Ford Driving Skills For Life Program

[MedigoFlame]

This probably isn't that much of an interesting thread, but yesterday, I participated in the Ford driving event. (don't feel like typing out the full name of the program, just look at the title.) Basically some professional drivers come to schools to teach teenagers to the risks of...driving. We all know about this, I know that I don't really feel safe even walking through the parking lot of my school when there's some that drive with little intelligence. Back to the subject, students sign up to participate in the event and learn about safe driving. There were three tests in total in the event. First was driving the US-Spec Ford Fiesta (in green) around a small course a couple times, then doing it again wearing "drunk" goggles or known as impaired goggles. (I think) Next is driving a Ford Focus around a course made up of cones, "simulating real life," somehow. Two laps, then the next time we have to drive the course again while being distracted by texting on our cellphones. Problem for me is the fact that I don't have a cellphone at all. So it was actually my first time...urh...texting. At last, the test that most kids probably signed up for was the Ford Mustang test. It was a test of car control, to see if you could countersteer when getting oversteer in a rear wheel drive car. The Mustang was lifted in the rear by small wheels to give the car less tire contact to the tarmac so it was easier to oversteer. I will admit, I may have done powersliding rather than just correcting the oversteer. The instructor actually told me it was something harder than what he was trying to teach me. Felt good... For photos of the event, I really wanted to get some, but I forgot to bring my camera... Sorry folks. Luckily though, during our session, the news station did come to do a report on the event...so there is a video. Not sure if it is very relevant to many on this forum, but I'd say it's something worth mentioning. I'm sure there are some on this forum who are still learning to drive. Tell me what you think. ^_^

Here's the link to the news report on the event. (Note: I believe around 8 seconds in the video was my powerslide... And around 11 seconds...my backpack is on the news!!! Yay! /s)
http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/172839/314/Teens-take-driving-skills-challenge

If this is in the wrong forum than please move it, I do apologize if it is.

 

[Bottoz]

Good Job, and congrats for completing this event.

 

[Cowboys965]

Cool, I didn't see the video though, only saw a story

 

[MedigoFlame]

Thanks! It was for people who already had their license, so don't think of it as a license test. ^_^;;; Not sure why the video's not really working for you. :/

 

[Cowboys965]

Thanks! It was for people who already had their license, so don't think of it as a license test. ^_^;;; Not sure why the video's not really working for you. :/

I'm on my iPod

 

[MedigoFlame]

I'm on my iPod

Oh! Ok, I was worried that it was some kind of thing that wouldn't allow it to be viewed outside of state or something.

 

[Crispy]

That'd be awesome if they came to somewhere here! Congrats!

 

[Joey D]

When I was working at the hospital before I was laid off I worked on a very small committee to introduce the program into our health education. We often had teenagers come in who had been in fairly bad car accidents and we felt this would help them understand the importance of road safety. I upload several videos provided to us by the program to the interactive patient care system installed in all the rooms so that they could be shown to the patients that needed it.

I think the program is excellent and sends a great message for both for road safety and for Ford in general. I do think it's ridiculous we have to have programs like this though, if driving students were actually taught properly we wouldn't have the need for a major automarker step up to take the place of what already should have been learned. I am glad we do have supplemental programs like this and I know if I was younger I would want to participate for sure.