the standard somewhere if I have a broke leg or some other extreme hindering me from driving. She can't drive my newer auto truck. The stick is a long wheel base 1+ton dually. The last time I had it stuck I got the tractor close then got her and put it in gear she got in it spun and stayed in place. I got on the tractor and started to push it creeped then I had to yell give it some fuel, after it popped out of the mud and over the hump she forgot about the clutch. Fortunately it died before it hit anything. :lol:
 

farmerjan

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Can't even buy a lighter PU with standard/straight drive anymore. Several years ago we were at the WVA state fair looking at all the outside stuff and had to go check out the trucks. The guy was really trying to do a sell job on a nice new 1/2 ton PU... and i went along for a little bit and he was telling of all the wonderful things for a nice farm girl like me...:th:sick.... so then he went on about the automatic and all this and that.... my DS burst out into hysterics.... and the guy said what was so funny... DS said do you want to tell him or me.... and I said well, I would like to know the difference in the price for a straight drive and what were the transmission options.... and the guy looked at me and said we don't put standard shift in the pick ups and why would you want to do all that.....automatic is so much easier and if this goes wrong you are covered by this warranty, and all this drivel.... and I said the first time I had to roll it to get it started and it was an automatic and I can't,,, that is the last time I drive an automatic....and where the hell would the service department be when I am out in a field somewhere and stuck because all the fancy gadgets and computer ships shut it down???? The guy looked at my DS and said she's kidding right??? and DS said I don't think you ought to try her on that... no she is not kidding....she is very serious..... I said if you are not putting a straight drive in a new pu then you will never sell me one even if I won the lottery.... and DS just shook his head and we walked away...

Everyone should know the basics of how to drive one in case of some sort of emergency.... and how to drive an older normal vehicle that uses a standard key and to have to do things like change a tire, and check the basic stuff under the hood.
 

farmerjan

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I've showed my wife enough to get the standard somewhere if I have a broke leg or some other extreme hindering me from driving. She can't drive my newer auto truck. The stick is a long wheel base 1+ton dually. The last time I had it stuck I got the tractor close then got her and put it in gear she got in it spun and stayed in place. I got on the tractor and started to push it creeped then I had to yell give it some fuel, after it popped out of the mud and over the hump she forgot about the clutch. Fortunately it died before it hit anything. :lol:
Good for you teaching the basics....
 

Alaskan

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Yeah... I am with you all... the practical stuff is crazy important.


Kid 1 has learning issues... only finally got his drivers license just this past fall...

I have tried to teach him a stick a time or 2... he can move the plow truck forward to get the chains on for me... but he can't yet "drive" a stick.

Anyway... started to practice with him today... I think I could have gotten it into that head of his... now that he is older his brain just works better.... but then the engine started to overheat... so we had to call it quits.

Kid 2 has some anxiety issues... so he didn't get his driver's license until ... same time as Kid 1 actually, this past fall. And he was so freaked! With covid, he had to take the test in the big city, couldn't take it in our small town.

Anyway, now that Kid 2 is driving a bunch, he is feeling more confident driving... so this summer when the roads are better, I think it will be time to teach him.

For some reason Kid 3 has never had issues with driving... or anything practical.
 

Bruce

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They are all different Al!!! Both of my girls got their licenses the same summer. I think that was 4 years ago when DD1 was 23 and DD2 was 21. They had no interest and DD1 still isn't all that fond of driving.
 
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