| Author | Message | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 103 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159  Rating: N/A |
How many Wives out there are also driving the bus, Want to, or are female owners. Just wondered because my wife is a driver also, easy to fight fatigue if we have to go far. We never hear about the other side. Dave (Message edited by chrome_dome on October 08, 2010) | ||
| Larry Nelson (Larryn4106)
Registered Member Username: Larryn4106 Post Number: 69 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 173.30.184.206 Rating: N/A |
This is a real issue with me. We graduated from a GMC Motorhome and my wife loved that rig (so did I). She has never warmed up to the bus after 8 years. She will never drive it (too big and spicer is not her cup of tea). I might end back up with another GMC. I will NEVER have a stick and staple rig. | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 104 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159 Rating: N/A |
Larry; Mine drove deuce and 1/2's in the Army but that was 27 years ago. We both like driving big stuff and tractors etc. Old Kids! But it is funny because when our friends come over which We were converting it and they saw the new seats finally in. They would automatically make the statement, pointing at the passenger seat and say that, "the wife's seat is finally in". We just look at each other and crack up and say everyone knows we never fight(We've been together for 25 years and life is to short) and that will be the first one who will drive first.It's funny because it is said by women as much as men. LOL Dave | ||
| Matthew J Rutkowski (Matt_rutkowski)
Registered Member Username: Matt_rutkowski Post Number: 22 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 166.137.11.111 Rating: N/A |
No way she will not get near the controls it would be nice for a couple of hours so I could sleep bit she wont touch it she says it's too big! | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1008 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12  Rating: N/A |
Mine was needed to step on the accelarator so I could make sure everything was working in the rear[transmission] while on blocks and was TOTALLY petrified > WOW what a day!! | ||
| Jim Wilkerson (Wagwar)
Registered Member Username: Wagwar Post Number: 119 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 99.109.187.242 Rating: N/A |
Wendy insists on equal time in the driver seat in our MCI MC9. She remembers who drove last even when days or weeks have past. My problem is getting her to slow down and let me have my turn... | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 105 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159 Rating: N/A |
Jim I feel your pain. Dave | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 571 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 99.122.63.218  Rating: N/A |
My wife wanted to be comfortable enough to do it if she had to like if I broke my clutch foot  She prefers that I do the driving but she could get us home if she needed to | ||
| les marston (Les_marston)
Registered Member Username: Les_marston Post Number: 108 Registered: 1-2010 Posted From: 68.151.225.213 Rating: N/A |
How many Wives drive the Bus? How many wives do you have to drive your bus Dave? We have a automatic transmission so that my wife will feel more comfortable driving the 102. She never did master the double clutching necessary in the old MC5 She did however have no problem with the schoolies that came before the 5 that also had manual transmissions | ||
| steve wardwell (Steve_wardwell)
Registered Member Username: Steve_wardwell Post Number: 104 Registered: 2-2010 Posted From: 75.202.239.165  Rating: N/A |
nope she's not interested, makes for some long days...I do keep asking...........s...... | ||
| Dallas Farnworth (Dallas)
Registered Member Username: Dallas Post Number: 98 Registered: 7-2004 Posted From: 72.172.39.165  Rating: N/A |
My wife would probably have no problem driving our PD4103. She drove our Semi's, she drove our junk pickup trucks that had to have a K-car hooked on the back as an emergency brake. She has even towed me 8 miles with her little Old's Cutlass Supreme while I was in a 1977 Chevy truck with a 10' cabover camper pulling an 8,000 pound load on a flatbed trailer. I have no fear that she would be able to get me anywhere if it came to that. She is my rock, and I would not ask her to do any of the driving. She drives the car, I drive everything else... except when I have to work on the car, or when she's hauling my junk somewhere! | ||
| Dan (Cintrepd)
Registered Member Username: Cintrepd Post Number: 20 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 70.51.240.93 Rating: N/A |
My wife has her CZ license but will only drive our automatic coaches and refuses to learn to double clutch! She will however, drive our manual Jetta TDI ? | ||
| Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member Username: Luvrbus Post Number: 955 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 74.33.38.17 Rating: N/A |
My wife has drove every bus we owned our MCI was a 4 speed manual. A funny story I was looking for a Eagle for parts about 8 years ago she bought 2 model 05 in Dean TX and drove both to Marsing Id no power steering,no ac 4 speed manuals with 8v71 engine she got both there towing a pickup. She weighs 120 lbs and 5'3 never sell these women short they get it done good luck | ||
| Steven M. Toomey (Pabusnut)
Registered Member Username: Pabusnut Post Number: 15 Registered: 3-2005 Posted From: 174.55.65.46 Rating: N/A |
