To be constantly surprised that people 'don't drive'?

[MissEloiseBridgerton]

Every day on here, and on my own social media, I am shocked that soooo many people don't drive. My local FB group is constantly people asking for favours because they don't drive, they want a dump run, or someone to deliver second hand stuff to them. On here, the barriers to work, to childcare, to anything is so often that they don't drive!

For me growing up, learning to drive was just what you did. I don't have any friends who didn't learn to drive at 17. Most had cheap runarounds or borrowed parents car.

I totally understand it's expensive and costly to run a car but I don't think I realised how many people never learned!

I don't even understand what this means TBH.

Some people chose not drive either, does that make them odd? We all have choices why can't you choose not to drive?

Pinkskiesfreezing

I'm the same, hate car journeys and love train travel.

My post on previous page refers to this

Agree. Sorry. Was commenting on the posts about normal vs disability

Well some of us got a job to pay for lessons. Tbf we could use the family car. My parents weren't precious about the car at all.

You can do that over here if you want, it's not compulsory to take lessons. But you should probably take a few lessons to get you going, and then a few more lessons before your test to make sure you haven't fallen into bad habits that would fail you.

My son is currently learning to drive and once the instructor confirmed he was road safe, we put him on our insurance and drives us around.

His issue is passing the theory, which you have to do before you can take the actual test. He is autistic and struggles with the academic side of the theory. His actual driving is fine and I have no qualms about him driving me.

So he has a couple of lessons a month to keep his slot with the busy instructor, and drives our car to/from his work (with one of us accompanying him) and to/from some other activities. And we keep going with the theory revision and the theory tests.

I'm not a non driver! Luckily I'm also not a sanctimonious one.

I was too broke poor until my 30s and now it's £75 a lesson. It's out of reach for so many people.

Is that 1 hour? 😳

I pay £40 an hour
£60 for an hour and half
£80 for 2 hours

I always wonder on threads like these what the fate of those, who insist driving is an essential life skill that cannot be lived without, would be should they lose their ability or licence to do it.
Would they suddenly adopt all the 'faults' that non drivers apparently have? Live under a rock for the rest of their lives and never leave the house? Start pestering everyone they know for lifts all the time?
Or would they adapt their life and get on with it? Although surely, when you don't have a licence you're incapable of being able to do that, so it must be the former? Or maybe they'd drive anyway, regardless, because it's unthinkable to be a non driver and all the things that automatically entails?
It's not like a driving licence is guaranteed to be for life no matter what, it comes with the condition you're responsible and safe enough to continue, and can be removed for a whole number of reasons, many of them beyond your control.
Must be terrifying to know that should you develop a condition that stops you from driving you'll become one of these ferried around, dependant, childish monsters that are so despised.

I know. I see this all the time on the Facebook groups for my condition. People losing their licences (because it can cause double vision) and it is the end of the world for them.
It could happen to any of us the blink of an eye.
Sneering at people who can't drive could come back to haunt you

I'm 52 and it was always tied up with getting a job when I was younger. You need this skill to get you to work. My mum never drove and was reliant on my dad to get her everywhere. I didn't want that. Both of my children have licences as again its a skill we thought they would need. DS1 only really started using a car at 21 when on a placement in Oxford where he had a long bus journey to get to work otherwise. DS19 doesn't have a car and isn't bothered about driving as he's at Uni currently so doesn't really have a need for one yet. It took him a few goes as he's dyspraxic but he did it. They have their licence if they ever need it.

I don't need it to get me to work and never have.

I'm a normal person and it's not an important life skill for me.

I passed my test when I was 37. Didn't start driving properly until 2 years ago when I left my bf, took the dog with me and realised he couldn't come with me on public transport or go away anywhere with me. So I bought my first car at the age of 49, took refresher driving lessons because I was TERRIFIED of the roads and the aggressive drivers where I live (non UK) and I haven't looked back.
But in all honesty had it not been for the dog I would still be a non driver getting on with my life which is full and have more money - it's expensive to own a car.

That is great but I know if I need to get to work in my current job its 3 buses. I wouldn't do that without a car. Its great if you live near decent transport links or even better can walk. My husband who is disabled prefers to use public transport as parking is an issue when he goes into the city.

Ah but nothing says strong, mature and manly like burning fossil fuels!

Posted this before but this happened to me, luckily temporarily, can’t drive for 6 months.

When the doctor told me that I said “not happening”. He very politely told me it wasn’t optional.

I thought it would be horrendous. I’ve always driven and always had a car. It’s been fine. No major drama really. There is excellent (in my opinion, not that of others) public transport available to me. The reality has been way better than the idea of it.

Having said that I can understand where people are coming from who have always driven, the idea of having to do without is inconceivable.

No idea where the rage about giving lifts comes from though, and it’s very prevalent on here apparently.

I don’t drive, however I am having lessons now in my early 40s. I never had the chance to learn before now due to life circumstances. It’s not that weird, I know quite a few people who don’t drive. I don’t even need to desperately need to drive as can used buses, trains, and trams etc but it just takes longer to get places.

My job at 17 paid rent and food. Parents didn’t have a car and had kicked me out by then anyway.

Yes, but we've needed better public transport for a few decades. In the meantime, cars are essential for lots of people living in areas with crap public transport.

What's fascinating @taxguru is that your line of argument deliberately stops here.

"in the meantime..." so how long does that meantime last for?

When will anything ever change?

For people living in areas with crap public transport, will they ever be persuaded to vote for people who want to bring better public transport, or are they more focused on car ownership, house prices etc?

As I've said before, the UK is horribly parochial when it comes to cars. We just think everyone wants to live the same way.

Very lucky. Many of us were not so lucky. Not begrudging that luck, just pointing it out / confirming it.

I think it's good. There are far too many cars on the roads.