Things parents made you do

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
edicehouse

edicehouse

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2011
Messages
3,517
Location
Suffolk, VA
I am watching American Pickers and they are doing something and it got me thinking. My grandparents raised me, and when I got my first vehicle, it had to be a standard. My grandfather was under the impression you had to know how to drive a stick.

Long story short, my grandmother taught me. . .

Years later I was working at a car dealership as a salesman, and to my surprise several others didn't know how to drive a stick.

What parent's lesson (teachings) did you think would be pointless, but ended up they were right. Or what about the ones you made your kids do?
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
When I was a teenager I thought everything they tried to teach me was pointless, I knew it all!:rolleyes: Not really, I wouldn't know where to begin. I think the most important thing my folks taught me was having a good work ethic. It got me pretty far in the workforce even though I didn't have a college education. I never thought I would use all they taught me but I bet I have used 99.9% of it at some time or other. Funny, my Dad made me and my brothers work. Everyday before he left for work, he left a list of things for us to have done by the time he got home. He wanted to keep us busy, that way he thought we wouldn't get into trouble. He wasn't a slave driver, but there was always work, but he played hard with us too. Lot's of hunting and fishing, working on cars, go-karts, etc. I had great parents.
 
My dad was a Marine so he could shine his shoes, polish brash and field strip a rifle. Since he was an officer he also knew where the mess was.

When my mom and dad met he was out of the Corp and a bookkeeper. He still had shiny shoes, a bright belt buckle and could field strip his mechanical pencil. Since he was single, he ate out a lot.

After they got married he had shiny shoes, a bright belt buckle and could field strip a baby and throw the diaper in the diaper pail. My mom cooked all his meals. If mom went out of town, we went out to eat and the dirty clothes piled up because he couldn't cook or do laundry.

By the time we were in high school, my mom made sure that all 4 of us kids knew did our own laundry, learned how to cook (and our dad taught us how to field strip our .22s). To this day I still do the majority of the cooking (my wife makes breakfast on the weekends) and do all my own laundry.
 
when I got my license, you either took your drivers test on a stick, or
your license had an 'automatic only' restriction on it. Nothing worse than
having a hot date and not being able to borrow the car because it's a
stick.. so we learned.
 
You mean to tell me they still make manual transmissions?:rolleyes::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
I know they few and far between these days. My son was just recently teaching his wife to drive his manual Jeep.
 
work ethic via axe, sledge and a maul for splitting fire wood. We learned to drive a stick because we would slip out and drive while no one was home. We have a ford courier truck.
 
Work - but they didn't learn

We taught our kids a work ethic - work came before play. We had a small general farm and our kids had chores to do before school and after supper.

We also required that they go to their own room and do their homework every night before TV was allowed.

We also encouraged them to be active in sports and other eatra curricular activities at school and they were.

We required that they maintained grades that were in keeping with their ability. And we made sure they knew that we knew how much ability they had (a lot).

They have all done well with their lives - but are teaching their children absolutely no work ethic at all even though they themselves have maintained what we taught them - they think their kids will "get" it just by observing mom and dad.
 
If it wasn't for traffic jams, I would prefer a standard over automatic...

The best thing my father taught me was to buy the best you can afford for the purpose at hand. Sometimes this means purchasing Harbor Freight tools if it's a one-time job, to saving until you can afford that quality car that will last 15 years without flinching.
 
Stick vs Auto

Both my wife and I learned to drive using 3 on the column - no other choice, that was the available cars were equiped with (No we did not have to get out and "crank" them to get them started.)

We've owned both automatics and sticks but today's sticks are so easy to use that there isn't a whole lot of difference. Our kids all drove both stick and auto - driver's ed was with auto's but at home there were both auto and stick.
 
Both my wife and I learned to drive using 3 on the column - no other choice, that was the available cars were equiped with (No we did not have to get out and "crank" them to get them started.)

We've owned both automatics and sticks but today's sticks are so easy to use that there isn't a whole lot of difference. At one point we had 6 or 7 straight vehicles that were manual transmissions and one semi-automatic. (when the kids were in college we owned as many as 5 vehicles at the same time.) Our kids all drove both stick and auto - driver's ed was with auto's but at home there were both auto and stick
 
edicehouse said:
I am watching American Pickers and they are doing something and it got me thinking. My grandparents raised me, and when I got my first vehicle, it had to be a standard. My grandfather was under the impression you had to know how to drive a stick.

Long story short, my grandmother taught me. . .

Years later I was working at a car dealership as a salesman, and to my surprise several others didn't know how to drive a stick.

What parent's lesson (teachings) did you think would be pointless, but ended up they were right. Or what about the ones you made your kids do?
Click to expand...

Are you talking about when the found the Fiat 500 cutaway? I was impressed to learn that at one time, you needed now how an internal combustion engine worked before getting your license. (In Italy)
 
I just bought a new car with a 5 speed manual transmission. It used to be that a manual transmission was standard and an automatic was the more costly option. Now a manual transmission is only on higher priced high performance sports cars.
 
