Article

2005-02-13 Britain

Men really are better drivers (according to Chief Driving Examiner)

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Posted by Bulldog 2005-02-13 4:29:34 PM|| || Front Page|| [12 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Itn bekause of our extra math gene.

Posted by Shipman 2005-02-13 5:27:48 PM|| 2005-02-13 5:27:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Are you trying to imply that we make up in math what we lack in verbal skills? :-)

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-02-13 5:33:26 PM|| 2005-02-13 5:33:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 Exactal!

Posted by Shipman 2005-02-13 5:34:45 PM|| 2005-02-13 5:34:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 and the two brains that think for us

Posted by Frank G 2005-02-13 5:44:42 PM|| 2005-02-13 5:44:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Can one of you fine gents drive up to the store for me? I need some more hair spray, PMS pills, and bonbons. Then could you swing by the dry cleaners'? My frocks are ready to be picked up. Thanks ever so. All those...what are they called, gears? are sooooo confusing...

Posted by Seafarious 2005-02-13 6:01:15 PM|| 2005-02-13 6:01:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Better math skills, because someone has to count the bananas!

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-13 6:07:48 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-13 6:07:48 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Well Seafarious, I have seen grown up American men panic when they rented a car in Europe and discovered that it was a non-automatic!

Posted by True German Ally 2005-02-13 6:08:45 PM|| 2005-02-13 6:08:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 TGA: I don't like manuals. I can drive a manual on flat ground, but I just don't have hills to practice on around here.

(Oh, and I thought I'd clarify: I usually think a lot of the arguments about "women can't do math" are bunk, for reasons which I'll be glad to discuss at another time. I just keep thinking of that "Evolution of man and woman" cartoon from a while back...)

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-02-13 6:12:24 PM|| [http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-02-13 6:12:24 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Well, we can conduct a scientific experiment: Rent a car out of Heathrow Airport with a manual transmission. Get some men and women for the study group who drive with steering wheels on the left side of the car. Let them drive out of Heathrow during rush hour and have them go through a roundabout. Set up a methodology and scoring system. Take pictures inside the car and outside on the roundabout. Gather data. Do some Stat 101 on the experiment. Summarize results in a study. See what happens.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2005-02-13 7:42:12 PM|| 2005-02-13 7:42:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 Study hell AP, that's a FOX series.

Posted by Shipman 2005-02-13 7:55:00 PM|| 2005-02-13 7:55:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 "Look kids, Big Ben!"

Posted by Rafael 2005-02-13 7:56:38 PM|| 2005-02-13 7:56:38 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 They also have round-a-bouts in Boston. I was stuck on one for three days back in '91. I learned to drive a manual transmission on a farm in South Alabama, otherwise known as LA (Lower Alabama).

Posted by Deacon Blues 2005-02-13 7:58:22 PM|| 2005-02-13 7:58:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 I did the Heathrow thing in July of 82. Made it through the roundabout with everyone honking at me. My first experience driving on the left. Then drove through Wales dodging sheep. Got to be a regular trooper in Ireland. We kept a jug of Paddy Whiskey under the seat for conversation lube when we talked to farmers. Got REAL good at driving down one lane roads with stone fences and a big assed lorry barreling down on us.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2005-02-13 8:06:07 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:06:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Starting a manual car on a hill is a mandatory part of the UK driving test. I first learned to drive in the midlle of the Fens, where it is flat as a billiard table as far as the eye can see. The only place where you could practice a hill start was in places where a road ascended the side of a embankment along side the drainage canals that cross the region. Basically you had about 25 feet of roadway before you landed in the canal. I'll never forget the instructor always took off his seatbelt and put one hand on the emergency brake before every attempt. I asked if he had ever gone into the canal. His reply was "More than once."

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-13 8:10:08 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:10:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 When I learned to drive a manual on a grade, Thomas, the guy I was working for, took my watch and put it behind the rear wheel. I didn't roll backward.

Posted by Deacon Blues 2005-02-13 8:15:02 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:15:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 My defensive driving instructor stood a cigarette on its butt on the dash and said: "OK, handle the stick like it's your girlfriend's knee. Now drive. And don't tip my fag over."

Posted by Asedwich 2005-02-13 8:37:50 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:37:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 Been there, done that, TGA. Scotland. Hadn't driven a stick-shift in 20 years. As soon as I got into traffic driving on the left side of the road, the stick-shift was the least of my concerns. When I got to a traffic circle, praying set in.

Posted by Tom 2005-02-13 8:43:39 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:43:39 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 In Germany driver lessons are usually given on manual cars so few people ever have an issue.

And face it: Would you really want to drive a Porsche at 150mph on the autobahn with automatic gear???

Posted by True German Ally 2005-02-13 8:44:23 PM|| 2005-02-13 8:44:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 I learned to drive on a manual, Mama's Volkswagen Beetle. Then Daddy had me test using his automatic whatever-it-was, because it would be easier for me (I gave Mama her first grey hairs that year). Failed the bloody test 5 times because there was no stick shift or clutch. I didn't drive an automatic again until I was 25, and am still not happy without something for my right hand and left foot to do...

But I must shamefacedly admit to being almost stereotypically bad behind the wheel. And my ability to get lost is becoming legendary. Trailing Daughter has taken to volunteering to take over if I appear to be tired. She is very much looking forward to getting her temps in 18 months, just to replace me. We'll all be happier, I think, although I solemnly promise you all that it will be Mr. Wife who teaches her, not me.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-02-13 10:49:00 PM|| 2005-02-13 10:49:00 PM|| Front Page Top

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