Tried to stand my ground.
01-13-2014, 08:29 AM
#121
Melting Slicks
Since your mother in law is not on the insurance she cant drive it because if she has an accident you will be dropped........
Tell her that........
If you let her drive it, next will be her best friend Betty....then her personal trainer Mike aka "The Bulge"
See where I am going with this?
Trust me...for your wife it's not about letting her mother drive your car.....it wont stop there......
Tell her that........
If you let her drive it, next will be her best friend Betty....then her personal trainer Mike aka "The Bulge"
See where I am going with this?
Trust me...for your wife it's not about letting her mother drive your car.....it wont stop there......
Last edited by Hemi Dave; 01-13-2014 at 10:30 AM.
01-13-2014, 10:48 AM
#122
Instructor
It's impressive the range of answers the question generated, all the way from A) 'you should divorce your wife from even asking' to various forms of B) 'you're a wuss for not letting someone else drive'.
Part of the reason is that OP did not fully qualify the request, and that set off the Camp A crowd, that seemed to think the wife was asking OP to let the mother in-law have the car, no restrictions, so she could make runs to the casino or something. In reality, I think the request was 'can you let her drive it around the block?'
I say let her do it. Since her stick driving skills are pretty untested, it should be:
a) take her to a very big parking lot.
b) put the car in WEATHER mode
c) turn on Rev Matching
And then let her try it. Have a 'three stalls' rule.
01-13-2014, 11:14 AM
#123
Ok guys, this situation just arose today and didn't work out well for me. So my wife and I were driving today in the manual Z51 C7 and her mother in coming to visit next week. Then out of the blue she says her mother wants to drive the car. My first reaction/words were, "NO!" and was steadfast with that contention. So, the argument ensued and it ended with me just saying, "Fine, do whatever" etc...
Her mother is about 60 and is pretty frail...about 100 pounds. The wife kept saying, "she always had a stick when we were growing up" but that was some beater 80s ford escort 4 banger. Plus, the last time she drove a stick is probably over 10 years.
The wife kept saying things like, "it's just a car" and "it's not that special" blah blah blah. Of course it's just a possession and I'm sure nothing will happen but I'm still not comfortable with it. If it was one of my buds who I know can handle a stick really well then I wouldn't mind. But someone who has only driven beater stick shift cars 30 years ago...I don't think so.
I just pussed out and gave in but still don't want her touching it. What's the right play here? Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Her mother is about 60 and is pretty frail...about 100 pounds. The wife kept saying, "she always had a stick when we were growing up" but that was some beater 80s ford escort 4 banger. Plus, the last time she drove a stick is probably over 10 years.
The wife kept saying things like, "it's just a car" and "it's not that special" blah blah blah. Of course it's just a possession and I'm sure nothing will happen but I'm still not comfortable with it. If it was one of my buds who I know can handle a stick really well then I wouldn't mind. But someone who has only driven beater stick shift cars 30 years ago...I don't think so.
I just pussed out and gave in but still don't want her touching it. What's the right play here? Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks.
01-13-2014, 11:24 AM
#124
Melting Slicks
Happy wife happy life...BS.....
I say if I am happy my life will be happy.......
By the way I would like to borrow your house....it's not the white house
01-13-2014, 11:40 AM
#125
Safety Car
I wonder how a lot of people who are saying "go ahead, just let her drive it" would react if faced with the same situation. I have a feeling that a lot of their real life reactions would be different than their internet advice.
01-13-2014, 12:25 PM
#126
Instructor
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However, the OP's wife was wrong at least in her approach. The OP clearly does not think his car is just a car. Therefore her response was not reasonable. I wonder if she is always this way to the OP?
Clearly the OP does not want to raise more tension. My suggestion is talking to the MIL privately. There is always a chance the MIL is more reasonable than her daughter
If unlike her daughter, the MIL truely respects his car, and it has been her dream to drive it at least once in her life, the OP would be obligated to make it happen.
There is no more satisfying than sharing your joy and care with someone else, as long as that someone else is truly going to share the same joy and care with you.
If this question is raised in a BMW forum about a leased M5, I bet the responses would be the opposite, the majority would say it is just a car, let her drive it
But it makes no difference. This is about mutual respect. If that someone respects your wish, you should respect hers. The details can always be worked out to address the concerns.
Last edited by C7Amaybe; 01-13-2014 at 12:31 PM.
