Preparing teachers for drivers’ ed in public schools

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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...barefoot, uphill... both ways, too?

JK, sir. But haven't heard 'deuce and a half' in a very long time.

It's been said that men shouldn't give driving instructions to their better halves. So, my beautiful lady will learn from one of those Driver's Ed. schools in PC-Bávaro area soon.

Welcome back, Saunders. I thought you were AWOL... like Windyguy.
Nope, 15 days in Beautiful British Columbia the most beautiful place on earth.
 
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keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Drivers education is useless. What needs to be taught is how to control your vehicle. Traffic laws can be learned. The ability to control a vehicle at speed can only be learned by the seat of your pants a test track. You have to be engaged and learn to use all your senses.
So, kids starting out should go to a test track? Pretty sure drivers' education teaches how to be engaged, etc...
 

Sloan

Banned
May 4, 2023
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ALL beginning drivers should start out on a test track. Where they learn how to control a vehicle at speed. Then as the their confidence builds you increase the speed. Push them into hard manuevers so they learn that it is a machine that they can control. That they can and most take on the responsiblity for controlling that machine.

They need to drive on a wet test track, taught emergency breaking and the fact that sometime is it is better to punch the accelerator instead of the break. They should be taught spin control (when in a spin both feet in). They need to be taught that where they look is where the car is going to go. Lastly they need to be taught the consecuences of failing to control their vehicle and what it can lead to. Operating heavy equipment is serious business and should be taught in a serious manner.

If they have already pushed themselves on a test track and know what they can and cannot do, that will reduce the desire to experiment on the roads with other people. If they due decide to press the issue on regular roads at least they will be trained physically and mentally to so in a more controlled manner,

I learned NONE OF THE ABOVE in drivers education!

"Power without control is useless" - Pirelli
 
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El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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ALL beginning drivers should start out on a test track. Where they learn how to control a vehicle at speed. Then as the their confidence builds you increase the speed. Push them into hard manuevers so they learn that it is a machine that they can control. That they can and most take on the responsiblity for controlling that machine.

They need to drive on a wet test track, taught emergency breaking and the fact that sometime is it is better to punch the accelerator instead of the break. They should be taught spin control (when in a spin both feet in). They need to be taught that where they look is where the car is going to go. Lastly they need to be taught the consecuences of failing to control their vehicle and what it can lead to. Operating heavy equipment is serious business and should be taught in a serious manner.

If they have already pushed themselves on a test track and know what they can and cannot do, that will reduce the desire to experiment on the roads with other people. If they due decide to press the issue on regular roads at least they will be trained physically and mentally to so in a more controlled manner,

I learned NONE OF THE ABOVE in drivers education!

"Power without control is useless" - Pirelli
I'm reminded of a quote from the great Dylan Thomas "Somebody's boring me; I think it's Sloan"
 

PCMike

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Aug 30, 2008
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Based on my personal experience of getting a Dominican licence, the process was so simple that the average 12 year old should pass. That being said, the 3 others who entered the written test (multiple choice illustrations on a screen) failed and had to reschedule a new test. I got one wrong...do not honk at the cow in the road standing in front of the hospital.
The actual driving test (done in La Romana), involved backing out of the parking space and driving around the building...all right hand turns. No turns left across traffic...not to exceed 30kph, which given the distance, would be hard to do so, even with a lead foot.

"Voila".....I passed!!!

I think the official was a bit impatient with me, as I took time to adjust the mirrors so I was not seeing myself in each of them.

Given that we can hardly teach anything in this country, I do not see any reason to believe that a new project as such will aid in road safety, but I guess it is worth a try.
 
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drstock

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Oct 29, 2010
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Cabarete
Teacher: Always use your turn signal.
Student: What's a turn signal?
Teacher: It's the thing sticking out of the steering where you hang a Dominican flag, rosary beads, and 4 cobi masks.

But seriously, must one pass a written test and a road test in D.R. to get a license, or does one simply fill out a form and pay a fee?
The practical part of the test is these days done on a simulator. Not as easy as it sounds, as my friend has managed to fail several times. Last time, she actually "crashed". Her instructor is baffled because she says my friend can drive fine on the road.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I took drivers education in High School.

It did not teach me a thing about how to control a vehicle at speed. I learned that from my Father and Grandfather. During countless hours on low traffic roads, country roads and open highway. I received professional drivers training at the highest level available as part of my professional development. Driving is still one of my favorite activities in the world; Just not in the Dominican Republic.

Ever done 142 MPH as the sun is just coming up and your vehicle is dropped down an inch because of the wind effects?
And what is your training at the highest level available as part of your professional development? You can tell us that without divulging your online identity.