Only have one wife and she won't drive the bus---yet! She drives stick shift, but doesn't like the idea of having to double clutch and "find" the gear on my 4 spd 4905. Steve | ||
| John & Barb Tesser (Bigrigger)
Registered Member Username: Bigrigger Post Number: 463 Registered: 9-2007 Posted From: 96.42.5.35  Rating: N/A |
Like Tim's wife, I taught mine enough to get the spicer in reverse. She knows how to shift a manual trans, but if I am having a heart attack and counting on her getting me to the hospital in time...it was nice knowing you all! John | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1009 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12 Rating: N/A |
Good to know you too Bigrigger and all you other bus nuts out thar in radio land. Hope ya have a nice trip. LOL GOOOD OONNNNNEE Gomer | ||
| Dave Walker (Chrome_dome)
Registered Member Username: Chrome_dome Post Number: 106 Registered: 3-2010 Posted From: 67.174.144.159 Rating: N/A |
Les, only one Wife Smart A$$, LOL I told my wife about about putting this in, this morning and she has been reading it and we have been laughing our pitutys off. It is nice to know we won't be the only ones. Now if I could only teach her to do the motor work? Well I guess making the worlds best Zucchini bread is good too. Tonight it was Onion & Garlic, and last night it was Lemon- Lime. Thanks to all who answered the question. Dave & Doreen | ||
| Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary)
Registered Member Username: Gearheadgary Post Number: 1640 Registered: 8-2003 Posted From: 99.35.96.135  Rating: N/A |
How many wives drive the bus? Only one at a time ;-) My wife can drive everything with tires, I haven't tried to get her to drive a tracked vehicle though. I'm looking to convert the Eagle to auto, I don't want to drive that damn spicer crashbox myself. | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 572 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 99.122.63.218 Rating: N/A |
Of course it doesn't hurt that the flxliners use a synchronised trans....only double clutch on the downshift (Message edited by timb on October 09, 2010) | ||
| Van (Van)
Registered Member Username: Van Post Number: 110 Registered: 7-2008 Posted From: 68.108.81.25  Rating: N/A |
Taught my wife to drive this past spring,she can deal with it. I prefer to do the driving cause I'm the one in the family that wears the pants ( when she's not around)and what I say goes ( if it's alright with her)LOL! But it is reassuring to know if she wanted to drive she will know how | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1010 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12 Rating: N/A |
What are some of you BUSNUTS?? I just want you to know that I can do anything,anytime I want,where ever I want. As long as she says it's ok!! LOL Gomer | ||
| ED Hackenbruch (Shadowman)
Registered Member Username: Shadowman Post Number: 323 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.97.98.52 Rating: N/A |
I never have been able to figure out how anybody could afford more than one wife at a time. :>) | ||
| Roger Baughman (Roger)
Registered Member Username: Roger Post Number: 206 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 69.232.68.3  Rating: N/A |
My wife is a wonderful women. She goes along with just about everything I do. She does drive our MCI while on the highway. She just does not feel like she can handle the turns well. Maybe, with more practice she will do that too. | ||
| Paul Lawry (Dreamscape)
Registered Member Username: Dreamscape Post Number: 692 Registered: 5-2007 Posted From: 69.55.159.123  Rating: N/A |
My wife can't drive our bus until she grows up! She's 5'2", and weights........well you know the story..........Armstrong steering to deal with.....she says she would have to stand up to turn a corner to get enough leverage on the wheel.....She leaves the driving to me and I love it! | ||
| Tony LEE (T_lee)
Registered Member Username: T_lee Post Number: 73 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 59.154.42.140 Rating: N/A |
In Australia you have to have the same licence as the professional would need to drive the same vehicle. Crash box vehicles can't be driven by those with synchro or auto licences. Tag axle requires higher endorsement than two-axle vehicle. None of the leniency given inexperienced drivers of large RVs in The States. Betty got her Heavy Vehicle Licence in the MCI rather than the TonkaToys used by the driving schools. Big vehicle with very big turning circle (3.5 metres over the legal limit for any vehicle here) and of course the legendary assisted steering and 4-speed crash box. She did well. She has driven it just enough to keep current in case something happens to me way outback somewhere. | ||
| Jim Wilke (Jim Bob) (Pd41044039)
Registered Member Username: Pd41044039 Post Number: 568 Registered: 2-2001 Posted From: 184.0.3.170  Rating: N/A |
My wife can and does drive our non synchro 4104 on reasonably flat ground. But she will not drive in the foothills or higher. She can upshift fine, but double clutching and downshifting boggles her. She can and does drive anything synchronized (we have all stick cars & pickups)and she loves the Eagle with the "slushbox". If I get sick in the mountains, I'll have to drive myself to the hospital. | ||
| Linda & Kirby Karlsson (Linda4104fl)
Registered Member Username: Linda4104fl Post Number: 38 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 68.31.48.101 Rating: N/A |
Ditto on Jim's post re the non synchro 4104, but now that we've got that replaced with an automatic, it's no problem to share the driving. | ||
| JC Alacoque (Jc_alacoque)
