Is a driver's license really necessary?
By TereFaerie
@TereFaerie (386)
United States
February 4, 2007 11:00am CST
I am in my late 20s, but I still don't have a driver's license. Everyone says that I need to get it before I get too old or I'll be afraid to drive. But I'm already afraid to drive, especially the way people in this city drive. I also don't think I need to because I live in a small city with pretty good public transportation.
I know people who say they are lost without their cars, but I can't share the feeling. Would you be lost without your car? Do you think everyone needs to drive?
28 people like this
167 responses
@shiningfae (403)
• United States
4 Feb 07
It's not necessary at all! My SO is 35 and has never had a license and he gets around fine! I have a license, but I didn't own a car for 5 years (I bought one last year for work-related puroses). Before that, I just got around on my bike and public transportation. As long as you feel you can get around, it's your choice! Don't worry about what other people say. To each her own!
2 people like this
@faerieingrey (323)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I agree with this - what is important is the ability to get wherever you need to go. It isn't important to have a license just for the sake of having one. In fact, that would be a waste of money in my opinion. It is often healthier and more cost-effective to get around walking and using public transportation.
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
It's nice to hear you say that your husband gets around just fine with no license. I tell people that and usually they just say, "you don't know what you're missing". And I feel like the stress of owning, driving and maintaining a car will have a much less positive effect on my life than public transportation, carpooling, and walking do.
I read and write on the bus, have great discussions with people I meet on the bus and people with whom I carpool, and I feel like I am one less person contributing to the pollution of the environment by driving, especially by just driving myself around and no one else.
I have gotten a lot of inspiration from things I see and hear while walking or on the bus for my writing, too.
1 person likes this
@grannymoe (83)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I know it is not necessary now but what happens when you get older and can't walk to bus stop or where-ever you want to go. If you can't walk good you can sit in car and drive even if your legs do hurt. I am in my 70s. If I depended on walking I would never go anywhere. I can't walk very well but I am a very careful driver and I go any place I want to go. I take family members everywhere they need to travel. Sometime back my brother lived out west and drove out there to see him. Without car I would feel tied down and that would be depressing for me but I understand that driving is not for everyone.
@DreamIsDestiny (204)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I think that if you live in a city, where there is plenty of public transportation, you don't need to learn how to drive. It's just nice to know that you can, I guess.
2 people like this
@steerpyke (396)
•
4 Feb 07
The trouble with that is you then can only go where the transport goes. I grew up in the country and so had to have a car. i now live in a big town and the amouunt of people I know here that dont drive is amazing. Becuase they have adopted the "i dont need it" attitude they never go anywhere, do anything interesting and certainly cant be spontanoius about it. I would say, get a liscence even if you dont plan to get a car straight away.
2 people like this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
You are right about the limits of public transportation. There are times when I need to get a ride if my husband isn't home. And the bus schedules are not as reliable as they once were here in New Orleans. They also don't run as late as they used to.
1 person likes this
@smartcooldude1386 (286)
• India
5 Feb 07
depending on the transportation facilities is not a good idea for a person who is a regular freak out side. bcos his half time is wasted in aranging for the facility.. isnt it... And if u r in an emergency then also ur knowlege of driving helps a lot.. i have experienced it
@MissGia (955)
• United States
4 Feb 07
wow i thought i was the only one, im 21 and i still dont have my license yet. I've drove before with a permit but peopl on the roads scare me. Im gonna give it a shot when spring gets here and get one. Hopefully i can get over my fear of driving with all these nuts
2 people like this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
You really should, I regret not becoming more comfortable driving earlier in life. I'm afraid to drive, too, but I don't think that should be an excuse not to.
Good Luck getting your license in the Spring, Gia!
@jonezy (293)
•
4 Feb 07
not everyone needs to drive...however it is always better to have the ability to drive so that if the need did arise to you, you will have your license ready. Also it is alot easier to learn to drive as you are younger. As you leave it for another year and another year the time required to learn to drive (on average) becomes alot longer. but...if you have people that you can call on for a lift if you are in dire need, or if public transport is that good where you are (which i cant imagine) then by all means its not worth the trouble as it will save you alot of money to not learn and alot of time which you can put to better use im sure.
khris
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
This is advice I would give to anyone who is reading and doesn't have their license. I think if I had expressed more interest in driving as a teen, my parents would have driven with me more. But I was very bad in driver's ed which frustrated me. I have very poor depth perceptions and hand eye coordination, too. I never liked video games, either.
But that's just me making more excuses.
The younger you start anything, the better at it you'll be, so don't give up!