I used to love to drive and have many, many thousands of miles under my belt. My fondness of driving was a casualty of my strokes
 

Sloan

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May 4, 2023
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And what is your training at the highest level available as part of your professional development?
It was provided by my employer at the time. Start with three letter alphabet combinations. A smart man like yourself. You will figure it out.
You can tell us that without divulging your online identity.
Cannot on that one my man. It may divulge information I would prefer not to have on a site open to the internet. Besides how do you know what information will or will not compromise my identity in real life? That is the one I care about. :ROFLMAO:
I used to love to drive and have many, many thousands of miles under my belt. My fondness of driving was a casualty of my strokes
Still love to drive on the open highway. But as I age, not the speed demon I used to be.

I do 100 on the highway. So if you do the speed limit get the 🤬 out of my way - Ludacris
 

josh2203

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Dec 5, 2013
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Drivers education is useless. What needs to be taught is how to control your vehicle. Traffic laws can be learned. The ability to control a vehicle at speed can only be learned by the seat of your pants a test track. You have to be engaged and learn to use all your senses.
My opinion is, like others have already posted, that anything is better than nothing, but that's a really good point you make. I'm not even sure if teaching driving or learning to drive at higher speeds is even possible in the DR? I had to pass a test driving test driving 74 mph (120 km/h, limit on freeways in my country), but you would practically nowhere drive with that speed in the DR? I was even graded as per fuel efficiency, brake wear and all that, but that's another story.

I'm not aware of any driving school using any test tracks or even of their existence in the DR, anyone feel free to correct me though?
 
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josh2203

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I know it will never happen, but I see an opportunity being presented for real drivers education.\

Model I suggest: Germany. I won't bore those with short attention spans. I will just include the link. Makes the USA drivers training look like joke (and it is).

Yep, that's like a copy of what I passed being 18 yo in my country in Scandinavia, but I would never mention it here as you say, nothing like that would never happen in the DR, unfortunately.
 
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josh2203

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Ever done 142 MPH as the sun is just coming up and your vehicle is dropped down an inch because of the wind effects?
Is that in MPH? None of my business but may I ask on which public road did you drive with that speed?
 
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keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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It was provided by my employer at the time. Start with three letter alphabet combinations. A smart man like yourself. You will figure it out.

Cannot on that one my man. It may divulge information I would prefer not to have on a site open to the internet. Besides how do you know what information will or will not compromise my identity in real life? That is the one I care about. :ROFLMAO:

Still love to drive on the open highway. But as I age, not the speed demon I used to be.

I do 100 on the highway. So if you do the speed limit get the 🤬 out of my way - Ludacris
Are you in the DR (maybe live or lived in SDE?) or is your opinion on drivers' education just that, your opinion. Living in the DR, IMO drivers' education can be helpful. All you have to do is look around at drivers currently. Any bit of education is a plus.
 
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Sloan

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May 4, 2023
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Is that in MPH? None of my business but may I ask on which public road did you drive with that speed?
Yea, brother MPH. I was on I-5. One of my favorites. Clear road, straight highway, sun was just coming up and I knew I had to make try at it before full light. So I put my foot in it and at 142 I let up off it because I was headed into a gentle curve and did not want to chance it at that speed.

Once got pulled for 120 MPH on a rural highway headed from Virginia in Maryland at 4 AM. Officer let me off with a basic speeding ticket instead of exhibition speed or reckless driving. I was so far ahead of the office I had to pull over and let him catch up. :ROFLMAO:
 

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
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Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
In passing situations on the LA autopista, I've gotten up to 75 mph so far. But normal driving for me is 55 - 65 mph. This is on the autopista between Boca Chica and San Isidro San Vincente exit. Going into the city from San Isidro, going over 45mph is a miracle.
 

Lucifer

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Jun 26, 2012
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We have a Quanticonian in our midst: foxtrot, bravo, Ghandi...

My extremely low credit score prevented me from applying. But I can parallel park.
 

josh2203

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Dec 5, 2013
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Yea, brother MPH. I was on I-5. One of my favorites. Clear road, straight highway, sun was just coming up and I knew I had to make try at it before full light. So I put my foot in it and at 142 I let up off it because I was headed into a gentle curve and did not want to chance it at that speed.

Once got pulled for 120 MPH on a rural highway headed from Virginia in Maryland at 4 AM. Officer let me off with a basic speeding ticket instead of exhibition speed or reckless driving. I was so far ahead of the office I had to pull over and let him catch up. :ROFLMAO:
I should have worded my question differently, I was just curious where those kinds of speeds are legal... I have no idea of any US road... I know that interstate roads and such exist... I have reached converted 115 mph on a German Autobahn, there it is in fact legal...
 
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Sloan

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I should have worded my question differently, I was just curious where those kinds of speeds are legal... I have no idea of any US road... I know that interstate roads and such exist... I have reached converted 115 mph on a German Autobahn, there it is in fact legal...
You can do 80 MPH in Montana and 85 MPH in Texas. I have always treated speed limits as suggestions. The points on my licence and my high auto insurance rates were the results.

I do not think there are any roads in the Dominican Republic where you could safely roll at that speed other than from SDQ to PUJ