So.... how are the driving lessons going?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Amazingly true. We have no official language. FWIW, you can get the driver's materials in Russian in Ohio.

BTW, I noticed here in Raleigh DMV, they offer learner's books in Spanish but they don't have any in English. What's the official language in this country?!!

There isn't any.

[slim 1,533]

Amazingly true. We have no official language. FWIW, you can get the driver's materials in Russian in Ohio.

True, but you can't get a straight answer from the BMV testing center on whether it's required to take a written and/or practical or just a practical or just a written or just a new picture for a license from a state ID. We even had one office tell us if we were to get her a learner's permit (Temp license) then it would void her international drivers license and she'd have to start all over.

Kind of makes me yearn for the days of visiting the Social Security office and filling out the SS-5 every week.

At any rate, we went driving yesterday and it was an interesting experience. We were practicing in a big movie theater parking lot where there's a sign that says "No driver training in parking lot." Well, that didn't stop us from driving through the cones that were already set up in the driving test arrangement. (Nor did it stop the other two cars that were "not practicing") and not even when the police showed up to take a break and do paperwork were we required to stop.

Both my wife and her sister took turns (no pun intended) driving and even though I've never seen their mother drive I have a feeling that she too probably needs some instruction. So yes, it runs in the family.

I'm still amazed that it's possible for an adult person to not be able to drive a car after a few hours of practice. I realize there are things that are hard the first time or if you're not used to doing them, but I can't think of anything physical/mental etc. that would be "hard" for me to do with a few hours of practice. Anyone have anything that I can use to justify this to myself? Something that I can say "Man, she can't drive. Well, I guess I can't XXXXXX, so it's not so bad that she can't drive."

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Standing by...

I'm still amazed that it's possible for an adult person to not be able to drive a car after a few hours of practice. I realize there are things that are hard the first time or if you're not used to doing them, but I can't think of anything physical/mental etc. that would be "hard" for me to do with a few hours of practice. Anyone have anything that I can use to justify this to myself? Something that I can say "Man, she can't drive. Well, I guess I can't XXXXXX, so it's not so bad that she can't drive."

Or we could just take the low road and say that women have a harder time grasping these concepts because they have tinier brains, or all the blood rushes to their womb or something. I say that only because we've seen a real decline in visitors to the forum lately and it's starting to get all Russified again.

[slim 1,533]

See, that's the thing though, I don't really think it's just because she's a woman. Although, it seems guys can pretty much "take the bull by the horns" on something like driving a car. I don't know if it's just masculine pride "I should be able to drive a car" or if it's a natural ability. Seems like some women either just don't care or actually think it's supposed to take a year or two of practice before they really get it down. I don't know. I'm kind of lost right now.

[russ 1]

I'm still amazed that it's possible for an adult person to not be able to drive a car after a few hours of practice.

Well, most of us grow up her spending time in cars every day. If you don't grow up in a "car culture," there are some difficult concepts to grasp.

Most people can fly an airplane after a few hours of practice as well. (I think my first solo was after 9 hours of instruction). And airplanes more knobs and buttons than cars do.

[peejay 327]

I really had my hands full when my then 42 year old wife and 18 year old stepdaughter arrived in Houston in March 2004. Neither ever had a driver's license or had much experience driving. They had used public transportation all their lives in Russia and Belarus.

I took them to a neighborhood church parking lot that was empty most of the time and had no traffic. I sat in the car many times while they drove around the parking lot in circles and practiced parking for hours. It was relatively low stress and boring for me, but it gave them a feel for driving. My car had an automatic tranny which made it easier on them.

My wife and stepdaughter were fluent in English already when they arrived in the USA. I managed to get some generic Russian language driving handbooks to use along with the official Texas driver's handbook which the state only prints in English and Spanish. They took the written test in English without help or we would have had to hire an interpreter (or bring a bilingual friend) to translate the computer based test for them as per the TxDoT rules. They both passed the written test.

Once they both had their learner's permits the fun began. The stress level went way up for me when we hit the streets for them to practice in the real world. I tried to schedule our lessons when traffic was light or we would go driving in rural areas. There were several tense moments and temper tantrums during our lessons, but we managed to get through it without a divorce.