It is so surprising how many young men do not kno how to drive standards on a construction site.... I have always drove a truck... My stepdaughter (17yo) wanted to know what the bars on the inside of my doors were....ummmmm window cranks... Lol
 
carlmorrell said:
edicehouse said:
I am watching American Pickers and they are doing something and it got me thinking. My grandparents raised me, and when I got my first vehicle, it had to be a standard. My grandfather was under the impression you had to know how to drive a stick.

Long story short, my grandmother taught me. . .

Years later I was working at a car dealership as a salesman, and to my surprise several others didn't know how to drive a stick.

What parent's lesson (teachings) did you think would be pointless, but ended up they were right. Or what about the ones you made your kids do?
Click to expand...

Are you talking about when the found the Fiat 500 cutaway? I was impressed to learn that at one time, you needed now how an internal combustion engine worked before getting your license. (In Italy)
Click to expand...

Yep that is the exact one
 
edicehouse said:
What parent's lesson (teachings) did you think would be pointless, but ended up they were right. Or what about the ones you made your kids do?
Click to expand...

I can remember sitting in class in 7th grade learning how to Type on manual and the high tech "electric typewriter " I remember thinking how silly this was because I knew that I would never have a job where I had to type.
Guess what, even though it was YEARS later that computers came out in full force, I still knew how to type. I always think of this when I see coworkers pecking with one finger on the keyboard at work.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
Dad taught me to drive a stick. He taught my sisters to drive automatics. I taught my wife to drive a stick and then taught both my kids to drive standards.

Today, neither of my sisters can drive standard transmission cars and neither can their kids. My daughter drives a 5-speed Scion C, my son drives a 5-speed Honda Accord and my wife and I drive an automatic Buick Enclave AND and 5-speed BMW Z4.

My dad also "suggested" I join the Navy Reserves when I turned 17. Best thing I ever did. When I went to OCS, rather than being paid as a 'boot' candidate, I was paid as a candidate with 6-years prior service. Always had that larger fogey throughout my career. Retired in '88.
 
walshjp17 said:
Dad taught me to drive a stick. He taught my sisters to drive automatics. I taught my wife to drive a stick and then taught both my kids to drive standards.

Today, neither of my sisters can drive standard transmission cars and neither can their kids. My daughter drives a 5-speed Scion C, my son drives a 5-speed Honda Accord and my wife and I drive an automatic Buick Enclave AND and 5-speed BMW Z4.

My dad also "suggested" I join the Navy Reserves when I turned 17. Best thing I ever did. When I went to OCS, rather than being paid as a 'boot' candidate, I was paid as a candidate with 6-years prior service. Always had that larger fogey throughout my career. Retired in '88.
Click to expand...
One of the very few times my dad ever overruled my mother was when I said I was going to join the Navy at 17 - mom said no - I was going to college. My dad said "Nellie, if he wants to join the Service like all of his brothers he can join and if you don't want to sign for him I will." Turned out to be a great move for me as well.
 
I learned to drive and both a manual and auto. I drove a manual for many years and a funny thing happens when you are use to driving a manual and for some reason you have to drive a vehicle with a automatic and make a panic stop. I wonder if anyone who has done this can tell those who have not.
 
I drove a stick alittle in the National Guard in the 80's on the jeeps and such. All my cars have been autos. When I was getting to retire from the Navy I got my CDL at a truckdriving school in Orange Park Florida. I never used it but still know how to drive the 13 gears..
 
My parents made me help my Dad in every remodeling project or building project he did around the house. Even though my mother was determined that I was going to a 4 year college, she made sure there was an Industrial Arts class on my schedule from the 7th grade on. I regret that I stayed away from electrical work, but I'm sure glad I was there to learn how to use and use properly hand and power tools and how to frame a house and do major remodel projects around my own house.
I grew up in a small farming community and now live in a large metropolitan area. I'm amazed at how little kids these days know about basic carpentry. I'm amazed that because we've become a pansy and sue happy society, that the metro area schools don't even offer Industrial Arts Ed classes.
My boys are forced to help when I do projects. All three of them would rather not. My youngest is the one that wanted to turn pens. He's very gun shy of a lot of the tools. It's been hard for me to fathom as I was 8-9yrs old when I was using all of the power tools in my Dad's shop.
 
When it comes to learning to drive a stick.... I learned on a construction dump truck with my buddy teaching me at 15 years old. My parents were in shock when I asked to borrow the Mustang with a stick. They said sure, figuring I couldn't even get it started, let alone in gear. I laughed backing it out of the drive and tearing down the street like a bat out of Hell.
 
Dad was an inspector for a construction engineering group. He took every opportunity to get us on every piece of equipment and show us how to operate it even if we only moved it ten feet. Bull dozers, road graders, road compactors, drag buckets, etc. I went to college in IT instead of taking his advice to go into engineering. Looking back he was most likely right.
 
Band Saw Box said:
I learned to drive and both a manual and auto. I drove a manual for many years and a funny thing happens when you are use to driving a manual and for some reason you have to drive a vehicle with a automatic and make a panic stop. I wonder if anyone who has done this can tell those who have not.
Click to expand...

Going for the clutch and its not there:confused:
 
learning to drive a standard should be a requirement to get a drivers license. it is like learning to ride a bike, you never know when you will need to do it.
 
