anyone not drive?

zimm143

I am really, really shocked by the responses here. Hardly any of you have mentioned not driving for environmental reasons - but that is the single biggest issue facing mankind today! In December, in Copenhagan our world leaders are going to sign a treaty to cut carbon emissions but up to 90% over the next 20-50 years, in order to save our planet. People are going to have to dramatically reduce their car use, 2 car families will be a thing of the past. Car use will have to be restricted to those who really need it. I have never driven for this reason and niether does my OH. We manage fine. Come on guys - we should all be focussing on finding ways to reduce our personal carbon footprint - not talking about the joy of cars.

WASHER

I passed my test at 17, almost 22 years ago, and I haven't driven since passing my test.

I certainly don't need a car for my independance, I can use public transport.

As for grocery shopping, I have been using Tesco.com for over 9 years (I was one of the first customers to use .com and got a bottle of champagne for being one of the first) . I detest any type of shopping so I internet shop for everything, all my Xmas shopping has been done online for years.

I enjoy walking, it keeps me slim. I try to walk everyday for at least 1/2 hour, quite often just for the sake of it, it clears the head and it I enjoy a hot coffee on my return, always tastes better when your freezing cold.

I cannot remember the last time I was in my OH car, I think I have been in the car half a dozen times in the past year, I can do without him:D, if needed.

WASHER.x.

annie_d

I am 48 and have never learned to drive. I have a job where my husband can drop me off on the way to his work and pick me up on his way home. I am happy to bus or train or walk whenever i want to go anywhere. i have never seen the need for me to drive. Especially when i hear the problem and the cost involved with cars. I think i could taxi anywhere i go and it would (overall) be cheaper than owning a car.

morocha

mum26 wrote: »

I was 30 when I passed my test :T Actually if you are a bit nervous of it I think it helps to be that little bit older as you instinctively look out for pedestrians etc, the driving test is all about safety, they really want to know you have your eyes open and wits about you and the sensible attitude to think forwards a little bit, not so much perfect parking etc, just good safe control of the car, not boy racerish and not too snail like

there is some hope for me then...

System

Didn't get money for driving lessons at 17, waitied till 18 (parents said it was a bigger bIrthday etc). took a while to find an instructor, got one that did 10 lessons for £150. Sadly after my 3rd lesson she moved to wales. Then i kind of lost interest and left it. Went to uni and was too skint to afford it even with the money saved from my 18th. And thenafter having the money saved for 3 years. got somewhat into debt withthe utilities companies and had to use the money to pay for that.

And now i probably wouldn't be allowed to drive because of my mental illnness (1.my meds make me drowsy, and 2.if i was badly down i'd be suicidal and that combined with a car would be a very bad idea). I would give up my provisional but its the ONLY id i have that everywhere accepts and i have no plans or means to drive.

luxor4t

I suppose if I'd really wanted to, I'd have learned years ago, but there has always been a (not very) good reason, eg
- failed first test, aged 17, through lack of practice as parents refused to take me out in either of their own cars. Was nagged rotten for failing
- Couldn't afford lessons in Uni (honest - I was on an incredibly tight budget and £2 odd a week was a fortune in 1976).
- Started learning again once I had a job but had to stop when marriage broke down & moved into London
- couldn't afford lessons or a car in London & had no need, anyway :cool:
- helped fund DH's lessonson the understanding that he would reciprocate when he'd passed. He did - but he didn't. Still waiting after 20-odd years :rolleyes: - patient or what?

The only person really stopping me, is me.

pinkie_pie

I'm 26, and despite having lessons on and off since I was 17 I still can't drive. I'm a very nervous person anyways, and since starting uni was diagnosed with dyspraxia, and my inability to drive was identified as being associated with it.

I've considered attempting again in an automatic car, however I simply can't afford it, and I'm also quite scared. I'd never be able to afford a car either which makes it seem pointless.

I cope without one, because I have to. As a single parent of two children, with a four train a day commute, and shift work on top... I really wish I could.

LadyMorticia

I don't drive because:

A)I have no spatial awareness, which is apparently the cause of the squint I have and if I learnt to drive whilst I had the squint, if I had it corrected I'd have to learn to drive all over again or something.

B)I'm of a very nervous disposition. I won't even go out alone, let alone have driving lessons.

C)I know that I'd panic a lot, which would fog my brain and then most likely cause an accident.

BitterAndTwisted

I've never been behind the wheel of a car in my life. That's 55 years of it. Dad was too tight to buy me lessons for my birthday when I was young and then I worked in the music business for a long time and earned too little to be able to afford them. Time passes and money is needed for more important things. I've lived in London all my adult life so there's really been no need for a car day-to-day and considering the expense I'm kind of glad I never learned. I couldn't possibly justify the expense to only use one only at the weekends, so it's public transport for me. I'm lucky, the night-bus stops right at the end my street so even in the middle of the night I can get home for about a pound.

laurel7172

I didn't have a car in my deepest green phase, which was possible because I was a SAHM living in the suburbs. I walked or took public transport, and used the ex's car to do a huge shop once a month. Anything else I had to carry or do without.

It just wasn't possible any more, though, once my oldest started school, because public transport was so poor that everything fell apart once we had to adhere to an external timetable as well. And once I got divorced and went back to work....well...I drive a very small car and try to minimise its use, but I simply can't afford the seven or eight hours extra a week it would cost me to take the bus instead.