They arrived in March 2004 and both had passed their Tx driver's license tests by the end of August 2004. Of course that isn't the end of the story. My stepdaughter doesn't drive anymore because she cannot afford to own a car (or buy gas to put in it), so she takes the bus to work or her boyfriend drives her around. My wife has her own car. She is a good driver, but has some bad driving habits I have been trying to help her to get rid of (without success). It can be real scary to be a passenger in her car in dense city traffic. I have been driving in the big city for 35 years and I am well schooled in the concepts of defensive driving and driving etiquette. My wife has a lot more to learn even though she has a license. I'm thankful she works close to home and seldom travels outside our neighborhood without me to keep her out of trouble on the crazy streets of Houston.

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

Or we could just take the low road and say that women have a harder time grasping these concepts because they have tinier brains, or all the blood rushes to their womb or something.

Umm I dont think there has ever been a direct correlation between brain size and intelligence, remember that Neaderthal's had brains that we nearly 30% larger than modern humans, would that make them smarter????

I say that only because we've seen a real decline in visitors to the forum lately and it's starting to get all Russified again.

Strange comment in the Russia forum, would you prefer it get canadified, or frenchified?

See, that's the thing though, I don't really think it's just because she's a woman. Although, it seems guys can pretty much "take the bull by the horns" on something like driving a car. I don't know if it's just masculine pride "I should be able to drive a car" or if it's a natural ability. Seems like some women either just don't care or actually think it's supposed to take a year or two of practice before they really get it down. I don't know. I'm kind of lost right now.

I think women tend to be so afraid of doing it wrong and having to hear about it that fear takes over. My wife tells me she only has problems when I am in the car. Now she drives on her own and when we go somewhere together I drive, Problem solved.

[slim 1,533]

in the concepts of defensive driving and driving etiquette................................... she works close to home and seldom travels outside our neighborhood without me to keep her out of trouble on the crazy streets of Houston.

Defensive driving and driving etiquette are something I'm very worried about. We live in a place where, like Houston, driving without a little etiquette can be dangerous for reasons other than being in an accident. All I can do is hope that it never gets to that level.

One other thing.... have you guys changed a tire with your wives/daughters? I was going to do -

Lesson 1. Driving

Lesson 2. Changing the Tire and other Safety Concerns

Lesson 3. Take Test

But we're doing Lessons 1-???? (currently on 6 or 7, I forget because it's been so much!) still on the driving part. Have any of you witnessed the wife/daughter change the spare? After trying to teach my wife the intricacies of working a combination lock, I figured we'd have to spend a few hours on the tire lessons. We're not even close to that part yet.

[Bobalouie 0]

One other thing.... have you guys changed a tire with your wives/daughters? I was going to do -

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and predict that the procedure eventually comes down to:

1. Pull over

2. Turn on hazard lights

3. Remove cell phone from purse

4. Call slim

4. Wait

I am going to add her to my AAA account. So, mine will look like:

1. Pull over

2. Turn on hazard lights

3. Remove Cell phone from Purse

4. Call AAA

5. Call Bob because she doesnt know where she is

6. Bob calls AAA to tell them where she is

7. Repeat 4-6 ad nauseum.

8. eventually fix tire myself.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Oh for sure! I know that Alla would never change a tire! That is a job for a man. I was scolded once for asking her to carry a few grocery bags once! "Jeffery, I look like horse? You are man, yes?" I joked back with what does she do when I am not in Russia? She replied, "I must explain? I think you know. You are not with me so, yes, I must to carry. But you are with me, so what you think?"

One other thing.... have you guys changed a tire with your wives/daughters? I was going to do -

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and predict that the procedure eventually comes down to:

1. Pull over

2. Turn on hazard lights

3. Remove cell phone from purse

4. Call slim

4. Wait

[slim 1,533]

You guys are spot-on with the replies but believe it or not, she said "Yes of course I must know how to change tire. If I will be drive then I must know how to change tire."

(Of course, the "steps" listed above are all true... she just wants me to know that she'll "know" how to change it. Probably b!tching at me to hurry up all the while because she could've just done it herself. Well then why did I come out here? Ah... marriage is great!)

[peejay 327]

in the concepts of defensive driving and driving etiquette................................... she works close to home and seldom travels outside our neighborhood without me to keep her out of trouble on the crazy streets of Houston.

Defensive driving and driving etiquette are something I'm very worried about. We live in a place where, like Houston, driving without a little etiquette can be dangerous for reasons other than being in an accident. All I can do is hope that it never gets to that level.

