Is this really so unusual?

I've just started having refresher driving lessons, at the age of 29, having passed when I was 18. I hated driving back then and have only started to wish I could drive recently. Living in a city with excellent transport links and enjoying walking, I don't really need to drive, it is just for those odd occasions

I don't think it's that unusual, I know of quite a few people in their 30's who can't drive but then they all live in London and so don't really need to drive...

I on the other hand am 27 and can drive but won't because it terrifies me which I'm told is far more 'weird' and unusual [:I]

We lived in a village and I went to school in the (not very) nearby city. All my friends lived there and my poor parents had to drive me back and forth to parties, nights out, school plays etc.
As soon as I could, my parents got me driving (17).

OH lived in the city however, and never needed to drive really so never learned. He finally took his test 6 years ago at 37 as only having one car driver in the family with the two kids and silly working hours wasn't working out.

I'm 37 and have never learned to drive either, We live in a small village and are quite lucky to have a bus come through every half hour during the day, so if I need to go into town I can.

Mr Toosh is my taxi evenings and weekends.

It is on my list of things to do before I'm 40, but college was at the top of my list.?

Where I live it is really unusual, but we are very rural and have a terrible public transport system. Everyone around here gets a few driving lessons for their 17th birthday present!

Hoever, I never ran a car while I lived away at uni, and the only time I missed it was when I bought loads of heavy things from the supermarket and had to carry it all - but in the days of internet shopping now even that is better. My uni friends laughed at me when I didn't believe them that there were buses every 10 minutes [:I]

My brother and I both had our licenses at 17, as did Mr Mal.
My Mum had it in her head that she wanted to have hers by the time she was 40, so she did the lessons and passed....and at 58 she has never driven again. A bit of a waste of time and money ?

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

id="quote">

I am 32 cant drive and have never even had a lesson - think it of as a postive environmental choice now

I'm 25 and never even been behind the wheel of a car - I moved out when I was 16 so I've always had other things I needed to spend my money on. H can't drive because of his leg, so we just have to put up with public transport. I would like to drive, but we just don't have the money.

If it doesn't get in the way of visiting family, or friends or work or shopping then i wouldn't say it's unusual. I absolutely couldn't not drive because i'm in the sticks, no buses, one local teeny expensive shop 2 miles away and work is a long long way away. I didn't learn until i was 20 and could afford to buy a car as it was too expensive to be added to parents car insurance (and i broke my shoulder at 18 so that had to recover.)

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">I learny to drive with no access to a car; the only driving I did was in my instructor's car during paid lessons (it was before I met MrRache). It did cost a fortune but at the time I was a junior doc in free hospital accommodation, so it was what would have been rent money. I must have spent >£700, but I did it quickly (two two hour lessons a week and 1-2 lessons a day in the week running up to my test). I knew it was then or never; failing wasn't an option, as I'd never again have the spare cash to do it. I also had to have a driving licence for work.

For those drivers who don't drive often - I was like that for about 18 months, then I got a job where I had to drive there and back, and during the day too. That was when I really became a driver. Within a month I was so much more confident and I've not looked back.

I am 26 and can't drive. I grew up in Oxford, in the city, and an incredibly car unfriendly one at that. I now live in central London and have no need to drive.


Most people I know can drive but very few have a car.

In our group of friends it is quite unusual to not be able to drive. Again I grew up in a rural area, and my parents paid for my driving lessons for my 17th birthday (I didn't get a car until after I started working after uni though). One of my friends can drive (eg passed test) but doesn't after having a bad accident early on. It's a skill that I people should learn (like swimming) although I appreciate its not always as simple as that. We've already started putting money aside for the kids' driving lessons when they get old enough - if they want to buy a car though that will be up to them.

I'm also 32 and can't drive. I am just scared I think. I did have lessons for about a year when I was 21 but I dreaded them. Mr Cee can drive and I sometimes feel bad that he has to drive everywhere. Luckily I work nearby and town is about 10 mins walk. Plus parking is dreadful here so I figure that I am doing my bit for not adding more cars to already packed roads. I do sometimes wish I could drive but it scares me to death.

I get very annoyed with people asking me all the time why I don't drive, as if its the most abnormal thing in the world, I wish they'd give me a break.

Once I have kids I may consider it but at the mo I am quite happy walking everywhere or using public transport.

I'm 34 and am currently taking lessons - I hope to have my test for my birthday in June when I will be treating myself to my own wee car?

I never needed to either, and I said for years that some people are born to be 'driven' - but I set myself a challenge a few months ago, so here I am.

I did take lessons at 17 and again at 26 and hated every second of them. Although then I was much more confident than now, I do enjoy it more now and I put that down to my lovely instructor who doesn't know how to shout.