Adults who don't drive

Graces7 · 20-11-2018 7:35am

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.

:eek:

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 20-11-2018 10:41am

RayCun wrote: »

I learned to drive when I was in my 30s and had kids. No real need before then.

And as others have said, the idea of learning to drive at 17 'just because' is pretty silly. Learning to drive is expensive and time-consuming, and driving is a skill that takes practice. If I did ten driving lessons and passed a test at 17, then didn't drive for another 15 years, I'd be a terrible driver when I restarted.

"everyone should learn to drive" has the hidden assumption that everyone should drive

Many people are reeeaaaaallly funny about others learning to drive later in life. I came under a lot of pressure from various family members to learn in my late teens and early 20s. Some even made out that it’s virtually impossible for anyone to learn how to if they are 30+. I don’t get it. I’ve known a good few people who have learned later in life. And come to think of it, one of the pressurers was my uncle who last week told me he has nine penalty points. He described one of the incidences that got him some points and what he did was dangerous as hell. And he honestly couldn’t see what the problem was. Feck off, Uncle Pat, learning young didn’t make you a good driver.

MarkY91 · 20-11-2018 10:44am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

More people should get scooters. They're the defacto in Vietnam and I love having one. My 125cc sits comfortably at 100kmph if I want and it's got a load of room under the seat for shopping.

Cheap as chips to run and fast around a city. Easy to park. A proper raincoat stops you getting wet.

These were popular in the early 00's. Especially among young adults and 17 year olds. The trend died off overnight about 10 years ago for some reason

LirW · 20-11-2018 10:49am

I got my license in my early 20s because a relative died, left his car to my sister and she had no use for her old car so she handed me the keys and told me to do whatever with it. Got my license within 8 weeks. I lived in a city back then so there was no need to have a car but hey when you're handed a rustbucket you might as well.
Back home the license costs you just under 2 grand though and you can be done within a month from start to finish.

I'm glad I know how to drive and drive a lot now since we live rural with no public transport.

I get why some people see no need for having one and generally the people I met without a license don't expect lifts because they're quite used to alternative ways of getting around.
It really depends on where you live, plenty of people get away without having a license and are well aware that they need to make other arrangements.

There's no point in getting the paper when you don't have the intention to drive. It's crucial that you get practice behind the wheel after the test.
I also really dislike this L-ate driving. I know a few people that drive around with L-Plates for a few years now. They're all without exception really bad drivers and because they didn't have the minimum of lessons or it's been a while that they had one, they picked up pretty bad driving habits or start panicking in certain situations.
It's a shame people have to wait forever for the test and unaccompanied Learners aren't pulled more often.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b · 20-11-2018 10:50am

MarkY91 wrote: »

These were popular in the early 00's. Especially among young adults and 17 year olds. The trend died off overnight about 10 years ago for some reason

It died off because the licensing requirement changed. Before October 2006, a category B license (for cars) also entitled you to drive a moped up to 50cc. After that point, a separate test was required for all categories of motorcycle, including mopeds.

meeeeh · 20-11-2018 10:51am

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

Many people are reeeaaaaallly funny about others learning to drive later in life. I came under a lot of pressure from various family members to learn in my late teens and early 20s.

Maybe they didn't want you to rely on them. I would definitely encourage my kids to learn to drive in their late teens or early twenties. Kids also have time then, it's a lot more annoying if you have to find someone to mind the kids (if you have them) while you have driving lessons.

Odyssey 2005 · 20-11-2018 10:51am

I guess taxi driving is not for you op. Give it up and get a proper job.

D3V!L · 20-11-2018 10:52am

Braydon Salmon Navel wrote: »

It died off because the licensing requirement changed. Before October 2006, a category B license (for cars) also entitled you to drive a moped up to 50cc. After that point, a separate test was required for all categories of motorcycle, including mopeds.

And a staggering 65% of those on the roads weren't insured.

Burkie7 · 20-11-2018 10:59am

I'm 27 and never learned to drive.

I lived right by Dublin City Centre most of my life and the last 2 years in Australia.

I'm moving to a rural part of Wales with my girlfriend I met in Australia next month so I need to learn to drive as we are a bit away from everything.

