Your first driving experience

(Thanks to the “Merc” thread for bringing back memories of my youth :) )

I thought this might be a light-hearted thread (figured we could use one) that may conjure up some memories and perhaps provide the younger forum members a giggle or two.

I was about 13 years old in the back roads of the Laurentian hills north of Montreal when my dad first sat me behind the wheel of a ’64 Plymouth Valiant, equipped with a Chrysler “slant-six” engine and push-button automatic transmission (no, I wasn’t 13 in ’64 :rolleyes: :p : ). I was just sufficiently tall to reach the pedals and was scared shtless, even though it was a quiet country road with no one about. With gentle encouragement (which my Dad was not know to do :mark: ) I quickly got the hang of driving and was elated with how enjoyable it was, even though I don’t think I drove more than 10 mph :p : .

My family had a cottage nearby and from then on every time we went there (just about every weekend during the summers) I got behind the wheel and drove the last few kilometers.

So what was your first driving experience?

First real car...my Dad taught me how to drive our VW beetle with a 4 speed transmission. Very cool. Having learned on a standard transmission, I've always been a bit smug around people that whine "Ooh, I can't drive a stick"...lol...walk.

Although I had dirt bikes, scramblers, "trai bikes", and scooters from the age of 10 I bought my first car with my own money from my boss when I was in High school.
My father came with me for the test drive I had never driven a stick but knew from motorcycle experience the idea. No prob. I bought it. 1965 Corvair Monza with the 160 HP Power-plant, $300.00
My friends were very scared to ride with me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tazio

Although I had dirt bikes, scramblers, "trai bikes", and scooters from the age of 10 I bought my first car with my own money from my boss when I was in High school.
My father came with me for the test drive I had never driven a stick but knew from motorcycle experience the idea. No prob. I bought it. 1965 Corvair Monza with the 160 HP Power-plant, $300.00
My friends were very scared to ride with me.

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A now rather well known astronaut had a Corvair. He used to pack us kids in there and increase speed in the cul-de-sac until he could rock it up on two wheels and then take off down the street. Our mothers were horrified. We loved it.

Seat 600 with my dad on dirt tracks around some donkey stables.
The car survived another 5-6 years. Towards the end of it's days you could see the road under the seat, it had a removable gear stick (the first time it came off in the middle of Madrid traffic was quite a shock, but you got used to it after that) and the battery hanging loose on a piece of string. Was great fun to do jumps in around the fields or to mud rally around Madrid Uni. Also amusing to see peoples reaction on being overtaken by the little bomber going down the Cuesta de las Perdices. It died in a cloud of smoke one day trying to get back up said cuesta.

I first drove a red Vauxhall Cavalier when I was 9 or 10 and just big enough to get to the pedals (before that I'd steered while sat on my Dad's lap). The first time I had a go was just in a car park and I kangarooed the thing around as didn't really know how to let the clutch out. My first proper attempt at driving was on an airfield when I was 10, I took great pride in telling my classmates that I'd driven at 50mph. A couple of years later my brother started learning to drive properly and we went to the same airfield. My Dad still talks about when he mistakenly got into the back of the car (his company Vectra) while I hit over 70 with my bro in the passenger seat :burnout:

Happy days, and all of it vital in helping me to pass my test when I was eventually old enough.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fiero 5.7

A now rather well known astronaut had a Corvair. He used to pack us kids in there and increase speed in the cul-de-sac until he could rock it up on two wheels and then take off down the street. Our mothers were horrified. We loved it.

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Rigt on.
The guy who lived directly across the street from us was a pilot at Miramar NAS.
He had one of the first Datsun 2000 and a GTO (Pontiac) with the three deuces
Both those cars were fun to ride in. :)

...a few baby steps along the way...

about 7 yrs - First time in a go-cart. Hit the tyre barrier at the first corner. By the time they pulled me out I was being lapped. Didn't hit any more barriers after that, but I think I was lapped once more before time ran out.

about 11 yrs - My older brother wanted to take my dad's 59 beetle for a drive, but the battery was dead. My brother told me - I was supposed to sit in the drivers seat with the clutch in, while he pushed, then let out the clutch - stick it into neutral after it started and then hit the brakes and stop, so he could take it for a drive. Well I couldn't remember these instructions, so after almost starting & stalling a few times, my brother got tired. We switched up - but I couldn't push it fast enough, so we rolled it back into the garage. My dad bought that car new when my parents got engaged, and sold it about a month ago.

15 yrs - After heading out to the forest to get a Christmas tree, my dad let me drive about halfway home (about 30 miles) 'til we got close to the city. We had a 1977 Pontiac. I had no problems, as it was all highway with little traffic and no real intersections.

My kids have all driven our car (around our cul-de-sac) while sitting on my lap, and they love it. Last weekend was the first time I let them drive the boat, before we put it away for the winter. The smile on my daughter's face was priceless!

Great thread!

One of my first memories is car related. My old man had a Triumph TR6 and he sat me in the front seat aged 4 and blitz it round a few hairpins. We were probably only doing about 35mph but it felt like I was on a rocket ship and it sowed a seed.

I drove a few times on his lap after that but got my first proper go aged 9 - I hit a trash can!

Now I'm doing the same for my boys. The eldest is 4 and on private land I sit him on his booster chair behind the wheel and let him drive (I've got dual controls). It amazing how go he is at it and now he's pestering me for a go kart. :D

I drove my brother Toyota Hilux pick-up on the farm when I was about 9 years old, but I used to sit on my grandads knee and steer his tractor when I was four.

First time on the road was as a 17 year old in my mums Renault Scenic.