OMG new driver
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 229
From: Pennsylvania
What was he thinking?!!! 13 years old? 
Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.
Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
What was he thinking?!!! 13 years old? Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.
Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.I started when I was 9....and yes we were "just plain stupid and irresponsible" because it was on a "public road". Now, this was in the country (very rural), there was no traffic at all, and you'd be more likely to encounter a cow, than a car, but still we were all the things you said.
I also bought and owned my first boat when I was 12. 10' speed boat w/a 60hp Merc. Boat would go over 50 mph. INSANE!! Right? I mean, I'd say that we must not have "realize the risk he was taking letting this kid drive on a public waterway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I mean...I could have DROWNED!! We must have been "just plain stupid and irresponsible" for that too, right?
Thing is, I never HAD an issue. No one was ever hurt at all, and as a result of my early training//understanding of "how things work", I never have had an accident. First car was a Trans Am, drove it year round (snow), out to Colorado for ski trips, over Monarch pass in a blizzard...no issue. Why? I already knew how to drive.
Then there is the issue of "LIVING" vs. Hiding from life, in the interest of "safety". Know your risks, manage them, and LIVE.
To the OP. Way cool vid! Props to you guys for getting him started with PROPER training, early. He'll be better off for it.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Oct 28, 2014 at 11:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
I was driving tractors at 12. I came back from three weeks on the farm and bragging about my driving. My Dad took me out in his car (3 on the tree) and had me drive a little. Made a fool of myself quickly. Learned a lot and have been a very good driver since.......I even buy my underwear at KMART 
.
I know that are plenty of you here from Nebraska, Iowa or other states that were driving by themselves at 14.
.I know that are plenty of you here from Nebraska, Iowa or other states that were driving by themselves at 14.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 276
Likes: 12
From: DFW Texas
Wow, can't believe some of the people in here. My sister let me drive when I was 13, one of my friends was driving around town alone at 12. Hell, every single person in my driving class had driven a car before, including one that was driving himself to the classes.
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Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,163
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
When I was a kid, learning to drive at a young age (10 or 11) was a rite of passage. Practiced on the tractor and farm truck and on gravel back roads. When it came time for your Drivers License, we were ready to pass on the first try.We knew all the rules of the road by then, Everybody could drive a stick, and even had a little skill in skid and braking control from "practicing" on those gravel roads. Getting your drivers license was one of the most important things in a young mans life back then. It seems now the most important thing is getting a new I-phone and having the loudest radio. I have a Nephew who can't even drive an automatic and has no desire to even learn!
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 555
Likes: 2
From: RDU NC
What was he thinking?!!! 13 years old? Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.
Did he not realize the risk he as a parent was taking letting this kid drive on a public roadway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I call this just plain stupid and irresponsible on a parents part. No excuses.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
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Sounds like a well supervised and well chosen spot for the first lesson. I think its great to start them young as they will learn respect for the right foot.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 229
From: Pennsylvania
I guess some of you guys are right. Go ahead and let the children drive. Nothing at all wrong with it. It's really cool to see them driving around with absolutely no clue what's really going on. Some of you that say you were driving at 12 and 13 years of age........wow! Really impressive too! Impressive only in the way you didn't kill yourselves or someone else. Do you realize the parents could be arrested for permitting such an act. Think about that the next time you put a child behind the wheel.
Some of you that say you were driving at 12 and 13 years of age........wow! Really impressive too! Impressive only in the way you didn't kill yourselves or someone else. Do you realize the parents could be arrested for permitting such an act. Think about that the next time you put a child behind the wheel.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 276
Likes: 12
From: DFW Texas
I guess some of you guys are right. Go ahead and let the children drive. Nothing at all wrong with it. It's really cool to see them driving around with absolutely no clue what's really going on. Some of you that say you were driving at 12 and 13 years of age........wow! Really impressive too! Impressive only in the way you didn't kill yourselves or someone else. Do you realize the parents could be arrested for permitting such an act. Think about that the next time you put a child behind the wheel.
Some of you that say you were driving at 12 and 13 years of age........wow! Really impressive too! Impressive only in the way you didn't kill yourselves or someone else. Do you realize the parents could be arrested for permitting such an act. Think about that the next time you put a child behind the wheel.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 6,314
Likes: 508
From: South-central Missouri
Oh good lord man....calm down already! What an alarmist.
