How To Help Mrs Learn To Drive?

[sms747]

Problem is she thinks she can as has a licence (after 6 lessons) and a new car (auto). However she is a danger to herself and other road users because despite the licence her ability to drive is very poor, like somebody on their first lesson still. She cannot steer very good and goes very very slowly often braking when no need. The driving School refused to give her any more lessons in her own car now she has a licence.me trying to teach her would not be a good idea. Anyone else have this problem with wife or gf? is it just a matter of practice or are there people who will never learn. To be fair she has not had many lessons but even so should be better than she is and seems to be making little progress. The licence process here is a nonsense as it only tests the ability to maneuver a car at slow speeds off road, stop at a line, reverse and reverse into a space and out, nothing to do with actually driving on a road, unfortunately.

[David48]

You bought and gave a new car to and (almost) virgin driver ...

Apologies ... don't mean to sound negative ... just don't understand the logic ...

.

[simple1]

You don't say where you live, but pay for another driving school and insist she attends as you just have to get her more driving lessons. Right now, as you obviously know, she's an accident waiting to happen. You may have to provide an incentive of some sort, maybe a gold chain if she completes another 15/20 hours of driving lessons. At the very minimum get the school to teach her to use the driving mirrors, spacial awareness, lane discipline, emergency braking, stopping distances at different speeds and controlled driving through corners. I very much doubt that after six lessons she has any of these skills.

Best of luck...

[sms747]

You bought and gave a new car to and (almost) virgin driver ...

Apologies ... don't mean to sound negative ... just don't understand the logic ...

.

I did not buy her the car we bought it together, Thai ladies are often not the most logical of creatures are they. It had to be a new one for face of course.

[sms747]

You don't say where you live, but pay for another driving school and insist she attends as you just have to get her more driving lessons. Right now, as you obviously know, she's an accident waiting to happen. You may have to provide an incentive of some sort, maybe a gold chain if she completes another 15/20 hours of driving lessons. At the very minimum get the school to teach her to use the driving mirrors, spacial awareness, lane discipline, emergency braking, stopping distances at different speeds and controlled driving through corners. I very much doubt that after six lessons she has any of these skills.

Best of luck...

she would never agree to that as would be seen as a 'waste' of money. i think the best thing I can hope for is that her brother takes her out for a few hours off the main roads. I would prefer a driving School as you suggest.

[simple1]

You don't say where you live, but pay for another driving school and insist she attends as you just have to get her more driving lessons. Right now, as you obviously know, she's an accident waiting to happen. You may have to provide an incentive of some sort, maybe a gold chain if she completes another 15/20 hours of driving lessons. At the very minimum get the school to teach her to use the driving mirrors, spacial awareness, lane discipline, emergency braking, stopping distances at different speeds and controlled driving through corners. I very much doubt that after six lessons she has any of these skills.

Best of luck...

she would never agree to that as would be seen as a 'waste' of money. i think the best thing I can hope for is that her brother takes her out for a few hours off the main roads. I would prefer a driving School as you suggest.

I had a similar issue with my wife as she claimed she knew what she was doing. I countered by saying maybe you do, but does the other driver? Took her out a number of times in my car & talked her through the defensive driving techniques I was using. She finally got the message as she was completely oblivious as to how I handled driving in Thailand to minimise the risk of accidents...

[anon210]

You bought and gave a new car to and (almost) virgin driver ...

Apologies ... don't mean to sound negative ... just don't understand the logic ...

.

I did not buy her the car we bought it together, Thai ladies are often not the most logical of creatures are they. It had to be a new one for face of course.

For her safety and that of other motorists, I would suggest confiscating the keys of the car right now... And not giving them back before successful completion of a driving training.

[sms747]

You bought and gave a new car to and (almost) virgin driver ...

Apologies ... don't mean to sound negative ... just don't understand the logic ...

.

I did not buy her the car we bought it together, Thai ladies are often not the most logical of creatures are they. It had to be a new one for face of course.

For her safety and that of other motorists, I would suggest confiscating the keys of the car right now... And not giving them back before successful completion of a driving training.

ha that would be great but then you have not met my mrs, I certainly don't want her to drive me around it's for her to get to work in.

[anon210]

You bought and gave a new car to and (almost) virgin driver ...

Apologies ... don't mean to sound negative ... just don't understand the logic ...

.

