Driver's Ed

[Ted Lybarger]

I'm a Driver's Ed instructor in Ohio and was wondering if a Lotus would make a good car to learn on. It seems pretty light weight and easy to handle. It's also very cute so it won't intimidate the girls. It seems a little dinky to me. Doesn't have too much power so the kids couldn't do too much harm. What do you guys think?

[2011 chrome orange]

[addertooth]

Lotus plus inexperienced driver most likely equals expensive damage for minor errors. Please research the snap oversteer issues which happen with rear/mid engined cars with rear wheel drive. For an experienced driver, these characteristics can be exploited for throttle/brake steering, and rotating the car around fast turns. For a novice/panicked driver who tags the brakes in a turn, they are a disaster waiting to eat insurance premiums. Put a novice driver in a Miata instead, it is a far more forgiving car, with more easilly approached limits. The Miata is cheaper to fix as well. BTW, I appreciate your creativity in trying to get the school system to buy you a Lotus.

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by Ted Lybarger

I'm a Driver's Ed instructor in Ohio and was wondering if a Lotus would make a good car to learn on. It seems pretty light weight and easy to handle. It's also very cute so it won't intimidate the girls. It seems a little dinky to me. Doesn't have too much power so the kids couldn't do too much harm. What do you guys think?

It doesn't have that much power... but it doesn't have that much weight either...

Originally Posted by addertooth

Lotus plus inexperienced driver most likely equals expensive damage for minor errors. Please research the snap oversteer issues which happen with rear/mid engined cars with rear wheel drive. For an experienced driver, these characteristics can be exploited for throttle/brake steering, and rotating the car around fast turns. For a novice/panicked driver who tags the brakes in a turn, they are a disaster waiting to eat insurance premiums. Put a novice driver in a Miata instead, it is a far more forgiving car, with more easilly approached limits. The Miata is cheaper to fix as well. BTW, I appreciate your creativity in trying to get the school system to buy you a Lotus.

^ what he said

[wadesun]

Absolutely not. Visibility is an issue, many SUV's and trucks won't even see you. I have an Elise and quite frequently people will drive out right in front of you or change lanes without even seeing you, you'll need to drive defensively and always be "on the horn" when other cars are near you. Also, when you drive in a Lotus, you cannot see your blind spot by looking over-the-shoulder, I have both my side mirrors adjusted to compensate for this, and also stick my head forward, almost to the steering wheel, before looking over my shoulder, to double-check my blind spot before switching lanes. So, the answer is obviously NO, not a good driver's education car. You have to be a well-seasoned driver to drive a Lotus, beginners are just accidents waiting to happen.

[driftwood]

Originally Posted by Ted Lybarger

I'm a Driver's Ed instructor in Ohio and was wondering if a Lotus would make a good car to learn on. It seems pretty light weight and easy to handle. It's also very cute so it won't intimidate the girls. It seems a little dinky to me. Doesn't have too much power so the kids couldn't do too much harm. What do you guys think?

are you trolling us?

because guys dont say 'cute'.

[RENDERMAN]

Originally Posted by driftwood

are you trolling us?

because guys dont say 'cute'.

Or OMG!

[Heavyweight]

LOL

[Heavyweight]

just go to google and type in wrecked lotus. that will save everyone here a lot of time.

[drchris1]

[Me!]

Hahahaha! This is clearly a joke!

Wow... This forum has clearly lost their sense of humor!! ...Not that I'm surprised as we get a 16 year old asking how well it will work as a commuter car!

I think it would make a great drivers ed car! Students would be forced to learn manual transmission, and parallel parking would take on a whole new meaning when they owe the instructor an additional $5,000 for bumping into the car behind! Clearly an Elise is the perfect drivers ed car! Not to mention they can learn all about lift off oversteer! I say do it!

[Ted Lybarger]

Well, I thought I could put some bumper-bullys on it to prevent minor damage. I've seen those were really effective when I was at a conference in NYC. I also thought the driving challenges of a compact vehicle in a closed parking lot would produce more competent drivers when they transition back to their parent's regular sized vehicles.
And I'm glad to see people having a good laugh at this, but thinking out of the box is what makes progress. I consider it a personal endeavor to increase the quality of the average American Driver. Although your criticism is welcome. I appreciate all the comments! Thanks for your support Poster "ME."

[JavierBayArea]

LOL you ARE serious!!!!.

Look here man, go rent an Elise, and try to get a fat or tall guy to fit in it. Or try to get a girl to get out of it without showing her underwear.

If you succeed!, well go on then, buy one!

You'll make millions!, besides, everyone wants to learn to drive stick shift!

[tonymaples806]

Just because you have a different plane of thought doesn't mean your thinking outside the box. Just one small accident can be fatal. If you survive, the car will most likely be totaled. We all appreciate the laugh we have gotten out of this (whether intentional or not) but your best choice to do what you want is a Miata. Very cheap, similar weight and horsepower, it has all the characteristics your wanting, minus the $9000 front clam and the issues associated with novice drivers in a mid engine car.

[TyMurray]

[chobbs]

I can't see this working for straight Driver's Ed for the reasons already mentioned. However, it would be nice if there was a decent continuing education program for people aside from track schools. A few years of experience on the road, and then hone the skills in the Lotus.

Perhaps you could change the quality of our average American driver working with that more experienced twenty-something aged user base. There are probably much better cars to use for this purpose, but as a business I could see the looks of the Lotus being a huge boost.

- Chris

[agirls]

A serious answer...

When I took driver's education as a teenager, a manual transmission was not offered. This car only comes in a manual transmission. The clutch and transmission are not fun to change and I'm not sure this car would be the best choice to learn how to drive a manual with.

Visibility is a big issue. When I first bought the car, I could not see crap around me. It took several readjustments of my mirrors to get them just right. I have an intercooler that blocks the tiny rear window so rely completely on my side mirrors.

The car gets WAY too much attention from other drivers and pedestrians. I have been tailgated, cut off, paced, etc so people can get their camera phone pictures. My boyfriend HATES to have to follow me in another vehicle because he gets stuck with dealing with the idiot drivers. I don't think a beginner would know how to deal with this safely and they would also be hugely distracted by the other drivers.

The cabin noise can be loud.

A simple mistake can be costly to fix.

I don't even want to know how much an insurance premium would be to insure a Lotus for a driver's ed school.

I am a girl, I think the car is incredible cute, and was hugely terrified and intimidated of the car when I drove it home from the dealership, so there goes your theory.

In a nutshell, I do not think this would be a great car for a beginner school. It would be a great publicity stunt though. Maybe a car for your very best students as an award? Still risky though.

[fitfan]

Originally Posted by Heavyweight

LOL

LOL

on this - we agree!!

[The_Greg]

Just make sure you have a couple of Go-Pros on the car. You're bound to get some great footage!

[sizzflair]

yes, use it if you want to pick up some 15-16year old girls.


LOL