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
4 Feb 07
My Aunt is 65 she has never driven a car in her life. She is perfectly happy. I have never heard her say anything about wanting to drive, the only thing that is hard is every once in awhile she needs to be driven somewhere. For instance on Christmas we have to all get together and determine who is going to get Auntie. She is very difficult to drive with because she is so scared and crazy she panics at every little bump, noise and will nearly go through the roof if you pass someone.
So I would say this to you...
You don't have to have a drivers license but do yourself a favor a learn how to drive. Think about this what if you and your husband where driving someone and something happened and it was up to you to get you and the kids to some place safe. Don't let a fear overrun your life, face it head on you aren't afraid to drive you are afraid of the unknown. Once you have knowledge of a situation you have the power.
2 people like this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
You are right, I do let fear over run my life when it comes to this subject.
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
4 Feb 07
You don't have to have a driver's license. If you are not comfortable driving, and there is public transport available, then you're fine. Think of how much money you save by not having to buy a car, pay for gas, deal with maintenance and parking. Life is simpler without a car!! And by using public transport, you are doing your part to cut down on greenhouse gases and saving our environment.
2 people like this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I do think about the benefits of not having a car, when I finally do get my license I doubt I'll be driving much anyway and we can't own or park two cars economically anyway.
I work about two miles from where I live and it's pretty easy to get around.
@rjbass (1422)
• United States
4 Feb 07
My wife's aunt is in the same boat but she is in her late 40's. She had a bad experience when she was younger and has been afraid of driving or even learning how to drive ever since. She has gotten by because she has a carpool that gets her to and from work in which she contributes not by driving, but by helping out with gas. Her husband also drives and outside of work they are always together so there is also no need to drive.
The only thing I would say about her situation that may warrant getting a drivers licence is in the case of an emergency where she would be the only person who would be called on to drive. It's not so much as having the licence as knowing how to drive.
1 person likes this
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@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I would say that in an emergency I DO know enough to drive, but I just don't feel comfortable doing things like parallel parking and driving on the interstate. Those are things that people tell me will come in time and with practice though.
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@emarie (5442)
• United States
4 Feb 07
i don't think you need to worry. if you feel that you can get through life without one, then all the power to you. i mean, you don't need to depend on a car, there are plenty of other modes of transporation. i do have my license, but i haven't driven in a while. me its serves as a form of ID, right now i don't have a car, well i do, but my husband uses it for work and basiclly its such a mess that i can't physically drive it right now. i did go through a point where we had no car. it was difficult. we live in some what of an urban area and my husband needed to get to work, the point where he would have to take the buss to work was getting stupid and taking forever that he didn't even spend time with us. so getting a car was a smart move for us. also, we have 2 small children and taking the buss is out of the question
2 people like this
@freak369 (5113)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I don't think that you need to know how to drive or have a license but you should know the basics of a car in case you are ever in a situation where you may need to move a vehicle or someone gets ill. Look at places like New York; they have a lot of ways to get around and there are tons of people that don't drive or have a car because of the transit system. I do drive but if I can get away with walking somewhere, I do. I hate having to waste gas or looking for parking spaces and dealing with some of the strange people on the roads. But I will say this again, I really think it's a good idea to have someone take you to a large parking lot and let you get behind the wheel, just so you know the basics of operating a car in case you ever need to.
2 people like this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
4 Feb 07
That's good to hear, because I think I do know the basics. like my dad says, I can drive if we're on a straight road going 35 mph and there are no other oncoming cars. I also know where the emergency flashers are, so I've got that going for me, too. ;)
Thanks for the input.
@ginagee (843)
•
5 Feb 07
Well I'm 50 years old and I don't drive. I live in a small town where I can walk to the shops, there are buses and trains to get me wherever I want to go so I've never bothered driving. But recently I decided it was time to learn to drive as sometimes I'm needed in an emergency and I can't get there without relying on others. I have yet to start those lessons though!!
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
6 Feb 07
Yeah, I just keep putting it off and putting it off. And there has never been an emergency that has made me want to-- yet. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@madtownsweety (418)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I was like you I didnt get my license or have any desire to until after I had my daughter and realized that I couldnt take her anywhere without some taking me there. I didnt get my license until I was 23 and boy do I ever regret it. That was one of my biggest regrets ever I felt like I missed out on something. I feel like I lost part of freedom for all those years freedom that I didnt know was out there or even existed. Wouldn't you love to be sitting there and just decide to go somewhere.... anywhere and then just get up and go? Do it now before its too late and you regret never having done this.
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
6 Feb 07
You're right, you definitely can't have kids and not have a license. I wouldn't want to have to depend on others to get myself and my kids around. And I know the longer I wait the harder it will be. Thanks for your concern and for telling me your story.
