[It's Just Eric]

Well...My mother was always realy laid back. She had a kindof "Youll regret mistakes later" kindof attitude toward me learning stuff like this. For example, when I failed 6th grade because I'm a lazey, no homeworking little kid, she didnt get mad..at all. Just a "well, when all your friends are graduating youll be mad you had to stay back" And damnit, she was right!(Though I did meet like 300 new people)

As for the car...I started with an 89 cadillac fleetwood that I bought because it had comfortable seats. I liked it's style, and it had class. What I didnt realize, was that just about the only working thing on it was the check engine light.Hell, the thing didnt go over 50...(though I did get it up to 80 once rolling down a big hill) ..But it didnt matter..I only used it around town, and hell, I drove like an old lady anyway.It soon was just too broken to fix.

Now, I can honestly say, my parents didnt give me a single dime towards anything other than having a roof over my head and food in the refridgerator. I bought my car myself, registered it in my name, shopped for my own car insurance, made my own car insurance payments to my policy in my name, payed every dime of gas for the car, and even did my own repairs. I decided to buy another car to replace the anemic cadillac....my 94 SVX..because hell, the price was right and it actually went.

As soon as I sat in the seat I became idiot driver guy. Hell, I had the thing up to 120 on the way home. At the time, I really only sped on highways and abandonded roads, and kept my otherwise irritatingly safe driving habits. I learned pretty quick to avoid speeding on highways when I was pulled over. I got a ticket that, because the officer lost my licence, I was luckily able to battle it down to a neglible loss of 330$ and an afternoon in the Dennisville township Municiple court. No points..I got off lucky

Still sped on abandoned roads every so often. I suppose I was a little too rough on the car, because the engine took a dive, and the valve seals went bad. I have not taken the car to a mechanic in the entire year I had it..I put in my own engine, and later fixed an issue or two with the power steering. So...after that, I prettymuch decided not to stomp on the gas pedal so much...and slowly started pushing my luck in the corners, seeing how much speed I could carry

My luck pushed back recently. I lost controll of the car and slid it backwards off the road, putting the rear quarterpanel at the c-pillar into a tree. The car is very obviously totaled, but I steped out of it like a kid who just got off a good roller coaster...Completely unharmed. Hell, I thwarted the nearby stickerbushed efforts just to say I got out without a single scratch

Yes, I am keeping the not taking it to a mechanic tradition, and yes, I am rebuilding the car, in one way shape or form

So, looks like it back to driving like an old lady. Sometimes though, theres just no way to convince a kid they are doing wrong, they just need to realize it themselves.You can nguide them however you feel, but ultimatly your just going to hope that when they make a mistake, they step out safe and wise. Whoever mentuioned the driving school....It is a decent idea. Much like Karate, although it teaches you something potentially dangerious, youll also grow to respect the power you have.