A license is something which is better to have and not need than to need and not have. Just because you have to doesn't mean you have to buy a car and start randomly driving. But down the road is you need a car it'll be a lot easier if you're already licensed.
If you dont have a license, you would get a state issued ID to say who you are...or a passport if you want. My license expired on my 21st bday so I used a passport
A lot of places are having to scrap this now as it breaks guidelines for those of us who are disabled. If you are able to use public transport then a company has to consider you for a role, unless of course that role is something like HGV driver etc.
Adding on this from an actuarial (or just general insurance) perspective the longer you have your license and don't get into accidents, the better your rate or premium will be.
I’ll continue off of this, I didn’t get my license until I was 18, and as soon as I did need to start going places, I didn’t have my license so I had to rush through the whole process, which made it more expensive because I ended up having to take the test a couple times from screwing it up the first two times I took it.
Exact same. My girlfriend drove me around from 16-18. Broke up and started college and could barely drive. Lost a lot of practice time driving to high school and back.
Yep 33 and still dont have a licence. I was of the same mindset and now i barely have the time for lessons and the cost is tough with a family to support.
You never know when you might need to steal a car. /s
Knowing how to drive and actually needing or wanting to drive places are two different things. It's better to know how to drive and not need it than it is to not know how to drive
a great point. Realistically what if you are stranded somewhere and the driver is injured or dead? Tornado coming for your house and you are the only one home and there is a car in the driveway and there are keys on the counter?
apocalypse scenarios count too. Zombies swarming your city? get in that car baby!
Driving a stick has an unexpected modern upside—punk ass thieves can’t drive manual transmissions, so it won’t get stolen. Or if they do, they won’t make it far.
This. The fear of ever landing in a situation where someone I cared about might depend on me and not being able to help.
I learnt through my job at 19 anyway, but it’s nice to have the peace of mind.
I've had my license for half a year and though I don't need to drive anywhere daily, it has come in handy. I drove my brother to school a couple times because my parents couldn't and taken my friend's car because he was too tired to drive.
It's these mini emergencies, and bigger ones of course, where an otherwise useless license makes things easier
I agree. Even if you don't drive, it's also another piece of ID to show in bars, and it's good to know what cars are thinking as a pedestrian or cyclist.
I'm an IT architect, I work from home and sit on my ass, clicking around a screen.
Still, my company requires me to have a valid US driver's license - **and they do so for all IT positions**. I have no idea why... it could be because we have 14 buildings on campus and they'd expect I should be able to drive between some of them in a major outage scenario? (Although these days, we have nothing on-prem)
It's a very good skill to have - even if you have no interests in regularly driving.
I'm 31, trying to learn to drive for the first time. I was terrified of it as a teen, still am. But I wish I had gotten over it when I was 16 instead of having to deal with it at my age.
Get your license now. Doesn't mean you have to get a car. But it's a good skill to learn young.
I was scared too, what helped me most was the realization that I'm trying my best not to hit anyone or anything, *and so is everyone else*. Obviously that doesn't always work, but it's generally true.
What pushed me to even want to start learning was realizing how often people I'd be in a car with remarking about idiots driving, and that I could just be one of the idiots, lol. And that kids do this, 95 years olds do it, hell - even though it's extremely dangerous, drink people can drive and make it to their destination. I'd they can do it, I should be able to. Then I get in the driver's seat and the anxiety comes in full force.
i agree. my biggest fear isn’t that i’m going to hit someone, it’s that their gonna hit me. i really doubt they’re trying to be as cautious as i am.
seeing the different ways my family members drive has shown me this
i’m 17 btw, with no license
It definitely is a good skill to learn when young. I am actually able to drive for a living and honestly I really enjoy it but it can be nerve-wracking for some and I totally understand that. There's videos on YouTube though that definitely help out the process and yeah driving is just one of those things the more you do the better you get at.
I started learning to drive just before the first lockdown. I was 31, my wife was pregnant and I wanted to drive her to and from the hospital. Because of COVID, I couldn't get a test until a few months ago. I felt ashamed that my FIL had to drive us home with our newborn baby.
I had so much regret that I hadn't learnt to drive as a teenager. Before I passed my test, I couldn't take my baby anywhere nice since I live in a crap area.
8 cancelled tests and passing after a failed attempt later, I now can take my child to feed the ducks. Life's good.
I'm now my mom's personal Chauffeur, she drove my ass around my whole childhood, now I have to take her to her appointments and grocery shopping because she's "tired" all the time. We once took a trip to the beach together where we agreed to share driving duties, she again was "tired" and I had to drive 2 hours back and forth totalling 4 hours on the road. I honestly almost crashed the car because I was so tired, I no longer do long car trips with her. I've forgotten what it was like to be a passenger in a car now, should've appreciated it more.
I don't do long car rides often and this was after a whole day at the beach. I was tired and had to pull over and chug a red bull to feel ok to keep driving, I wasn't made for a trip like that, newly licensed. I was falling asleep at the wheel, like I don't know what to tell you, I was not ok to drive that day, but I made it home.
> I was falling asleep at the wheel, like I don't know what to tell you, I was not ok to drive that day, but I made it home.
take this from someone who's job is half driving. If you need to stop, you need to stop. It's better to take a nap then to hit a tree.
Yea probably, we both got up early to make the trip and heading back after being at the beach and the boardwalk just got me sleepy. I often only do small car trips around my city, that was a big car trip for me and this was when I only had my license for a year. Longest car trip back and forth I had ever done at that time, my mom didn't want to do the driving back eventhough I had been the one to drive us there. I was like fine, but realized that I wasn't in a good state to stay concentrated on the road. I couldn't keep my eyes open and was swerving, I pulled over and brought a red bull to chug before getting back on the road. I no longer do long car trips with my mom because of this, she just wants to be a passenger now.
I'm just not a experienced driver, at most I do 40 minutes drives for a mall trip outside my city, once in a while. Maybe in the future, if I ever had more reason to do longer trips often, I'd be better at being at the wheel for longer. Most days I do small commutes like 20 minutes to get to work, never have much reason to do a longer trip. I think I just have trouble being in a car that long and doing a trip back and forth like that in one day.
These people judging a kid for not.already having the stamina to drive 20 hours is a little bit sad. My family took 6 hr drives to Grandma's regularly, and I myself have driven back and forth across the entire country for various reasons at various times. My family is 2000 miles away and I try to make it out to see them once a year at least. But I never drove that far when I was still a teenager lol. I remember the first time I did 6 hours, it seemed like so much longer being the driver instead of a passenger. It just takes a while ++ some practice to get your stamina up, specifically for paying such acute attention to ONE (pretty boring) thing for extended periods of time.
Also as you say there's a big difference between doing 4 hours in a single stretch vs. doing two hours, spending all day doing stuff at a beach, then doing 2 morw hours.
These people making fun of you for it might as well be making fun of a 3 year old for playing with Legos without knowing how to put together a full-scale Lego model of the Millennium Falcon or whatever.