I'm excited to finally learn but also ****ting myself! ha

Graces7 · 20-11-2018 11:04am

whatdoicare wrote: »

When I was younger, until say late 20's I didn't really need to drive, I bought a house that had good public transport, I had no kids, I was never in that much of a panic to get anywhere or buy a big
I know plenty of women in their 60's who never learned to drive and relied on the husband to ferry them places and are now fupped because the hubby died and the kids are all living too far away to be of any help. They're very isolated now - even though they are living close to the city because they can't walk like they used to and they have to rely on taxis and neighbours to go anywhere. They're extra shagged now because our local post office and bank both closed up and moved a good distance away - no big deal for me but a huge deal to them, they dont have internet so no internet banking and now have to travel a distance to access their money! Now the nights are dark at 5pm and the weather is ****e they're nearly trapped in their homes most of the day. I couldnt live like that!

We have no transport here except a once a week minibus. We help each other. Glad to as they help us.

No one is asking YOU to live like that. We older ones are far more resilient and resourceful than this. I will not be able to replace my car but am building ways round this.

Not having a car is not the end of life as we know it. Not being able to drive is not the end of life as we know it.. I love driving but not in large towns any more.

If I have to go out I cover all bases, meet friends etc. Enjoy the outing. But no great hardship if not.

and shops deliver these days.

What shocked me on this thread was the begrudgery. calling folk who cannot drive leeches? That is when the server went down and no wonder..

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts · 20-11-2018 11:05am

meeeeh wrote: »

Maybe they didn't want you to rely on them. I would definitely encourage my kids to learn to drive in their late teens or early twenties. Kids also have time then, it's a lot more annoying if you have to find someone to mind the kids (if you have them) while you have driving lessons.

My parents weren’t among the pressurers and they’d really be the only ones I’d have in any way leaned on. I’m talking aunts and uncles and cousins whose cars I rarely sat in. And I’ve mostly lived away from home, in cities, since I was 18 so even my parents haven’t been carting me places very much since then.

My parents actually discouraged learning to drive until such time as it wasn’t a financial burden for us to own one. They were happy to bring us places instead.

Burkie7 wrote: »

I'm 27 and never learned to drive.

I lived right by Dublin City Centre most of my life and the last 2 years in Australia.

I'm moving to a rural part of Wales with my girlfriend I met in Australia next month so I need to learn to drive as we are a bit away from everything.

I'm excited to finally learn but also ****ting myself! ha

Best of luck. Be grand.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b · 20-11-2018 11:52am

meeeeh wrote: »

Maybe they didn't want you to rely on them. I would definitely encourage my kids to learn to drive in their late teens or early twenties. Kids also have time then, it's a lot more annoying if you have to find someone to mind the kids (if you have them) while you have driving lessons.

Another reason is that it's much easier to comply with the law to be accompanied at all times by a fully licensed driver if you can rely on a parent to play that role.

That said, the numbers of younger drivers on the road has been declining in recent times, across the Western world. In the UK in 1994, half of 17- to 20-year-olds had their licences, but that figure fell to 29 percent by 2014. The number of 21- to 29-year-olds with licences also fell from 75 percent to 63 percent over the same period. In the US just 24.5 percent of 16-year-olds had a license in 2014, down from 46.2 percent in 1983.

In addition to financial hardship during the crisis and the increasing cost of running a car, experts have proposed that digital communication has played a role in reducing the number of younger drivers. In the early '90s, if you wanted to interact with your friends, you generally met up in person -- which often involved driving or being driven. Now that young people can interact with their friends without ever getting off the sofa, they have less incentive to learn to drive.

Richard Hillman · 20-11-2018 12:18pm

Can't drive. Nobody in my house has driven. I am priced out of the market with the obscene levels of insurance. If I did get a car, a learners permit and insurance, I wouldn't be able to drive the thing due to these ridiculous rules in regard to a fully licensed driver must always be in the car.

Essentially, learning to drive is a waste of time and a lot of money

....... · 20-11-2018 12:23pm

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Can't drive. Nobody in my house has driven. I am priced out of the market with the obscene levels of insurance. If I did get a car, a learners permit and insurance, I wouldn't be able to drive the thing due to these ridiculous rules in regard to a fully licensed driver must always be in the car.

Essentially, learning to drive is a waste of time and a lot of money

This doesnt make any sense.

Everyone who begins to drive faces nasty insurance.

Everyone who begins has a fully licensed driver in the car while they are learning.

Yet each year thousands of people learn how to drive.

Im curious as to why you are such a special case?

meeeeh · 20-11-2018 12:27pm

Braydon Salmon Navel wrote: »

Another reason is that it's much easier to comply with the law to be accompanied at all times by a fully licensed driver if you can rely on a parent to play that role.

