To drive or not to drive
@sprite1950 (30452)
Corsham, England
February 11, 2020 2:35am CST
Some people can't wait to get their driving licence and enjoy every moment of their lessons. I was not like that. I learned very late in life to help my mum out as she had many hospital appointments which were costing her money but I probably wouldn't have learned otherwise.
Over the years I have decided that I do not like driving, I find it stressful and now that I am retired I don't need a car for work and my mum has gone. My partner will take me anywhere I need to go and there is a good public transport system here. I am seriously considering losing the car although it is good for emergencies.
Do you drive? Could you be without a car?
14 people like this
15 responses
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
11 Feb 20
I had stayed in Twickenham for 4 months. We just take the train to Piccadilly for our work. The car is not a necessity unlike here where the public transport is very inconvenient.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
So you need a car where you live. You stayed in the UK for a while?
1 person likes this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
11 Feb 20
@sprite1950 it was only a work assignment of 4 months. I was employed by a British software house in our country.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
@Alexandoy Did you like it over here? What was the weather like?
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@LadyDuck (471968)
• Switzerland
11 Feb 20
I do not drive, I never did. I did not need a car when I lived with my parents, after I got married my husband has always been the one to drive. I can live very well without a car. The public transport is good and I can walk to all the stores.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
As you know I am not keen on driving and considering not having a car. It would take a lot of stress out of my life and I would have more money.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
@LadyDuck Exactly, I think I would have preferred to drive years ago when there was not so much traffic.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (471968)
• Switzerland
11 Feb 20
@sprite1950 I would not dare to drive now, the roads are too crowded and when you never did it's not the time to start.
1 person likes this
@deazil (4730)
• United States
11 Feb 20
I also learned late in life to drive - I was 49. I never really had a need for it before then. But I moved and I needed the convenience of driving a car. I never liked driving but I drove a lot. Then the years went by, things changed, I retired and my partner could drive me almost everywhere. I became too dependent. Two months ago, on Dec. 15 he passed away. Now I'm alone with nothing but my car. It needs a little work - from lack of use it has a few things wrong with it, although they're just minor problems. I'm glad I have my car even though I hate driving. I need it now more than ever.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Feb 20
I'm so sorry to hear about your partner. Your story is very similar to mine. The reasons I learned to drive are no longer there as I'm retired so don't need it to get to work and my mum passed away. I rely on my partner to ferry me around and we have a good public transport system .. it's just nice to feel that I have a car in case of an emergency.
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Feb 20
@deazil What a horrible time it has been for you but hopefully things will get better. It must be still very raw for you. I like being driven around and my partner likes driving so it works well at the moment but if anything happened to him I would have to start driving regularly again.
I hope you are now recovered from your surgery.
1 person likes this
@deazil (4730)
• United States
12 Feb 20
@sprite1950 TY. Five days after he passed away I had to have emergency surgery on my throat. It's been a bad start to the new year. I also relied on my partner to ferry me around, for me that was a mistake. I think it's good to have a car, as you said - in case of an emergency. You never know what will happen. In the past few years I've seen how fast your life can change, it can happen in a split second.
1 person likes this
@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
13 Feb 20
I also started late LOL I only started driving about 3 years ago, about 20 years after I first got my license... gosh, I feel so old LOL Anyway, shortly after I got my license, I went to live in the UK, where the public transport is such that you don't really need a car. Plus, it's very expensive to maintain a car.
When I returned to Botswana, where public transport is very unreliable and expensive, we decided to get a car. I'm not a huge fan of driving here because of all the drink driving and recklessness but I'd rather drive than use public transport. and it's a lot cheaper to drive.For me, driving is the lesser evil
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
13 Feb 20
I drove my car today and once I get behind the wheel I don't hate it quite as much. It's just not like I imagined. I never thought I would be such a nervous driver. I don't even know why because I'm perfectly safe
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
17 Feb 20
@Lushlala I don't like Pete sitting next t me when I'm driving as he makes me nervous!
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@Lushlala (4028)
• Gaborone, Botswana
17 Feb 20
@sprite1950 I feel like that as well, especially if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar without Gary. I don't get as nervous when he's with me. He's like my safety blanket
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121656)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 20
I drive quite a bit, and I couldn't imagine ever not driving or having a vehicle.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Feb 20
I think most men feel like that and I am glad I learned but I always thought I would enjoy it more. I pictured myself going here there and everywhere but in reality it's not like that. I have a terrible sense of direction, even a sat nav doesn't help as I can still get confused.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
13 Feb 20
@moffittjc I envy you so much. You are just like Pete. He can judge direction by the position of the sun whereas I don't have a clue. If we are going on a long journey he has to drive or I don't know where we would end up!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121656)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 Feb 20
@sprite1950 For some reason, I have a tremendously good sense of direction. It’s rare that I ever get lost, and I always seem to know which way is north, south, east or west. I can glance quickly at a map once and know exactly how to get somewhere. I don’t know how I ever developed such a good sense of directions, but it has served me well on many occasions.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
11 Feb 20
@sprite1950
I agree that driving a car is very stressful. I do not drive a car anymore. I have a mobility scooter and love it. It is my transportation, but, in winter it is very cold inside and cannot have a heater and have to clean the plastic off when it rains with a rag.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
At least it gets you about though. Do you have to ride them on the pavements where you are?