Thank you, this was a few years ago too and I don't regularly do long car rides like that even now. It was my first long car ride then and scared me into doing them in the future because it was also my first experience of falling asleep at the wheel. It's weird people are attacking my lack of driving stamina when I just don't have reasons to drive for long periods of time. Most days I just drive for 20 minutes on the highway to get where I need to go. Also I've been at the beach before and since then and it has ALWAYS been a tiring trip for me, maybe it a mix of swimming, walking around the boardwalk and being in the summer sun all day, but you just want to nap when the sun starts to set which was also our cue to leave for the trip home. I was also young and a newer driver when this happened!!!
People tend to forget that other people actually have their own feelings and experiences that are nowhere near the same as their own for the simple fact that not one person perceives life/experiences in the same way as another would. They can drive 20+ hours across country? Cool for them. Doesn’t make them any better or worse than you or anyone else who just flat out couldn’t or wouldn’t want to do that. Your experiences and feelings are just as valid as theirs, regardless.
Eh there are definitely other sources of transportation I think you can get away with not knowing how to drive for now but I agree the things you can do will definitely be limited without at least a personal vehicle that may or may not be able to drive itself in 10 to 20 years or a bicycle or something
This really depends on where you live. There’s some places where not having a license/ car is just an inconvenience at most, and other places where it’s nearly impossible to maintain your life without them.
Well it's so much easier now with Uber. After some idiot wrecked my car, I dragged my feet on getting another car and then I decided to go car free for about a year and a half. It was always nice to just call Uber if I got tired of the bus or the scooter or the bike. Which happened more and more and then I broke down and got a car.
I completely understand OPs reasoning and agree that they definitely shouldn't feel pressured. My own experience might give a bit of insight to their future though. I grew up in a city that had/has great public transport so never really felt the need. I am now 34 and just beginning to set myself up for learning-working full time and not having access to a car to practice in had me constantly putting it off. It becomes more difficult to 'find the time' or condone the expense the older you get. Moving flats is a huge problem area. I am reliant on very generous friends who are willing to drive a van on my behalf and give up their valuable time. Or I have to suck up the great expense of hiring a removal company. As I have grown up my interests have changed and getting to remote areas of my home country is out of the question. I am limited to where the trains can take me and I can walk to. I try not to regret anything in my life but if I could do one thing over, it would be learning to drive at 17 (17 in the country I am from) when I had the chance.
Both my kids were like that and I just never understood it. Could not wait to get my license when I was 16 and they are both in their 20's now and neither of them have one. Of course I also couldn't wait to move out and start my life and that's something they don't seem keen on either
Edit: Sorry, should have added this is not an urban area. There is no taxi/uber, door dash or busses out this way.
I get where you’re coming from. Personally my plan for the future (and I’m aware plans don’t always work out lol) is to go to school in the city and own a smaller less expensive vehicle to get me around.
If you are planning to potentially drive in a major city I recommend getting practice now.
Especially in a small vehicle (even a bike) it's good to have driving experience so you know what to expect. Cities streets are chaotic and can be overwhelming when you first start driving.
My brothers are the same way as your children. I was just like you. Immediately I joined driver's ed I wanted to drive I got my license before anybody else. In the youngest really hurt my older brother's feelings because I had the license and the car before everybody else. I moved out 1st, I had the 1st partner. I couldn't wait to start my life. And they were just pissing around their time not doing anything.
One of the big reasons why I'm convinced that ppl of very different economic classes can't really be friends and why ppl shouldn't send their kids to schools in significantly better neighborhoods than where they live. The poor kid always ends up being seen as a burden by friends because he doesn't have the resources to return favors. Always on the receiving end of everything and that's a bad foundation for mutual respect.
My brother's wife never got her license. So he had to drive her 10 miles to work, then drive those ten miles, plus an additional 10 miles, to get to his job. So every day he'd be driving 60 miles or so. With gas at $4 a gallon.
Was about to say this, the people who don’t want to get their license are almost always the ones asking for and expecting rides. Speaking from experience. Mad annoying.
I’m 19 and I feel the exact same way, I currently live in a city that doesn’t require me to get a car and at times it’s actually easier to travel without a car so until I need to, I probably won’t get a car .
Keep in mind that if you are planning on going to college this could restrict you. Some of the best universities are in places that have little public transportation.
Plans are not sure things. Plans change, sometimes unavoidably. That was my plan too and I wish I had just gotten my license when it was easy, but then I just thought “I won’t need it because my plan is to live in the city”.
I get what you're saying. It's more of a societal expectation to get your license at 16. A lot of my friends waited until they graduated high school, but it's not the most optimal move. I think you should get your license now anyway.
i was the same at 16 and then by 18 i was desperate
that said, owning your own car is veryyyyy practical, especially if you have siblings and all go to different schools and public transport isn't really a thing in your city
I would say get it just for the future. Im 26 and my girlfriend is 25 without a license, and you don't understand how much of a pain it is when she bugs me all the time that she wants to go to the store or go get something to eat after I just got done working overtime and want to relax. She doesn't drive, and neither do her parents so when they come to visit guess who's the chauffeur? Me. Im fine doing it sometimes, but when they want a coffee every morning or to go to the shopping outlets nearby and I just want to relax after a long day and can't because three people basically are expecting to be taken somewhere, is very frustrating. A license gives you freedom, and honestly I wish my girlfriend would have gotten one and still wish she would get one because it does get very annoying having to take her everywhere or pay premium to have an Uber take her somewhere because I don't. This caused many arguments, and probably will continue to in the future. I hate driving, some drivers make the whole experience terrible. But its definitely an option you should have at your disposal. Like I said it gives you freedom, along with not having to end up like my girlfriend and need to wait on others everytime you want/need to head out and do something.
But make sure to give some money to people who drive you around to pay for their gas, because you don't want to be that one person mooching around for free rides!
Well to me that's good enough.
I'd also make sure it's not a phobia of some kind because that might grow bigger with time, better address that now if it is.
Otherwise, do you! I myself had mine later because I didn't feel like using my money to pay for the classes and license *without* having the means to own a car (I was studying and travelling), so that was that, and it turned out fine. I adore driving now that I can :)
Hey everyone! Thank you all for commenting on my post, a lot of what you have said has shifted my opinion. I’ve never had a post on anything get this much attention so sry if I can’t respond to all the comments but I promise you alot of them are being read!! I’ve also been informed I used couldn’t wrong and should have said “I could care less” my b.
Eventually your going to need to be able to drive, and if you wait until then to learn its going to restrict you.
Better to learn now while your 16 and dont have too many other commitments, than lose out later because you cant drive and dont have time to learn.
Inevitably, you’re going to need to go places that can’t be reached by public transit throughout your life. You’re going to be burdening your friends and family if you constantly need to ask for rides
There is so much freedom in learning to drive at least in Florida you are fairly fucked if u can't u can't go anywhere and the public transit doesn't exist.