That said, the numbers of younger drivers on the road has been declining in recent times, across the Western world. In the UK in 1994, half of 17- to 20-year-olds had their licences, but that figure fell to 29 percent by 2014. The number of 21- to 29-year-olds with licences also fell from 75 percent to 63 percent over the same period. In the US just 24.5 percent of 16-year-olds had a license in 2014, down from 46.2 percent in 1983.

I actually like the system in place where I come from. You do driving lessons in instructors car, you are insured for that, you do different modules (motorway driving, roundabouts, whatever else) and your exam is in instructors car. Cars are usually in good nick. I was nervous learner but I had excellent instructor. My lesson count was high at 40 hours and I passed test in second attempt. Only after I passed the test I could own a car or get the insurance. But once i passed the test could drive any car that is insured with an ad on for young drivers. It's cheaper and most of us would first drive family cars.

engiweirdo · 20-11-2018 12:33pm

....... wrote: »

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Can't drive. Nobody in my house has driven. I am priced out of the market with the obscene levels of insurance. If I did get a car, a learners permit and insurance, I wouldn't be able to drive the thing due to these ridiculous rules in regard to a fully licensed driver must always be in the car.

Essentially, learning to drive is a waste of time and a lot of money

This doesnt make any sense.

Everyone who begins to drive faces nasty insurance.

Everyone who begins has a fully licensed driver in the car while they are learning.

Yet each year thousands of people learn how to drive.

Im curious as to why you are such a special case?

Rules and pricing strongly favour the "normal" where mammy or daddy acts as licensed driver and then vhild can go on parents insurance. For anyone else go fun yourself basically.

Its usually people who got driving through this route who dont really appreciate the massive leg up they got too.

whatdoicare · 20-11-2018 12:40pm

Graces7 wrote: »

[/B]

We have no transport here except a once a week minibus. We help each other. Glad to as they help us.

No one is asking YOU to live like that. We older ones are far more resilient and resourceful than this. I will not be able to replace my car but am building ways round this.

Not having a car is not the end of life as we know it. Not being able to drive is not the end of life as we know it.. I love driving but not in large towns any more.

If I have to go out I cover all bases, meet friends etc. Enjoy the outing. But no great hardship if not.

and shops deliver these days.

What shocked me on this thread was the begrudgery. calling folk who cannot drive leeches? That is when the server went down and no wonder..

So, you get to go out once a week or else rely on someone else to bring you somewhere? whoopdedoo! Personally, Im all about going wherever the **** I like whenever I feel like it, but im weird like that.

....... · 20-11-2018 12:43pm

engiweirdo wrote: »

Rules and pricing strongly favour the "normal" where mammy or daddy acts as licensed driver and then vhild can go on parents insurance. For anyone else go fun yourself basically.

Its usually people who got driving through this route who dont really appreciate the massive leg up they got too.

Im sure thats nice but I didnt learn to drive that way, nor did most people I know.

In fact, one friend of mine, male, was in a very similar position to the poster I asked the question of, in that no one in his family drove.

So he bought a car, paid for insurance, paid an instructor twice a week for a few months to instruct him in his own car, then took his test and passed. He never had anyone licensed in the car with him unless it was an instructor or the tester until he passed - which brings its own risk tbh.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b · 20-11-2018 12:44pm

meeeeh wrote: »

I actually like the system in place where I come from. You do driving lessons in instructors car, you are insured for that, you do different modules (motorway driving, roundabouts, whatever else) and your exam is in instructors car. Cars are usually in good nick. I was nervous learner but I had excellent instructor. My lesson count was high at 40 hours and I passed test in second attempt. Only after I passed the test I could own a car or get the insurance. But once i passed the test could drive any car that is insured with an ad on for young drivers. It's cheaper and most of us would first drive family cars.

That's a good system. One big flaw in the Irish system is that you can't legally drive on motorways with a learner permit, so driving instructors can't take their students on motorways!

That said, driving lessons in Dublin can cost up to €45/hour, so 40 driving lessons could cost up to €1,800, which again would be prohibitive for many young people.

GLaDOS · 20-11-2018 12:45pm

I'm 28 and have my first driving test next week. Put it off for years because of the expense and lack of necessity. Living away from my parents also meant it was a pain to have someone sit in with me when driving. I've since moved back in with my parents (saving for a mortgage) and I'm lucky my dad is happy to help me out, but I imagine it's incredibly difficult for people who don't have family near them.

Edit: Worth pointing out a decent chunk of my friends (the same age) can't drive. We've all grew up in in Dublin so driving wasn't a necessity. Of the ones who have a licence, decent number of them got it in the last year or two.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b · 20-11-2018 12:48pm

Best of luck in your test!

