Learning to Drive in a Prius!

[livecam]

Here's my little one right after her first lesson in the Prius. She really likes this car!

[TonyPSchaefer]

Great picture. Nice body. I've always had a thing for reds.

Could you get that girl out of the way?

[qbee42]

Tony, do you prefer federal or state prisons?

Tom

[TonyPSchaefer]

Oh c'mon. Sad is the day when you can't make a "that girl is blocking the view of the car" joke on a car forum.

Actually, there was a thread some time ago about the driving test dude not allowing the driving student to test in a Prius because of the back-up camera. He felt that it was an unfair advantage. If I remember correctly, even when the owner of the car offered to completely turn off the MFD, the tester still refused to allow the test in the Prius.

My school had a Drivers' Ed class so I learned to drive in their '84 Buick. Ah yes, I remember it well. Then my first car was a Ford LTD station wagon: thirty feet long and ten feet wide. THAT'S the car that truly taught me how to parallel park.

[qbee42]

My driver's ed class used a new 1972 Buick LeSabre. That thing was as big as an aircraft carrier. I'm not a tall person, and I couldn't see any of the four corners from the driver's seat. I thought we should post lookouts at the bow and stern.

I took my driving test in a Jeep C-J5 with a straight stick. The inspector was impressed that I knew how to shift. Shifting was offset by parallel parking. Those little Jeeps were incredibly easy to parallel park. You could just about touch every corner, and the turning radius was 16.5 feet.

As for making jokes about young girls blocking the view, it's not really that, Tony. It's more the close-set criminal look in your eyes...and that bag of candy.

Tom

[effwitt]

All of this reminds me of my step-daughter's driving test. She would tense up if she had too much time to think about an upcoming test. To make things worse, she couldn’t parallel park to save her soul.

My wife’s solution was to just pull into the testing station on the way back from mall without warning. My step-daughter was wearing a crop-top shirt and shorty-shorts looking way too much like Daisy Duke, but luckily for her, the guy testing her was a dirty old man. When they got to the parallel parking portion, he actually walked her through each step of the process. OK, now turn the wheel to the left…

[pdhenry]

I took my driver's test in a '74 Super Beetle in a snowstorm. I was a bit far from the curb after parallel parking but I did well enough on the hill start (snowy street and all) that he passed me.

[sdtundra]

Took mine in my 2005 Tundra Regular Cab 8 foot bed and 3 inch lift on 33 inch mud terrains in El Cajon, CA....truck capitol of San Diego.

Funny part was, the little old lady went to get in and i had to go around and help her in.

My brother is actually up to get his soon, so i'm thinkin i may let him use the Prius.

[Mkappy]

I love the car! I'm ready to sell my condo and live in the Prius!
I especially like how it's raison d'etre has positively affected my driving behavior--e.g., I experimented on the Highway speed/MPG and now drive no faster than 50-55 to get better MPG.
My only CON (and it's weak at that) is the backup camera--dues to it's wide angle lens it's useless for telling accurately the distance of anything it displays...BUT it does make one STOP and look.

My only other nit to pick is the seat/steering column adjustability. Electric seat/forward UP/DOWN would be better and steering column In/out would benefit greatly.
However it is the BEST most rewarding 'ride' I've ever owned--luxury or 3 on the tree--4 on the floor so called 'econo cars'.

[PA Prius]

My oldest daughter turns 16 next week. Any counsel?!? My mpg is around 60 mpg, my wife's 50. I'm supposing our overall mileage will take another hit starting next week.... Yes, there are more important things than bettering our mpg, but the hobby was fun while it lasted!

PA P