Adults who don't drive

McGrath5 · 19-11-2018 1:20pm #1

This is an issue I am encountering more & more lately.

Adults, both men and women in their 30s who have never learned how to drive, yet expect people who do drive to chauffeur them around. This might be to and from work or to bring them on a shopping trip or to a social gathering.

Between insurance, fuel, tax & maintenance the cost of running a car is only going one way yet non drivers rarely if ever offer anything to cover the cost of a journey.

Most non drivers will happily boast how they save a fortune by not owning and running a car yet are happy to rely on people who do drive to cart them around.

My girlfriend, who has her own car, also comes across the same issue, both adult children in their late 20s & early 30s who have never bothered to learn.
I would even go as far to say I would not date somebody who doesn't drive, it must be a right pain in the ar*e for one person to be stuck driving all the time.

I totally understand if somebody cant drive due to a health reason, this is not who I am aiming this at, more at the lazy non drivers among us.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 19-11-2018 1:24pm

I'm in a relationship, we need 1 car between the 2 of us, we split the cost 50/50 and save a small fortune.

EdgeCase · 19-11-2018 1:25pm

As compelling and urgent as the ecological arguments are, I think when you look at the likely outcome over the next decade or two, all that's going to happen is petrol/diesel based cars will be increasingly replaced by electric cars and the battery technology will improve to the extent that they're every bit as practical.

There's a huge freedom in having access to a car and Ireland's just not generally built to suit exclusive use of public transport.

Foweva Awone · 19-11-2018 1:26pm

I'm 33 and I don't currently have a car - absolutely no need for it, as I live and work in Dublin city centre and I have a free travel pass, so it would be a complete waste of money that I don't have to spare.

I'm able to drive though, I did the lessons and passed my test when I was 18/19 and got my first car shortly afterwards ... I'd hate not to have the option of driving, it leaves you very limited in terms of where you can live and work. I'm lucky with the excellent public transport where I live, but it's not so good in other areas.

I definitely don't rely on others to ferry me around, I rarely accept lifts from others, and when I do I pay my way. I've owned cars so I know what a pain in the arse it is when people expect a free taxi!

dxhound2005 · 19-11-2018 1:28pm

McGrath5 wrote: »

This is an issue I am encountering more & more lately.

Adults, both men and women in their 30s who have never learned how to drive, yet expect people who do drive to chauffeur them around. This might be to and from work or to bring them on a shopping trip or to a social gathering.

Between insurance, fuel, tax & maintenance the cost of running a car is only going one way yet non drivers rarely if ever offer anything to cover the cost of a journey.

Most non drivers will happily boast how they save a fortune by not owning and running a car yet are happy to rely on people who do drive to cart them around.

My girlfriend, who has her own car, also comes across the same issue, both adult children in their late 20s & early 30s who have never bothered to learn.
I would even go as far to say I would not date somebody who doesn't drive, it must be a right pain in the ar*e for one person to be stuck driving all the time.

I totally understand if somebody cant drive due to a health reason, this is not who I am aiming this at, more at the lazy non drivers among us.

The way I read this is that you are annoyed with one person who is taking advantage. And you then generalise about everyone who does not drive. How could you know what most non drivers think?

19-11-2018 1:32pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

The way I read this is that you are annoyed with one person who is taking advantage. And you then generalise about everyone who does not drive. How could you know what most non drivers think?

Correct, the OP has framed opinion disingenuously. Which means there's little point in engaging the matter.

McGrath5 · 19-11-2018 1:42pm

dxhound2005 wrote: »

The way I read this is that you are annoyed with one person who is taking advantage. And you then generalise about everyone who does not drive. How could you know what most non drivers think?

Not annoyed, its bemusement if anything. And its far more than one person.

If a non driver lives and works close to Dublin city center, its probably doable. Living anywhere else, forget it.

