I'm an adult (I think ) and I don't drive. I had lessons back when I was in my early twenties and failed my test twice.
I think some people just aren't cut out for it and I think I'm probably one of them. I do sometimes wonder how things would have gone if i'd kept at it and kept taking lessons and persevering, but i know I was particularly upset when i failed the second time that it did knock my confidence in the car quite a lot and I gave up a couple of lessons later.
I can't think of a single occasion when I couldn't get from A to B without a car. Cars, I think, are just a pain. If I can manage without a car why bother?
I'm 32 can't drive and I live in the sticks with 1 bus coming through per day. For me there are a number of reasons, the cost of learning to drive, and then the actual cost of a car and insurance, I simply couldn't afford it. I have also suffered anxiety issues all my life, I have had lessons in the past and they made me extremely nervous.
I wouldn't drive if I didn't have to - it's a road accident risk, and bad for the environment.
But the fact is the city I live in, to get to another part might take an hour by multiple buses- whereas takes 10 minutes by car. That's pretty massive. As well as a lot of convenience, that I can go multiple places, The factor that got me driving was about 1/4 of jobs wanting own transport. Couldn't cut down my employability, and possible jobs.
My Mother-in-Law never learnt to drive which was fine until her husband died of cancer. Now she expects my partner to chauffeur her everywhere at his expense
Having said that she's pissed most of the time so it's probably a good thing.
i used to drive illegally in the eighties , i never got around to taking a test, now i`m barred from getting a licence in case i go suddenly insane at the wheel.
My Mother learnt to drive aged about 50. I learned as soon as I could and when I was at Uni I had a beat up old thing. It was exiting to drive full of of students because the floor kept falling down by the back seat and they could see the road going by.
Anyhow, I know a few people who have never learned to drive. I wouldn't be without my car even in London with the traffic as it is.
I had a few lessons in the 1970's mainly to please friends who thought that I ought to drive. I soon realised that it wasn't for me, my reflexes were too slow and I knew that I would be a dangerous menace behind a wheel.
I don't think that I have missed out, the bus stop is five minutes away, and the trains station just three minutes. Consequently, I walk or run everywhere, and was fit enough to run the London Marathon last year at 76. I doubt whether I would have been this fit if I had learned to drive.
I'm dyspraxic; I tried having driving lessons when I was 17, but I couldn't take to it - I have the wrong type of concentration. I try to live within easy walking distance of where I work and just use public transport or taxis for when I need to go out of town.
I like driving on long distances, but hate it sometimes around my area, so stressful sometimes
If I can I take the bus (and the ferry ) I do and its so less stressful, good bus network down our way, pretty cheap
Do have a lot of shopping and work goods delivered these days, so car does get used a lot less than I used to
One of my employees does not drive, she carries her bits and bobs, suitcase size all over, was weary when I employed her, but she is a star employee and has never not managed to get where she is going, mostly towns, little rural clients she has
I like driving on long distances, but hate it sometimes around my area, so stressful sometimes
If I can I take the bus (and the ferry ) I do and its so less stressful, good bus network down our way, pretty cheap
Do have a lot of shopping and work goods delivered these days, so car does get used a lot less than I used to
One of my employees does not drive, she carries her bits and bobs, suitcase size all over, was weary when I employed her, but she is a star employee and has never not managed to get where she is going, mostly towns, little rural clients she has
i`m not surprised, dragging all that shite around behind her.
Some people are just not suited to driving. I drive and my brother drove but my sister never got as far as sitting her test. She was far too panicky and would literally start screaming if a bus or lorry was within twenty feet of her. Even sitting in the passenger seat she would panic and think no one was going to stop at junctions or roundabouts. She realised she would have been a danger and packed it in..
I learnt to drive when I left university, started work and had enough money to pay for it myself. Then I got a job which came with a company car and I spent the next 20 or so years driving all over the country every week, living out of a suitcase. I took early retirement about eight years ago and since that day I've driven a (hire) car twice.
I don't miss it and I suppose there might be people who think that just because I do not have a car, it means I cant drive
Heh! As if.
