If you choose not to drive you are a pain in the arse

[Ophir]

Always lifts, always expecting basically chauffeured

Same here, but we drive our own car and park in an airport/hotel car park. Trains are completely unreliable (Northern Rail who are an utter shambles and just cancel seemingly on a whim, or delayed due to breakdowns etc). My son once had no choice but to use the train and three trains in succession were cancelled meaning he missed his flight as they were only hourly anyway, and he'd planned to get a train to arrive there 3 hours before the "recommended" 2 hours they say to arrive ahead of your flight. He thought that Northern couldn't possible cancel 3 trains in a row, as they usually just cancel one and squeeze everyone onto the one an hour later. By the time he finally got there, he couldn't get through security quick enough before the boarding gate closed (security was understaffed that day too with huge queues going right back into the luggage drop off area!).

I live near a small city where the buses are awful. They built a huge Asda on the outskirts and it took a whopping 20 years before it was included on a bus route from the city bus station. My son had to leave home at 7.25 in the morning to catch a bus for school - it's only 5 miles away, yet the buses only ran hourly and did a tortuously long route and even then it was a long walk at each end to/from the nearest bus stops. In his sixth form, nearly everyone was learning to drive and lots of upper sixth pupils took their cars and parked in nearby streets to avoid the buses once they passed. I really don't think people who are lucky enough to have a decent bus service understand just how bad things are in smaller cities and towns.

Possibly worse are the drivers who can't function if their car is broken/mot/in the garage, and therefore can't be expected to travel (extremely rural excluded).

Err no. And dont offer lifts if you're not going that way or are and dont want to.
Its fine, we organise our lives to work without cars. In my experience generally the driver is the more insistent that I take a lift when im absolutely fine....

Do you get out much?

Are they contagious?

So, you’re a martyr then.

Very much not my experience

As I said, people will say on here they’re not constantly being driven about but that’s not most non drivers

How would they reciprocate if they don’t drive? Could they care for your house or pets while away? Weed the garden? Bake something? You’ve never heard of bartering?

I’m just stuck with it as I’m the only driver

And according to a poster on here I’m supposed to factor non drivers in when making arrangements

Getting themselves around would be enough

So... youre a martyr 😆

Buses, trains and taxis do exist.

They should at least offer money for petrol. It’s the polite thing to do.

I don’t think so

Just fed up

You should tell that to the people who are expecting lifts from you.

Trains are completely unreliable (Northern Rail who are an utter shambles and just cancel seemingly on a whim, or delayed due to breakdowns etc).

Sounds familiar @Badbadbunny
Trans Pennine Express have improved though, but the Northern Rail trains where I live are only hourly and if one gets cancelled or there are cows on the line (which happened to DD once when she was trying to get home) then it is a service you can't rely on when trying to catch a flight.

My friends husband has always refused to learn. They have 4 children so it all falls on her. She’s having an operation on her foot soon so won’t be able to drive for ages and the children who are at home will definitely lose out in this time.

There was a mum at primary who was ferried around a lot by another mum, when she moved she expected me to take up the job. I remember meeting her in the local Tesco (about a 3 minute walk from my house, same for her) and she asked for a lift home. She couldn’t believe I hadn’t driven there. She constantly wanted driving about, even small distances.

See, the refusing to learn just boggles my mind

Why would you want to be dependent on other people and not want to drive your DC?

Correction. People who don’t drive are not a pain in the arse. However people who then want the convenience of a car without the expense and effort of owning one ARE. Ie people who use not driving as an excuse for not being able to make an equal contribution to group events, or who need lifts all the time. These people are massive pains in the arse. They should get taxis to avoid inconveniencing others. Emergencies excepted, people should not be expecting lifts

Not driving is not a problem if you use public transport. It’s the ones who expect lifts who are really annoying. I know people who choose not to drive and then make everyone else’s life difficult because they always need picking up from somewhere

For me personally yes as I'm the only one in a group of DC's friends Mums who drives. Hence responsibility for picking up and dropping off or they wouldn't get to see each other. I don't particularly enjoy driving but I value the independence and freedom it gives me.

Fair

I was cross

I don't drive and don't ask for lifts. I live in an area with excellent public transport and enjoy using it. In fact I prefer not to gets lifts as it leaves me free to come and go as I please

Because we got taxis and public transport, no need to miss out.