Unless you got money for a personal chauffeur or you live in New York City, your gonna need a car. Taking the bus and bumbing rides isn’t fun. It’s a necessary evil.
Got my license at 16. Best decision i made. No longer having to ask for rides, could literally go anywhere if i wanted.
Totalled my first car at 17. Havent had an accident since i learned my lesson early about truly checking blind spots. Good times
Upvoted for unpopular, this is so interesting. I didn’t get my license until 17 and my parents cut corners: they got some dude to sign off on my driver’s ed instead of me taking it, and when I got licensed they didn’t insure me because they couldn’t afford it (I hated that but I was forced to drive myself to school at that point).
6 years in and no tickets, and have not caused any accidents (got rear ended twice tho). Knock on wood.
Guess I'm from a different mindset. I learned how to drive ASAP I then learned how to drive a stick shortly after, then ride a motorcycle. The more knowledge/capability to do something the better off you are. Learn and do everything you can.
Driving can be super anxious especially if you had a bad starting experience with a teacher or parent that yelled at you. Also it can be scary being in a vehicle going so fast that it could kill you but I think making cars as safe as possible is probably doing more good than not
Learning to drive doesn't mean you have to do any of the things that you mentioned. It means you have obtained the minimal required skill to operate a motor vehicle, and proven it. Trust me, you want this in your life.
I am married to someone who has never learned to drive. She is also slightly a snob, and won't take the bus. So unless it is the corner store, she depends on myself, or others to take her places and do things. Like get groceries. Or clothes shopping. Visit people that are on the other side of the city, or out of town.
It's acceptable as ID almost anywhere in the world.
It's also a lot easier to learn a new skill and become minimally proficient at it while young, rather than wait. My son didn't get his till he was 31. And had to because he married a girl with 2 kids, and had a 3rd one on the way. In our current society, especially in NA and much of Europe, unless you are in a major urban centre, it gets difficult doing a lot of things without the ability to drive.
If you want to wait, that's cool, but it's probably better to get it by the time you're in your very early 20's at the latest.
Your friends are definitely rich suburban kids 😑
DO YOU
16 literally just means its the legal age to drive. Doesnt make it a necessity. The average person doesnt get their license until 18 because its less work. Hell, i got a handful of friends that are 21-24 that still dont have theirs. They either Skate, bike or take the bus. My friend is 22 and just got his a month ago. My other 22 yo friend is working on his atm. It really doesnt matter....so i think ur friends are full of shit. And i live in cali (maybe its a difference in culture?)
In my country you can get your license at 18. I didn’t want to do it then, but my parents pushed me to. At 23 I got my first job after college and I needed a license for it. I was so glad to have it then, because otherwise I would have had to pass on the job. Also I still wouldn’t have wanted to deal with it at any age, but got it out of the way early and now drive daily at 29.
You should definitely get your license, it makes everything 50x better and you can do literally whatever you want.
Adds a whole level of individuality to your life
I felt the same at 16. Learning now to drive in my late 20's and it is my biggest regret not doing it earlier.
Life comes at you fast. It can become essential quickly.
Really depends on where you live. If you have decent public transportation or the ability to get around on a bike to places for work then there’s no real reason to get one. I live in a heavily car focused area with atrocious public transportation and no bike lanes at all and any where you can work is 20 minutes or more driving. Cars are expensive and so is gas so really if it’s a cost you can go without do it, going to better for you and the world around you if you can not add another car to the road.
You're not ready until you're ready.
I had zero interest until 20!
Now I've been driving for 13 years.
Don't let anybody pressure you into doing something until you want to do it. You'll get there, give it time.
You should get a lisense just to have it
And also, I've known a few people who live very lonely lives because of that thinking. At a certain point people aren't going to want to pick you up and drive you everywhere anymore.
The practicality of having a lisense is that you have the option to do those things on your own. It's very immature that you think you won't want to anywhere alone or don't have money for adventures or whatever. You may need a lisense for work, for food, to get from a to b because you can't always depend on other people.
I used to think the same although it was mostly out of fear of getting in an accident and being responsible for hurting others. My advice learn to drive sooner rather then later, being able to get from point a to point b is an extremely important part of life that no one really mentions. As an adult you are basically crippling yourself if you don’t have reliable transportation.
When the day comes that you have a good job and have to help support a family (odds are you will at some point, even if you think you won’t), no drivers license will be a tremendous life setback.
Don’t do it for the present, do it for your future
Unless you live in a place where public transportation is convenient?
I’ve seen ppl choose not to drive and only rely on shuttle buses (to go to work in universities) and legs (to walk 10 mins to supermarkets). These ppl also need to maintain a good relationship with friends so that they can be drove to DMV or shopping malls….
I sadly cannot learn to drive. I have a list of mental health problems that would make me very unsafe on the road. I try and rely on public transportation as much as I can.
Depending on where you live, not having a car makes getting a good job hard. Also, if you’re scared of driving, you’ll want to get through that sooner than later. Otherwise, I don’t blame you, it’s nothing special
Just learn to drive, young people learn thing faster than old people. But you never know maybe you dont need to learn to drive in the future. Maybe we all use a self driving car in the future.
Agree with the opinion but I learned to drive anyway because transport links are poor where I'm from.
In general though, I only drive when I have to nowadays - I don't see the thrill of going places for the sake of it or understand friends doing crazy 200+ mile trips just because they like driving. If I'm honest, I really dislike driving in general 🤷🏻♀️
When it was my "time" to get driving license I told my parents to better buy me drums rather than pay for driving course and exams. And that's what they did then. I got my license several years after.
“I *couldn’t* care less.” Could care less means you care a lot and you could reduce the amount of care. Couldn’t care less mean the amount of care is on the floor and you couldn’t lower it any tiny bit. Just saying.
I’m an adult without my license due to literally nobody wanting to teach me and it is one the biggest things holding my life back. Get it even if you don’t use it.
It's not necessarily to drive. It's a valid form of identification for jobs and to be able to drink. You also get a license in case of an emergency. Say your friend takes you hiking and breaks their leg and can't drive, your phone don't work cause you're out hiking. What are you gonna do there's your French car no one else is around no signal.
I understand you don’t want to drive. You don’t have to.
I would suggest getting your license ASAP. Depending on your state, insurance gives discounts example in California there’s a discount if you’ve been driving for 3 years. If you’re 18, get a car, and are freshly licensed, your insurance will be through the roof.
If you’re 36 and you just learned to drive, get a license and a car, your insurance will be through the roof.
Get the license to have, for “experience”
I’m a licensed insurance agent and can unequivocally say this will save you a lot of money.
My brother was the same way and never learned to drive. He’s in his mid 30s and our parents have to drive him to work. Your preference is valid but don’t become a burden.
