Grown Men who can't drive. Do you find them weird?

sureitsgrand · 19-02-2014 05:27PM

28, male, don't drive.

Never needed to as I've been getting public transport to work/college since about 16. Everywhere I've lived and worked it's been cheaper and more convenient to commute via public transport. I'm used to it. Currently living between Galway and Dublin and a car would be a waste. Much, much cheaper getting a Gobus or Citylink and the public transport in the environs of Galway city is grand.

I've also never earned more than minimum wage so it's an expense I just can't justify.

I will learn before I'm 30 but more as a lifeskill than anything else. I plan to live in cities for a time to come.

(Also am a lot healthier cause I walk a lot. Prob end up walking over 5 miles a day. Hate seeing people hop in the car to head around the corner - they're usually people with the expensive gym memberships, too!)

Medusa22 · 19-02-2014 05:27PM

I can't drive, I'm 25. I took a few lessons a few years ago and the driving part was grand, I wasn't too bad. However, I was absolutely terrified the whole time, and I don't mean the usual nerves people have, it was close to complete hysteria.

I bought a car with my partner and she can drive. I get the bus to and from college and into town and quite a lot of places that I need to go. I'm living in Dublin but I did the same when I was living at home in Cork. It can be awkward, especially because I have an illness that affects my lungs and so walking can be tiring and when I have a chest infection it is very difficult.

My partner will pick me up then and we do the weekly shopping together or I can order from tesco online. I do have to rely on family sometimes for lifts when I'm not well or if I need to go to the hospital and I'm not well enough to getting the bus.

I know it is annoying for them and I'm thinking of trying to learn again this summer, I'd love the independence of it. Still absolutely ****ting myself about it though.

o1s1n · 19-02-2014 05:29PM

I still have my original Playstation Gran Turismo licenses from 1995 around on a memory card somewhere. Are they still valid?

drumswan · 19-02-2014 05:30PM

HooohRaaah wrote: »

How do all the people who can't drive manage to get the bags from the weekly shopping home?

Plenty of people who live in cities dont do 'weekly shopping', they walk to the grocer/supermarket and buy fresh food daily. Ive two Asian supermarkets, two Polish supermarkets, an independent fruit & veg store, two butchers, a fishmongers, two Lidls, an Aldi, Superquinn, Tesco and Dunnes stores all within 5-10 minutes walk of my flat.

The Backwards Man · 19-02-2014 05:31PM

Is this a not-so-cleverly disguised women are bad drivers thread OP?

Starting to look that way to me.

rubadub · 19-02-2014 05:34PM

HooohRaaah wrote: »

If a woman drives their boyfriend/husband around everywhere it is very very strange

I think your irrational sexism is far more strange.

HooohRaaah wrote: »

When people question somebody as to why they can't drive they seem to get very touchy. That says it all.

I can well imagine people being touchy or defensive if YOU were to ask them in a manner anyway similar to how you posted here.

Some vegans/vegetarians would get touchy if people ask them why they don't eat meat. Especially if you came out and said "excuse me for prying Dave, but why on earth would you, a grown adult, especially as you are male, not eat meat, do you not think its really really weird, what do you think went wrong?"

HooohRaaah wrote: »

The men who can't drive are the same people who look for lifts down the country to weddings, sports events etc.

These oddballs ask for no meat at wedding dinners. Captain obvious.

gazzer · 19-02-2014 05:36PM

Dont think it is weird at all. I didnt learn how to drive until I was 30. I have a brother who is 40 and one who is 33 and they dont drive. My parents dont drive either. I have 3 friends (38, 42, 44) and they dont drive. They all live in Dublin and just use public transport to get around.

Dyr · 19-02-2014 05:38PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

No it's actually a bit like saying you can't use the internet.

Dublin is actually extremely car dependent by any standards.

When did they start issuing licenses for internet access?

Rasheed · 19-02-2014 05:39PM

I do, I think it's strange of a grown man or a grown woman doesn't drive. Maybe that's because I'm a bogger and was taught when I was 5 in a zetor.

To be honest I'd find it a big turn off in a man.

Ficheall · 19-02-2014 05:40PM

27, male, can't drive.
Don't need to for myself, but would like to learn for if the parents need to be ferried about when they're older. Other than that, owning a car would only be a hassle for me.

o1s1n · 19-02-2014 05:42PM

Rasheed wrote: »

I do, I think it's strange of a grown man or a grown woman doesn't drive. Maybe that's because I'm a bogger and was taught when I was 5 in a zetor.

To be honest I'd find it a big turn off in a man.

Well that's most non driving city men turned off, so you've nothing to worry about

Wibbs · 19-02-2014 05:43PM

Medusa22 wrote: »

I know it is annoying for them and I'm thinking of trying to learn again this summer, I'd love the independence of it. Still absolutely ****ting myself about it though.

I'd not worry too much M, lots of people find it daunting to say the least when starting out. The oncoming traffic part is usually the bowel loosener. Still you do get past that.

I've been driving since I was 12, when my dad would get me to drive home when we'd go fishing for the day. Oh yep. A different Ireland. :eek::D Stopped once or twice by Guards, but my oulfella had some Jedi shizzle going on and never had any bother. Weird. But even now too many years later I recall the sheer terror at first of the oncoming traffic bit and traffic levels were significantly less back then.

IMH it's down to having so much going on at once. You're trying to steer and work the gears and clutch and all that and you have other feckers all around you. Brain overload, followed by anxiety. When the physicality of driving becomes instinctive then the fear drops right off, though always good to be a little cautious. "Heros" are dangerous.

