Driving 101; Where to take your kid to learn to drive

South San Francisco, CA May 23, 2013

Where would you take a new driver out to practice?

One of our ESC friends wrote asking for some advice and over 60 of our Facebook friends answered. You’ve got to love the local hook ups by local folks! What would be your response?

Vanessa asked “I need to teach my son to drive, and my car is a stick shift. Does anyone have suggestions of a good parking lot that is empty in the evenings and/or weekends where he can get used to the clutch before I take him out on the streets?”

Adam Hyndman The old century 8 theater. Next to Golf mart

Sherrie O’Balle Pellegrini the cemeteries

Janet Jimenez the parking lot over at the businesses at Oyster Point is a good place. especially after office hours

Dino Fontana Westborough black top.. or Skyline College.

Hikey Luna ATT Park A lot

Steve Carey I taught my kids to drive at the Golden Gate Cemetery. There is lots of open room and no real traffic.

Sherrie O’Balle Pellegrini Holy Cross is big too

Leslie Lynch The only problem with oyster point is the police and security will ask you to leave if they happen upon you.. Just a little fore warning.

Gwen Domingo Top of target in Tanforan I took my kid there

Debra Keith Over Gateway & Oyster Point – in the business park. Actual roads, stop signs, etc. That’s where I first learned!

Little Star The old century theaters is good and schools on the weekends.

Dillon Kon Oyyster Point, St Veronica’s parking lot

Kevin Cronin skyline college upper parking lot and Candle Stick parking lot.

Michele Ferrario Burbano Cemeteries- I taught my daughter how to drive at Golden Gate

Mar Ronquillo Brisbane, in the industrial area

Sthiv Roy Valencia Martinez Orange Park.

Cassie Ruiz at&t best option . hardly ever cars their .. Oyster point as well with caution cause there are more parked vehicles..

Marie De Leon Holy Cross you have flat ground and hills. Need some hill training before you hit the real streets!!!!

Courtney Tetreault Olivet cemetery

Efren Chavez fyi, the last time I taught someone to drive at the century 8, security told us to leave. also they have put up barriers in the most vacant lot since then.

Sami Wahbeh Alta Loma parking lot. It’s an oval circle with usually no one there in the evening.

Janel M Chrestenson Pearson SSF industrial park on the weekend and Skyline College/CSM parking lots.

Dolores Gonzalez Suarez In addition to above, Oyster Point. The very end has a couple of large parking lots and minimal traffic

Jasmin Sutter All the business parking lots over on Bayhill by Chili’s in San Bruno. It was years ago, but that’s where my parents took me to learn how to drive before I was ready to drive on the streets. It’s a ghost town on weekends, perfect for a new driver.

Deb E Deb Costco

Monique Martinez Right next to CVS and Safeway on spruce behind the movie theatre

Alexandra Luna City college reservoir is great too b

Jason Glines I learned out near oyster point a lot open space and empty lots

Amanda Martinez I learned in Holy Cross Cemetery. It has stop signs, u can teach parallel parking. Go mid week when it’s not too busy w/visitors.

Stephanie Miller East Grand area on weekends. It’s very quiet and lots of empty parking lots.

Heather Hansen Froese I learned at Oyster Point. I remember my friends wearing football helmets in the back of the truck. Took me a bit to get the hang of the stick. ( :

Jonathan Merino The old century theatres in San Bruno…. I taught my wife there

Laurel Fratus Pak n save, has a few stops and good turns during the day. At night it’s empty!

Lynn Carlson Bick Out by Genentech on the weekends, it’s like a ghost town, I took my kids out there on the weekends, and they both drive a stick.

Ellen Minucciani I always used the parking lots in the industrial park. Worked well with my son and stick shift.

Sarah Nicole Yes! I taught my little brother to drive in the parking lots behind Chevys in San Bruno near the old Fridays, lots of empty space for driving and parallel parking!

Gigi Santinelli Santamaria I was taught out in oyster point!!! Lots of empty lot’s, only a few cars on the road, of course this is at night after business hours. East Grand area

Sarah Nicole Sorry Chili’s **

Cathy Twochisncat Alemany Flea Market

Carla Robertson Greene CANDLESTICK PARK IN PARKING LOT OF PARK AND REC NOT THE STREETS.

Cinfonie Bayone The cemeteries, lots of flats & hills.

Sandra Hodges Learning with a clutch is the best way to learn. You go MOM.

Tim Hopkins skyline college is where I taught my kids

George Bird is Candlestick parking lot available?

Everything South City Carla Robertson Greene just posted; ‘CANDLESTICK PARK IN PARKING LOT OF PARK AND REC NOT THE STREETS’ so perhaps it is.

Debbie Hensic Loudon On the weekends out by Genentec it is like a ghost town but with all the experiences of lights turn lanes….

Andy Hidalgo Skyline College on weekend. Parking lot and a two lane road. After they get the hang of it bring them to oyster pt Eccles grand view are of SSF some small hills by Genentech and pretty open roadway on weekends with few cars. Taught both my boys here

Ashley Hope I learned to drive stick shift at skyline college on Sundays

Dan Feifer Skyline is the place to do it great practice area

Rick David Bolentini I would take him to the Alemany Farmers Market during the week. Not available weekends

Tony DeCesare HWY 101 during rush hour. If he can handle that he can handle anything…

Rick David Bolentini Naaa Tony, let them try China Town along with the Financial District

Emanuel Delgadillo Sears in San Bruno ?

Cynthia Roberts Marina and industrial area in SSF. I recently brought someone out there for the very same purpose. It was perfect!

Mike Gutierrez one of the parking lots at the north end of the skyline college campus…just across the street from the baseball and soccer fields.

Frisco Bella oyster point is the best place to learn!

Jennifer Equality Schwartz Lake Merced and Sunset has a big lot where lots of people learn to drive. Has some curbs too for practicing parking!

Barbara Leroux You can always practice in the cemeteries

JoAnn Willis Out at Sierra Pt. on weekends. 2 vacant building near the bay.

Marilyn Levene We took our kids up to Skyline college to learn how to drive “sticks”.. on weekends! there were all different types of parking and hills to work the clutch..empty too!

Charlene Larson Valley Drive in Brisbane – one the trucks are gone no one is on the road.

Karen Johanson We used mall parking lots in the mornings before the stores opened and Skyline College on Sundays. Good luck!

Tim Scuglia go to the cemeteries and start him out on a downhill slope….. that’s how I did it

Robert Guinasso Highway 380! lol