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Driver's EducationPosted Friday, January 11, 2008, at 8:16 PM
I've noticed since I've moved to TN that a lot of drivers seem to be allergic to turn signals. I asked a native Tennessean friend of mine about it, like why doesn't she use turn signals, the answer she gave was "I use turn signals all the time except when I'm merging on the highway or driving in subdivisions." It would seem to me, that those are two of the places where you should definately be using a turn signal.
I asked another Tennessean friend about it and she said that driver's education was optional here? She was kidding me, right? That can't be true. I think that's truely a bad idea. I remember going through driver's ed in high school and hating it, but it did teach me how to use a turn signal. I'm not pointing fingers at people in Bedford County in particular, since I think the people in Murfreesboro are terrible drivers. I just thought I would ask about driver's ed, because seriously, I've never heard of it being optional anywhere that I've lived. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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Hi and Welcome!
When I was in High School, Driver's Ed was optional. I took it to lower my car insurance. The waiting list was so long for the class, that my parents had to pay for me to take it during the summer! I think the fee was $150? I can't remember if the class was free or not during the school year, but either way I agree; it should be mandatory (and free).
The school system needs to hire more Driver's Ed teachers to open up more room for everyone that needs the class (if they haven't already).
I have lived in Tennessee all my life and I agree about the turn signal issue. This town is really bad about not using them and I dont know why and I dont know how many people I have bad comments about in my head about them not using them. It is really annoying . . . in fact me and my friend will say something like "turn signals come standard on every vehicle . . . learn to use them idiot" everytime we see someone not use them. People are just so lazy and are too busy paying attention to something else than the road or other drivers.
I would rather drive on the Interstate any day of the week than to deal with many of the idiot drivers in Shelbyville.
I don't think driver's ed was offered at Cascade when I was going there in the 70s. I took it at SCHS over the summer, from Coach Lendell Massengale -- like Mary, because of the car insurance benefit, not because it was required.
The reason most people don't use turn signals is that they are too busy talking on their cell phones!
BTW, when I was in high school, there was only one drivers ed class offered and only a handful of people took it as it did not count for any type of credit...shortly afterwards they started offering lower insurance rates to those that did take it.
Drivers ED still isn't required and honestly it doesn't make as big a difference in your insurance cost as one would think it would. Honor students get a better discount on insurance than drivers ed students. Which don't make a lot of sense just because you are smart don't mean you can drive better.
At least that is the way it is on my insurance different companies may have different rules, I dunno.
The test scores by the GMAC Insurance National Driver's Test, put New York last (51)followed by New Jersey (50), District of Columbia (49), Massachusetts (48) and Rhode Island (47) Tennessee was 37, Idaho had the best scores. Alabama was number 25. Apparently the folks in Alabama, as a whole, know more about traffic safety than those in the Northeast.
Here is the link:
http://www.gmacinsurance.com/SafeDriving...
if the police would do what there supposed too and stop those people they might learn to use turn signals. i did not have an option to learn the rules of the road except for literature but i have always used my turn signals.
if the police would do what there supposed too and stop those people they might learn to use turn signals. i did not have an option to learn the rules of the road except for literature but i have always used my turn signals.
I seem to remember that we got something off on our insurance becuase I took driver's ed - there was also a discount from being on the honor roll. I think the discount thing is just standard for most insurance companies, of course I could be wrong about that.
I agree with most of these post....I think it needs to be mandatory for everyone, whether it cost or not. I feel most people know how to use their turn signals, from being in a patrol car behind other drivers they use them like they should but being in a private vehicle people drive like maniacs, and have no consideration for the other drivers. I know our insurance company offers a discount for this class, but most schools do not offer it.
As I said my insurance does offer a discount for Drivers Ed the discount for Drivers Ed is $23 a year (not even $2.00 per month) the discount for Honor Roll student is $87.00 per year (over $5.00 more per month than the Drivers Ed Discount) but again this is just my insurance company I doubt every insurance company's discounts are the same.
Don't get me wrong I think every new driver should take Drivers Ed but I also think the insurance companies should give better discounts to promote it.
But hey that's just me, I think if I don't use my insurance in 5 years they should give me a percent back. (I also realize that'll never happen) :>(
I have driven in 48 of our great states and I can tell you this problem is not centered in Shelbyville. You think it's bad here, you should try Queens NY.