Is it really horrendous that I'm 25 and can't drive?

Smiley_Mum

I don't drive, and even if I did I'd be reluctant to actually own a car, the cost of keeping it on the road etc. No thanks. We get around by public transport and walk a lot too.

Bunnyinthelights

I have experienced both situations and to be honest, No, you're not weird BUT I could never do without the 'luxury' and convience of a car.
If I lived in London? Yes, definately but not out here in the sticks...

Bunny

Wardi

Hello

I dont drive and I cope just fine. My boyfriend does drive and he takes me places I need to go and its good so we can go for days out etc but I think I would cope without it if he couldnt drive!

I am quite happy to get trains and buses to where ever I need.

I think my survivalness comes from as a teen not having a driving parent around. My dad !!!!!!ed off when I was 12, mum couldnt afford to run a car so we managed without. She had friends that woudl take her to the supermarket (in the days before door to door delivery!!) but sometime mum, brother and I would have to hit town on a Thursday night and carry our shopping home.

My brother is just learning to drive at 22. He works in the car industry so think he felt a bit of pressure! I am considering learning as I am hoping to change careers and it would help but I am not going to go out of my way to do it, just as and when I can afford really.

helenrachel_2

I'm 27 and can't drive. I am just about borderline to be able to see the numberplate from the req'd distance. I had about 20 lessons when i was 17 and decided that since i was clearly not a natural and coupled with the fact that i dont have great vision I thought it was safer for other road users if i wasnt a driver!

I think not being able to drive has made me more independent than a lot of my friends who are very reliant on their cars to make every journey when it just isnt necessary. Friends who can drive but dont currently have a car seem to think it would be the end of the world if they got a bus anywhere! My husband drives which makes things easier in terms of supermarket shopping but I am still perfectly happy to make my own way places rather than getting lifts off him all the time.

Living in London is on the whole well suited for not driving because of the tube. But on the other hand i sometimes get frustrated that a journey that would take 10-15 minutes in a car will take an hour on public transport and involve changing buses and hanging around waiting a lot.

I worry about the future for when i have kids and need to take them places but plenty of other people manage so I guess that i will have to! I reckon getting the odd taxi probably works out cheaper than running a car.

Also in terms of work - i think it possibly will hamper me a bit due to being in quite a specialised field and only wanting to work somewhere that is easily accessible by tube but I cant change the fact that i cant drive so i'll just have to live with it!!

Idiophreak

Just as a note, i think it's worth people learning to drive asap. I didn't bother learning til I was 20ish, but I didn't realise that insurance premiums are a lot higher if you have < 3 years of driving. So if I had my time again I reckon I'd have done it at 17 and got it over with.

SSB

Hi
I do not drive, I'm quite happy using public transport whilst reading or listening to music. Children and I walk to school, that is a 30 minute walk which keeps us fit and we have time to chat ( if the weather is really horrid, DH can take them in). The children are fine with this because they are so used to it.

Loubee_2

no, not horrendous at all! Lots of people i know don't/can't. I learnt when i was 17 (on parents insistance) and passed my test, but have never needed to drive. I grew up in Edinburgh where i could get the bus everywhere, went to Uni in a tiny town where you could walk everywhere, and now live in London where i can get everywhere on public transport. The thought of driving anywhere in London :eek: :eek:

ancasta_2

We, couldnt live our life without our car or being able to drive.

But saying that, we managed before we had it, but our lifestyle has changed, OH couldnt get to work without it, we couldnt really shop without it without paying for a taxi / delivery fee for online. Theres no buses from ours to either set of parents and then theres our social life that suffers too.

BUT, saying that, we have a car we can afford, with insurance we shopped around for and in the long run, its more financially viable for us to have a car.

It also means that as we live a fair way from our friends, we can actually go out more often, take the car and not drink/pay taxis and we still get to see everyone and have day trips. We also go to alot of national car shows which we need the car for.

If we lived in a more central location closer to our family and work, we possibly wouldnt have a car.

I do not use the car as i can very easily commute to work so that doesnt bother me at all.

looby75

I can drive, had my licence for 11 years now, but I don't have a car and have never had one. Couldn't and still can't afford one. TBH I think I would need lessons again now to remind me how to do it lol

I manage ok, the busses round here are pretty good and when I travel to see family up and down the country we go on the train, which IMO is easier than going by car when you have kids. My IL 's take me to asda when they do their own shopping or I do it online and get it delivered. The only time I really wished I had a car was when my ds was ill all the time and getting him down to the doctors was a nightmare. FIL used to give us a lift when ever he could but he wasn't always available. DS isn't as ill now so fingers crossed that won't be an issue anymore.

LJD1_2

Hiya
Both myself and my OH drive and we've always had two cars. However, as our combined milage last year was 7000 we're trying to sell one of them. I don't see any problem in you not driving if you're happy with it. When I tell people we're selling one of the cars the looks on their faces are incredulous. You'd think I'd just said I was going to fly naked to the moon. I'll happily accept lifts of people and offer them petrol money as i've been the designated drive for the last 10 years as I rarely drink. I wonder if this is why people don't want me to sell my car!