Is this really so unusual?

quote:Originally posted by alleroo
I'm 32 years old, and I can't drive

People assume that I can, especially at work, and seem quite surprised when I say I can't

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I'm 32 in August and I can't drive, partly because I've never felt I needed to and partly because I'm scared stiff of being behind the wheel. Mr Platty is 30 this year and he doesn't drive either mainly because he has never gotten round to it.

I'm 31 and don't drive but I start lessons next week! Woohoo!

I'm now finding not driving very difficult because I have Wee Braw. All of my mates live the other side of Glasgow which means up to 1 1/2 hours travel by public transport which is just a big PITA.

x

I am 24, and everyone assumes I must drive, but I have never even taken lessons. My husband is quite keen on my learning so I don't get him to taxi me about.

quote:Originally posted by sweetersong
I am 24, and everyone assumes I must drive, but I have never even taken lessons. My husband is quite keen on my learning so I don't get him to taxi me about.

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Same here....but I just counter "why keep a dog, if I'm gonna bark myself!"?

I can't drive at 33, I was too skint to pay for lessons when I was 17, then I went to uni in London and have lived here since so I've never needed to learn. I'm a bit annoyed with myself though as I've just had a baby and it would make life easier.

I know quite a few people in their 30s who can't drive.

I'm 28 and although I have had a driving license since I was 18, I don't drive very much at all. I didn't drive when I was at university, then once during the holidays I was driving my mum's car and had an accident. After that I got really scared and didn't drive for 5 years, until Mr Caterpillar passed his test (at 24), got a car and put me on the insurance. I still don't dare drive a long way on my own 4 years later. I should just get over myself really and force myself to do it... I'm just really scared of [whispers] big roundaboutsid="pink"> and try to avoid them wherever I can. Fortunately I can get the bus to work, but if I ever changed jobs and had to drive, I don't know how I'd cope!

quote:Originally posted by Chicken
I had lessons when I was 17. I was most pugnacious in those days and I abhorred my instructor. Still, I passed almost immediately and that was that. It was the done thing in my day.

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Swallowed a dictionary, chook? ? LOML is 35 and has never learned to drive. My mum is 76 and also hasn't ?

I don't even know what those word mean ?

Mr JK doesn't drive, and neither does his mother. She's not remotely interested in cars, or driving, but absolutely loves buses, tubs and trains... Not one of Mr JK's sibling drive either. They were all brought up in London though, so never felt the need.

I'm 27 and don't drive. I had 3 lessons when I was 17 but didn't like it and stopped. I keep meaning to learn and have taken my theory test twice in preparation (as it runs out after 2 years if you haven't passed the driving test). It runs out again in November so I'm going to have to do it again as we can't afford lessons before then.

Even if we are unusual, just think, our carbon footprint is reduced to a mere tiptoe.

I cant understand why anyone cant drive tbh. its a life skill surely? my live would have been/would be so incredibly different if i didnt drive. i passed my test on my 17th birthday, and have driven since then. mind you, my family are weird about driving, its a family competition to see who can pass the quickest, a record which i hold <belm> ?

I've taken lessons and failed my 1st test, which knocked my confidence and I haven't done it since.

To be honest, yes I'd love to do my test again, however I don't have much need for a car. Everywhere in the village is walkable, we have good transport links to Swindon and I've always had jobs in Swindon which can be a nightmare for parking during the day, so alot of people get the bus/train in.

quote:Originally posted by NickJ
i cant understand why anyone cant drive tbh. its a life skill surely? my live would have been/would be so incredibly different if i didnt drive. i passed my test on my 17th birthday, and have driven since then. mind you, my family are weird about driving, its a family competition to see who can pass the quickest, a record which i hold <belm> ?

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Mr Jk has offered to learn, and sometimes I think I'd like it, but I'd still do the bulk of the driving as I am the world's worst passenger. My feet are forever seeking the non-existent brake pedal in the passenger footwell, and I struggle to keep the "watch out" on the tip of my tongue, where it belongs ? Mostly I keep my eyes shut [:I]

quote:Originally posted by NickJ
i cant understand why anyone cant drive tbh. its a life skill surely? my live would have been/would be so incredibly different if i didnt drive. i passed my test on my 17th birthday, and have driven since then. mind you, my family are weird about driving, its a family competition to see who can pass the quickest, a record which i hold <belm> ?

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I see your point but some people just haven't got the spare cash for lessons. I'm 27 and simply can't afford to learn to drive. It is the first thing I'll tackle though once the PhD is over and I have a job.

The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

I only know three people who can't drive; My mum who has had numerous lessons but is utterly crap at it and used to end up in tears more often than not because she genuinely couldn't get to grips with it. She even had a car for a while that she used to go in with family trying to teach her and I've known her stop on a hill and get out because she couldn't do clutch control. We thought about getting her an automatic but to be honest she probably still would hate it because she is is so crap.

Then there is MrLs sister who has a hundred odd kids and would really benefit from a car but she chooses to pee her cash up the wall so says she can't afford it.

The other person is MrLs sister in law who is such a total and utter fool that should she ever get behind the wheel of a car I'd take to my bed until she managed to kill herself with it. As that wouldn't take long I'd not worry too much about bed sores. Luckily she has no intention of learning, although I don't know why.

To be honest although I can only see the benefits of driving and can't really understand why someone would choose not to (except my poor mum) I can see that it is a very costly thing to do. A girl at work has been having lessons for a year now, she had one per week for 9 months then two a week for the past three. At £25 per hour thats about £1500 and as shes just failed her first test shes going to have another month or so of lessons and then another test to pay for. It seems to be about the norm to have a years worth of lessons too, I don't think she is just rubbish at driving ?