@hottie0728 (1732)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I think it depends on where you live. I live in San diego, Ca and driving is a real necessity here. Without driver's license I cannot go anywhere. When I get here 5 years ago, I used to walked for about 1 mile just to get to the bus stop. I have no choice because that is the only way to get to work. My parent's doesn't drive either. My relatives where we used to live also work so they won't be able to carpool me to work. I did have a tough time when I wasn't driving yet. When I got my license, I can go anywhere, anytime I wanted. Driving is very important here especially we don't have enough public transportation.
You should get a license soon. It's more fun driving and I think you'll enjoy more places too. Goodluck!
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Yes, there have been times that I wished I had a license. I never thought that it might be more fun driving around.
@mnksmommy (301)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I would be lost without my car. I live in a very rural area so I have to have transportation...no public transportation here. There are times when I think it would be nice to just be able to take a bus, train and not have to pay a car payment, insurance, and maintainence. But I really have no choice.
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Luckily, I have a choice, but maybe that choice is actually to my detriment. If I lived somewhere where I absolutely had to drive, I would probably have done it.
@sarah2006 (39)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Well.im 18 and i still dont have my license. Im not in a big hurry to get it even though everyone is telling me i should. But why?. They dangerous,pollute and cost alot of money. I think using public transportation is great,sometimes i even walk to my destination. Oh and carpooling is good too. I wouldnt be lost without my car,especially with the way some people drive. Cars arent necessary to live especially when they can kill you. I admit im scared to drive ive done it a few times and it wasnt fun at all. IF people tell you,you need to get a license just ignore them thats what i do. If you dont want a license for certain reasons then you shouldnt get one.
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I'll definitely have to go to driving school before I take the driver's test. Thanks for telling me your experience.
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
4 Feb 07
If you have no desire to drive and you aren't constantly asking people to take you places then there really s no reason for you to get a driver's license.
YOu are very capable when it comes to finding ways to get places using public transportation, I assume.
YOu didn't tell us how you respond to people when they give you the line about not waitng too long, but you might want to tell them how much money you save by not having to maintain a vehicle. That might make them think!
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I don;t think I wait all that long for the bus, really. And I think of the time it takes for some people to find a parking spot once they get to work. And some of my coworkers walk farther from their cars than I do from the bus stop.
I usually take the bus in the morning and try to find a ride with one of three or four coworkers that live in or pass by my neighborhood to get home.
I am thankful that I'm not contributing to polluting the environment via a car, and I know I get more exercise that way, too.
@XxAngelxX (2830)
• Canada
5 Feb 07
I am thirty two and still do not have my license although many times I have said I am going to go get them. Although where I live I can easily walk to everywhere I need to go, there are definitely times when it would have just been easier if I had my drivers license. And I like you am afraid to drive. There are so many careless people out there, if I were involved in an accident I would feel so bad, even if it wasn't my fault.
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
This is how I feel, too. I have also said again and again that I should get my license, but it is mostly the fear that keeps me from even practicing driving. And my husband's car is an SUV, so it's a little too big for me to feel comfortable driving.
@shiningfae (403)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I was talking with my little sister earlier about this topic and she shared her experiences living in Europe (she did a semester abroad in Austria and travelled around a lot). Most of the people that she met there didn't own cars and a large number of them didn't know how to drive. So you are not alone! Just tell people you're trying to do things the European way. *wink*
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Or maybe I just need to move to Europe!
1 person likes this
@Dzbfree (94)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I think in most parts of the US people need dto drive. You're lucky you have access to good public transportation. If I didn't have a car, I couldn't get to work, the grocery store, the doctor's, etc. Maybe you could take a class, just so you'd know how to drive in an emergency. Driving through rush hour traffic every morning and afternoon is the worst part of my day. I don't blame you for not being enthused about driving!
1 person likes this
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I don't really need to drive to go to the grocery store, but I don't do much of the shopping on my own. My husband drives and we usually shop together.
I couldn't imagine living some where that I would absolutely have to have a car, but I know there are plenty of places like that.
@thecaitycat (267)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I'm 22 and have yet to even get a learner's permit. I live in a city with one of the best public transportation systems in the country and it's been fine for me since high school. When I absolutely need a ride somewhere, I have friends I can call who will help me out. My boyfriend also drives, so when we go out to dinner or to see a movie we just hop in his car.
@TereFaerie (386)
• United States
5 Feb 07
This is pretty much what I do, and so far, no one has called me a pain in the butt about needing rides to places. It's just that I'm the only one of my friends without one.
The learner's permit test is easy, I got that when I was 16, but then I never took the driving test.
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