# My son's drivers ed teacher, am I out of line? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501 "2000-11-16T19:39:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hflathead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@hflathead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hflathead)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/1 "2000-11-16T19:39:54Z")
I’ve banged my head against this teacher before, but this time I went to the principal. He has an exercise that he uses for “communication”. With two 15 year old students in the car, he puts a paper bag over the drivers head and has the passenger tell the driver where on the course to go. The instructor is NOT in the car. I feel this sends too many wrong messages to the student, that you can drive impaired, or operate a vehicle without a full view, or depend on another persons judgement, not to mention the possiblility for an accident. I called around to see if this was an approved teaching method, and the Lt. at the highway Patrol was in disbelief, along with the Fla. Safety Council. The National Transportation Safety Council was a joke! Can anyone see this as a good thing. later, Tom ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/2 "2000-11-16T20:07:40Z")
I suppose the point might be that you really _can’t_ drive impaired/poor vision/being directed. It sounds like far too dangerous a lesson, though. ---
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/3 "2000-11-16T20:13:24Z")
It sounds really dangerous to me. There are plenty of exercises that teach communication skills that don’t require you to risk your life. My child would be out of that class in two seconds. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/4 "2000-11-16T20:53:28Z")
notify the insurance carrier. The school has public records. Whoever is insuring the cars used in the driver’s ed need to be informed that the instructor is putting them at risk. Even if they’re just driving around a parking lot, there’s risk of damage to the vehicles and the passengers. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/5 "2000-11-16T22:50:42Z")
It sounds like an exceptionally bad idea–teaching trust is fine in the proper setting, but I can see no way that this is improving their driving skills. To drive, you need good vision, good reflexes, good judgment. This teacher needs to practice his “team-building” exercises elsewhere, not on the driver-ed course. If you don’t get a response from the principal, go over his/her head. This is foolish and dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/6 "2000-11-16T23:30:42Z")
Wring comes through again. Good idea. Notify people. A lot of them. I can’t imagine that anyone would think that this is a good idea. Kids that age aren’t known for their outstanding driving habits at the best of times, nevermind depending on another teenager for directions. Surely there are better ways of demonstrating effective communication without putting people at physical risk. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/7 "2000-11-17T02:13:31Z")
That might be a good exercise if both kids are WALKING. Sounds to me like the teacher needs to put HIS head in a bag…a plastic bag… ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2000, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/8 "2000-11-17T02:18:20Z")
no, you are not out of line. good grief, get this teacher taken out of the drivers ed. class any way you can, as quick as you can. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/9 "2000-11-18T02:46:42Z")
Um…hello? How can they do that? Besides, can you just SEE some Beavis and Butthead types going out and trying it on their own? ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/10 "2000-11-18T17:17:05Z")
I can’t see how any rational person can see any point to this sort of an exercise. However, I’d accept it if the teacher’s own car is being used for the exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-sons-drivers-ed-teacher-am-i-out-of-line/41501/11 "2000-11-18T20:54:16Z")
In PA, DE cars have a brake on the passenger’s side.