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

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hence why its such a good idea to learn and pass your test as soon as you are legally able?

quote:Originally posted by NickJ

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

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hence why its such a good idea to learn and pass your test as soon as you are legally able?

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Not all 17 year olds have that much spare cash.

I moved out when I was 16 so the doing it whilst still with parents thing wasn't possible anyway

quote:Originally posted by NickJ

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

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hence why its such a good idea to learn and pass your test as soon as you are legally able?

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Quite, but if your parent/s don't have a car....

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

id="quote">Not necessarily. I had 15 lessons before I passed, with no other practice so it's definitely do-able.

I don't actually know anyone IRL who cannot drive (apart from my mum who's been threatening to learn for the past 40 years but I doubt she'll start now she's in her seventies ?) I was quite late learning (25) but was fed up on relying on other people or public transport to get where I wanted to go. As previously said, it's a useful skill and I love the independence it affords me. ?

I passed my test eventually (on my 6th test [:I]) last year, at 30. Up till then, yes I got some strange looks from people when I told them I couldn't drive. My husband's friends couldn't understand why I didn't drive, because they were brought up in the country and couldn't get out of the village any other way! I was brought up in the outskirts of London where public transport is frequent and it was never a problem. My mum can't drive either, so I guess I was used to a one-driver household growing up.

I had a couple of lessons when I was 17 but hated it, started again my my 20s and passed my theory but didn't take a practical test, mainly because I didn't get on with the instructor but also because I didn't like it.

Now I've passed I don't drive much and am still pretty nervous. I have to drive once a week for volunteering work I do in radio, which I love - if it wasn't for the fact I can't get there by bus I wouldn't drive! Everyone keeps telling me to keep at it and confidence will come with practice, so fingers crossed.

Personally I never had the confidence to do it when I was 17 - I think my age helped me, although it took me a long time to get the hang of it.

I can drive but living in a town mostly manage without using a car. We got one when we had our daughter last year, just because getting to some places on public transport takes forever.

I drive an automatic and you only use your right foot for this - I didn't know which ankle OP has hurt but could this be an option if you want to learn?

Unfortunately it's the right one
the clutch and stuff is fine, but before my ankle had a habit of locking into position, making it dangerous for me to be driving
now it's just not quite got the strength, or control (nerve damage) needed for keeping my foot on the accelerator for a long time, or at a consistent speed/pressure
or for braking
it's coming back slowly, but I doubt I could drive for more than 15 mins at the moment

quote:Originally posted by alleroo
unfortunately it's the right one
the clutch and stuff is fine, but before my ankle had a habit of locking into position, making it dangerous for me to be driving
now it's just not quite got the strength, or control (nerve damage) needed for keeping my foot on the accelerator for a long time, or at a consistent speed/pressure
or for braking
it's coming back slowly, but I doubt I could drive for more than 15 mins at the moment

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If you don't want to learn to drive then ok, but if its just your ankle thats stopping you then it would be pretty easy to adapt an automatic so you can use your left foot.

quote:Originally posted by Foo

quote:Originally posted by NickJ

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

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hence why its such a good idea to learn and pass your test as soon as you are legally able?

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Not all 17 year olds have that much spare cash.

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i agree. but in my case i learnt to drive a car on waste ground, and read and learnt the highway code from when i was 16 because i was desperate to pass my test. i learnt in a knackered mark II escort i bought for 40 quid, and i d made that money doing odd jobs for people (this was late 80's).

the bottom line is if you want to do something badly enough, you ll find a way to do it.

quote:Originally posted by NickJ

quote:Originally posted by Foo

quote:Originally posted by NickJ

quote:Originally posted by SophieM
The other thing is not being able to practice, Nick. Once you're no longer living with your parents, unless you live with someone who owns a car, you're a bit stuffed. To learn to drive through lessons only would cost a bloody fortune.

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hence why its such a good idea to learn and pass your test as soon as you are legally able?

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Not all 17 year olds have that much spare cash.

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i agree. but in my case i learnt to drive a car on waste ground, and read and learnt the highway code from when i was 16 because i was desperate to pass my test. i learnt in a knackered mark II escort i bought for 40 quid, and i d made that money doing odd jobs for people (this was late 80's).

the bottom line is if you want to do something badly enough, you ll find a way to do it.

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I think it was a lot cheaper when we leart to drive though Nick. I was earning £11 for working Saturdays and Sundays (no minimum wage back then, pah!) and my 1 hour driving lesson was £10. It took me 6 months to pass my test.

The national average is £25 per hour for around 50+ hours now, plus the costs of the theory and practical tests and you're looking at a good £1300+ just to get a licence.

Just to add, I do think it would be £1300 well spent though ?

For me I learnt to drive at 17, I couldn't wait to drive. I don't "do" public transport unless I really have to [:I]

However whilst I guess not learning puts you in the minority bottom line is just learning to drive is not the end of it. Can you afford to run a car and tax it and insure it? For some people this is also an issue. My parents helped me pay for my car until I had a proper job so I was lucky. Not all parents are this helpful.

My H didn't learn to drive until he was 27, he didn't need to learn since he either used the bus or rode his bicycle. For some people driving is just not a necessity.

I'm just not that bothered really
there have been a few times I've though "I wish I could"
but on the whole it's never been necessary
i'd rather learn in a proper car when I do though, but not yet

I didn't take my test until I was 24, there wasn't much point learning before then as I was a student and couldn't have run a car.
My mother on the other hand, passed her test on her 17th Birthday.