01-13-2014, 12:55 PM
#128
Drifting
First let me qualify by saying that I am single. It's on purpose to avoid stupid sh-t like this. That does not mean I don't have an opinion. If the OP bought the car for himself as a treat to have fun on weekends and it is really important to him then I get it. He should express that to his wife and that should be the end of it. However, I also get that a marriage is a partnership and his wife owns half the car so she has some say.
I'll bet this isn't any of the above but simply a power play for "mom". I say let her drive the car. Toss her the keys like you don't care or you really do love her and I'll bet she won't even drive it. Hell, if she wrecks it, insurance will pay and you can get a new one. I wouldn't go with her though. Why put yourself through that? Good luck!
I'll bet this isn't any of the above but simply a power play for "mom". I say let her drive the car. Toss her the keys like you don't care or you really do love her and I'll bet she won't even drive it. Hell, if she wrecks it, insurance will pay and you can get a new one. I wouldn't go with her though. Why put yourself through that? Good luck!
01-13-2014, 01:08 PM
#129
Burning Brakes
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01-13-2014, 01:34 PM
#130
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2007
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
01-13-2014, 01:48 PM
#131
Burning Brakes
the Corvette can intimidate people with its size, sound and seating position.
I bet she gets in it, can't see above the dash, hears the roar, and wimps out.
You're safe!
I bet she gets in it, can't see above the dash, hears the roar, and wimps out.
You're safe!
01-13-2014, 02:01 PM
#133
01-13-2014, 02:04 PM
#134
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jun 2004
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Do a Google search on Betty Skelton. She past away last year, very fast behind the wheel of a corvette and a hell of a pilot.
It's just a car. and a chebby at that. get over yourself. give the old gal something to remember. I let my newphew and nieces drive my car, they will always remember it. even when the car is long gone.
man, some of the corvette owners are just jerks. don't let her drive it and that's what she will always remember.....
and as lou giggilotti, says "in 50 years it wont matter"
It's just a car. and a chebby at that. get over yourself. give the old gal something to remember. I let my newphew and nieces drive my car, they will always remember it. even when the car is long gone.
man, some of the corvette owners are just jerks. don't let her drive it and that's what she will always remember.....
and as lou giggilotti, says "in 50 years it wont matter"
01-13-2014, 02:37 PM
#135
Since I have no idea of the relationship of your wife, her mother, or either of their driving abilities, or if your henpecked I'm not going to ride your *** about that.
Never answer a woman fast. in fact it could have been avoided if. .. Oh.. why does she want to drive it? maybe she just wants to say she drove one. if so find a big flat spot with nothing in it. and let her drive it around a bit.. not likely she will screw it up in that situation. if she thinks it's going to be her towning around car while she's visiting that's another story.
Corvettes are hard to drive, they have a lot of blind spots, the clutch can be tricky. I have an MGW shifter in my car. .. a third of the non driving idiots that even play with the shifter don't think they can drive the car.. i know a stock car isn't as troublesome as a modified one. but still, politely point out to your wife some of the difficulties. and of course... I don't want anything to happen to the car because I don't want to hate your mother for the rest of her life. ... now if you feel way i do about my future mother in law .. "no... F'her let her buy her own damn car"
Never answer a woman fast. in fact it could have been avoided if. .. Oh.. why does she want to drive it? maybe she just wants to say she drove one. if so find a big flat spot with nothing in it. and let her drive it around a bit.. not likely she will screw it up in that situation. if she thinks it's going to be her towning around car while she's visiting that's another story.
Corvettes are hard to drive, they have a lot of blind spots, the clutch can be tricky. I have an MGW shifter in my car. .. a third of the non driving idiots that even play with the shifter don't think they can drive the car.. i know a stock car isn't as troublesome as a modified one. but still, politely point out to your wife some of the difficulties. and of course... I don't want anything to happen to the car because I don't want to hate your mother for the rest of her life. ... now if you feel way i do about my future mother in law .. "no... F'her let her buy her own damn car"
01-13-2014, 02:39 PM
#136
I am also of the mind that I let people drive my car ( selectively of course) and give rides.. because it has made so many peoples day, and that look on their face is priceless.
01-13-2014, 03:40 PM
#139
you know the difference between inlaws and outlaws?
outlaws are wanted.
Man argues with spitting goat - YouTube
outlaws are wanted.
Man argues with spitting goat - YouTube
01-13-2014, 03:59 PM
#140
Racer
Totally agree with this post. She isn't going to wreck it. So what is has 400hp, it doesn't mean you have to use it all to drive the thing around the block (it's not a rocket). It's not even that punchy. I could see your point if it had a switch instead of a throttle, but it doesn't.