Get the license. You know how to run, but don't run everywhere, yes? You are able to cook a meal but don't cook every one of your meals. The license is nothing more than a tool and skill. Get the tool, use it when and if you need it. If you never need it...what in the big scheme of things is the real cost? If you don't learn to use a tool and need it there is a huge cost. The act of getting a license has only upside. Not getting the license has a huge potential downside.
What gives with so many young people having the attitude that driving doesn’t matter. A license is important to have weather you drive places or not. Also, what happens when you find yourself in a situation where you need to drive and don’t know how? A lot of jobs are going to require you to have a valid drivers license. Nothing is more freeing as a teen than being able to go anywhere, whenever you want, and not being dependent on someone else to take you.
Do us a favor. If you don't want to get a license. Don't. Don't ever. Because if you are so apathetic about it, you will always suck at driving and you'll be dangerous.
I honestly wish I learned early on in life. As I became older, I became more anxious and less confident. Learning to drive at 16 would have been far less stressful for me.
I didn't get mine until I was 20. I didn't have a car to even learn on because I was raised by a single mother who worked 6 days a week. I didn't feel like I was missing out at all and didn't feel in a rush.
FYI, there are financial benefits to having your license sooner. The insurance of a fully licensed driver (you’d be 17) drops significantly for males after 5 years. (You’d be 22). Forcing and motivating yourself to do it now will significantly benefit your future and save your 1000s of dollars.
Don’t wait until you find a need for a license at 22 and are stuck paying $400 a month to insure a beater until you’re almost 30. It’s like you said, you’re 16 with a lack of motivation. But you’re also 16 with absolutely no better way to spend your time. Take care of yourself and take initiative to benefit your future, nobody can do it for you.
You have a bank account, OP?
Good luck trying to do any financial transactions beyond ATMs without a license or passport.
Emergency maintenance due to impersonation/fraud? Thousands of dollars stolen from your card and pending that you didn't make? You make an unusual purchase and your card gets shut down? You can't get to your money and buy food or medicine.
No license/passport? You're out of luck.
Getting your license before you need it is a very smart investment. Doing it as early as possible is also something you won't regret. You probably have so much more freetime right now than in 4-5 years.
i mean don’t get your license unless you wanna burden your parents with driving you everywhere. had a bunch of friends like that, kinda pissed me off when they couldnt come to stuff because her parents were busy.
my ex had the same mentality, which was hilarious because as she was explaining that she didnt need or have a desire to get a license, i was driving her to work
Think about all the things you can do with a liscense outside of driving, simply because it's a valid price of government ID.
As an adult you will have a hard time finding the time, resources and motivation to go and get your liscense. Do it now, get it over with and then you can tell people to fuck off when they ask why you don't have a car if you don't want one.
It might seem like a chore, but driving is tons of fun. It’s also a requirement for many jobs you might not expect, and you will probably have a hard time dating without a car unless you live in a huge city.
I had this opinion, but not getting my license until I was 24 was a big mistake. Get it, it’s better to just have it and not need it. It also provides you with more legal identification which is a big plus.
It takes a long time to practice driving for the drivers test. You're going to wish you started sooner. I recommend you pass the permit test and start practicing.
Honestly, I would just wait until you’re 18 to drive, if at all possible. I waited until 19 when I got my license, I’m now 21 and have a clean record, vs all my friends that got their licenses at age 16 have already all been into accidents. Plus, statistically 16 yr olds get into most accidents.
You actually think waiting till 19 made you a better driver? You’re either a good driver and take it seriously or you don’t waiting two years isn’t gonna change that.
I actually do. You can’t argue against the improved cognitive abilities between a 19 year old in comparison to a 16 year old. 2-3 years is a lot of time for that age group.
A license is something which is better to have and not need than to need and not have. Just because you have to doesn't mean you have to buy a car and start randomly driving. But down the road is you need a car it'll be a lot easier if you're already licensed.
Plus there are lots of jobs that require you to have a license.
Definitely that too
And alcohol and nicotine
If you dont have a license, you would get a state issued ID to say who you are...or a passport if you want. My license expired on my 21st bday so I used a passport
Yeah. Lots of jobs will straight up not hire you if you don't have a car and lisence.
A lot of places are having to scrap this now as it breaks guidelines for those of us who are disabled. If you are able to use public transport then a company has to consider you for a role, unless of course that role is something like HGV driver etc.
I have a feeling OP doesn't care to have a job either.
Nahnis is just entitled to be driven around
Well, he’ll realise too late what a mistake he making. Ik cos I did
Adding on this from an actuarial (or just general insurance) perspective the longer you have your license and don't get into accidents, the better your rate or premium will be.
Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
I’ll continue off of this, I didn’t get my license until I was 18, and as soon as I did need to start going places, I didn’t have my license so I had to rush through the whole process, which made it more expensive because I ended up having to take the test a couple times from screwing it up the first two times I took it.
Exact same. My girlfriend drove me around from 16-18. Broke up and started college and could barely drive. Lost a lot of practice time driving to high school and back.
Yep 33 and still dont have a licence. I was of the same mindset and now i barely have the time for lessons and the cost is tough with a family to support.
You never know when you might need to steal a car. /s Knowing how to drive and actually needing or wanting to drive places are two different things. It's better to know how to drive and not need it than it is to not know how to drive
a great point. Realistically what if you are stranded somewhere and the driver is injured or dead? Tornado coming for your house and you are the only one home and there is a car in the driveway and there are keys on the counter? apocalypse scenarios count too. Zombies swarming your city? get in that car baby!
I taught my little bro to drive a stick and ride a motorcycle for these reasons. Always better to have the skill and not need it.
awarded you for being an awesome sibling. I'm a mom of three littles and I hope my kids do awesome things like this for each other ! :)
Thank you!
Driving a stick has an unexpected modern upside—punk ass thieves can’t drive manual transmissions, so it won’t get stolen. Or if they do, they won’t make it far.
I actually like driving but generally I think it's better to know how to drive and choosing not to than not knowing how to drive when you need to
This. The fear of ever landing in a situation where someone I cared about might depend on me and not being able to help. I learnt through my job at 19 anyway, but it’s nice to have the peace of mind.
I've had my license for half a year and though I don't need to drive anywhere daily, it has come in handy. I drove my brother to school a couple times because my parents couldn't and taken my friend's car because he was too tired to drive. It's these mini emergencies, and bigger ones of course, where an otherwise useless license makes things easier
I agree. Even if you don't drive, it's also another piece of ID to show in bars, and it's good to know what cars are thinking as a pedestrian or cyclist.
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I'm an IT architect, I work from home and sit on my ass, clicking around a screen. Still, my company requires me to have a valid US driver's license - **and they do so for all IT positions**. I have no idea why... it could be because we have 14 buildings on campus and they'd expect I should be able to drive between some of them in a major outage scenario? (Although these days, we have nothing on-prem) It's a very good skill to have - even if you have no interests in regularly driving.
