Do you drive?

When I learnt back in the early 70s it wasn’t usual for women to drive. My grand mother was horrified and then once I learnt my aunts and cousins all did. I wanted to be independent and not reliant on DH.

Why the divide yet again there s the feeling that non drivers lack something, are spongers who rely on others for lifts, lead limited lives (all have been implied in above posts)
No I don’t cadge lifts i m quite capable if getting around without My life has not been limited I ve lived overseas in two different countries and in a variety of places in U.K. and always managed to get out and about to where I want to go
Ive never had spare money for cars, lessons and all the expense that goes with being a car owner and in later years I have limited eyesight but I don’t feel I ve led any lesser life or am missing out than all you confident drivers
Why can’t there be pros and cons for both why can’t there be acceptance that some people can’t, won’t or don’t drive but can use another method equally as “exciting” and “independent”

Anyway rant over I m off for yoga on the beach and then a swim

I don’t drive now. I used to up until retirement 7y ago. I had my own car but that had to go. We only need one car really and spend half the year in Spain anyway where we happily walk most places or use public transport which is cheap, efficient and clean. Helps keep our carbon footprint down I suppose! I had intermittent vertigo with an ear infection for 18 months and lost my confidence big time. I might have a go this summer. Our grandchildren (too young to recall me driving) were astonished recently to know I could ha!

I too passed my test in my teens in the 60’s - I had to pass first time as I couldn’t afford any more lessons - even although my parents didn’t and thought I was bonkers. I didn’t drive again until after I had left university except occasionally when I felt my boyfriend of the evening had drunk more than I was happy with.
Before I got my first car some years later, when I was teaching in London (a “banger”) I had another course of lessons and have driven ever since - up and down to Scotland to visit my parents, taking the children to Cornwall on holiday , and then latterly when Paw gave up driving because of dizzy spells after a heart operation.
I would never suggest non- drivers are spongers but do appreciate it if I am taking a non-driving friend out to coffee or lunch and she offers to pay for the parking or the coffee.
I don’t think people, especially non-car owners realise how expensive running a car really is even although it is an expense I would not do without as it maintains my independence.

No I don't drive.A big regret of mine.
When younger couldn't afford the expense and wouldn't have taken the risk of DH giving lessons with kids in the back.
When DS reached the age we considered it a life skill for any future career options.Taken for granted now with most jobs.
Looking back maybe it was the fear of failure also expense and never thought we would ever be in position for me to actually own a car.
A big regret now public transport reduced to minimum,approaching age and health issues.

SIL didn’t learn to drive until he was in his 30s, went to University in Central London and always lived in London so used buses and the Tube. When he moved out he learnt to drive. Miss and MzOops started driving as soon as they were 17.

I’ve only ever lived once in a town for a short while, we’ve always lived out in the country, no buses, so I would hate to have to give up my car.

I had two colleagues who didn’t. One had never learned because lessons were once unaffordable, and later - because she could easily walk or bus to children’s school/work, just didn’t feel the need. We do have fantastic public transport here, though.

The other had a licence but hadn’t driven for many years, having become very nervous in traffic. But has the same public transport as above.

I have driven since my early 20s and despite the v good PT locally, would frequently find it a huge inconvenience if I didn’t.
E.g. the former frequent visits to my elderly mother - 60 miles each way - would have taken 3 times longer by PT.

Ditto my current visits to dd for emergency one-off childcare - 3 of these recently because of violent tummy bugs. Also 60 miles each way, different direction. Would take at least twice as long by PT.

Having said that, thanks to our excellent (free!) PT, I use my car far less locally now.

I love driving,passed my test 35ish years ago Dh doesn`t drive he had a nasty experiance when he was young and it`s a bit of a phobia.
Although he manages to drive me up the wall didn`t need a test for that.

It was another thing we did for our children at 17. Paid for driving lessons. Hugely expensive, but we considered it quite an investment for them and there future. Luckily all passed reasonably quickly ( being younger) and no we are not wealthy so no cars they had to earn and buy their own.

I don't enjoy driving but it would take up a lot of the day on buses and trains to get to my children.
The buses where I live are infrequent too.
I would prefer not to drive if I could.

I drive,but not a happy driver.Same as Greyduster DH loves big cars and a few years ago we decided to just have the one car, of course it was the big powerful one!Having said that I’m pleased I can drive if I need too.

