To think for women born in the '50s, driving is a class thing?

[DaggersDrawn]

Of my friends who's mums are 40s/50s born - I've noticed that every one who's mums don't drive are working class. Those whose mums drive are uni educated/ middle class - bar a few exceptions.

AIBU to be surprised at this in the Year of Our Lord 2023?

My mum was born in the 1950s. They were dirt poor, she would sometimes forage for food or go hungry. She was very excited when they were moved into a council house and it had running water.

She learnt to drive in her early 20s.

My DM born in 1960s doesn't drive neither did my two grandmas one still alive. It's like they expected the men to drive them I'm from a WC family.

Mum born 1950s, working class, drives. Same as my OH.

https://licence2drive.uk/history-driving-test/

UK driving test became compulsory in June 1935, though there was a few years during WW2 where tests were suspended and many people who had started driving during that time didn't have to sit the test to get a full license.

My grandma on my dad's side did drive. It was through necessity, after her husband left. As a working mother of 8 she had to prioritise money on learning to drive and getting a car.

My mother is pre war vintage. Definitely working class upbringing. She learnt to drive in her early twenties and got a university degree in her thirties.

In the late 1950s and 1960s there were a lot of jokes and put downs about women drivers. My mum, who never learned to drive joined in. She had plenty of cause to be grateful to women drivers later in her life. I think many working class women had less opportunity to learn but many made the opportunity later.

My mum was working class. Born in the 40s. She and her sister both learnt to drive in their 20s.

Yes YABU - I’m in that age group and working class and the majority of my female
friends and cousins in the same age range have driven since our 20’s. I don’t consider any of us poorly educated though none went to university. I would say your observations are unusual

Working class mum born in the 1930s. Learnt to drive and had her own car, which she wasn't allowed to get finance on in her own name, my dad had to guarantor it. Even though she worked and used her money to pay for it.

My DM was born in the 50s, and was working class, and she can drive. I'm not sure when she learnt though, if at 18 or nearer 30 when she moved in with my dad (in a countryside village).

I still can't drive though - lived in London in my 20s, then I was studying again, and then Covid happened - need to get around to it eventually!

Yep. I was born in the 1950s, learned to drive in my 30s when I could afford the lessons. It was certainly not usual for parents to pay for driving lessons or buy their kids a car (the idea!) Some girls with nicer dads than mine were taught by their fathers - but car ownership still wasn't widespread. Your parents can't teach you to drive a non-existent vehicle!

My mum was born in 1940, and was born working class. She learnt to drive when she was in a convent (where she also qualified to teach).
Neither of my grandmothers drove (probably a very good thing in the case of my paternal grandmother)

I was born in the 1950s and drive, as does my DM, born in the 1930s(although she has given up driving in the last couple of years), as did/do all her contemporaries.

@Rampantivy we often 'meet' on threads - good to know we are both 1958 vintage .

More a money thing. Far fewer people had cars, and those who did probably did because the men needed them to go to work. More women were SAHMs/housewives.

My mum was born in 1933. She drove, my dad never learned. I got driving lessons for my 17th whether I wanted them or not (I didn't) because my mum was fed up of ferrying us around. I'm glad she insisted though. I hated learning, and if I'd had to learn well into adulthood I'd probably have given up.

My mum was working class and born in 1955. She took lessons and passed as soon as she was able to. As did all 3 of her sisters and close friends.

DH is from a very WC background and his two older sisters, born in 1957 & 1959, can drive. Neither is university educated. One doesn't actually have a car as she lives very close to a major city centre & it would be a lot of expense for something she'd hardly use. The other drives daily.

My parents were born in 1950, both from very working class backgrounds. My experience of their peer group is that all the women drive but reluctantly.

YY to the attitudes of the men playing a big part in that.

MIL was born 1936 and describes FIL as inspecting the car whenever she got home from taking it out. My Nan was born 1929, proper northern matriarch, she didn't give a fuck and drove everywhere no matter what Grandad thought.

I was born in 1950, council house, working class. In the 70s I drove a big white Rover with a flashing blue light on top. Nuff said. 😃

Not at all. I was born in the 50s, I drive as do all my friends. I am very much working class. My mother drove too, as did most of her similarly aged friends. She was born in 1932.

I was born early 50's, passed my test at 17. Was encouraged to learn by my then boyfriend so no misogyny there. I didn't have any higher education. Left school at 16. WC background.

My DF (born 1917) learnt to drive during WWII in Germany , took a bike test in the late 1940s in the UK and then a car test in 1953 in Scotland. This enabled him to increase his earnings by getting a job as a rep.

My DM (born 1920) could have learnt, but always said she was too nervous.

The only other person in the family with a driving licence was DM's uncle, who ran his own printing business.

WC family.

I (born 1955) was 26 when I passed my test, which was quite late for my cohort. My two closest friends don't drive. One has been widowed and is now pretty much housebound because of it. I am still surprised how many people, both men and women, do not drive. I think it's pretty much an essential life skill.

My MC parrents lived their while adult lives in London. Neither can drive.

My mum, born in the 40s, could drive (and had a car) before she met my Dad! Her mum could also drive. Probably quite a middle class family though.

Working class mother (daughter of miner, granddaughter of farm labourer) born 1944. Drove. Her sister drove. Their mother, born 1906 (in service till marriage as orphaned at 8) drove.

I don't think it was to do with class, or income, but the need to get from A to B.

I'm 57, university educated and a teacher and don't drive.

My mum, MIL and all my aunties born late 40s early 50s - all drive/drove
All working class.

All non uni-educated although a few got open uni degrees in later life.

The previous generation grandmothers/grandfathers etc born in 20's only the men could drive but that is only because they were drafted in WWII and taught to drive there.