My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join the discussion and meet other Mumsnetters on our free online chat forum.

Chat

Men driving their female partners car when both travel in it

533 replies

HelenUrth · 11/06/2020 17:57

On my road there are two couples where both the man and woman have their own car, but if they both go out in the woman's car, the man always drives it, also the woman never drives the man's car. One couple is 50s, the other 60s. Does anyone here do the same and would you mind sharing why?

OP posts:
Report
Sparklingbrook · 11/06/2020 17:58

Maybe the men are critical back seat drivers and the women can't be bothered with it.

Report
PotteringAlong · 11/06/2020 17:58

Yes. Unless I am dropping DH off somewhere then he always drives. He’s taller than me, the drivers seat can be pushed back further than the passenger seat because of the position of the car seats. More comfortable for him.

Report
ShouldWeChangeTheBulb · 11/06/2020 17:58

I have been driving for only a couple of years and I hate it. My DH has been driving for 20 odd years and likes it. He’s also a better driver than me. He’s more confident to pull on to tight car parking spots etc.

Report
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 11/06/2020 17:59

My DH used to try this malarkey. I pointed out that his dick doesn't fall off when I drive because he wants a beer, so it won't fall off if I drive at any other time. Silly sod packed it in after that...

Report
Kopsy · 11/06/2020 17:59

If we ever go places together DH always drives, in either of our cars. He likes driving and I don't!

Report
Lonecatwithkitten · 11/06/2020 18:00

DP loves to drive, I drive as a necessity. If we go out together the person who loves the job does it. I love to cook, he cooks to survive I mostly cook as I love it.

Report
PaulRobinsonsWoodenLeg · 11/06/2020 18:02

I make my husband drive if we go out in my car because he's the worst passenger ever. I can tell he's on edge and he's forever pressing down on an imaginary brake! I got annoyed once and asked him what his problem was as I'm a safe driver and no one else reacts like he does. He just said he's an anxious passenger and he can't help it.

Report
Megan2018 · 11/06/2020 18:02

@PotteringAlong same here, DH 6ft 3, I’m a foot shorter. Car seat is behind passenger in both cars, PITA to move unless necessary.

Report
Tiddlertoddler · 11/06/2020 18:04

My husband works away on the oil rigs for 3 weeks at a time and my job involves commuting an hour each way so when he is home I like a break from driving if we are going somewhere together. My car is bigger as it gets used more frequently so we tend to use it if we are going out for the day but he will drive.

Report
Lazydaisydaydream · 11/06/2020 18:04

We are in our 30s and if we go out together my OH usually drives. I don't like driving that much and our toddler demands singing nursery rhymes while we drive anywhere so I'd rather concentrate on that!

I don't drink though and my OH does so if going out in the evening I will drive us home so he can have a drink or two.

Report
Snagscardies · 11/06/2020 18:05

We are the other way round. If together I do all the driving as I prefer driving and I'm better at it

Report
AgeLikeWine · 11/06/2020 18:05

If we are going anywhere together, I drive if we take my car, he drives if we take his. My car is much better than his, anyway, and I'm a better, more confident driver Wink.

If alcohol is on the agenda, we then argue about whose turn it is to drive home Grin.

Report
Lazydaisydaydream · 11/06/2020 18:05

Oh and I don't see it as a man called woman thing. My best friend likes driving more than me so if we go anywhere together she drives and I give her petrol money or buy her lunch etc.

Report
OneIsAWorldOfBooks · 11/06/2020 18:05

Same as @Lonecatwithkitten - he likes driving, I don't, and this tends to be how we split things. I'm not a fan of gardening but he doesn't mind so he does that, he doesn't like cooking but I enjoy it so I cook. He's also the better driver (I'm not bad, but he's more confident and better at parking). We're late 20's/early 30's if that's relevant.

Report
StarScream22 · 11/06/2020 18:06

There’s just something really sexy about a man driving Grin

I always made him drive.

Report
celtiethree · 11/06/2020 18:07

Sometimes I drive but often my DH does - this is because I always take my kindle with me and read. Every opportunity to read is a bonus!

Report
simonisnotme · 11/06/2020 18:07

if local i drive my car, if going camping he drives my car although im sure he would rather me drive everywhere as he claims he cant see very well early mornings

Report
Cannyhandleit · 11/06/2020 18:08

We are a couple in our 30's and do exactly this! My partner never passed his test until 4 years into our relationship so I did all the driving obviously, since then I rarely drive when he's in the car purely because he enjoys driving and I couldn't careless 🤷‍♀️

Report
KatnissMellark · 11/06/2020 18:09

Yes, we do this and always have. In our thirties now and together since teens. I've always done more household chores and childcare, DH dues now garden stuff, DIY and the driving. But we both do some of each and are relatively equal. Also, I like a sneaky car snooze and he doesn't.

Report
ShowOfHands · 11/06/2020 18:09

In our house, I usually drive the family car as I have the dc and DH drives the smaller, more economical car on his commute. When we all go out, he's not driving "my" car but our family car. And I drive slightly more often than he does actually. If he drives, he does it so that I can read.

Report
SilverOtter · 11/06/2020 18:09

If we go out together, I always ask my husband to drive. It means I can relax moreSmile

Report
Theforest · 11/06/2020 18:11

I do this sometimes as he is a baad passenger and it annoys me, so I prefer to let him drive. I also commute so glad to just get a lift Grin

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

CoodleMoodle · 11/06/2020 18:12

We used to have a car each, and I always drove mine and DH drove his. Then mine was scrapped (very old and not worth the repairs) and we just had the 1, which DH needed for work but I drove at weekends or whatever. Then he started riding a bike and so the car became mine full time. When he got a new job that was too far to cycle to, he got a small car.

His is rarely used outside of commuting. Mine is bigger and safer, and is our "family car". But if we go anywhere then DH drives because a) he's an annoying passenger and b) he misses driving his old car. He really enjoys driving, whereas I see it as just another way to travel. Plus, I drive the DC around all the time, sometimes it's nice to just sit and be driven!

(If we go out with DM, she always drives. Her car is bigger, she's also an annoying passenger, and she likes driving.)

Report
Lilybet1980 · 11/06/2020 18:13

OH tends to drive because I’m much better at navigating.

Report
ProtectAll · 11/06/2020 18:13

If you were watching our car excursions normally then yes you would notice that I only drive my car not the other 2 and that DH drives all 3. In addition if we go out in my car then it is about 50/50 who would drive but coming home it is much more likely to be DH.

This has very little to do with him being a man of feeling that he is the better driver.

Why it happens is that firstly my DH rarely drinks so on a trip out he will drive home and also I am not bothered about driving anymore, then unfortunately I had a no fault incident in my car last year and the other driver was uninsured so when it came to renewing the insurance on DH car it was more than double to add me. I don’t need to drive it mine is far more practical for most of the trips we do so I didn’t get insured if I need to be we will get day insurance or add me on. I don’t drive the 3rd car which belongs to D.C. as it gives me horrific back ache if I do more than 5 minutes in it.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.