I still drive although I am limited to where I go as i can't cope with the amount of traffic on the road. I'm able to get to wherever i need to be family members, friends, social groups and shopping anything else its buses or trains. One son's wife doesn't drive and the two eldest GC don't either but they are happy to rely on their father to run them everywhere. I'm hoping the younger GD will try to learn once of an age. Not sure how they'd cope if anything stopped my son from driving. My other children apart from one also all drive. If I didn't have my car I would be virtually housebound due to mobility issues and dependant on others for lifts.

I drive but only on local roads. Because my son and daughter live in local villages and there’s no easy bus service to their homes it would be difficult for me to visit them and help out with baby and dog sitting if I didn’t drive. Ditto shopping and going to the gym (although I’m still not back to doing those yet). My doctors surgery and dentist are in nearby towns. My dodgy knee and dodgy waterworks mean that I’m not comfortable using what buses are available. Because I only drive locally I’m terrified of a driving test for older people being introduced because, although I’m no longer happy driving on urban motorways there’s no one safer than me on the roads that I know. I couldn’t even get my dog to the vets without a car.

I learnt to drive at seventeen. My parents bought me my first car. It was a soft top Triumph Herald. If I remember correctly petrol was about 65 pence a gallon. Not long after that I think it rose to a pound.
I remember seeing the renewal date on my driving licence, and thinking how ancient I would be by then. Where did those years go?

I had my first driving lesson on my 17th birthday (1969) as I couldn't wait!

My eldest son did the same.

Youngest son has never felt the need to learn and nor has his partner.

I loathe driving but still do it. I had to learn when there were 3 children going in different directions for after school stuff. I’ve never had an accident, touch wood.

I’d be very happy not to drive but it’s still a necessity atm.

Surprisingly more young people are not learning to drive. The costs to them are prohibitive.

Yes.

Love my car.

A car is a means of transport, one of several.
I'm sure we would have learned to ride a horse or a camel if that was the way to get about.
I wish we could wean ourselves off the private motor car in these days of climate emergency.
How many of you fly aeroplanes? It's now 100 years since Amelia Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic.
I have 3 women friends who drive buses, one is a school bus driver.
Otherwise, I can see little real virtue in being proud of driving.

Surprisingly more young people are not learning to drive. The costs to them are prohibitive
Good for them ayse it's not just the cost in money terms but the cost to the environment.

I’m not ‘proud’ of being able to drive, Grammaretto, it’s just a fact.
But I’m very glad dds learned in their late teens - even though they cost us a fortune in lessons. Both took 3 goes to pass, but at least by the time they did, I thought they’d had enough practice to be reasonably competent on the road.

To me it’s a very useful life skill, a bit like being able to ride a bike or swim, though I’d rate swimming as decidedly more necessary.

OTOH an old schoolfriend of dh, although a competent driver, feels no need for one since he lives in a central-ish London flat with excellent PT - but parking would be a nightmare.
If he wants a car for the weekend, he just hires one.

Yes, thank goodness, I do drive. It's been a real necessity at times. Especially with some medical issues.

I drove from the age of 20 until forced to give up because of eye problems two years ago. I feel very frustrated, loosing ones independence is not easy when one lives in a rural area with very limited public transport. I hate asking for lifts so miss out on events. I used to love deciding at the last minute to go somewhere, but now DH has to be sweet talked and our interests are totally different. He is kindly taking me to buy some plants this morning but has nil interest in gardening so will be a quick whiz round and home, not my usual style in a nursery!

I started driving when my youngest son started school and it was 2 x bus rides away OH worked 3 shifts so he could not take him every day.
I passed my test first time and can still hear the shock from my OH that I would be buying my own car.
I've always driven with my job before retiring and have just recently bought myself a new car which I love driving as often as possible.

I learnt to drive in my early 20s. Passed on my 2nd attempt. I love driving, but detest negotiating the roads in cities and built up areas. Fortunately I live in a rural area and our largest local town has ample parking.
As my cataracts are slowly developing, I am becoming more wary of driving at night but will still do it if I need to.

I have driven since a child, as my DF had a garage business and I helped move the vehicles around. My life would have been so different if I didn't drive - I have driven many different types of vehicle and travelled the roads and cities of Europe too. Great adventures were had! All of my female friends drive with only my DS not driving in the family.