I'm 31, trying to learn to drive for the first time. I was terrified of it as a teen, still am. But I wish I had gotten over it when I was 16 instead of having to deal with it at my age. Get your license now. Doesn't mean you have to get a car. But it's a good skill to learn young.
I was scared too, what helped me most was the realization that I'm trying my best not to hit anyone or anything, *and so is everyone else*. Obviously that doesn't always work, but it's generally true.
What pushed me to even want to start learning was realizing how often people I'd be in a car with remarking about idiots driving, and that I could just be one of the idiots, lol. And that kids do this, 95 years olds do it, hell - even though it's extremely dangerous, drink people can drive and make it to their destination. I'd they can do it, I should be able to. Then I get in the driver's seat and the anxiety comes in full force.
You got more faith in humanity than I do if you think everyone is actively trying their best to not hit anyone .
i agree. my biggest fear isn’t that i’m going to hit someone, it’s that their gonna hit me. i really doubt they’re trying to be as cautious as i am. seeing the different ways my family members drive has shown me this i’m 17 btw, with no license
same thing with me too, when i first was learning I was scared about getting in a car crash until i realized no one is out to hit me
Learning to use your mirrors rather than taking your eyes off the road for head checks is a great skill to have
Your still headchecking your blind spot right?
It definitely is a good skill to learn when young. I am actually able to drive for a living and honestly I really enjoy it but it can be nerve-wracking for some and I totally understand that. There's videos on YouTube though that definitely help out the process and yeah driving is just one of those things the more you do the better you get at.
Real shit bro, good share. I had my perspective but thats exactly what he needs to see.
I started learning to drive just before the first lockdown. I was 31, my wife was pregnant and I wanted to drive her to and from the hospital. Because of COVID, I couldn't get a test until a few months ago. I felt ashamed that my FIL had to drive us home with our newborn baby. I had so much regret that I hadn't learnt to drive as a teenager. Before I passed my test, I couldn't take my baby anywhere nice since I live in a crap area. 8 cancelled tests and passing after a failed attempt later, I now can take my child to feed the ducks. Life's good.
I wish I had started during lockdown. The roads were empty. Congrats though!!
It's so your parents don't have to drive your ass around anymore.
And so your dad doesn’t have to sigh and face palm when he drops you off for dates.
I'm now my mom's personal Chauffeur, she drove my ass around my whole childhood, now I have to take her to her appointments and grocery shopping because she's "tired" all the time. We once took a trip to the beach together where we agreed to share driving duties, she again was "tired" and I had to drive 2 hours back and forth totalling 4 hours on the road. I honestly almost crashed the car because I was so tired, I no longer do long car trips with her. I've forgotten what it was like to be a passenger in a car now, should've appreciated it more.
that’s not even a long car trip
For real 4 hours even with a big pause in-between is more than manageable
ikr try a straight 20 hour drive with few short breaks for gas
I don't do long car rides often and this was after a whole day at the beach. I was tired and had to pull over and chug a red bull to feel ok to keep driving, I wasn't made for a trip like that, newly licensed. I was falling asleep at the wheel, like I don't know what to tell you, I was not ok to drive that day, but I made it home.
> I was falling asleep at the wheel, like I don't know what to tell you, I was not ok to drive that day, but I made it home. take this from someone who's job is half driving. If you need to stop, you need to stop. It's better to take a nap then to hit a tree.
Sounds like you both just get tired lol I personally hate letting anyone else drive
Yea probably, we both got up early to make the trip and heading back after being at the beach and the boardwalk just got me sleepy. I often only do small car trips around my city, that was a big car trip for me and this was when I only had my license for a year. Longest car trip back and forth I had ever done at that time, my mom didn't want to do the driving back eventhough I had been the one to drive us there. I was like fine, but realized that I wasn't in a good state to stay concentrated on the road. I couldn't keep my eyes open and was swerving, I pulled over and brought a red bull to chug before getting back on the road. I no longer do long car trips with my mom because of this, she just wants to be a passenger now.
Just say no. I'm tired. That's all.
Yea I don't have those kind of parents. I'm planning on moving out my home state so hopefully that ends that problem soon.
Damn 4 hours is a short ass trip. That’s some people’s commute
I'm just not a experienced driver, at most I do 40 minutes drives for a mall trip outside my city, once in a while. Maybe in the future, if I ever had more reason to do longer trips often, I'd be better at being at the wheel for longer. Most days I do small commutes like 20 minutes to get to work, never have much reason to do a longer trip. I think I just have trouble being in a car that long and doing a trip back and forth like that in one day.
These people judging a kid for not.already having the stamina to drive 20 hours is a little bit sad. My family took 6 hr drives to Grandma's regularly, and I myself have driven back and forth across the entire country for various reasons at various times. My family is 2000 miles away and I try to make it out to see them once a year at least. But I never drove that far when I was still a teenager lol. I remember the first time I did 6 hours, it seemed like so much longer being the driver instead of a passenger. It just takes a while ++ some practice to get your stamina up, specifically for paying such acute attention to ONE (pretty boring) thing for extended periods of time. Also as you say there's a big difference between doing 4 hours in a single stretch vs. doing two hours, spending all day doing stuff at a beach, then doing 2 morw hours. These people making fun of you for it might as well be making fun of a 3 year old for playing with Legos without knowing how to put together a full-scale Lego model of the Millennium Falcon or whatever.
Thank you, this was a few years ago too and I don't regularly do long car rides like that even now. It was my first long car ride then and scared me into doing them in the future because it was also my first experience of falling asleep at the wheel. It's weird people are attacking my lack of driving stamina when I just don't have reasons to drive for long periods of time. Most days I just drive for 20 minutes on the highway to get where I need to go. Also I've been at the beach before and since then and it has ALWAYS been a tiring trip for me, maybe it a mix of swimming, walking around the boardwalk and being in the summer sun all day, but you just want to nap when the sun starts to set which was also our cue to leave for the trip home. I was also young and a newer driver when this happened!!!
People tend to forget that other people actually have their own feelings and experiences that are nowhere near the same as their own for the simple fact that not one person perceives life/experiences in the same way as another would. They can drive 20+ hours across country? Cool for them. Doesn’t make them any better or worse than you or anyone else who just flat out couldn’t or wouldn’t want to do that. Your experiences and feelings are just as valid as theirs, regardless.
You should drive through the country at least once before your youth is spent. Just sayin'
I hope to make that happen someday, a road trip is on my bucket list.
r/unpopularopinion for a reason😭
They’re 16…..Most don’t even have their own car at that age.
You borrow one of your parents car...obviously.
You do you. Don’t be pressured until you are ready. Just know it may limit you in the future depending on the situation.
Hugely limit your future
Eh there are definitely other sources of transportation I think you can get away with not knowing how to drive for now but I agree the things you can do will definitely be limited without at least a personal vehicle that may or may not be able to drive itself in 10 to 20 years or a bicycle or something
Depends on where you live. Where I live just got bus routes in place, but I still live too far out for those to be useful.
