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

MadYaker wrote: »

People who say you never have a need for a car. What if on a Friday evening you decide you want to go to Kerry or west Galway or some other place for the weekend. What if you want to go hiking or surfing or all the other awesome stuff that requires you to go off the beaten track?

Already answered below

sureitsgrand wrote: »

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

which was answered with this.

shs08 wrote: »

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

Owning a car for a full year can cost a lot more. There was a girl in my work who only drove to work and had massive insurance costs, we worked it out and it would have been cheaper to get a taxi in each day. You have to take in all costs, petrol, servicing, depreciation etc.

I do not like the insurance & tax situation of owning a car, which is usually all annual payments, i.e. you still pay a full years insurance tax to drive 3 times in that year. So people find they have to get good value from this and might end up driving more than they really need to. So the car owner might be more likely to decide he wants to go to kerry or galway at the weekend. For guy without the car it simply would not cross his mind as a good or feasible idea, if it was a very attractive looking option then they might decide to get a car in the future. Nothing odd or weird about it really.

I know a guy who wanted to start cycling to work, but had a car and was turned off by the idea of it not being used, "going to waste". Someone earlier was asking why people take short trips in cars, this could be why.

HooohRaaah wrote: »

When you're walking in the rain for your bus do you wish you had your own car?

I don't. I cycle to work, I have the use of a car too a lot of the time, but I use it maybe once or twice a year. Cycling within dublin in most cases is faster than driving, and less stress. I had the use of the car for 2 weeks one time and the weather was brutal, I was still never tempted to drive to work, I know when its raining it will turn into a 60min drive rather than a 25min cycle. I can't stand sitting in cars waiting.

Also I am getting exercise in, which I would otherwise take out of my spare time. So by not driving I end up with far more spare time, on 2 counts, the journey is faster, and I get too tasks done, exercise and travelling.

I'm 25, in the process of getting lessons, no intention of getting a car straight away though.

The cost of running a car is just too much between insurance, tax, petrol, NCT etc..

The fact that I have to pay upwards of €1500 to insure some piece of shyte for a hypothetical situation. It's unfair that all young drivers are all tarred with the same brush and have to pay extortionate figures for their first couple of years on the road. If you're careless and bump into other drivers fair enough you deserve it. Think there should be a more reasonable price to insure a small car to give drivers the incentive to learn, gain that bit of confidence and independence. Most people won't go and learn because of the expense of owning a car so they think "Ah sure what's the point?" Other people are far too busy with work/college and can't find the time. I know 27-30 year olds that are only finding the time to get on the road now.

Also more schools should incorporate driving lessons into the curriculum, like in transition year. Best time to do it, they are doing next to feck all anyway, may as well be doing something practical, they'll be grateful for it and save them the complaints about public transport schedules when/if they make it to 3rd level.

clairefontaine wrote: »

Not owning a car. No I don't think it's weird.

Not having a license. Yes I do think that is weird.

So can I borrow your car and will you pay for me to be a named driver and will you pay for lessons so I can get a license that I might never use just so I'm not a weirdo?

i find it strange that anyone over 25 doesnt drive, but i'm a culchie, ye dont drive ye dont go anywhere!

Don't see it as a necessity. I have a licence but don't own a car. If you live in a city with an excellent public transport network there is no real pressing need to have a car.

I know the original question is people who cant drive but I have a full licence and choose not to drive. Much prefer cycling or walking. Can well afford to run a car but would rather get public transport if travelling long distances. I suppose not having children helps with not needing a car:D

Another bit of hassle that people over 25 get over not being on the road, is that relatives or people they meet in passing aged lets just say in their mid 40s.

They always feel the need to give anyone under 30 s**t over not driving.

I believe this is a fact, most drivers that are now over 40 (at least in my part of the country) didn't have the massive expense of tax, insurance, NCT, general maintenance costs because they never bothered getting tax or insurance and they could get away with driving a car that wasn't road worthy.

Wasn't as many guards on the road, more back roads you could take to avoid them if they were on the road, so they were able to get their driving experience fairly cheaply without any hassle, unlike young people now who would get crucified if caught in a car that wasn't road worthy or had no documents on the windshield. I know my own Dad and a few of my uncles didn't have insurance or tax on their cars when they were younger,my Dad was flying around in a Fiat 128 and not hassled whatsoever! Then he has the neck to pick at me "Why aren't you on the road yet??" F**k off Dad!

Older folks had it way easier when it comes to getting on the road.

I'm 26 (three weeks off 27), I know how to drive, but never bothered doing the test as I had neither the desire or need to drive. I love to walk (back in college I cycled, but nowadays I just enjoy the walk) because I can listen to music, mull things over in my head (which is great, since I'm a writer) and pretty much just zone out and go on auto pilot. If it's a particularly shítty day, I'll hop on a bus/luas/dart or whatever, but I rarely need to - a bit of rain never did me any harm. When I am on a bus or a train, I can read or write, or just observe the other passengers (sometimes people watching is the most entertaining thing you can do).

I have never relied on anyone for a lift (if someone offers me a lift somewhere and they're headed that direction anyway, I might take them up on the offer, but even then, sometimes I just prefer to walk).

Not driving doesn't hinder me from seeing the world - I've travelled around the US and been to several European Cities on my own and not once did I think any of those trips would be more enjoyable if I had a car. I saw everything I wanted to see and stumbled upon things that would've been overlooked if I had been driving.

Walking everywhere keeps me fit and healthy, and I can stop in and have a few pints whenever I damn well please. I pity the people who can't enjoy spur of the moment drinks because they have to drive.

I save a shedload of money not paying for a) the car, but also b) the petrol, insurance, tax, repairs and all the other bollox.

I understand that down the Country or whatever you pretty much need your car to get around, but I don't live there so I don't need to drive.

And for bonus points, it really really really annoys my Dad that I don't drive and since he's an awful arsehole that gives me even greater satisfaction.

Is it weird that people don't know how to drive? Of course it fookin isn't, people got on grand before cars came around, and they'll get on grand again once the fad has passed.

Am I weird? Yes, but it has feck all to do with my driving (or in this case non-driving) habits, it's because I just enjoy being weird, on account of being weird, it means I'm not boring.

I say embrace the weirdness - if a couple of tosspots think you're weird for whatever reason (although the driving thing is a stupid reason by any standards) why should you care, they're tosspots...