to bevery disappointed that only 63% of women can DRIVE!! ffs

[JunoWatt]

its like saudi arabia here
ONLY JUST OVER HALF OF US! GET A LICENCE LADIES

we noticed in france loads more women drive than men when both in car.
we oft commented "why is the little lady driving when there is a PERFECTLY good man in the car "

I read the article in the Times and can see what the OP is 'driving at'. :)

I think it might not be a feminist issue now, but it probably has been in the past. I remember that making fun of 'women drivers' was a favourite theme of every chat show host, comedian and small-time loudmouth throughout the eighties. And I think that some men, yes, did resent women getting behind the wheel and into 'their' domain.

My father, despite us living in an outer commuter-belt and then a rural area with limited public transport, was very reluctant for any of his three daughters to drive. He did not stop us from learning, but never insured us on his car and the thought of being driven by one of us and him not being in control was a complete no-no.

It could be useful in an emergency situation, to get to doctors/hospital in emergency, at night, or something, if you need choclate in the middle of night, for instance. I love driving, and am much better at in than my husband, 22years NCD!

JunoWatt - because all the men have lost all their points! DP always says that I have 12 reserve points for our family if ever he loses all of his. Lots and lots of men people have lost their licence in France since the draconian traffic laws came into being. Fewer people die on the roads, too, of course.

In order for this to be productive conversation (sorry - ultimate sin - have not read whole thread but am passing through in a hurry) you need to separate "drive/own a car" from "can drive (i.e. have a licence and are prepared to actually do it - with none of the feeble 'I don't do motorways' approach which is scarily common)".

There are lots of very valid reasons for not owning a car. There are far far fewer valid reasons for not having the skill and the qualification. It is (yet) another way in which women's options and life choices are limited. I appreciate that it is not a cheap skill to acquire, but it is one I think should be a pretty high priority.

My mum and dad live in the Highlands of Scotland and neither of them can drive. They manage fine using the bus (free), train and taxi.

I choose not to drive. I can afford to learn if I want to and because I don't live in Saudi Arabia no-one would stop me. But I like taking public transport and don't want the environmental or other responsibilities of driving. It's not really any of your business, is it?

Shirley Re. the car insurance for a new driver: my dd is 17 & a learner. The best deal we found was through Admiral - £630 for her with me as named driver, so I still use the car more than her but having it in her name builds up her NCB.

This was under their "2-car" system where you commit to insure both cars in the household through them, even if the insurance expires at different times, so hers started in March & DS's will be added in November. I am really impressed with Admiral prices and customer service.

They may manage CrackFox, but they are limited as to what they can do, where they can go and when they can do it.

Living in London I knew lots of women who chose not to drive, and a few men too. Living more towards the countryside now I know only one women who chooses not to drive. I do think there is a little element of women's lib in being able to drive, but I think in the 'old days' it may have been actively discouraged by men, whereas now people have a choice, and if they want to drive the greatest barrier is financial. Often couples decide not to own a car because for environmental reasons.
I think it is an important skill with which to equip a young person going into the job market though. I know a couple of young people (male as it happens) who are in their early 20s and have not learned to drive, still living at home and needing to have lifts to job interviews, etc, never mind the social life. It does keep them like children for longer. Money is the problem - can't get a job without mobility, can't afford driving lessons/car/insurance til they get a job. I feel really lucky that I had driving lessons for my 17th birthday and passed first time, and insurance was relatively cheap then (80s).
I am not a petrolhead though and will always cycle, walk or take public transport if it is practical.

stealth-bit judgey? People who can not drive think their reasons are very valid thanks. I would not tell you any of your choices or circumstances were not valid.

They would disagree with you Squeakytoy! They have travelled all over the world and at no time needed (or wanted) a car.

Wow reading some of these posts makes me think what a lovely man my Dad is. The thought that a man, even one who started driving in the 1950s, would think that women shouldn't drive or that he shouldn't ever be driven by a woman is completely alien to me. Was / is this attitude really commonplace??

I'm normally pretty aware of stereotypes where they exist but this one has shocked me. Yes there's the women driver thing but tbh that's no more serious than saying all men are boy-racers. Or maybe it is??

It is odd how if a man and a woman are in a car, it is more often than not, the man that is driving. Why is that?

Women are all pissed on a bottle of wine whilst the man has had to stick with lemonade all afternoon.

What are you implying? That lots of women would like to drive but are being physically prevented by their husbands from doing so? The stat surely comes almost entirely from much older women who don't drive and the number will even up in a few decades.

Vicky - yes and no: the situation for the war time generation isn't clear cut. Women now in their 80s were a generation of competent drivers - that cohort learned to drive during 2WW, many in HGVs (like the Queen) or buses.

The "housewife porn" of the 1950s has a lot to answer for.

It may not be can it may be do.

OP if you are willing to teach me for nothing then I am willing to learn. :)

God didn't see it was you op! One of your fave stir it up topics tut tut

It would be nice to have driving lessons as a top priority but sadly things like rent, council tax and food get in the way.

I have a provisional license. Can't afford driving lessons. I can definitely not afford a car or car insurance. So, looks like I won't be driving.

It is not like saudi arabia in any way. We have choice.

So what! I can't afford to learn at the moment or run a car, but will later on. I am useless failed 4 tests, got confidence issues and dypraxia which disent help. I am safer off the road tbh, and have a regular bus service outside my house. Comparing it to Saudi Arabia is wrong, here women have a choice, there they don't

Yawn.

Neither DH or I drive. Can't afford lessons, let alone a car and all the insurance etc.

We get on very well without it, we are lucky to be near great public transport, and our DCs don't suffer for it.

DH (43) will never be able to drive - his coordination is fucked thanks to daily beatings from his mum - but I (24) will one day. I'm thinking of becoming a teacher so it'll be essential then I expect.

People see driving as a right, like you aren't living a full life if you don't have a car - TBH I see it as a privilege. Maybe if it wasn't taken for granted there'd be less accidents, a bit less pollution etc? I don't know. But I'm really not bothered about driving yet and it's got nothing to do with the fact I'm a woman, as that seems to be what the OP was driving (no pun intended) at.