I did not buy her the car we bought it together, Thai ladies are often not the most logical of creatures are they. It had to be a new one for face of course.

For her safety and that of other motorists, I would suggest confiscating the keys of the car right now... And not giving them back before successful completion of a driving training.

ha that would be great but then you have not met my mrs, I certainly don't want her to drive me around it's for her to get to work in.

How did she go to work before? Took Songtaew or bike, no? She just has to revert to her old habits.

[DerkMR]

Well, remembering back when I started driving (apart of having far more lessons)...

For me important was to learn from my parents when sitting on the passenger side. They advised me to look at others behavior and to early spot when someone intents to change lane possibly not looking.

Also when having the license they didn't let me drive alone but with one of them aside.

It was a pain in the back at that time but sure prevented one or more accidents

What I observed is that a lot of Thais are missing the "accelerate after entering" behaviour and speed sensitivity in general.

Bye,

Derk

[black fox]

my wife took lessons (all off road) passed test and got license without driving on road (not one mile) and now thinks shes a very good driver, i dont.

[mogandave]

Buy good insurance and let her drive it, that’s why you bought it.

It’s all about practice anyway, and any trying to stop her will end badly.

It’s just a car.

[simple1]

Buy good insurance and let her drive it, that’s why you bought it.

It’s all about practice anyway, and any trying to stop her will end badly.

It’s just a car.

You would not be saying that if she hit someone in your family & you found out the driver only had 6 driving lessons prior to going on the roads unsupervised

[anon210]

Buy good insurance and let her drive it, that’s why you bought it.

It’s all about practice anyway, and any trying to stop her will end badly.

It’s just a car.

Actually not... It is also about pedestrians, bikers and other drivers. Unprepared and uneducated to proper road practice she will end up being a danger for herself and others. So, better correct that or she will just be another public danger on thai roads.

[ripstanley]

My wife used a driving school. All they taught her to do was how to pass the driving test. I think most of the driving school where I live are the same.

[anon210]

My wife used a driving school. All they taught her to do was how to pass the driving test. I think most of the driving school where I live are the same.

No... Mine taught me the right reflexes, defensive driving as well as to drive in the traffic.

[ripstanley]

My wife used a driving school. All they taught her to do was how to pass the driving test. I think most of the driving school where I live are the same.

No... Mine taught me the right reflexes, defensive driving as well as to drive in the traffic.

I was taking of schools in MY area. I live up north.

[mogandave]

Buy good insurance and let her drive it, that’s why you bought it.

It’s all about practice anyway, and any trying to stop her will end badly.

It’s just a car.

Actually not... It is also about pedestrians, bikers and other drivers. Unprepared and uneducated to proper road practice she will end up being a danger for herself and others. So, better correct that or she will just be another public danger on thai roads.

If she has a license she's legal to drive. I'm trying to be a realest here, the Thai government told her she could drive, the OP is going to have a hard time convincing her otherwise. You can tell a woman driver, but you can't tell her much....

No reason he can't ride with her until she gets a little better, but unfortunately, some of them never get much better. I think this may be because they don't grow up driving like we do in the west, but regardless, she has a car and a license so good luck stopping her.

Hopefully, she has a few close ones to scare her a little before she has an accident.

[Banzai99]

If you have 2 cars, both go out and if you're a good driver let her follow you on various roads, she'll get used to it, gotta start somewhere.

[rgs2001uk]

Please tell me what province you live in so I can avoid her.

My mrs basically bought a drivers license for 1000 baht, it has taken her about 5 years to get to what I would call a proficient driver.

[doontp]

I feel your pain.

My gf and her sister paid for a brand new Honda City in April. They got it in August. Had a minor fender-bender on Ladprao-BKK three weeks later. They thought is was funny and still think so. They are both learning as they go. The sister just got her license. My gf drives around without a license and says she never plans to get one. The car still hasn't been repaired. They say "mai ben rai."

I gave my gf driving lessons on a Sunday in an area with little traffic. She freaked me out! She's 28 and can't drive for sh-t. I do not let her drive me around. I wish her and sis luck when they go out.

Like a previous poster stated........we in the west grew up watching others drive. I started driving my certified-alcoholic dad around when I was 11 going on 12.....the 5th grade...lol.

[funcat]

my wife took lessons (all off road) passed test and got license without driving on road (not one mile) and now thinks shes a very good driver, i dont.