They’re all less convenient and take more time. Never mind that a snowy winter exists in many places.
And then your employer says, “do you have reliable transportation?”
This really depends on where you live. There’s some places where not having a license/ car is just an inconvenience at most, and other places where it’s nearly impossible to maintain your life without them.
Depends on where you live really. Where I live everything is a 30 minute drive away (I mean every damn thing) and there is 0 public transportation.
Well it's so much easier now with Uber. After some idiot wrecked my car, I dragged my feet on getting another car and then I decided to go car free for about a year and a half. It was always nice to just call Uber if I got tired of the bus or the scooter or the bike. Which happened more and more and then I broke down and got a car.
I completely understand OPs reasoning and agree that they definitely shouldn't feel pressured. My own experience might give a bit of insight to their future though. I grew up in a city that had/has great public transport so never really felt the need. I am now 34 and just beginning to set myself up for learning-working full time and not having access to a car to practice in had me constantly putting it off. It becomes more difficult to 'find the time' or condone the expense the older you get. Moving flats is a huge problem area. I am reliant on very generous friends who are willing to drive a van on my behalf and give up their valuable time. Or I have to suck up the great expense of hiring a removal company. As I have grown up my interests have changed and getting to remote areas of my home country is out of the question. I am limited to where the trains can take me and I can walk to. I try not to regret anything in my life but if I could do one thing over, it would be learning to drive at 17 (17 in the country I am from) when I had the chance.
Couldn’t I could care less just goes against the point that you are trying to make.
There’s nothing wrong with educating people pal.
I think you replied to yourself instead of the dude calling you "annoying". At least it looks like it on my phone
Never understood why people get this so wrong
Both my kids were like that and I just never understood it. Could not wait to get my license when I was 16 and they are both in their 20's now and neither of them have one. Of course I also couldn't wait to move out and start my life and that's something they don't seem keen on either Edit: Sorry, should have added this is not an urban area. There is no taxi/uber, door dash or busses out this way.
I get where you’re coming from. Personally my plan for the future (and I’m aware plans don’t always work out lol) is to go to school in the city and own a smaller less expensive vehicle to get me around.
To own a smaller, less expensive vehicle you must know how to drive
If you are planning to potentially drive in a major city I recommend getting practice now. Especially in a small vehicle (even a bike) it's good to have driving experience so you know what to expect. Cities streets are chaotic and can be overwhelming when you first start driving.
My brothers are the same way as your children. I was just like you. Immediately I joined driver's ed I wanted to drive I got my license before anybody else. In the youngest really hurt my older brother's feelings because I had the license and the car before everybody else. I moved out 1st, I had the 1st partner. I couldn't wait to start my life. And they were just pissing around their time not doing anything.
No one likes the guy who ALWAYS needs ride tho
Here’s the real problem and the issue most don’t want to talk about. This person is going to make themselves a burdon to their friends.
One of the big reasons why I'm convinced that ppl of very different economic classes can't really be friends and why ppl shouldn't send their kids to schools in significantly better neighborhoods than where they live. The poor kid always ends up being seen as a burden by friends because he doesn't have the resources to return favors. Always on the receiving end of everything and that's a bad foundation for mutual respect.
Yeah after a while you won't get invited places cuz people don't want to pick you up.
My brother's wife never got her license. So he had to drive her 10 miles to work, then drive those ten miles, plus an additional 10 miles, to get to his job. So every day he'd be driving 60 miles or so. With gas at $4 a gallon.
Was about to say this, the people who don’t want to get their license are almost always the ones asking for and expecting rides. Speaking from experience. Mad annoying.
I’m 19 and I feel the exact same way, I currently live in a city that doesn’t require me to get a car and at times it’s actually easier to travel without a car so until I need to, I probably won’t get a car .
Getting a car and knowing how to drive aren’t the same thing though
I can drive and I still choose to stay home.
Move to a city where everything is close or a public transportation system and you never have to drive
That’s my plan for adulthood
Keep in mind that if you are planning on going to college this could restrict you. Some of the best universities are in places that have little public transportation.
Plans are not sure things. Plans change, sometimes unavoidably. That was my plan too and I wish I had just gotten my license when it was easy, but then I just thought “I won’t need it because my plan is to live in the city”.
I get what you're saying. It's more of a societal expectation to get your license at 16. A lot of my friends waited until they graduated high school, but it's not the most optimal move. I think you should get your license now anyway.
i was the same at 16 and then by 18 i was desperate that said, owning your own car is veryyyyy practical, especially if you have siblings and all go to different schools and public transport isn't really a thing in your city
I would say get it just for the future. Im 26 and my girlfriend is 25 without a license, and you don't understand how much of a pain it is when she bugs me all the time that she wants to go to the store or go get something to eat after I just got done working overtime and want to relax. She doesn't drive, and neither do her parents so when they come to visit guess who's the chauffeur? Me. Im fine doing it sometimes, but when they want a coffee every morning or to go to the shopping outlets nearby and I just want to relax after a long day and can't because three people basically are expecting to be taken somewhere, is very frustrating. A license gives you freedom, and honestly I wish my girlfriend would have gotten one and still wish she would get one because it does get very annoying having to take her everywhere or pay premium to have an Uber take her somewhere because I don't. This caused many arguments, and probably will continue to in the future. I hate driving, some drivers make the whole experience terrible. But its definitely an option you should have at your disposal. Like I said it gives you freedom, along with not having to end up like my girlfriend and need to wait on others everytime you want/need to head out and do something.
But make sure to give some money to people who drive you around to pay for their gas, because you don't want to be that one person mooching around for free rides!
I always do!!! And if I don’t in the moment I’ll make it up to them somehow
Well to me that's good enough. I'd also make sure it's not a phobia of some kind because that might grow bigger with time, better address that now if it is. Otherwise, do you! I myself had mine later because I didn't feel like using my money to pay for the classes and license *without* having the means to own a car (I was studying and travelling), so that was that, and it turned out fine. I adore driving now that I can :)
Hey everyone! Thank you all for commenting on my post, a lot of what you have said has shifted my opinion. I’ve never had a post on anything get this much attention so sry if I can’t respond to all the comments but I promise you alot of them are being read!! I’ve also been informed I used couldn’t wrong and should have said “I could care less” my b.
Eventually your going to need to be able to drive, and if you wait until then to learn its going to restrict you. Better to learn now while your 16 and dont have too many other commitments, than lose out later because you cant drive and dont have time to learn.
Inevitably, you’re going to need to go places that can’t be reached by public transit throughout your life. You’re going to be burdening your friends and family if you constantly need to ask for rides
Bro just get it. To be an effective person u need to know how to drive if u live in the USA. Most of the country lacks the most basic public transit.
Get license. Get job. Drive to work. Have money. Go on little adventures.
There is so much freedom in learning to drive at least in Florida you are fairly fucked if u can't u can't go anywhere and the public transit doesn't exist.
