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!

In what way are right wing governments responsible for people choosing not to drive?

We also do not - economically - have right wing governments anymore. Last conservative governments increased tax massively, including on the top earners despite what some commentators online like to claim.

I’m sure the ‘done thing’ in your group of friends was learning to drive at 17, sadly I was homeless at 16 and spent the next few years trying to put a roof over my head. I then had a disabled child and no extra money for driving lessons.
You are showing your absolute lack of understanding and privilege.
I can’t drive now for medical reasons and walk and get public transport. The only people who have a problem with this are drivers who find it strange that I don’t want a lift everwhere

Disability and poverty are not comparable adversities though are they?
Whilst growing up poor is certainly a large hurdle in life it is something you can overcome and many, including myself, do. It’s certainly fair to say it’s much harder and that not everybody makes it … but plenty do.

Being disabled is not something you can escape if you get your head down and work really hard.

I can’t help but think that putting people who are born poor and people who are born disabled into the same category of adversity really cheapens the battle disabled people face.

I learnt at 17/18, but only because my parents fully funded it. No way would have I been able to afford it myself.
Both my parents learnt at the same age, so I think in their minds, it was just the thing your kids do at that age.

Most bizarre to me are the people who learnt to drive, passed their test, and then decided not to bother driving.
I've got a very close friend like that. Stopped driving in her early 20s when she was having investigations into some mini seizures (but hasn't had any since she was about 24), and just never started up again.

Very true.

Just shows some posters like to jump on the OP/post something negative no matter what, even if it's opposite to what they said last time!

I'm a Londoner. I don't think many Londoners learn to drive until they're older if at all. I own a car and can drive but get public transport for a lot of things due to the congestion charge and parking.

If someone is very capable of driving and just chooses not to then I find it difficult to understand. I find some non drivers can take advtange of drivers also and expect that we are a chaperone/taxi service. That’s what annnoys me. Especially when they go to the effort of doing lessons and passing their test and just never bother. Different if someone can’t financially afford it, disabled etc

This is what privilege looks like.
On top of the extreme cost, a lot of people are very nervous drivers so find it hard to complete lessons and get test ready. Disabilities are a factor too. Or always inner city living. My uncle didn’t learn to drive until his 40s.

To be surprised that many people don't drive comes from a position of privilege. At 17 there was no money for me to learn to drive and as I could get anywhere I wanted on foot. By bicycle or public transport there was no real need anyway.

The only civilian licence I've held has been a motorbike one. However, due to medical conditions I can no longer even have that.

Until you accept there are people who cannot have a licence then you are waving your privilege in the faces of people who cannot.

I don't drive. I live in a city so manage to get about without needing to, and can walk most places, city centre, seaside and so on. I did try years ago, but my spacial awareness was rubbish and concentrating is not one of my strong points. 😆 On paper I'm well educated, but common sense is not one of my strong points. I might try again in the future but with such good transport links where I live it hasn't really been a problem.

I didn't learn until I was late 20's, and, while I appreciate the convenience, I hated it then and hate it still. I did drive to work before I retired, and I still drive 60 mile round trip to see family, but it has never become any less stressful

I am 48 and can’t drive. I did have several lessons where I learnt I was a liability on the road and my instructor agreed with me. My husband drives as does my dd and my ds is currently having lessons.
I have awful anxiety when I am in the car as a driver or passenger. It got so bad that I had to blindfold myself whenever I was out with someone. I had therapy but that’s probably only worked so much but I’m glad to say I no longer need a blindfold.
I agreed with my therapist that I shouldn’t drive due to these anxieties.
Is it easy not being able to drive? No but on the other hand it’s not much of an issue being without a licence.

I grew up in London, and it really wasn’t necessary there. I did start to learn, but a combination of creepy instructor, cost and a seeming ‘blind spot’ in one of my eyes, I gave up. I lost confidence and have never really wanted to again.
We moved to a different city with far less public transport, and it is frustrating now, but I don’t have the time or money to learn now (I’m a full time carer). My eldest can’t drive due to Tourettes (eye closing tics aren’t great going over roundabouts), so there’s many reasons why people don’t drive.

This. This is the issue.

What is?

When non drivers take advantage of drivers as if we are a taxi service. Been there done that. Never again

When non drivers take advantage of drivers as if we are a taxi service

I’m a driving instructor, and where I am an hour is £41, most do 2hrs at a time. 10hrs lasts 5 weeks, so on average £410 every month! It’s an insane amount of money for a 17 year old to pay out. An average person takes between 45-60hours. I definitely could not afford to learn to drive now! Unless parents are in a position to pay, it’s probably a non starter for most!

Exactly this. You’re lucky that you took it for granted OP, not the case for us all.

I was in my late 20s when I got my licence, but I was very much the odd one out in my age group. I know a handful of adults who don't drive, most of them have started lessons at some point or other and then had to give up. But I know someone who is in their 40s and never even had a driving lesson. When I asked her why not she just said she 'didn't see the point'. It just isn't for everyone.

@NMc16 Okay. I just couldn't work out what your relating too because the posts above yours talk about suffering debilitating anxiety and don't mention treating anyone like a taxi.

Same

Yeah, that's fine as long as they sort out their own transport (where physically & mentally possible of course) and aren't constantly expecting lifts from people who DO face the expenses, responsibilities, complications and often downright stress of driving.

I can drive but don't own a car. I had a car for a few years when my kids were young, but I just don't need one now, and I like not having the stress of driving in busy traffic and looking for parking spaces. I live in London so public transport is fine for getting to work, most social things and I can get trains for weekends away. Occasionally I'll hire a car if I have to e.g. recently for helping my son move flats. Neither of my kids (in their 20s) can drive. I think it's pretty common not to drive (or to have a licence but no car) in London and other cities where traffic & parking are bad and public transport is pretty easy to use. I find it hard to understand why some of my friends and neighbours would rather sit in traffic than get on a tube or bus.

No you can have parents help teach you & lessons.
personally it was too expensive at 17/18 & no way my mum could help since she couldn’t afford it for herself at that point so she didn’t drive either 🤷‍♀️ I tried when I could afford it in my early 20’s & hated the instructor so gave up then finally tried again and passed at 28