SAHP who don't drive

I don't drive, I work part time (32 hours a week - shift work) DH drives and we wouldn't be able to afford to run 2 cars. He needs the car more than I would so there really iant much point me learning to drive. We manage fine. DD and I walk/bus/train etc when we need to but we do have DH to drive places when he isn't working so I suppose that make a a difference

Likeacrow if you're taking about my comment about not about husband leaving anyone if they don't have a job - it's the independence and ability to support yourself if a marriage goes wrong, m

I'm a SAHM with 2 dc and I don't drive. Tbh for me it's the cost of it that has put me off so far, i've preferred having more cash to do stuff than lessons and a car. I started a thread yonks ago about the general cost of learning how to drive and then running a car and the general gist was 'it's really, really exoensive'. My eldest is 4 now and I think the balance is starting to tip in favour of driving though, managing the school run will be easier with a car .

How many different driving instructors have you had?

I was a SAHP for 10 years and couldn't drive. But DP can't drive either, and our life is set up to work around that, so we live within walking distance of most places we want to go, and in an area with excellent bus and train links. Even without taking driving lessons into account, it costs far less to walk/cycle/use public transport and take a taxi when needed than it does to run a car.

I drive and am not a SAHM but I was on mat leave for a year without access to a car (DH used it for work) so I’ve got a small insight. I found it absolutely fine - was very happy to walk / bus / train everywhere with DS. It made me feel quite self sufficient. I can see how in more rural areas it would be a complete pain though.

I was quite surprised by how unusual not having a car was amongst the other mums though and how reliant people were on it. People seemed really shocked that I used to take baby DS around on a train. It was like we travelled by space rocket or something...

I'm a sahm and I don't drive. It's been harder since we moved out of London but we are still within half an hour's walk to the town centre and train station so it's been ok. We do a lot of walking and a car would make things easier but I have tried and failed to learn to drive and really don't think it will ever happen for me. I know a lot of people who find driving easy and don't understand why I can't, but it does not come naturally to me at all.

I drive I had to stop driving for 6 months because of a medical condition I've only just been allowed to again , driving isn't a given many medical conditions prohibit you from driving.

I’m a SAHM who can drive, but our car was my company car, and when I stopped working we lost the car. We can’t afford one at the moment but we get by

Oh and apart from when we go out as a family and dp drives, I never get lifts off anyone. I grew up in a family with no car so walking and using public transport to get around is completely normal for me.

I drive and never been a full time sahp but I had two dc close together and then went back part time. We used to only have 1 car which DH needed for work so essentially for the nearly 3 years I was off with two pregnancies and then the years I had two days off a week I was carless and it was hard.

I made friends with other mums who had children same age as my oldest and as luck would have it 3 of us then went on to have a second dc within months of each other. For the first couple of years it was great, everywhere we met I could walk or get the bus to. But as the kids got older they all met at placers you needed a car to get to. I found this quite isolating so I do feel for you.

I'm a SAHM and don't drive. I never need to, most family live within walking distance and we live in the centre of town, surrounded by parks. I never need to ask for lifts, if I can't walk, which is unlikely, then DP will drive. I can drive, I've just never taken the test as I've always lived in places it just isn't necessary to drive anywhere. DD goes in a hip sling or her buggy or walks herself if we are only going a short distance, we've had no problems so far, but DD projectile vomits even on short car journeys, even now she is forward facing so there isn't much incentive to learn as the car is used as last resort!

I think it’s too easy for people to raise their voice in distain and say ‘why don’t you drive! or ‘you need to drive!’ without knowing the person’s personal reasons. Some people have mental/psychlogical reasons such as anxiety or PTSD from a previous road accident or they’ve failed to pass their test or there is no reason and they simply have no interest in driving. I drive but DH has the car during the week so I walk everywhere and get public transport. If i had a car all of the time I’d probably be overweight to be honest. The walking keeps me fit so dh can keep it at work as far as I’m concerned!