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driving practice — Brooklynian

driving practice

maggiepc
maggiepc
edited November -1 in Park Slope

Can anyone recommend a good place for someone who is just learning to drive (with a brand new learner's permit)to practice? He is in Park Slope and would like to stay fairly close. Any parking lots available at night, for example? Any low-traffic areas, etc? Thanks.

Comments

  • stacey
    stacey

    Pathmark on Hamilton ave. Also the back of the ball fields in Red Hook.

    (I think Red Hook is where the DMV driving test is also)

  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior

    don't do it :p. you live in a reality connected area of nyc :p. only folks should have cars are in the boonies and need it to transport crap around.

    I second redhook plus thats where you do the road test anyway :P.

  • maggiepc
    maggiepc

    thanks. good suggestions. wouldn't even think of doing it if the student driver did not work in bergen county. F train to port authority followed by an NJ transit bus every day is getting old. driving will cut the one-way commute down to one hour from two.

  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen

    Red Hook is a good idea. If it's not the weekend, the Ikea parking lot would be great. I think it's basically empty most of the time.

  • idlewild
    idlewild

    Windsor Terrace may be a good choice. East/north of PPW on the side streets presents good practice opportunities such as stop signs on hills, parallel parking, dealing with bike lanes, U & K Turns. I practiced in Red Hook, DUMBO & Kent Avenue way back when. But those days of having the streets and neighborhoods to yourself are gone. 2nd Avenue between 37th Street and 70th Street may be a good alternative as well. Floyd Bennett Field, although it's on the other end of Flatbush Avenue, is usually open to automobile traffic. You have a ton of abandoned airport at your disposal. I would really suggest Canarsie and East NY. But they're a distance away and you really have to know the streets to not get lost over there.

  • pragmaticguy
    pragmaticguy

    No one should be practicing their driving until they have a few lessons with a driving school under their belt. You will not have a dual control car and you don't know how well he'll be able to steer, brake or accelerate. My suggestion is get hooked up with a driving school for at least 6 lessons. Remember, driving is more than going forward. There's parking and turning and knowing what to look out for (like errant bicyclists). Then at least he'll be able to put a few miles on the street and see how quickly he can get used to looking for things he hasn't bothered to look out for before.

  • idlewild
    idlewild

    Don't you get your learner's permit after a few driving lessons and a written?

  • maggiepc
    maggiepc

    thanks everyone. all good ideas. he has had some driving school lessons and will have more but feels that he needs a quieter area in which to practice. one only needs to pass a written test to get a learner's permit.

  • dance rehearsal
    dance rehearsal

    I suggest 5th Avenue in Park Slope. Saturday around midday.

  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior

    you know what made me learn fast was driving in Manhattan crazy bus driving school lol. crazy and scary as hell when learning to drive a bus in Manhattan full of crazy drivers :p. sobers you right up.

  • idlewild
    idlewild

    My first car was a '79 Accord LX Hatchback. With a 5 Speed manual. Easy enough to practice in Pa. where I went to school. A big pain in the ass entering Manhattan from the Holland. I kept stalling out because I couldn't coordinate clutch & gas. Especially with all the stop & go.

  • ringrunner
    ringrunner

    Red Hook might be an attractive place to practice, but....

    It is illegal to practice driving in a DMV road test area.

    http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/broch/c28.htm

  • maggiepc
    maggiepc

    wow! interesting...thanks.

  • jarvis
    jarvis

    I just went through this myself. Yes, please be careful not to drive in a test zone. Parts of Red Hook are not in the zone but it's a little difficult to find out the exact borders. I would highly suggest U.S. Auto school in downtown BK because they have extensive knowledge of what will and won't be on the exam in Brooklyn specifially. They also take you to places that are similar to the test zone so you can get a feel for it. As for practicing, I did most of mine in Queens - Northern Boulevard, Corona, etc.. where there are fewer pedestrians and a lot of quieter streets. In Brooklyn, 2nd and 3rd avenues and Greenwood work well.

  • maggiepc
    maggiepc

    thanks, jarvis! very helpful.

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