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@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Feb 20
@Hannihar Here we cannot ride them on the roads, it is not allowed.
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@Hannihar (130213)
• Israel
12 Feb 20
@sprite1950
I love it. I prefer to ride it on the sidewalk but there are places I have to ride it in the street.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Feb 20
Yes heavy traffic often causes damage to roads.
1 person likes this
@rappeter13 (8608)
• Romania
22 Feb 20
I never wanted to drive, but eventually I got my driver's licence 4 years ago. Now, I drive, but not that often and I avoid big cities, with huge traffic. I guess I will never be a good driver, but whenever I have to drive, I will do so.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
22 Feb 20
That's exactly like me. I don't enjoy it that much but drive when I have to.
@averygirl72 (37845)
• Philippines
11 Feb 20
I would love to learn to drive but there is no need for me to learn. We need our car so much. Life is better now that we have a car
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
I like having a car for emergencies but I don't enjoy driving.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
21 Feb 20
I never felt the need to drive intil I moved abroad last year. I think maybe I was scared of driving before and tried to justify my fear with other excuses. At first I was terrified but now it's everyday routine. I prefer when I drive alone though and be responsible only for myself.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Feb 20
That sounds very like me. I also like to drive alone as I don't like to feel that people are criticising my driving.
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@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
21 Feb 20
@besweet I am the same! My partner always says "Do you want to drive?!" I think once you learn to drive you become a back seat driver. I always have my foot on an imaginary brake when I am a passenger.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9859)
• Ireland
21 Feb 20
@sprite1950 I guess it's much easier when we don't have other people telling us how to drive!
As a passenger I do that sometimes, asking the driver to slow down or drive more smoothly. (The driver is my husband and he doesn't like my comments either.
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As a passenger I do that sometimes, asking the driver to slow down or drive more smoothly. (The driver is my husband and he doesn't like my comments either. )1 person likes this
@Shivram59 (36334)
• India
13 Feb 20
@sprite1950 Yes,I drive and have a car that I bought a couple of years back.I don't have any stress while driving and I love to drive.The only problem with having a car is lack of parking space.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
13 Feb 20
Yes the parking over here is terrible too even where I live because I don't have my own drive.
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@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
13 Feb 20
@Shivram59 Parking charges are high here. If we want to park our car in a public car park we have to pay.
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@Shivram59 (36334)
• India
13 Feb 20
@sprite1950 Ours is a small town.Here we don't have parking problem.But when I go to another city by my car,it takes me a lot of time to find out a place for parking the car.
1 person likes this
@porwest (92404)
• United States
11 Feb 20
I was one of those who could not wait to be able to drive, and I wanted to buy a car as soon as I possibly could and did. To this day I like driving, although it is not nearly as much fun as it used to be. More routine these days. But I DO like the freedom of it. And I am a horrible passenger, so there's that too.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
12 Feb 20
Ah a back seat driver, yes I am one of those too! I do not enjoy driving and only do it when I have to. Sometimes I don't use my car for weeks and the batter goes flat. These days I start the car every couple of days and run the engine for 10 minutes just so it doesn't die on me. That seems to work.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
14 Feb 20
@porwest And then you wouldn't even know if she made a mistake! I feel sick if I have been drinking and I am a passenger in a car. My head starts to spin.
And then you wouldn't even know if she made a mistake! I feel sick if I have been drinking and I am a passenger in a car. My head starts to spin.1 person likes this
@porwest (92404)
• United States
13 Feb 20
@sprite1950 Yes. A backseat driver here for sure. Luckily the only time my wife has to drive me anywhere is when I am too drunk to do it myself. lol
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87855)
• Bangalore, India
11 Feb 20
I have been driving since I was 18 and it has been almost 25 years. But now with bad road conditions and traffic, I hate it. It's stressful and so at times I give myself some break and hire public transport or ola/Uber. I can't totally give it up.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
11 Feb 20
I'm the same, I don't drive unless I really have to but sometimes that makes my battery go flat.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (87855)
• Bangalore, India
16 Feb 20
@sprite1950 That doesn't happen here with me.. My car comes out almost everyday except for few short breaks.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
16 Feb 20
@arunima25 A car that is used regularly usually lasts a lot longer so it's good you use it most days.
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6735)
• United Kingdom
16 Feb 20
I did try to learn to drive when I was 19, but I did not like it and I have not driven since. People tell me that I should learn to drive and I feel some of them think I am stupid because I don't. But why should I have to drive when I have no interest in it.? Not to mention the expense of running a car when I cannot afford one.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
16 Feb 20
I would never criticise a person for not wanting to drive because it was so much different to what I imagined. I thought I would be going here there and everywhere but I am too nervous so only stick to places I know. You're certainly not stupid and as you say it is so expensive to run one. I often think of getting rid of mine.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30452)
• Corsham, England
17 Feb 20
@lazydaizee I agree with that. The roads are far too busy and there are too many idiots about. I often think of sellling my car and not bothering and it would certainly be cheaper but it's great for emergencies.
@lazydaizee (6735)
• United Kingdom
17 Feb 20
@sprite1950 Many people tell me that they used to enjoy driving when they first started but now they do not like it any more. They say this is because there are too many cars on the road, people drive too fast and are too impatient, and the driving conditions are too complicated these days with roundabouts and one way systems in towns.
1 person likes this