Registered Member Username: Jc_alacoque Post Number: 95 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 207.34.166.7 Rating: N/A |
My wife Valerie has driven stickshift vehicles but doesn't like them. She would not consider driving the 5 speed Courier 96, although she could've taken it home if I had been unable to. The new 5C has the Allison 740, and she has driven it a couple of times and likes it, I think. She plans on taking her air brakes endorsement this winter, (required in BC). | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1723 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.124.20  Rating: N/A |
All - I'm always amused by this thread, as it seems to pop up every 18 months or so. I was my experience as a training supervisor for charter, school and transit buses (and I think Buswarrior will concur) that the best drivers on the property were the women! Hands down, time and time again. Oh, sure, the guys might win the annual driving skills competition, but the women were far better working the streets (pun intended w/ no disrespect implied!!). I think the reason many wives are reluctant to drive the bus is simply because they're intimidated by their family, not because of the vehicle, it's size or it's transmission type. Buswarrior - your thoughts?? FWIW & HTH. . . | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 1014 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.1.12 Rating: N/A |
I tend to concure with that last statement if they don't get freaked out by the size?? Gomer | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1421 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 97.226.74.253  Rating: N/A |
Not BW, RJ...but I concur.... FWIW RCB | ||
| Len Silva (Lsilva)
Registered Member Username: Lsilva Post Number: 411 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 72.187.35.208  Rating: N/A |
I see a lot of women driving city buses here. | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 1342 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 75.202.201.190  Rating: N/A |
Occasionally, Paula drives it the last few miles before we get to our place. Just enough that if she had to she could. but she prefers not to drive it. This is fine with me because I enjoy driving it. Paula's "car" is a Ford F350 dually crew cab. (Message edited by JackConrad on October 12, 2010) | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Registered Member Username: Buswarrior Post Number: 1931 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 174.89.174.57  Rating: N/A |
The reason wives don't drive? HUSBANDS. I concur with RJ's generality, women are easier to teach and are more likely to just do the job than a similar cross section of men. Macho gets in the way for the men, before, during and after training. happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 600 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 70.60.102.61  Rating: N/A |
The first vehicle that "The Management" ever drove was a 1-ton Ford stake-body truck on the Kentucky farm where she grew up. She's never owned an automatic transmission (she drives a manual TDI now). But she's very reluctant to drive the bus -- I think we'll find some places where there's LOTS of space and let her slowly get the feel of it (she's afraid she'll hit something because it's so big and I'll be mad at her -- but not so). Of course, it doesn't help that the steering wheel is on the right side ... | ||
| Tim Brandt (Timb)
Registered Member Username: Timb Post Number: 573 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 99.122.63.218 Rating: N/A |
Bruce, That's how I taught my wife....we went to the fairgrounds parkinglot on a weekend and let her practice starting/stopping and shifting through the first 3 gears. Her biggest fear on the road is size in relation to turns in tight spaces and rolling backwards when starting on an incline | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1423 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 97.215.50.188 Rating: N/A |
The archives should have a bit on this subject from years past... ...in case some one is interested in a "wider" point of view. RCB | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 601 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 70.60.102.61 Rating: N/A |
Yes, Tim, that's my plan. My bus is very easy -- it has an "epicyclic with bands" transmission like an auto but it is shifted manually; also, it has a "fluid clutch"/torque converter. So you put your foot on the brake, put the selector in 1st, take your foot off the brake and press the accelerator. Manually shift up to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, etc. So the transmission part is easy; it is the extreme width and height. I'm hoping that a little driving around in a big open area will convince her that she can get the feel of it. | ||
| Jim Rink (Fakeguy)
Registered Member Username: Fakeguy Post Number: 172 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 96.11.208.218  Rating: N/A |
my wife does not drive ours...manual tranny and steering..plus she would not take on the challenge. OK with me...It is my power/control lever...keeps her in line on the road knowing I am the only one who can drive it. :-) | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Registered Member Username: Chessie4905 Post Number: 1978 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 71.58.71.157  Rating: N/A |
My wife drove my old Brill a little out on the interstate. Manual steering and trans. I'll probably have her drive the 4905 on the interstate a little also. But I prefer her to do the dishes, the wash, and vacuum. |