If you don’t drive your world is much smaller

[Imreallyokayipromise]

I have a friend who doesn’t drive, for many reasons (anxiety, dyslexia) she also doesn’t use public transport so her world seems very small to me. She has a small child who doesn’t leave the house unless they are going to nursery school. Her partner drives but never seems to want to go anywhere either and she has to make all her plans around him and get permission and everytime we discuss it I just feel like she has no independence and her world is so small. It really got me thinking that if you can drive so many possibilities open up and your world becomes much bigger. Even if it’s just doing your own food shop or visiting a friend.

Not everyone has to drive, and we should normalise that

Before I had old man knees I would get trains and buses and leave my car at home, taking your car limits you to circular routes unless you park on a bus route. It seemed pointless having my car in some random carpark on ten day walking holidays when I would end up 60-100 miles away from my car on the final day.

Most definitely this.
It is entirely normal behaviour not to drive.

To answer the question: if you don't drive, your world is smaller in one way, but may be larger in others.

For example the people you may meet on public transport can be interesting to talk to, or the planning you do to get to where you want to be makes you think harder than just getting in your car.

I'm not sure it's possible to know how it is for your friend though, and how she is thinking.