I dont have the time or space to list everying my parents taught me that has been useful, but lets just say that anytime something breaks or i want to remodel, create, or design something my parents are very likely to get a phone call!

I learned how to drive at 15 on my 1972 chevy short bed with a "3 on the tree" transmission. It has since been converted to an auto, but i was the only one that knew the trick to get that thing into 2nd gear...it always had its quirks but i still get a good laugh every time i think about my wife trying to push the clutch and she hit her head on the back window as she stood up on it and it didnt go to the floor!
 
Like most older guys, I learned on a 3 speed trans. A '55 chev. In my opinion, one gets a better "feel" for the road in a manual shift. I went from the 3 speed to a 4 speed '59 TR-3.

BTW, has anyone tried going in reverse, double clutch, then shifting down into low gear, then just have the rear tires bounce til the forward gear catches hold. Dumb, but I liked to do dumb experiments when I was 16. Never tore out a gear though and don't know why not
Russ
 
Band Saw Box said:
I learned to drive and both a manual and auto. I drove a manual for many years and a funny thing happens when you are use to driving a manual and for some reason you have to drive a vehicle with a automatic and make a panic stop. I wonder if anyone who has done this can tell those who have not.
Click to expand...

I traded in my mustang (auto) for a Jeep Liberty (standard), by this time I had already got my wife her Neon (auto). Well I always drove the Jeep, and I know what you mean when I went to drive the neon, a couple times my wife asks what I was doing when I went to shift the Neon.:laugh:
 
Being from chicago learning to drive in the snow is a must, just like all places that snow. My dad would take me to an empty lot and have me practice correcting fish tails, hydroplaning, and any other common loss of control scenarios. I am truly grateful for it because that training has saved me on countless occasions.
 
Living when I was young, in the Poconos one needed to know about ice patches and skids....Suprising how many people never learned if a stick goes into a skid on ice or hydroplanes on water, hit the clutch first and back off the gas pedal - leave the brake alone
 
Smitty37 said:
Living when I was young, in the Poconos one needed to know about ice patches and skids....Suprising how many people never learned if a stick goes into a skid on ice or hydroplanes on water, hit the clutch first and back off the gas pedal - leave the brake alone
Click to expand...

Actually Smitty, you don't want to be "free-wheeling" on ice/water. Just get off gas and slowly, very slowly, turn wheels into the direction of the skid. No down shifting either.
 
Most times when driving a standard you only need the clutch when starting, after that you don't need the clutch. I first learned how to drive a standard and use a clutch when I drove the tractor. You didn't have to shift on the go but it was a start, then 3 on the tree, then a close ratio 4 speed where you got leg cramps if the light was red for too long then to an automatic. You never do forget how to drive a standard not matter how many gears. Large trucks used to have a 5 & 4 where you had to shift by putting your hand through the steering wheel and shifting both transmissions at the same time. If you could shift those you were considered a truck driver. Then came the 13 speed, 15 speed and now 18 speed manuals. Many large trucks now come with automatics because its easier on the engines and more economical for the companies.
 
Smitty37 said:
(No we did not have to get out and "crank" them to get them started.)

.
Click to expand...

you should have seen the looks on the people watching me crank my Citroen in the grocery store parking lot when I came out and discovered the battery was dead. It was a 1976, but it still had a crank you could hand start it with.

Sharon
 
One of the very few times my dad ever overruled my mother was when I said I was going to join the Navy at 17 - mom said no - I was going to college. My dad said "Nellie, if he wants to join the Service like all of his brothers he can join and if you don't want to sign for him I will." Turned out to be a great move for me as well.[/quote]

We had the same conversation when I wanted to join the WAC just out of high school. We had moved to a new state my senior year, and I hadn't been in-state long enough to qualify for scholarships. So I went into the Army, and later went to school on the GI Bill. It was a great move on my part. I was 18 years old and it was a great way to have a well supervised transition to being on my own. I was stationed at the Pentagon and West Point. Met my husband in the service.
 
monark88 said:
Smitty37 said:
Living when I was young, in the Poconos one needed to know about ice patches and skids....Suprising how many people never learned if a stick goes into a skid on ice or hydroplanes on water, hit the clutch first and back off the gas pedal - leave the brake alone
Click to expand...

Actually Smitty, you don't want to be "free-wheeling" on ice/water. Just get off gas and slowly, very slowly, turn wheels into the direction of the skid. No down shifting either.
Click to expand...
With an auomatic I agree, just back off the gas. On a manual, I disagree...you do want to remove power from the wheels where it is serving no useful purpose. Learned that 60 years ago and it always worked for me..
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
ribanett said:
Band Saw Box said:
I learned to drive and both a manual and auto. I drove a manual for many years and a funny thing happens when you are use to driving a manual and for some reason you have to drive a vehicle with a automatic and make a panic stop. I wonder if anyone who has done this can tell those who have not.
Click to expand...

Going for the clutch and its not there:confused:
Click to expand...

You reach for the clutch and catch that WIDE brake pedal and try to push it clear to the floorboard! Hope everyone is well seat-belted in!

Sharon
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom