to think being able to drive is KEY skill for a woman ( particularly)

[FolornHope]

or not

yes belgo but it takes 5 time longer.

I agree. I live on a military base in the arse end of nowhere with truly awful public transport, and it never ceases to amaze me how many of the wives have never learned to drive.

My husband has been away for six months this past year, and I would have been completely stranded without being able to drive.

So YANBU. It should be taught in sixth form, or a batch of lessons should be available at a reduced rate on turning 17. It can be prohibitively expensive (especially for someone needing as many lessons as I did!).

I did without car when dd was a baby/toddler
was a right bugger
we were always soaked

ermm yes in the middle of the night - there are such things as taxis (and yes the odd bus if I'm somewhere that night buses run),

We lived in the middle of no-where as a kid and my mum couldn't drive (dad worked odd shifts so we hardly saw him/went out with him), we used to do loads of stuff.

We seem to have such a limited perspective on things these days.

Went on holiday to the seaside last year with a friend - neither of us drive, we had 4 children under 8 with us (2 in pushchairs), we got there on the train and the kids LOVED it. It was a huge adventure for them.

Yes it would have been quicker to drive, but not half as much fun.

when you can drive you have choice though
you can still use buses and trains cos they are fun or more convienent

No I disagree with that it takes longer - of course it depends on where you live but for many journeys, cycling/bus even walking will be faster then taking a car, getting stuck in traffic and trying to find a parking space. And all the time and money you spend maintaining the car needs to be taken into account.

oh yes - give them all lessons at 17.........and who is going to pay for the insurance when they pass? And presuming they have their own car, the tax, the MOT, the petrol?

They aren't free y'know [know]

I need to bookmark this thread because I HATE driving (although I can do it, just about) and will do anything to avoid it. Need to be told how great it is.

linking it to " too many cars on the road" is silly - you dont nened to all have a car just have a LIFE skill

yes i can walk on stilts but it deosn't meant i do walk on stilts all the time.

i love it
summer day
kids in car
beach

dELICIOUS

no firrign around wiht GETTING to a bus station ( city dwellers forget this) and then dicking around wirh timetables

ooh no i am the Thelma or Louise of the s

For me no way would I save time in daily life if I took the car for eg the school run, shopping trips etc. But I live in a set-up where many families don't have a car, even though they are very comfortably off indeed.

belgo - for us the train was longer (would have been approx 2-3hrs to drive allowing for toilet breaks for all the boys)

irrc took us about 5 or 6hrs on the train (but several changes to break it up). Oh and then a local bus at the end to get to where we were staying.

The problem is so many people are reliant on cars that they cannot understand how anyone could be mobile without using a car.

Cars are very convenient in some circumstances but just because someone doesn't drive doesn't mean that their life is full of inconvenience and immobility.

I passed my test when I was 17, then moved to London for university and didn't drive again until I was 34. That was 4 years ago and I STILL haven't got into it properly again.

We once worked out whether it would be cheaper to own, tax, insure a car etc in central London than it would be to rely on public transport and the occasional taxi. We allowed for two taxi journeys a week and it still came out much cheaper not to get a car. I do think people see this entirely from their own local point of view; if you live somewhere with limited options, you need a car. Otherwise, you don't.

I recently spent a lot of time and money learning to drive. It was hard but I did it. Don't know why but I felt I was letting my kids down not being able to. Especially as they get older and want to go places and be picked up etc. I've done it now and it's an investment. Am really proud of myself and the kids are too!!

you check the timetables on line before you go - duh! (and tbh I think THAT is a skill that far too many youngsters these day seem to lack - being able to read a train/bus timetable and understand it.

It depends on your definition of life skill forlornhope. Id say speaking a second or third language was a life skill. Driving? Not so much.

ah well i can do that too so that is ok.

YANBU at ALL

The problem is that if you don't learn, you are really scuppered when you are old.

Working with old laydees in the parish involves cajoling drivers into ferrying them to hospital appointments/social engagements all the frigging time.

The ones who are widowed are in the worst position becuase they relied on their husbands for years and years.

You can't always USE a bus when you are old - can't stand around waiting and can't even get ON the bloody things. And that assumes that you will retire somewhere with decent transport anyway, such as ermm London. If you want to live anywhere rural or abroad then you are jiggered if you can't drive in your final years.

If you want to live to a ripe old age and want ANY sort of independence, then LEARN TO DRIVE. Otherwise, frankly, you will be totally at the mercy of a church community or your family.