Grayson · 19-11-2018 1:50pm

I don't drive. i don't have a license either. I have bought the book for the theory test because I think it would be handy to have a license. Not for here though, but for when I'm in the US for work. I just spent a month there and you really do need a car there.
Here I don't and haven't ever really needed it. My commute time would be marginally faster by car but then I wouldn't be able to sit in a bus and read a book every morning.There have been a couple of times when I would have found a car handy but honestly it's not worth the expense. I'd be paying extra to shorten my commute time by 15 minutes each way but I'd be losing that time that I take to relax. And if I got a car but still got the bus to work, I'd be throwing money down the drain. If i had a family and kids it would be a different story, but I can't see any reason to spend all that money, for little benefit, especially when it's just clogging up the roads more and damaging the environment.

btw, I'm 43. I guess the Op would call me an adult child and say I'm undateable.

Deebles McBeebles · 19-11-2018 1:53pm

I don't drive or live in Dublin, WHAT AM I TO DO?????

Grayson · 19-11-2018 1:54pm

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

I don't drive or live in Dublin, WHAT AM I TO DO?????

Die alone apparently.

somesoldiers · 19-11-2018 1:57pm

I didn't drive til I was 39, never needed to as lived near dart line for work, would take odd taxi, wife drives.

I drive now as I moved out of Dublin, costs me a small fortune, insurance e100 pm, diesel e200, tolls e100, finance e300, tax e20, NCts, new tyres etc never have a bean

Birneybau · 19-11-2018 2:02pm

I don't drive and couldn't give a fcuk what some random internet person thinks of it

bear1 · 19-11-2018 2:04pm

McGrath5 wrote: »

This is an issue I am encountering more & more lately.

Adults, both men and women in their 30s who have never learned how to drive, yet expect people who do drive to chauffeur them around. This might be to and from work or to bring them on a shopping trip or to a social gathering.

Between insurance, fuel, tax & maintenance the cost of running a car is only going one way yet non drivers rarely if ever offer anything to cover the cost of a journey.

Most non drivers will happily boast how they save a fortune by not owning and running a car yet are happy to rely on people who do drive to cart them around.

My girlfriend, who has her own car, also comes across the same issue, both adult children in their late 20s & early 30s who have never bothered to learn.
I would even go as far to say I would not date somebody who doesn't drive, it must be a right pain in the ar*e for one person to be stuck driving all the time.

I totally understand if somebody cant drive due to a health reason, this is not who I am aiming this at, more at the lazy non drivers among us.

That's a pretty pompous post.
I don't get the adult children part, so if someone over the age of 18 doesn't have a licence then they are somewhat a burden on others who have a car and are therefore children?
If someone lives in the city, has all their work in the city, their family in the city and have access to public transport then what reason is there to own a car?
Granted, it's extremely handy but I only really see the need for a car if you live outside a main city.
The West/Northwest for example I would argue a car is a complete necessity.
It's an odd thing to be annoyed about tbh.
You don't mention if you drive?

spurshero · 19-11-2018 2:05pm

Birneybau wrote: »

I don't drive and couldn't give a fcuk what some random internet person thinks of it

Lol. Your right !

gmisk · 19-11-2018 2:07pm

Grayson wrote: »

I don't drive. i don't have a license either. I have bought the book for the theory test because I think it would be handy to have a license. Not for here though, but for when I'm in the US for work. I just spent a month there and you really do need a car there.
Here I don't and haven't ever really needed it. My commute time would be marginally faster by car but then I wouldn't be able to sit in a bus and read a book every morning.There have been a couple of times when I would have found a car handy but honestly it's not worth the expense. I'd be paying extra to shorten my commute time by 15 minutes each way but I'd be losing that time that I take to relax. And if I got a car but still got the bus to work, I'd be throwing money down the drain. If i had a family and kids it would be a different story, but I can't see any reason to spend all that money, for little benefit, especially when it's just clogging up the roads more and damaging the environment.

btw, I'm 43. I guess the Op would call me an adult child and say I'm undateable.

Similar to this, I am 37 dont drive and never have, I live along a bus and luas route for work or if I want to go into town.
I can walk to supermarket etc and regularly do.

If I want to go home to see my folks, I get the train, I dont rely on anyone to give me a lift etc.

My partner drives so sometimes he drives places but only if its his choice.

beauf · 19-11-2018 2:07pm

McGrath5 wrote: »

...
I would even go as far to say I would not date somebody who doesn't drive, it must be a right pain in the ar*e for one person to be stuck driving all the time.
..

