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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Does anyone else not really enjoy driving?

87 replies

ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 21:45

I do it out of necessity, because despite living in a major city the same journey would take me 1h10 on public transport vs 30 minutes in a car (i still do it some days) on the 2 days a week I use public transport, I feel a sense of relief and that I can have a break.
When driving I leave an hour earlier than I need to so I can avoid rush hour. Tomorrow I have to drive an hour at 5pm in Friday rush hour and I'm dreading it, but the public transport option would take nearly 2 hours and I can't be late.
I drive automatic which helps, but I just don't get the 'amazing, wow, love this' that people seem to. I think driving on a quiet stretch of country road is different to stop start traffic in rush hour.

I am sick of being tailgated even though I try to ignore them and stick to the speed limit. Everyone has a dashcam now, which is good for protection but I feel anxious that I'll unknowingly make a mistake and someone will report me (even though I don't speed or do anything dangerous)

I find ring roads and multi lane situations incredibly stressful and confusing. I passed with 2 minors but my test was on a Sunday first thing in the morning in a village.
People say just keep going, keep doing it and it'll get easier, but I just feel dread every time I get in the car and I haven't driven on snow or ice yet. Anyone else?

OP posts:
ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 21:46

Also hated driving in the recent heat wave!

OP posts:
Twoboysandabengal · 06/08/2026 21:51

I totally agree! I hate it these days with a passion. Not sure if it has anything to do with age too 😂

rockingaroundthe · 06/08/2026 21:52

I find its better than taking the bus though!

Would love a fancy car that drives itself

CordwainerBird · 06/08/2026 21:53

I hate driving. If I was rich it’s the first thing I’d prioritise over any other kind of service - an on call driver.

nomas · 06/08/2026 21:54

I don’t enjoy traffic, but generally I love driving. I drive everywhere, even in central London. Abroad, om the right side, on the left side, manual, automatic, I love it all.,

ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 21:54

In a few,years we'll hopefully have driverless cars- some of the newer ones are on the way there but sadly I couldn't afford anything like that.

OP posts:
ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 21:55

I am ok on motorways, it's just getting onto them with the spiral/multi-lane roundabouts and the fear that nobody will let me on from the slip road

OP posts:
FionnulaTheCooler · 06/08/2026 21:59

I don't enjoy driving, it's just a necessary means to an end. DH likes it so whenever we go out as a family he will drive. I really hate ice and snow, I had quite a scary experience last winter with black ice where I temporarily lost control, thankfully I managed to get it back pretty quickly but it really shook me at the time.

NearlyNewNonny · 06/08/2026 22:00

Absolutely despise it, but can't take public transport. I have a 'nice car' with adaptive cruise control, automatic, self-drive, parks itself (I'm crap at parking), heated/cooling seats, etc. to make it as easy and pleasant as possible. I still hate driving. I've even put friends on my insurance for trips away before so they'll drive.

ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 22:01

I've got friends who've never been on a motorway in 10/20 years of driving and basically just drive half a mile to the shops and that's it, which is fine but I may as well not own a car if I do that, can't justify the costs, I do want to get more confident but just find it inherently stressful and draining.

OP posts:
NearlyNewNonny · 06/08/2026 22:09

I've been driving for thirty years. Motorways, city centres, Europe, etc. (which I do regularly), none of it bothers me, I just hate driving and would have a chauffeur in a heartbeat. DH can drive, but he has the concentration of a goldfish due to chronic ADHD so it's much safer (I've never had an accident) for everyone if I drive. He does offer.

Astra53 · 06/08/2026 22:11

The happiest day of my life was passing my driving test. I love driving as it represents freedom for me to go places. I don't mind where I have to drive, London, motorways, abroad. It doesn't worry me. I am now 62 and will carry on driving for as long as I am safely able to. However, I can see why not everyone would would enjoy it. The roads are busy and some drivers are very aggressive. If it's any consolation I hate flying!

Netcurtainnelly · 06/08/2026 22:12

rockingaroundthe · 06/08/2026 21:52

I find its better than taking the bus though!

