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

Crown

Hi, Im 30 in August and still dont drive or have a licence,

I live in London and as already posted the public transport is pretty good and I have had no need to learn to drive as I live on a main road with access to 5 bus routes and a about a 5 minute walk to the train station.

I am a sales rep by trade and people just assume being a rep that I must drive but I have found it costs the company much less in car charges and fuel and now congestion charges using public transport and they have agreed to buy a monthly oyster card what has a the benefit to me of using out of work hours.

Saying that I would like to get my licence so I did have the choice and assomeone already mentioned you do open yourself up to more oppurtunities if you do drive.

Also to be honest I really couldnt afford to learn to drive at present as this at most a luxury. not only the lessons but then the car, tax, insurance.

It may cost me more in shoe leather but I'll stick to walking and public transport for a while yet I think.

DKLS

I always think there is something a little odd about someone who cant drive, especially a man who cant drive.
As for employment issues, If I had 2 candidates with the same skillset, and one could drive and the other couldnt, Guess who would get the job?
As for the comments that a Car isnt essential, depends where you live, if its London great, My car commute is 25mins each way, by public transport with no guarentee of a seat about 90mins each way. Its a no brainer, Yes my car is expensive to run, She only drinks SuperUnleaded and Mobil S oil, but hey I dont have kids so will drive a Gas guzzler until the green/carbon footprint brigade tax me off the road.

Crown

Hi DKLS,

Why on earth should it make a difference if a Man cant drive?

I have employed people myself when I run a shop and as long as they could get to work on time it makes no difference to me if they had there licence or not. Now if I was employing them as a delivery person then that would be different.

Also I think you have summed it up nicely by saying that you do not have kids and can afford to run your car. I dont think anyone is knocking driving but I see driving a car as a luxury when I have access to public transport.

biglad

I have been able to drive since i was 18, now 24 and to be honest the public transport aint too great where i am. i have had my own car since 18 and to be honest is the main reason im in so much debt. I know cycle to work everyday, gf has a bus and train pass and we manage fine without a care. Ok sometimes i borrow my moms to go and do shopping, but that is only cos its actually for my brother the car and i do loads of activities with him as he is disabled so i kill two birds with one stone most of the time, we could always get the food shopping delivered though.

If you dont need a car then DONT get one, we will only get one when we have a child but that is not going to be until im DF lol

eryn_kathleen

I live in Edinburgh and don't drive or have a car. I did drive when I lived in the States (no public transport alternative), but I've not plucked up the time or courage to learn to drive here.

I never thought about needing to drive for a job until last month when I applied for my dream job. Having a DL wasn't mentioned in the advert, but during the interview they asked me loads of questions about driving, how long I thought it would take me to get my license, whether I was comfortable driving long distances, and even whether I would consider buying a car! I couldn't believe it. I didn't get the job, and I'm more than a little annoyed about it.

Pink_butterfly_3

I'm 24 and have two babies under two and i don't drive. People look at me in horror and say things like 'How do you ever manage'.

Thing is, i've never known anything different. My SIL who has a small baby also is too scared to take the pushchair on the bus(!) whereas I drag my huge double buggy on there on a regular basis. In fact, it was only till a few weeks ago that my DH thought I had to get both babies out the pushchair and fold it up when I got on the bus.

I have taken several driving lessons but i hate them so much! Its so boring, i wish i could just take my test and get it over with. My DH bought me a car when we got married last June, and its still sitting on the driveway!

I just had to add that I get hassled continously by family and friends about driving. Everyday, its 'Life would be much easier if you drove, When are you going to start your driving lessons, blah blah blah'. Even though i'm quite happy not driving i feel like I have to start just to stop everyone from hassling me! Its amazing how people who have always driven, just can't cope without their cars!

rinkydink_2

Hi im 37 and cant drive i do feel iought to not because i want to but because i get the same response from people as you have, iv managed fine up till now my son isnt lazy he walks or rides his bike while his friends are constantly ringing up thier parents from my house asking to be picked up dropped of etc when they only live 5mins away. I simply cant afford the lessons or the tests let alone the buyng and running of the car and the majority of the time its easier just to hop on a train or a bus than scrape the ice of the windscreen warm the car up for ten mins get stuck in traffic and then find somewhere to park once you get to your destination, and its cheaper and quicker to get the train/bus into town once youve paid petrol and parking costs.

lady_fuschia

I'm 24 and have two babies under two and i don't drive. People look at me in horror and say things like 'How do you ever manage'.

Thing is, i've never known anything different. !

I think that's it. If you've never known any different, you manage, you just do- and you get used to it. And I guess people survived perfectly well for centuries without cars OR public transport, so we should really be able to do the same!
I think there's a sense that people see you as a bit immature/ irresponsible if you can't drive . Thinking about it, I get similar comment when I say I rent my flat, rather than owning it. It's just one of those things associated with being "a grown up"!

ajaxgeezer

lady_fuschia wrote: »

Neither me nor my OH (I'm 25, he's 34) has ever taken a driving test, and (obviously!) we don't own a car. When I started my current job...........And how on earth do you people who have cars manage to afford to run them?

... many people here seem to be saying that a car costs money, when the truth is that it can be a plus. Everyone's circumstances are different but my car costs me about £1600 a year to run. I can only get to work by car at the time I need to get there, a 7am-7pm shift. I'm very lucky that it's boom time in my industry at the moment (has been for a few years) so my job is netting about 50% more than it normally would. If I didn't have the car, I couldn't get to work.... then there's the other convenience issues.

Everyon's circumstances are different Lady F... you know what's best for you.

cheers,
Martin

catkins

I am in my 50's and have never driven. I have taken a few lessons but to be honest I hated it.

Until a couple of years ago I lived in London so no real need to drive (OH has always driven) but now I live further out I find it more difficult. I walk almost everywhere but sometimes (mainly when it is pouring with rain) I wish I could drive.

Like the original poster, people look at me as though I am an alien when I say I don't drive