AIBU to consider an automatic car to rebuild my driving confidence

[Aabbaas]

I’ve had a licence for 2 decades but having lived 20 years in London, I never became a confident driver (as I never had my own car). Lately I have started driving again, took a few refresher lessons and got DH to come in the car with me for small journeys around the area. I am fine really but the thought of driving my myself still feels like a daunting chore and therefore I don’t want to drive aroubd with DC yet.
Everyone around me tells me that an automatic car will make my life easier, is that the case? I don’t have issues with gears, it is mainly that I worry about cars around me but many have told me that because driving ia simplified with an automatic, it is easier to focus on the traffic instead.
DH drives a company car which is automatic but too big and I don’t want to drive it really (also not sure if I can be on the insurance). We have a small car as well which is old and manual and I am starting to think that maybe it is time to upgrade it next year and get an automatic I can drive instead. Am I being an unreasonable diva?

Love auto, last had gears over 20 years’ ago. This is my 2nd one. My DDs also drive autos

I wouldn't buy a hybrid. You get the worst of both worlds as they are more complex than either a petrol or an electric.

A small second hand electric might be good if you don't need the range. But you don't want to be laying out £££ on the battery and doing low mileage, as it is mostly high mileage that recovers the cost of a battery car. You will need somewhere to charge it of course.

I think a rental of an auto is a really good idea, to help familiarise yourself with it and decide whether it is worth the money going over. You might find even though the gears are removed the driving issues are much the same.

Weird. Just get an automatic. It’s not a taboo 😂

I always swore I’d never get an automatic (not really sure why tbh) but now I’ve had one I wouldn’t go back.

same same - had no issues with manual but would never go back. whenever I have driven manuals in recent years, it seems just so much unneccessary fiddling around. Small automatic electric car and driving will be so much easier for you.

Absolutely get an automatic. And if you can make the charging work, get an electric one! They are a dream to drive, with fantastic acceleration which really helps build confidence I think. I know you say you’re fine with gears, but it was stopping and starting efficiently I found really stressful before, I was a really anxious driver and panicked about right turns or complicated roundabouts because I was always worried I might not make it out when there was a gap and the hesitation just added to the stress. When you can just put your foot down and go, all you have to focus on is safety, not mechanics!

I absolutely hate driving. I got an automatic and whilst it hasn’t made driving enjoyable, it has made it easier.

Like you, I have no problem managing gears or clutch, but it’s other drivers who put me off. The automatic gives you more headspace to deal with that.

I would never ever go back to a manual.

I passed my test - eventually - in a manual but have only driven automatics for the past 25 years. Would never go back.

When DH first passed his test he was a nervous wreck, to the point he was almost dangerous.

Got him an automatic smart car and the fear pretty much went away after his first drive. I think the combination of it being smaller (so not having to worry too much about space) and being automatic (so not having to worry about gear changes) helped.

Now he's quite happy driving the big car, but we did have to switch to automatic for that one - no complaints from me.

I think manual cars are a dying breed. More and more are automatic now

I don't have any issue with manual but I got an automatic 10 years ago and wouldn't go back now

I know a couple of non drivers who always found lessons stressful who are planning to try again in an automatic

I switched to automatic a few years ago after 40 years of driving manual. Yes it's easier and it's a pleasure.
I just bought a nearly new Yaris cross. It's a mini SUV petrol hybrid and currently getting 70mpg.

It has extensive "driving assistance" features. The sophistication is unbelievable. Some incredibly useful such as blind spot monitors and cameras all around the vehicle. Some very annoying such as warning beeps every time you pass a speed limit sign. I've spent three weeks on YouTube learning how to use or turn off the features.
I think for some it would be very useful for example parents with a car load of children who might be distracted, elderly drivers who aren't quite as quick.

If you're still in London get a small automatic, you'll be glad when you can get into tight parking spaces the SUVs can't, I lived and learned to drive in London, automatic is much better so you're not up and down gears constantly in traffic. It sounds like your husband's car is much bigger so longer out of town journeys/trips can be done in that

Thanks everyone. To answer some questions:

• the AIBU was mainly related to the fact that we have an old but perfectly ok manual car so I was wondering if switching to a newer (hence more expensive) automatic car which I wouldn’t even need every day would be a bit of a luxury. We can afford it in theory but we also have many expenses with small DC and a high mortgage and DH has a company car
• We live outside London now, not in the city anymore
• i would love an electric car but I don’t have a driveway where I can have my own charging station installed so would have to find places where I can charge it. I suppose that with the amount of driving I’d do this would be a once a month occurrence, if that? So in theory feasible?

What is a good electric car these days that isn’t a luxury car and isn’t too bit or too tiny? I really don’t know much about them! I like the look of a Renault captur or a Kia stonic (a big chunky and bigger than a Corsa, but not huge).

the Mini countryman is excellent (I have one!)

I have a cute little electric car called a Leapmotor, I love it ! We were looking for the cheapest small electric car we could find, this fitted the bill and was actually much nicer than the other small cars available . We lease ours. Range up to 200 miles, would that work for you ? However home charging is really the best way to do it, much cheaper too on an EV tariff.
Electric cars are great to drive, very quick off the mark, something to do with torque …

We’ve got a Kia e-Niro which is a few years old now, but I think the EV3 might be the equivalent now? I think they’ve just launched an EV 2 which is smaller again. I love our car and would happily have another Kia.