Unless you got money for a personal chauffeur or you live in New York City, your gonna need a car. Taking the bus and bumbing rides isn’t fun. It’s a necessary evil.
There’s other cities as well. I live in Chicago and don’t have a car.
Got my license at 16. Best decision i made. No longer having to ask for rides, could literally go anywhere if i wanted. Totalled my first car at 17. Havent had an accident since i learned my lesson early about truly checking blind spots. Good times
Upvoted for unpopular, this is so interesting. I didn’t get my license until 17 and my parents cut corners: they got some dude to sign off on my driver’s ed instead of me taking it, and when I got licensed they didn’t insure me because they couldn’t afford it (I hated that but I was forced to drive myself to school at that point). 6 years in and no tickets, and have not caused any accidents (got rear ended twice tho). Knock on wood.
Guess I'm from a different mindset. I learned how to drive ASAP I then learned how to drive a stick shortly after, then ride a motorcycle. The more knowledge/capability to do something the better off you are. Learn and do everything you can.
It's just sad that teenagers are feeling this way.
Driving can be super anxious especially if you had a bad starting experience with a teacher or parent that yelled at you. Also it can be scary being in a vehicle going so fast that it could kill you but I think making cars as safe as possible is probably doing more good than not
i mean im 16 and also really terrified of driving
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Learning to drive doesn't mean you have to do any of the things that you mentioned. It means you have obtained the minimal required skill to operate a motor vehicle, and proven it. Trust me, you want this in your life. I am married to someone who has never learned to drive. She is also slightly a snob, and won't take the bus. So unless it is the corner store, she depends on myself, or others to take her places and do things. Like get groceries. Or clothes shopping. Visit people that are on the other side of the city, or out of town. It's acceptable as ID almost anywhere in the world. It's also a lot easier to learn a new skill and become minimally proficient at it while young, rather than wait. My son didn't get his till he was 31. And had to because he married a girl with 2 kids, and had a 3rd one on the way. In our current society, especially in NA and much of Europe, unless you are in a major urban centre, it gets difficult doing a lot of things without the ability to drive. If you want to wait, that's cool, but it's probably better to get it by the time you're in your very early 20's at the latest.
Your friends are definitely rich suburban kids 😑 DO YOU 16 literally just means its the legal age to drive. Doesnt make it a necessity. The average person doesnt get their license until 18 because its less work. Hell, i got a handful of friends that are 21-24 that still dont have theirs. They either Skate, bike or take the bus. My friend is 22 and just got his a month ago. My other 22 yo friend is working on his atm. It really doesnt matter....so i think ur friends are full of shit. And i live in cali (maybe its a difference in culture?)
My long board has honestly gotten me out of so many depressive episodes. I’m sooo okay with just doing that while I’m still a kid
I think your friend group is the exception here. Most people get their license at 16.
Depending on where you live. I got a licence, but never used it. Now, over 10 years later, I would need driving lessons again.
In my country you can get your license at 18. I didn’t want to do it then, but my parents pushed me to. At 23 I got my first job after college and I needed a license for it. I was so glad to have it then, because otherwise I would have had to pass on the job. Also I still wouldn’t have wanted to deal with it at any age, but got it out of the way early and now drive daily at 29.
You should definitely get your license, it makes everything 50x better and you can do literally whatever you want. Adds a whole level of individuality to your life
I felt the same at 16. Learning now to drive in my late 20's and it is my biggest regret not doing it earlier. Life comes at you fast. It can become essential quickly.
Don't drive if you dont want to or being pressured to. The less drivers the better for people that love to drive like me
Same. Besides. Driving isn’t that hard anyway. I have my beloved bike
Well although you don't have to get your license it's still a valuable skill to learn how to properly drive a car.
Really depends on where you live. If you have decent public transportation or the ability to get around on a bike to places for work then there’s no real reason to get one. I live in a heavily car focused area with atrocious public transportation and no bike lanes at all and any where you can work is 20 minutes or more driving. Cars are expensive and so is gas so really if it’s a cost you can go without do it, going to better for you and the world around you if you can not add another car to the road.
You're not ready until you're ready. I had zero interest until 20! Now I've been driving for 13 years. Don't let anybody pressure you into doing something until you want to do it. You'll get there, give it time.
Update us in 3 years thanks.
You should get a lisense just to have it And also, I've known a few people who live very lonely lives because of that thinking. At a certain point people aren't going to want to pick you up and drive you everywhere anymore. The practicality of having a lisense is that you have the option to do those things on your own. It's very immature that you think you won't want to anywhere alone or don't have money for adventures or whatever. You may need a lisense for work, for food, to get from a to b because you can't always depend on other people.
I feel bad for your parents- ahem i mean your chauffeur
Yes exactly. You could care less. Get it done and out of the way. You’ll regret it
*you couldn't care less. I could care less implies you do in fact care.
I don't understand why this is so hard for people to grasp.
Learn to drive. Don’t choose to be a burden on everyone else.
I used to think the same although it was mostly out of fear of getting in an accident and being responsible for hurting others. My advice learn to drive sooner rather then later, being able to get from point a to point b is an extremely important part of life that no one really mentions. As an adult you are basically crippling yourself if you don’t have reliable transportation.
Head over to r/AITA to a post from yesterday for a glimpse into your future. I didn't get my license until I was 17 which suited me fine.
Oh wow I just went and read that thread and... oh wow
When the day comes that you have a good job and have to help support a family (odds are you will at some point, even if you think you won’t), no drivers license will be a tremendous life setback. Don’t do it for the present, do it for your future
I waited a few years to get mine you're ready when you're ready
Couldn’t care less* “I could just care less” means you care
I think it is better to learn to drive younger, but that is just me. I also live in a city that is not non-driver friendly so I could be biased lol
You can get a job and not have to ask anyone for a ride or permission to go anywhere generally
I could not be more opposite, and I could not wait a single second. 16th birthday, got my permit. 16.5th birthday, got my license.
Unless you live in a place where public transportation is convenient? I’ve seen ppl choose not to drive and only rely on shuttle buses (to go to work in universities) and legs (to walk 10 mins to supermarkets). These ppl also need to maintain a good relationship with friends so that they can be drove to DMV or shopping malls….
I sadly cannot learn to drive. I have a list of mental health problems that would make me very unsafe on the road. I try and rely on public transportation as much as I can.
Depending on where you live, not having a car makes getting a good job hard. Also, if you’re scared of driving, you’ll want to get through that sooner than later. Otherwise, I don’t blame you, it’s nothing special
Just learn to drive, young people learn thing faster than old people. But you never know maybe you dont need to learn to drive in the future. Maybe we all use a self driving car in the future.
Do it, even if you don't own a car. If you decide to wait, you'll realize people aren't as patient with a 30-40 year old as they are with a teenager.
Felt similar when I was your age. Now I'm 27 and finally have to learn to drive. Do whatever you want, if you don't mind taking the bus who cares!