Pretty much the same here...but now she already thinks,that she is better(!) driver than me...that scares the s#$t out of me

[mogandave]

Wow, that's pretty good. My wife's been driving 10 years and I still have to keep my eyes closed.

[funcat]

Wow, that's pretty good. My wife's been driving 10 years and I still have to keep my eyes closed.

I think,it's better to know what is coming to you...I remember some poster reported here,that his wife has fallen asleep while driving...he tried to wake her up,but it was to late and they hit the wall...at noon time!!

[BSJ]

My first reaction was "Are you fuc#ing insane!"

Firstly, no-one in any country should be allowed to drive any vehicle without proper training....which doesn't happen here on any level.

Secondly, the license test is a joke. Case in point. The woman parked next to me at Makro last night took 7 tries before she got her pick-up out allowing me to leave. She didn't have a clue about maneuvering a vehicle. You see it time and time again. And if you say something your the worse person on this earth!

Thirdly, I am in the same boat. The GF has had 2 lessons up the farm in the pick-up and next lesson we are going to attempt to change from 1st gear to second! We almost have the brake pedal nailed....it's definitely the one in the middle cos the other brake pedal doesn't work....the pick-up just keeps rolling!

[Langsuan Man]

My first reaction was "Are you fuc#ing insane!"

Firstly, no-one in any country should be allowed to drive any vehicle without proper training....which doesn't happen here on any level.

Secondly, the license test is a joke. Case in point. The woman parked next to me at Makro last night took 7 tries before she got her pick-up out allowing me to leave. She didn't have a clue about maneuvering a vehicle. You see it time and time again. And if you say something your the worse person on this earth!

Thirdly, I am in the same boat. The GF has had 2 lessons up the farm in the pick-up and next lesson we are going to attempt to change from 1st gear to second! We almost have the brake pedal nailed....it's definitely the one in the middle cos the other brake pedal doesn't work....the pick-up just keeps rolling!

Please enlighten me , why do Thais insist that vehicles must be backed into parking spaces ?

The only time I was forced to do this was in the Army, where it was called tactical parking so you could get out of the area in a hurry

[anon210]

My first reaction was "Are you fuc#ing insane!"

Firstly, no-one in any country should be allowed to drive any vehicle without proper training....which doesn't happen here on any level.

Secondly, the license test is a joke. Case in point. The woman parked next to me at Makro last night took 7 tries before she got her pick-up out allowing me to leave. She didn't have a clue about maneuvering a vehicle. You see it time and time again. And if you say something your the worse person on this earth!

Thirdly, I am in the same boat. The GF has had 2 lessons up the farm in the pick-up and next lesson we are going to attempt to change from 1st gear to second! We almost have the brake pedal nailed....it's definitely the one in the middle cos the other brake pedal doesn't work....the pick-up just keeps rolling!

Please enlighten me , why do Thais insist that vehicles must be backed into parking spaces ?

The only time I was forced to do this was in the Army, where it was called tactical parking so you could get out of the area in a hurry

Very simple. It makes it far easier to get out from your parking space and minimizes the risk of collision with another driver deciding to pass in your back.

Very tiring and bothering to do with big cars, but worth the effort, considering the better visibility when exiting your space. And if you drive long enough in Thailand, you will know that seeing oncoming traffic is priceless.

[mogandave]

I think backing in is actually a little faster and a little safer. When I'm backing in, I've seen all the traffic and any obstacles that might be in the way, not so when I'm backing out.

[BSJ]

With pick-ups I thought the backing in thing was to avoid damage to the front of your vehicle. When you touch your towbar and rear step bumper against the soft front end of another vehicle your vehicle doesn't get a scratch. Oops, my bad!

Of course, some one in a pick-up who did drive-in front first, opposite you in the carpark, could take care of your soft front end!

[kimamey]

Buy good insurance and let her drive it, that’s why you bought it.

It’s all about practice anyway, and any trying to stop her will end badly.

It’s just a car.

Actually not... It is also about pedestrians, bikers and other drivers. Unprepared and uneducated to proper road practice she will end up being a danger for herself and others. So, better correct that or she will just be another public danger on thai roads.

Quite agree. Anyone who says 'it's just a car' probably shouldn't be driving let alone giving advice. Sorry to be so blunt but when someone is killed or injured it all stops being so funny. It can also be expensive particularly if you're a farang. Not that that's the biggest problem of course.

Bad driving can ruin lives.