Shred · 20-11-2018 12:48pm

I do drive and need to as I'm a drummer (transporting gear) and work too far away from home to commute (I'd need to swap buses/trains to and from work daily, life's too short for that shít). I do think it's a skill worth having but understand it can be quite daunting for some people, especially when they leave to later in life. However, I do understand people who choose not to drive if they have good access to public transport/live in the city center or whatever. However, my missus (who does drive despite not liking it) is very much of the opinion that men who don't drive are wusses...I don't tend to agree!

Also, I never got people giving out about others getting lifts and not contributing to fuel costs etc, I think it's incredibly miserly tbh.

PandaPoo · 20-11-2018 12:49pm

I don't drive, I get 2 buses to work and 2 buses home. The kids schools are 5 minutes from the house so picking them up and collecting them isnt an issue.
Doesn't bother me at all. My husband drives.
I'm probably going to learn in the next year, I won't be buying a car though because I just wouldn't use it.

Richard Hillman · 20-11-2018 12:57pm

....... wrote: »

This doesnt make any sense.

Everyone who begins to drive faces nasty insurance.

Everyone who begins has a fully licensed driver in the car while they are learning.

Yet each year thousands of people learn how to drive.

Im curious as to why you are such a special case?

Everybody faces nasty insurance, something that I am not willing to pay. People usually have family members (of which they can load onto their insurance policy for a lot cheaper) and can act as their licensed driver in the car.

Graces7 · 20-11-2018 12:58pm

....... wrote: »

Im sure thats nice but I didnt learn to drive that way, nor did most people I know.

In fact, one friend of mine, male, was in a very similar position to the poster I asked the question of, in that no one in his family drove.

So he bought a car, paid for insurance, paid an instructor twice a week for a few months to instruct him in his own car, then took his test and passed. He never had anyone licensed in the car with him unless it was an instructor or the tester until he passed - which brings its own risk tbh.

I had lessons galore but it was the practice with a s sitter-in that helped most. I had a good friend who let me drive her and her child around and that way I gained confidence and skill.

LirW · 20-11-2018 1:00pm

Braydon Salmon Navel wrote: »

That's a good system. One big flaw in the Irish system is that you can't legally drive on motorways with a learner permit, so driving instructors can't take their students on motorways!

That said, driving lessons in Dublin can cost up to €45/hour, so 40 driving lessons could cost up to €1,800, which again would be prohibitive for many young people.

In many countries the license can easily cost you 2 grand and the education is infinitely better. You won't get on the road unless the license is done but you do it in such a short time that you know what to do then and can go off in your own car.
I see it as a problem that people drive for long periods of time with another driver who isn't an instructor or on their own even - there are so many awful habits that can be picked up easily.
I also paid 2 grand and passed the first time because the lessons are wholesome and not just box ticking.
That's probably part of the reason why I only paid 40 a month for insurance after I passed the test.

PropJoe10 · 20-11-2018 1:01pm

I don't drive and I'm 36. Mainly because I've never had a need to, and never fancied shelling out for a car, insurance, tax, and petrol. I don't have much excess income and I've much better things to spend that on than a fecking car. I take public transport when I want to go somewhere. I'll do my driving test at some stage but at the moment, I've no need whatsoever to do it.

....... · 20-11-2018 1:02pm

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Everybody faces nasty insurance, something that I am not willing to pay. People usually have family members (of which they can load onto their insurance policy for a lot cheaper) and can act as their licensed driver in the car.

I knew very few people who went on family insurance policies. Just wasnt a thing among my friends.

Similarly to having a licensed driver in the car. Maybe this is a more popular thing when people learn young, outside of Dublin. Most of my friends learnt in their 20s, and their parents were busy doing other things and not acting as a driving buddy for them.

picachu · 20-11-2018 1:12pm

My wife drives our car - i have a bike..

very little need for two cars in a house in dublin

If we were living in the country i'd definitely have a second car

jmayo · 20-11-2018 1:38pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

whisky_galore wrote: »

They have a **** ton of public transport and might seldom travel beyond their own area in their lifetimes. Let's see you hop on your ebike with toddlers in tow or in your 50s or 60s and see how you get on.

Something like this, perhaps?

Or this?

Notice anything about those two pics ???
Well where I am sitting it is miserable today outside and that tends to be quite normal for little old Ireland.

We don't tend to have those lovely sun drenched days ala your nice pics.

Oh and both of those look like they were taken in a park, not a busy thoroughfare or where one might be going shopping, etc.

Adults who don't drive

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