They'd have more money though... Think of that. Probably fitter healthier from all the walking they do also.

If you have a car you tend to use it even when you don't really need to. Most people I know without cars don't seem to miss it all that much.

Even when I have another driver, I prefer to drive. Only on very long drives or am unable to drive am I glad I can rely on others.

silverharp · 19-11-2018 2:08pm

I think you need to be a special kind of idiot not to learn to drive, nobody is suggesting you have to have a car after that, but get the fekin test and don't be a leech in the future especially if you end up with a significant other.

bear1 · 19-11-2018 2:09pm

silverharp wrote: »

I think you need to be a special kind of idiot not to learn to drive, nobody is suggesting you have to have a car after that, but get the fekin test and don't be a leech in the future especially if you end up with a significant other.

Odd..
So you take the test, get your licence and then never drive.
You in turn forget how to drive and lose confidence and therefore need to start again.
You essentially end up throwing money away.

Badly Drunk Boy · 19-11-2018 2:10pm

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

I don't drive or live in Dublin, WHAT AM I TO DO?????

Same here. I live in a relatively big town with good amenities, a mile from where I work, and don't particularly like cars, (and utterly despise car-talk).

I don't need a car and rarely ask for a lift anywhere. Sometimes when I don't ask for a lift going somewhere or to do something, my brother asks why I didn't ask him to bring me. Because I can sort myself out, whether it's by walking, cycling, public transport, or taxi.

And I'm a 45 year old adult child.

begbysback · 19-11-2018 2:10pm

Deebles McBeebles wrote: »

I don't drive or live in Dublin, WHAT AM I TO DO?????

Move to Dublin and buy a car - simples

Dr. Bre · 19-11-2018 2:12pm

No excuses for adults not to learn. Automatic is real easy if having problems with manual

Birneybau · 19-11-2018 2:15pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

No excuses for adults not to learn. Automatic is real easy if having problems with manual

Plenty of excuses, as outlined in previous posts.

antodeco · 19-11-2018 2:17pm

Foweva Awone wrote: »

I'm 33 and I don't currently have a car - absolutely no need for it, as I live and work in Dublin city centre and I have a free travel pass, so it would be a complete waste of money that I don't have to spare.

Jesus, make sure you don't post in that other thread. Especially if you got in in Athy!

kona · 19-11-2018 2:17pm

Kids should be thought how to drive in transition year. If they pass their test/exam then their licence is issued when they are 17.

jam_mac_jam · 19-11-2018 2:18pm

I don't drive. Don't ask for lifts. Live beside a train station so it rarely bothers me. If anything I am always turning down lifts as drivers think there is no other way. There are taxis and public transport bikes,your feet.
I walk a lot and am the same Weight as twenty years ago. Maybe if people drovery less there would be less faties around.

gmisk · 19-11-2018 2:19pm

silverharp wrote: »

I think you need to be a special kind of idiot not to learn to drive, nobody is suggesting you have to have a car after that, but get the fekin test and don't be a leech in the future especially if you end up with a significant other.

Im special!!! thanks

jam_mac_jam · 19-11-2018 2:19pm

kona wrote: »

Kids should be thought how to drive in transition year. If they pass their test/exam then their licence is issued when they are 17.

Yeah we really need more teenagers on the road.

Foweva Awone · 19-11-2018 2:20pm

antodeco wrote: »

Jesus, make sure you don't post in that other thread. Especially if you got in in Athy!

Ah but I have the free travel pass AND I work, so maybe I'm sort of an exception?

jam_mac_jam · 19-11-2018 2:20pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

No excuses for adults not to learn. Automatic is real easy if having problems with manual

What about not being ared as you don't have to.

Yer Da sells Avon · 19-11-2018 2:20pm

Dr. Bre wrote: »

No excuses for adults not to learn. Automatic is real easy if having problems with manual

No excuses, but lots of perfectly valid reasons. There are already too many cars on the roads anyway. Also, I got my D licence recently, so my continued employment relies upon some people choosing not to drive.

kona · 19-11-2018 2:20pm

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

Yeah we really need more teenagers on the road.

Plenty of 17 year olds can afford to run a car alright.

Driving is a life skill and can be beneficial to getting employment.

Adults who don't drive

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