To think that people are weird about non-drivers?

[HennyPennyHorror]

I don't want to learn to drive. I'm mid-40s and just don't want to. Never have.

I catch trains and buses and ride a bike. It's never been an issue for me. My DH works for himself and so he's always been the one to take DC to their friend's parties etc.

He likes doing it...if he didn't I suppose I'd need to reconsider.

People look at me like I'm weird because I don't want to drive. You also see it here. A sort of irritation regarding those who can't drive.

The thought scares me frankly and I'm aware that I'd only be adding to pollution. I never ask anyone for a lift. I just get on with it.

Also I never offer lifts.
We plan to meet up, arrange a time and place and then she just says "are you alright to come for me?". As she's not exactly hours out of the way I feel like I can't say no 🙈

@fedup21 then she won't want to meet up.

Then she’s not a friend. Anyone that

just says "are you alright to come for me?"

really isn’t a good friend.

Driving is an absolutely fundamental life skill. You are limiting options so much by not being a driver
OK so you live on London but what happens if you want to rent a country holiday cottage, hire a car abroad, hire a van to move stuff. What if a great opportunity comes up not in London. What if your driving partner can't anymore?
As for the poster saying when they organise meet up with friends they are always pressed onto accepting a lift, don't you get you are restricting where you can meet up because they have to think about you and your public transport?
I regard it has a parents duty in raising a child to be a functioning adult to make sure they learn to drive

OK but Woody, what about people whose parents can't afford lessons for their children, or people who take test upon test upon test and keep failing and just CANNOT drive no matter how much they learn? If you can't do it or can't afford it, there's not really any getting around that, so you are being a bit ridiculous to suggest it's some kind of failure to not drive when some people don't for reasons beyond their control

I am someone in my early 30s who has only just bought a car in the past couple of months, but comes from a family who are adamant this is a serious moral failing and have always taken every opportunity to remind me of this.

One of the things that strikes me on this thread is how much the title is proven by the endlessly repeated opinion that not driving is 'restrictive' and a choice, whereas living in the arse end of nowhere despite having caring responsibilities is isn't either. And the complete utter and total refusal of people to realise that this attitude is indeed weird.

Quite frankly I need to get off this thread as it is a bit triggering!

I wouldn't like it in a partner and would find it a real turn-off as I would find it really inconvenient and see driving as a bit of a life skill.

This really. I’d hate to have a partner that didn’t drive (through choice) meaning I had to do it all but beyond that, I’m not bothered.

I suppose if you have never learned to drive you don’t build a lifestyle which places having a car at the centre of it. When my sons were small we had a CM who was an older lady who didn’t drive. She still took them on plenty of days out and trips to places and to shops etc, as she lived somewhere near shops and a train station. Much handier than where we are who have to drive to those places!