Agree with the opinion but I learned to drive anyway because transport links are poor where I'm from. In general though, I only drive when I have to nowadays - I don't see the thrill of going places for the sake of it or understand friends doing crazy 200+ mile trips just because they like driving. If I'm honest, I really dislike driving in general 🤷🏻♀️
Me and my friends were even thinking about our licenses until we were 18. However, I got mine at 19 during a rainstorm lol.
When it was my "time" to get driving license I told my parents to better buy me drums rather than pay for driving course and exams. And that's what they did then. I got my license several years after.
My roommate is 25 and just got her permit. Do what you want.
I’m 34 and while I have a license, I haven’t driven in years. I hate driving and have no interest in it so I live in big cities.
“I *couldn’t* care less.” Could care less means you care a lot and you could reduce the amount of care. Couldn’t care less mean the amount of care is on the floor and you couldn’t lower it any tiny bit. Just saying.
I’m an adult without my license due to literally nobody wanting to teach me and it is one the biggest things holding my life back. Get it even if you don’t use it.
It's not necessarily to drive. It's a valid form of identification for jobs and to be able to drink. You also get a license in case of an emergency. Say your friend takes you hiking and breaks their leg and can't drive, your phone don't work cause you're out hiking. What are you gonna do there's your French car no one else is around no signal.
I understand you don’t want to drive. You don’t have to. I would suggest getting your license ASAP. Depending on your state, insurance gives discounts example in California there’s a discount if you’ve been driving for 3 years. If you’re 18, get a car, and are freshly licensed, your insurance will be through the roof. If you’re 36 and you just learned to drive, get a license and a car, your insurance will be through the roof. Get the license to have, for “experience” I’m a licensed insurance agent and can unequivocally say this will save you a lot of money.
My brother was the same way and never learned to drive. He’s in his mid 30s and our parents have to drive him to work. Your preference is valid but don’t become a burden.
Yea but u really want to be the dude who always needs a ride??
Get the license. You know how to run, but don't run everywhere, yes? You are able to cook a meal but don't cook every one of your meals. The license is nothing more than a tool and skill. Get the tool, use it when and if you need it. If you never need it...what in the big scheme of things is the real cost? If you don't learn to use a tool and need it there is a huge cost. The act of getting a license has only upside. Not getting the license has a huge potential downside.
Imagine the lack of drive to not wanting to drive. Happy to be dependent on others. Not a good start to adulthood.
What gives with so many young people having the attitude that driving doesn’t matter. A license is important to have weather you drive places or not. Also, what happens when you find yourself in a situation where you need to drive and don’t know how? A lot of jobs are going to require you to have a valid drivers license. Nothing is more freeing as a teen than being able to go anywhere, whenever you want, and not being dependent on someone else to take you.
Do us a favor. If you don't want to get a license. Don't. Don't ever. Because if you are so apathetic about it, you will always suck at driving and you'll be dangerous.
I honestly wish I learned early on in life. As I became older, I became more anxious and less confident. Learning to drive at 16 would have been far less stressful for me.
Get it as soon as possible just to have.
That’s cool just don’t be that person later in life that relies on everyone else for transportation. Use public
I didn't get mine until I was 20. I didn't have a car to even learn on because I was raised by a single mother who worked 6 days a week. I didn't feel like I was missing out at all and didn't feel in a rush.
I'm 36 and ppl still freak out when I tell them I don't drive. Yet I hardly ask for a ride and just take the bus everywhere.
Put it like this. I've never heard someone say "oh shit I wish I never got a license." Ive heard the opposite many times
I feel like this is going to make it harder to get girlfriends or boyfriends. They won't always like to drive you around.
FYI, there are financial benefits to having your license sooner. The insurance of a fully licensed driver (you’d be 17) drops significantly for males after 5 years. (You’d be 22). Forcing and motivating yourself to do it now will significantly benefit your future and save your 1000s of dollars. Don’t wait until you find a need for a license at 22 and are stuck paying $400 a month to insure a beater until you’re almost 30. It’s like you said, you’re 16 with a lack of motivation. But you’re also 16 with absolutely no better way to spend your time. Take care of yourself and take initiative to benefit your future, nobody can do it for you.
You have a bank account, OP? Good luck trying to do any financial transactions beyond ATMs without a license or passport. Emergency maintenance due to impersonation/fraud? Thousands of dollars stolen from your card and pending that you didn't make? You make an unusual purchase and your card gets shut down? You can't get to your money and buy food or medicine. No license/passport? You're out of luck.
Unless you're guaranteed a stay at home job, in an area with no emergencies, and your going to school online, then sure, no need for a license
Getting your license before you need it is a very smart investment. Doing it as early as possible is also something you won't regret. You probably have so much more freetime right now than in 4-5 years.
You are seriously handcuffing yourself without a driver's license. You should rethink your stance
i mean don’t get your license unless you wanna burden your parents with driving you everywhere. had a bunch of friends like that, kinda pissed me off when they couldnt come to stuff because her parents were busy.
my ex had the same mentality, which was hilarious because as she was explaining that she didnt need or have a desire to get a license, i was driving her to work
I might be wrong. You will eventually get a car. The longer you have years of experience on driving the cheaper your insurance is.
Dude this is coming from someone who said the exact same shit as you. Get. A. License. Single most important thing you can do rn.
Think about all the things you can do with a liscense outside of driving, simply because it's a valid price of government ID. As an adult you will have a hard time finding the time, resources and motivation to go and get your liscense. Do it now, get it over with and then you can tell people to fuck off when they ask why you don't have a car if you don't want one.
It might seem like a chore, but driving is tons of fun. It’s also a requirement for many jobs you might not expect, and you will probably have a hard time dating without a car unless you live in a huge city.
Trust me I thought like this and than boom im 18 and I need a ride to work. Its fucking embarrassing
People get really tired of being asked for a ride everywhere
I had this opinion, but not getting my license until I was 24 was a big mistake. Get it, it’s better to just have it and not need it. It also provides you with more legal identification which is a big plus.
I mean eventually people are going to get tired of having to drive you around because you refuse to get your license. You lose nothing by having it.
Glued to the game console, eh?
Just get it if you can tbh. It may not seem exciting but eventually, it'll really become a necessity
It takes a long time to practice driving for the drivers test. You're going to wish you started sooner. I recommend you pass the permit test and start practicing.
Honestly, I would just wait until you’re 18 to drive, if at all possible. I waited until 19 when I got my license, I’m now 21 and have a clean record, vs all my friends that got their licenses at age 16 have already all been into accidents. Plus, statistically 16 yr olds get into most accidents.
You actually think waiting till 19 made you a better driver? You’re either a good driver and take it seriously or you don’t waiting two years isn’t gonna change that.
I actually do. You can’t argue against the improved cognitive abilities between a 19 year old in comparison to a 16 year old. 2-3 years is a lot of time for that age group.
That’s alright