"Don't" or "Can't"

Derivative

I wouldn't say it's an admission of failure, it improves clarity.

If someone said to me they can't drive, if I didn't know they had no licence I would first think they had some sort of disability or were disqualified, or perhaps tried a test and failed miserably.

Can't implies to me that it's (very close to) impossible, don't means just that.. you currently don't.

Also the small point that you can drive without a licence, if you're decent enough and not in an ANPR area probably get away with it for quite a while. More "I shouldn't drive".

Indout96

I never understood that. Of course there's such a word as "can't".

We used to be told at school that there was no such word as can't but there was can not :-)
then again it was quite a lot of years ago and words do get accepted as we go along.

DaveF327

Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »

I think that anyone who sees the general standard of driving will assume that passing the test is pretty much a formality, a bit like getting a TV license. Hence "don't", because we all "can".

This is probably closer to the truth. A lot of older people without a licence will actually have a lot of driving experience (legal or otherwise) and will tell you that they 'can' drive a car, but have never passed a test.

This is usually followed by grumbles of "I don't need some piece of paper to tell me I can drive" or "the driving test is all a fix" etc..

Strider590

I come across plenty of people who can't drive.... Unfortunately they're often attempting to do so at the time.

C_Mababejive

In a similar vein..i note that many people,especially below 30 ish use an Americanism when asking for something,for example in a bar or restaurant..."Can I get....." instead of could I have or can I have..etc