I actually LIKE driving in the City now, but I didn't the first time I did it, and I still hate it on certain days (like now, around the holidays) because of the gridlock. Still, I was happy that one day I got from my home to a parking spot one block from the Russian Vodka Room in 40 minutes at 6:00 in the evening. I still don't know how I did it.
There's a lot more intuition required for City driving - you observe the idiotic things that people do when they drive and you prejudge peoples' likely actions based on the type of car and their observed driving habits. I've avoided dozens of accidents that way.
When I moved to NY I had been driving for 10 years but still needed time to get used to the City. Granted, I learned on winding, narrow mountain roads (which prepared me well for the on ramps to the FDR), but still...it's quite an idiosyncratic animal.
There's a lot more intuition required for City driving - you observe the idiotic things that people do when they drive and you prejudge peoples' likely actions based on the type of car and their observed driving habits. I've avoided dozens of accidents that way.
When I moved to NY I had been driving for 10 years but still needed time to get used to the City. Granted, I learned on winding, narrow mountain roads (which prepared me well for the on ramps to the FDR), but still...it's quite an idiosyncratic animal.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
NSSP: Driving
- 13/12/2011 05:15:41 PM
1427 Views
I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 05:20:14 PM
935 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 09:58:55 PM
885 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 10:37:47 PM
862 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 10:50:38 PM
926 Views
*NM*
I failed my first test.
- 13/12/2011 05:49:58 PM
1071 Views
I had to take the driving test 3 time before I passed (posted at the wrong place 
)
- 13/12/2011 11:43:44 PM
923 Views
)
- 13/12/2011 11:43:44 PM
923 Views
13 yrs old.
- 13/12/2011 06:02:22 PM
1071 Views
Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others
- 13/12/2011 10:27:59 PM
957 Views
Re: Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others
- 13/12/2011 10:37:41 PM
817 Views
Probably just a difference in perspective. Kids sneaking a vehicle for a jor ride is pretty common.
- 15/12/2011 03:51:30 AM
948 Views
It must be harder to overcome that natural fear in NYC.
- 13/12/2011 06:44:28 PM
894 Views
Isn't it traditional to fail your first test? Or is that just around here?
- 13/12/2011 08:14:01 PM
916 Views
I wouldn't think so
- 13/12/2011 08:25:36 PM
807 Views
It's rare to pass on the first try here. (according to driving instructor)
- 13/12/2011 09:44:39 PM
973 Views
I know Texas talked about doing away with it because the failure rate was so low
- 14/12/2011 03:15:11 AM
862 Views
I wonder how many people that have been driving for years and years would fail if they had to take
- 14/12/2011 12:03:55 AM
876 Views
Oh I think most people with years' worth of driving experience be fine.
- 14/12/2011 12:27:09 AM
1071 Views
I was even rather nervous about taking lessons and failed my first
- 14/12/2011 08:30:25 AM
1023 Views
I love driving.
- 14/12/2011 03:24:59 PM
941 Views
Me, too.
- 18/12/2011 04:31:29 AM
853 Views
Did you ever attend a driving school? *NM*
- 14/12/2011 05:29:33 PM
411 Views
I don't think so.
- 15/12/2011 05:22:09 AM
957 Views
Yes, you did.
- 15/12/2011 04:44:48 PM
858 Views
That's not a sign.
- 14/12/2011 05:29:36 PM
921 Views
Whoa.
- 15/12/2011 07:21:52 AM
955 Views
Fewer cars on the road. Fewer double-parked cars. *NM*
- 15/12/2011 06:25:21 PM
350 Views
Also, you can tell when there's someone around the corner, because of the headlights.
- 19/12/2011 04:18:26 PM
911 Views
Oooh, that's a good point.
- 19/12/2011 05:17:16 PM
1027 Views
It's more pronounced and important in the countryside where there are no streetlights.
- 19/12/2011 05:51:25 PM
1027 Views
In the country there are deer
- 20/12/2011 05:53:17 AM
919 Views
Oh yeah, forgot about those. We don't have that many left, and only up in the Highlands. *NM*
- 20/12/2011 10:18:41 AM
537 Views
Driving tests are far harder in the Netherlands, from what I understand
- 14/12/2011 05:34:38 PM
866 Views
For what it's worth NYC takes some getting used to.
- 14/12/2011 06:43:38 PM
742 Views
don't worry i fluffed my practical test up today
- 14/12/2011 08:24:56 PM
946 Views
I'm older than you 
and there's no way I would have willingly gotten behind the wheel at 17.
- 15/12/2011 05:12:29 AM
848 Views
and there's no way I would have willingly gotten behind the wheel at 17.
- 15/12/2011 05:12:29 AM
848 Views
I found driving nervewracking until I got to do it by myself. NZ has a great system, IMO.
- 15/12/2011 01:48:19 PM
784 Views
Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks.
- 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM
920 Views
- 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM
920 Views
Re: Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks.
- 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM
972 Views
- 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM
972 Views
No. But it is true that my risk aversion coefficient is too high.
- 17/12/2011 06:49:33 PM
771 Views
Isn't learning to drive in NYC sort of like
- 18/12/2011 04:21:47 AM
892 Views