Answer to the OP? Nope, I don't find them weird at all. If you're living in a town or city and where you need to go is a walk, cycle or bus ride away, then it actually makes little enough sense to have a car. From a financial position if nothing else. Plus some men aren't that pushed about cars as things. All in all I can see why some guys chose not to bother with it TBH. Nothing weird about it really.

Banjaxed82 · 19-02-2014 05:44PM

Didn't drive til I had kids (at 24). What baffles me more than the OP's question is how a man can have kids and not drive? How do you have a functioning life?
Assuming the missus doesn't drive too, but even still, the burden being on one person to drive would cause some strife I'd say.

Duggy747 · 19-02-2014 05:44PM

I don't drive.

I am pretty weird, though.

shs08 · 19-02-2014 05:46PM

Well, 8 pages in, and having been impartial from the beginning, I have to say that the OP's side of the argument has won the thread.

DublinCJM · 19-02-2014 05:47PM

SimonQuinlank wrote: »

Can't drive and I'm in my 30's,same as a good few mates.Had a provisional in my 20's and just really disliked the stress of driving,not to mention running costs.Have always had good public transport links wherever I've lived anyway so don't really need to drive.

I'm same as this but in my early forties.

Bus and Dart on the doorstep, 2 supermarkets, and taxi if it's somewhere awkward.

Admittedly I do get lifts places at times, but I go to meet them at a convenient pick up / meeting point. I don't put anyone giving me a spin out of their way.

Galwayguy35 · 19-02-2014 05:48PM

Mr.S wrote: »

Not really.

If you live in a city you generally wouldn't need to drive.

I have 0 use for a car.

And what if you want to travel outside Dublin?

Or go somewhere where a bus or train doesn't travel to?

Iwannahurl · 19-02-2014 05:49PM

The streets of Galway are filled with men and women who can't drive. The vast majority of them are behind the wheel of a car, unfortunately.

Lux23 · 19-02-2014 05:50PM

No. I live in the city so a car is just a waste of money here.

sureitsgrand · 19-02-2014 05:52PM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

And what if you want to travel outside Dublin?

Or go somewhere where a bus or train doesn't travel to?

It's very rare that a bus/train and taxi combo can't bring you to where you need to go.

shs08 · 19-02-2014 05:53PM

sureitsgrand wrote: »

It's very rare that a bus/train and taxi combo can't bring you to where you need to go.

And it'd cost a fortune in both time and money.

humanji · 19-02-2014 05:54PM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

And what if you want to travel outside Dublin?

Or go somewhere where a bus or train doesn't travel to?

What if you want to travel outside Ireland? Do you learn to fly or make alternative arrangements?

You see, driving is incredibly handy and it really should be taught in school. But not everyone needs to drive, especially in cities. If you don't drive, you'll still make your way to where you want to go. Driving just makes it easier.

What really is important is to find out about the OP's weird opinions of women. That's kind of creeping me out.

Galwayguy35 · 19-02-2014 05:59PM

sureitsgrand wrote: »

It's very rare that a bus/train and taxi combo can't bring you to where you need to go.

I take it you don't live in Galway so, ya will get a bus in the city all right but as for outside it, forget it.

And apart form that ther is nothing like sitting in to the car and going where ever you want to and to your own timetable and not rushing to get buses and trains.

Galwayguy35 · 19-02-2014 06:01PM

humanji wrote: »

What if you want to travel outside Ireland? Do you learn to fly or make alternative arrangements?

You see, driving is incredibly handy and it really should be taught in school. But not everyone needs to drive, especially in cities. If you don't drive, you'll still make your way to where you want to go. Driving just makes it easier.

What really is important is to find out about the OP's weird opinions of women. That's kind of creeping me out.

Depends on where I want to travel to, took the car over to Britain a few years ago and toured most of the country.

grizzly · 19-02-2014 06:01PM

Are we talking — have never learned to drive or — don't own a car? I learned to drive as it's a useful skill, but can't justify the cost of a car.

Ray Palmer · 19-02-2014 06:02PM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

And what if you want to travel outside Dublin?

Or go somewhere where a bus or train doesn't travel to?

There is these things called trains, planes and buses that work very well to get outside Dublin. I tend to travel quite a lot more than some culchie who needs a car to get a pint of milk because their best friend/cow died.

Galwayguy35 · 19-02-2014 06:04PM

Mr.S wrote: »

Planes, busses, trains, taxis and drivers seem to cover it pretty well;)

Very very rarely go somewhere that isn't covered by the above!

Ofcourse, knowing how to drive makes it easier to get somewhere (sometimes), but it isn't needed and I don't think its weird if people can't.

I do find parents that can't drive a bit odd though! Not really sure why but there you go

My own parents never learned, spent their life trying to get lifts here and there so there was no way I was putting myself through that.

shs08 · 19-02-2014 06:08PM

Ray Palmer wrote: »

There is these things called trains, planes and buses that work very well to get outside Dublin. I tend to travel quite a lot more than some culchie who needs a car to get a pint of milk because their best friend/cow died.

Public transport doesn't exist outside Dublin.

ronjo · 19-02-2014 06:10PM

I was in my 30s before I learned. If you asked me why I wasn't driving I would have given you the excuse that I didn't need it. Maybe I didnt but reality was that I was scared.

I finally did it abroad just after I married. Yes it was tough, yes I was scared but I would strongly recommend anyone in similar position to face your fears like I finally did.

Couldn't imagine not driving now.

Wacker The Attacker · 19-02-2014 06:11PM

shs08 wrote: »

Public transport doesn't exist outside Dublin.

That's because the wheel hasn't arrived in county Laois yet.

Grown Men who can't drive. Do you find them weird?

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