I don't need a car so I've not got one. If that changes in the future I will get another one, but at the moment, there is no need for me to have a car.
i`m not surprised, dragging all the shite around behind her.
I own a personal fitnesss business and she is a personal trainer, its those sort of bits and bobs for her job, can be quite heavy and awkward, some of them.
I would struggle myself with what she carries around, shes pretty petite, but its what you get used to.
My mum got her licence but never had a car. She lived in London all her life until this year and had no reason to drive or get a car. On the other hand I got one as soon as I started university outside of London, because the train was £20 a day. Similarly now that I'm working, running a car (even with all the added expenses like servicing and repairs) is cheaper than public transport.
My mum couldn't pass her test due to personal issues, and now I'm glad she never did because although she's a technically good driver, she's not temperamentally suited to it. As a result, my dad does all the driving.
I learned at 23, but my boyfriend hasn't yet. I'm trying to get him to learn asap, because having seen my dad having to do all the driving I'm determined it isn't going to happen to me!
I now live in the sticks so a car is pretty essential. Growing up, only mum could drive. My dad however never drove and is 75 this year. He always pushbiked everywhere. He could drive/ride a motorbike illegally but never saw the point in forking out for lessons and test, car and all the incurred costs, when he could ride his pushbike for free. He saw the world when he was in the army so wasn't that fussed about travelling very far. He was very pleased when he got his bus pass as it meant he could go a little further afield.
Within my circle of friends, there's 4 lasses who can't drive, and would love to, but it's a case of cost, for two of them, or one's husband can drive, but they can't afford a car. The other struggles with the theory/hazard perception stuff, but can operate a car fine.
I think it depends on the person themselves i am 43 and had lessons on and off for years and my dad used to have the odd moan like you should be driving me around at my age as he was in his late 70s.So i mostly cycle to work.My dad died august last year so now i have his car and its give me a kick up the backside to drive have my test friday next week.
I too never had driving lessons. Like most lads I couldn't wait to get my first motorcycle that I drove around on a prov. licence for years, then graduated onto cars with same prov. licence, until the firm I worked and sometimes drove for ordered me to take the test. Cant remember anything in the test of any value other than having to follow a milk float for about 2 miles before overtaking. When normally I would have safely and easily passed it by miles earlier. However holding back for miles helped me pass the test !
No-one in my entire immediate family has ever learned to drive. I've never lived in a household that owned a car, which is particularly odd because our current house is on a street full of 2-car households, and we have a garage with a 4-car driveway.
I think because our parents never bothered (dad is now 78), it's influenced us siblings. Only one sibling ever had lessons, but failed the test twice and gave up.
We have a reasonable public transport service in this town, and my disabled sister has a companion card that enables someone to travel free with her across Scotland, so we have little to no need for a car.
My brother and sister aged 46 and 48 have never learnt to drive. It's not a financial thing. I've asked them both why and they both say they've just never got round to it. Love them both to bits but still can't fathom why they would not want the freedom of just being able to get into a car and drive where they want to go.
Is it just me or do you agree that in the 21st century being an adult and not driving is unusual? Anyone else out there who doesn't drive and if so why?
It's not that desperately unusual. Some people just elect not to learn to drive.
Fair enough - their choice. At least it's one less thing that can get them into trouble !!!
What baffles me is that you still find some musicians that can't drive. If you want to be a gigging musician then I believe that learning to drive is as vital as learning to play in the first place.
Of course this doesn't apply to those floppy haired bands who have mummy and daddy driving them around in a nice van full of Gibson and Marshall 'Christmas presents' because those bands are always dreadful anyway.
I knew a three-piece band a few years ago and none of them could drive. Have you ever seen anyone transport a full drum kit on a bus? I have.
Learned when I was 21-22 (too terrified of killing someone to do it earlier); OH was disqualified and we lived in the middle of nowhere so he pressured me into having lessons. Funny thing was he got his licence back and passed his test before I was even ready to take mine - but 52 lessons did mean I passed first time.
