Have just given our car to grandson. Empty drive syndrome.

Caramme and others.
Hat's off to you who have given up when you knew the time was right.
I hope I am as brave as you and as honest with myself.

Thank you for raising this here. Too many people are on the roads when just not 'switched on" or confident enough. I am trying to be brutally honest with myself after having seen others struggle to relinquish the car keys.

I dread the day I have to give up my car. Yes, it is expensive to keep a car on the road, but the freedom it gives me is incalculable

Oh yes, we’re not about to give up our cars. I wouldn’t be able to do childcare for my dd if I didn’t drive, for one thing. My parents’ world closed down when they could no longer afford a car, that’s for sure.

I can’t believe I am reading this today of all days! This is the day I am selling my car and giving up driving. I too am on a good bus route, use online shopping and have family for backup in an emergency. To be honest I just don’t enjoy driving any more and think I lost confidence during Covid. I have been ‘taking the car for a drive’ every so often just to keep it moving, rather than because I need to use it. So goodbye my trusty 6yr old Leon. My emotional brain is hesitant, my logical brain is saying ‘don’t be ridiculous.’ It is a big step but probably the sensible one.
OP, I hope you find you have made the right decision. Your g’son must be delighted. Such a nice thing to do for him.

Would be really hard where we live public transport is abysmal.
Not yet a consideration as we are both mid 60s.

Gave up my car nearly two years ago. Never ever thought I would be able to live without my own car. Used even refer to myself as a Tortoise (Safe inside my shell - ie the car).
I do have a bus stop right outside my flats, and use a scooter to get around town to my meetings, social activities, etc. For travelling distances to visit family, I use the train.

Not to say I do not have the odd times when I miss not having a car to jump into - but on the whole I do not miss it at all, and not only does not having one save me a lot of money it also takes away a lot of stress.

My parents managed to live their whole 80 plus years without ever having or learning to drive a car.

Except for the odd 60 mile drive to a dd*, I don’t use mine much any more at all. Dh uses it far more - we use his (bigger) largely for long journeys.
We have fantastic public transport here so unless I’m going to have a lot of heavy shopping (rare now) I use buses/trains/ tube.
*I could do that by public transport too, and have done - it just takes rather longer - bus, tube, and the Oxford Tube (coach that goes every 15 minutes and stops a few minutes’ walk from dd’s door, God bless it!)

I’m sure that does feel odd if you’re used to having a car. You sound to have planned it all very well, though. Lucky grandson - I hope he’ll be taking places in it!

It's a bit of a worry for us at 77, we live in a rural area with no public transport and need to drive for anything we need. No supermarket deliveries here.

I dread the day I have to stop driving. Without my car all my independence would go. Visiting family and friends, my social groups, exercise classes how would I get to them. Having a problem with one of my knees at the moment and can't walk much,plus my back stops me standing for too long. I would be stranded with out car.