Would love a fancy car that drives itself

It will come.
Taxis are first though.
Driving tests will be a thing of the past.

Netcurtainnelly · 06/08/2026 22:13

ThatLovingNavyLion · 06/08/2026 21:54

In a few,years we'll hopefully have driverless cars- some of the newer ones are on the way there but sadly I couldn't afford anything like that.

In time the price will come down, they will be expensive to start with.
They are coming. The taxis will be first.

YorkieTheRabbit · 06/08/2026 22:15

I don’t like driving, I think I’d like it much more if there were no other cars on the road Grin

NewYearVibes · 06/08/2026 22:18

I have been driving since a teen and I am 50. I don’t dread it but I don’t enjoy it either. I do it because I have to. It’s like exercise or drinking water or brushing my teeth.

I used to love it when I was young. It gave me freedom. But that joy has long gone.

Silverbirchleaf · 06/08/2026 22:19

I don’t mind driving locally but don’t do long journeys, and since the dc all now drive, rarely go further than ten miles, partly because I don’t have any reason to go further.

i’ve only once been on a motorway, by accident. For long distances, dh drives or I catch a train.

Last week, on a dual carriageway I’ve driven on before, I got a panic attack and had to pull over (to a farm entrance). My hands were properly shaking. It came from no where. I don’t know what triggered it.

I’ve realised I don’t like driving at speed and also won’t take passengers (apart from family), as then I’m responsible for their lives.

Sassylovesbooks · 06/08/2026 22:21

I've never liked driving, and I'm now 51. I learnt, so it would make life easier for me, growing up in a small market town, where public transport wasn't great. I'm not a bad driver, just not particularly confident. My husband will drive any car, any distance to anywhere and doesn't bat an eyelid when driving abroad!! Whereas I dislike driving somewhere I don't know and find parking difficult!!

getthroughonemoreday · 06/08/2026 22:21

I wouldn't mind driving if it weren't for everyone else on the roads. If I'm in a reliable car with a relatively empty country road, it's fine. Anything else and it's a necessary evil. I do think it gets easier with practice. I didn't mind it so much back when I had to drive regularly. Now that I don't, I avoid it when I can. (This may also be because I was quite a bit younger in those days, with better vision, and the roads in my area were less congested back then.)

Pearofplums · 06/08/2026 22:22

I used to love driving but also can't stand all the tailgating these days. I wouldn't have an automatic, though, as I enjoy the actual driving and don't want my brain to become useless!

NewYearVibes · 06/08/2026 22:23

And I’m actually quite good at driving too. I can do multi lane roundabouts, park in very tight car parks, back down long roads etc. I used to be able to parallel park into very small spaces when I lived in Auckland. I now live in a much quieter place and have not had the chance to do it regularly anymore. The driving backwards was also in a couple of homes where I used to have to back through long shared driveways including uphill. I also drive every summer to Europe.

So getting good at it doesn’t make me enjoy it.

rockingaroundthe · 06/08/2026 22:24

Netcurtainnelly · 06/08/2026 22:12

It will come.
Taxis are first though.
Driving tests will be a thing of the past.

Yes, ive seen the Waymo vehicles near me

I usually love a chat with the driver though, but uber did away with that

Unprecedentedusername · 06/08/2026 22:26

It is the dullest activity on a par with laundry, gardening, cleaning etc. I have one month left in a job that involves a lot of driving and I’m thrilled to be changing to a job I can walk to.

hobbledyhoy · 06/08/2026 22:28

I love driving, not so much sitting in traffic but I love a windy, country road with a proper manual car or being able to fly down a big open road. Automatics are taking the fun out of it.

Seagulldancing · 06/08/2026 22:30

Don't love it, don't hate it, but Id love a chauffeur or a robot to drive me! I just find it dull really, interspersed with moments of frustration (looking for parking) and terror (so so many bad drivers)
I hate country roads more than anything else though. Much prefer a nice motorway.

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