I own a personal fitnesss business and she is a personal trainer, its those sort of bits and bobs for her job, can be quite heavy and awkward, some of them.
I would struggle myself with what she carries around, shes pretty petite, but its what you get used to.
Annette was referring to that fact that you were "weary" (tired) when you employed her. I think what you meant was "wary"?
[As an aside, I do see weary used in place of wary a lot these days, especially in american texts].
Having driven for a living for 40 years, I've just taken early retirement - driving was my profession, not my hobby. I've still got a car, but I only use it when I need to, and I can tell you that not driving is a real pleasure
I'm 38 and don't drive. I had some lessons when I was about 18 and my instructor used to make me so upset after lessons I decided it wasn't for me and never tried again.
I've always worked somewhere where I can get the train or walk and it's never been an issue. I think now I'd be too nervous to be in control of a car.
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I think some people just aren't cut out for it and I think I'm probably one of them. I do sometimes wonder how things would have gone if i'd kept at it and kept taking lessons and persevering, but i know I was particularly upset when i failed the second time that it did knock my confidence in the car quite a lot and I gave up a couple of lessons later.
But the fact is the city I live in, to get to another part might take an hour by multiple buses- whereas takes 10 minutes by car. That's pretty massive. As well as a lot of convenience, that I can go multiple places, The factor that got me driving was about 1/4 of jobs wanting own transport. Couldn't cut down my employability, and possible jobs.
Having said that she's pissed most of the time so it's probably a good thing.
Anyhow, I know a few people who have never learned to drive. I wouldn't be without my car even in London with the traffic as it is.
I don't think that I have missed out, the bus stop is five minutes away, and the trains station just three minutes. Consequently, I walk or run everywhere, and was fit enough to run the London Marathon last year at 76. I doubt whether I would have been this fit if I had learned to drive.
If I can I take the bus (and the ferry
Do have a lot of shopping and work goods delivered these days, so car does get used a lot less than I used to
One of my employees does not drive, she carries her bits and bobs, suitcase size all over, was weary when I employed her, but she is a star employee and has never not managed to get where she is going, mostly towns, little rural clients she has
i`m not surprised, dragging all that shite around behind her.
I don't miss it and I suppose there might be people who think that just because I do not have a car, it means I cant drive
Heh! As if.
I don't need a car so I've not got one. If that changes in the future I will get another one, but at the moment, there is no need for me to have a car.
I own a personal fitnesss business and she is a personal trainer, its those sort of bits and bobs for her job, can be quite heavy and awkward, some of them.
I would struggle myself with what she carries around, shes pretty petite, but its what you get used to.
I learned at 23, but my boyfriend hasn't yet. I'm trying to get him to learn asap, because having seen my dad having to do all the driving I'm determined it isn't going to happen to me!
Within my circle of friends, there's 4 lasses who can't drive, and would love to, but it's a case of cost, for two of them, or one's husband can drive, but they can't afford a car. The other struggles with the theory/hazard perception stuff, but can operate a car fine.
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I think because our parents never bothered (dad is now 78), it's influenced us siblings. Only one sibling ever had lessons, but failed the test twice and gave up.
We have a reasonable public transport service in this town, and my disabled sister has a companion card that enables someone to travel free with her across Scotland, so we have little to no need for a car.
It's not that desperately unusual. Some people just elect not to learn to drive.
Fair enough - their choice. At least it's one less thing that can get them into trouble !!!
Of course this doesn't apply to those floppy haired bands who have mummy and daddy driving them around in a nice van full of Gibson and Marshall 'Christmas presents' because those bands are always dreadful anyway.
I knew a three-piece band a few years ago and none of them could drive. Have you ever seen anyone transport a full drum kit on a bus? I have.
Annette was referring to that fact that you were "weary" (tired) when you employed her. I think what you meant was "wary"?
[As an aside, I do see weary used in place of wary a lot these days, especially in american texts].
I've always worked somewhere where I can get the train or walk and it's never been an issue. I think now I'd be too nervous to be in control of a car.