One other thing.... have you guys changed a tire with your wives/daughters? I was going to do -

Lesson 1. Driving

Lesson 2. Changing the Tire and other Safety Concerns

Lesson 3. Take Test

But we're doing Lessons 1-???? (currently on 6 or 7, I forget because it's been so much!) still on the driving part. Have any of you witnessed the wife/daughter change the spare? After trying to teach my wife the intricacies of working a combination lock, I figured we'd have to spend a few hours on the tire lessons. We're not even close to that part yet.

I was very apprehensive about turning the girls loose on the streets of Houston alone. Unfortunately I work offshore in the oil industry and spend quite a lot of time away from home. So they really had to learn to get around town without depending on me or our neighbors all the time. All you can do is teach them the best that you can and hope for the best. You cannot protect them all the time.

After 4 years of being married to my wife, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. My wife has her own car and pretty much goes where she wants to, but at 46 years old she doesn't travel far from home alone unless she has to or there is a good reason. She has been on some wild adventures around town without me and has survived them so far. She gets lost all the time and tells me about her adventures afterward. I worry, but she's an adult and has her own life to live.

She did get a flat tire several months ago. She got off of work and found her car had a flat tire. I was out of town and instead of calling one of our neighbors or getting someone to change the tire, she drove home on the rim for 3+ miles. It wasn't the best choice, but I didn't get upset about it. I just bought a new tire and told her that there were better options she should have chosen. I really don't think my wife has the physical strength or mechanical ability to change a tire. Some women can and some can't.

My stepdaughter still has her license, but doesn't own a car anymore. Her mom and I bought her an old beat up Toyota Corolla several months after she got her license in 2004. I spent hundreds of dollars repairing bent rims, busted tires, broken struts, busted tail lights, and other damages from mishaps she got into while driving. In 2006 she hit a tree and spent 10 days in the hospital and several months recuperating. Her mom and I are hesitant to get her another car and we haven't. She lives with her Ukrainian boyfriend across town from us and she takes the bus or he takes her around in his car. Sometimes me or my wife take her places when her boyfriend has to work. So owning a car didn't turn out well for her, but she gets by without one. Even in a sprawling town like Houston. Driving isn't for everyone.

I don't want to scare anybody, but that is how it turned out for us so far.

[dagobert2 0]

I remember first driving with Olga in her Lada (or as she referred to it, her "lady") in and around Kazan. I considered her a pretty decent driver of moderate experience. When she came for a visit in the US again, she asked to drive one day. It was on a very challenging expressway in the Chicago area that was under heavy construction (I80 Borman Expressway). I was scared to death. The concept of staying in her lane or lane changes was obviously foreign and that was a really bad situation to be finding that out as the 18 wheelers kept reminding us. When she finally moved here for good I was very nervous at first. Lane changes, stopping distance, merging, blind spots were all very new concepts and had to be "taught". But she has improved her skills very quickly. Santa brought her a new GPS and after only 2 months in the US she was cruising the greater Chicago area like a pro. Now she is comfortable in most situations. She pointed out to me that highway driving even for an experienced Russian driver from anywhere other than Moscow is a foreign concept by definition. The average driver simply doesn't venture from their local city by car. They take a train or fly. The "open road" is just too hazardous for all but the most experienced professional drivers.

BTW - hello all from Chris and Olga. It has been a while. Married life has a way of occupying one's "spare time".

[slim 1,533]

I spent hundreds of dollars repairing bent rims, busted tires, broken struts, busted tail lights, and other damages from mishaps she got into while driving. In 2006 she hit a tree and spent 10 days in the hospital and several months recuperating.

This is what scares the daylights out of me. Sure, I'm concerned for her safety, but several hundred bucks here and there is going to really add up and a 10 day hospital stay would break us, financially. We both wouldn't be able to drive after that.

It really scares me that she'll be travelling at high speeds with other vehicles so close and trees all around. I might buy her a helmet and a 5-point safety harness, even with the four airbags. I was hoping to still have my F-150 when she was driving, just for her safety, but I don't think that would've been fair to the people around her. Or the trees, for that matter.

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

You guys are spot-on with the replies but believe it or not, she said "Yes of course I must know how to change tire. If I will be drive then I must know how to change tire."

(Of course, the "steps" listed above are all true... she just wants me to know that she'll "know" how to change it. Probably b!tching at me to hurry up all the while because she could've just done it herself. Well then why did I come out here? Ah... marriage is great!)

Of course the hardest part is to convince her to get out of the car while you change it.