I started when I was 9....and yes we were "just plain stupid and irresponsible" because it was on a "public road". Now, this was in the country (very rural), there was no traffic at all, and you'd be more likely to encounter a cow, than a car, but still we were all the things you said.
I also bought and owned my first boat when I was 12. 10' speed boat w/a 60hp Merc. Boat would go over 50 mph. INSANE!! Right? I mean, I'd say that we must not have "realize the risk he was taking letting this kid drive on a public waterway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I mean...I could have DROWNED!! We must have been "just plain stupid and irresponsible" for that too, right?
Thing is, I never HAD an issue. No one was ever hurt at all, and as a result of my early training//understanding of "how things work", I never have had an accident. First car was a Trans Am, drove it year round (snow), out to Colorado for ski trips, over Monarch pass in a blizzard...no issue. Why? I already knew how to drive.
Then there is the issue of "LIVING" vs. Hiding from life, in the interest of "safety". Know your risks, manage them, and LIVE.
To the OP. Way cool vid! Props to you guys for getting him started with PROPER training, early. He'll be better off for it.
I started when I was 9....and yes we were "just plain stupid and irresponsible" because it was on a "public road". Now, this was in the country (very rural), there was no traffic at all, and you'd be more likely to encounter a cow, than a car, but still we were all the things you said.
I also bought and owned my first boat when I was 12. 10' speed boat w/a 60hp Merc. Boat would go over 50 mph. INSANE!! Right? I mean, I'd say that we must not have "realize the risk he was taking letting this kid drive on a public waterway? Let alone putting this child at real risk of causing an accident and possibly hurting himself and innocent others? I mean...I could have DROWNED!! We must have been "just plain stupid and irresponsible" for that too, right?
Thing is, I never HAD an issue. No one was ever hurt at all, and as a result of my early training//understanding of "how things work", I never have had an accident. First car was a Trans Am, drove it year round (snow), out to Colorado for ski trips, over Monarch pass in a blizzard...no issue. Why? I already knew how to drive.
Then there is the issue of "LIVING" vs. Hiding from life, in the interest of "safety". Know your risks, manage them, and LIVE.
To the OP. Way cool vid! Props to you guys for getting him started with PROPER training, early. He'll be better off for it.
In rural IA where I was raised, we "kids" drove farm machinery soon as we were big enough to reach the peddles, and drove the pickup to town when I was 12. By the time I was 16 I'd been driving for 3 years, mowing pastures, driving balers and combines, driving farm machinery: we ALL did it - no big deal. It's what we did as ranch hands!
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,460
Likes: 1,221
From: Fredonia WI
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 229
From: Pennsylvania
No matter how great some of you think this idea is, the fact of the matter is that driving a motor vehicle, supervised or not, rural road or not, being under legal age is illegal any way you look at it. I'd like to see if your positive answers to this would remain the same when you're being arrested for putting a child in danger (that's what it's called) or permitting an under age driver to drive on a public road. Rural areas are still public roadways even if they're in an undeveloped housing area. Sad to see I'm definitely in the minority on this post. I'm out of here.......
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: St.Johns FL
^ Bet he wears a bicycle helmet. The earlier a kid learns anything, the better they are at it. Sorry, but you're alarmist attitude is one of the many things wrong with our country and why freedom is dying.
My dad had me on a Ford tractor BEFORE I could reach the pedals. He'd set the throttle and hop off. Heck, at 13 he would just toss me the keys and tell me not to go far. Should every kid be allowed to do that? No, but then there are an awful lot of 40 year olds who shouldn't be driving.
My dad had me on a Ford tractor BEFORE I could reach the pedals. He'd set the throttle and hop off. Heck, at 13 he would just toss me the keys and tell me not to go far. Should every kid be allowed to do that? No, but then there are an awful lot of 40 year olds who shouldn't be driving.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 276
Likes: 12
From: DFW Texas
No matter how great some of you think this idea is, the fact of the matter is that driving a motor vehicle, supervised or not, rural road or not, being under legal age is illegal any way you look at it. I'd like to see if your positive answers to this would remain the same when you're being arrested for putting a child in danger (that's what it's called) or permitting an under age driver to drive on a public road. Rural areas are still public roadways even if they're in an undeveloped housing area. Sad to see I'm definitely in the minority on this post. I'm out of here.......