Are There Still Areas That People Don't Learn To Drive?

[sunairco]

Sorry that this off topic, but the gas thread got me thinking about this. Last January, I did a favor for a friend and picked up some relatives at the air port from NY. B4 taking them to their hotel, I asked them if they had any reservations for a car rental and I'd be happy to take them there. They very unbashedly told me that neither of them drive as if it was trivial thing. They're a professional couple in their 50's that I gather have lived in NY city all their lives. I have to admit that I've not really had that much exposure to areas outside of the US South and Latin America where driving is critical necessity. Even the near year I lived in CT, I didn't know of an adult that didn't drive. While I live in a large city, there is no way you could survive here without driving skills and depend on public transportation. Fourty years ago when I was in school, they had driver's Ed and everybody took it. Same when my kids were in school. You don't give this any thought down here, but I wonder if there are areas here in the states that driving skills aren't taught and what the situation is on the other side of the pond. I would imagine there are areas that have very efficient public and private transportation systems and no need to venture out of the area that conceivably would make driving skills unecessary.

The thought of not being able to drive creeps me out to the point that I'd be ashamed to admit it.

I'm curious about the situation elsewhere.

[scroller]

That's pretty much unique to NYC only.

[dderek123]

My Grandma in Canada never drove a car. She walked everywhere and was unbelievably healthy well into her 80s.

You'd be surprised how they drive in Asia. It's like they were born yesterday.

[south09]

everyone in Atlanta drives like their destination is five minutes away from ceasing to exist.

The problem is, an accident on the opposite side of the road causes traffic on the unaffected side to slow to an unbearable crawl.

[Willie Escalade]

Glendale, California...specifically Brand Blvd, Glenoaks Blvd, Broadway, and Colorado St. Also drive Valley Blvd from Fremont Ave to the city of El Monte...keep your eyes moving!

[msbhaven]

It's a lot more common then you think in the rural deep south for women at least, not to drive. My ex didn't get her drivers license until she was almost 30, her mom never did get one before she passed away in her mid 50s, and her aunt has nothing but a learners permit so she can carry her husband to the hospital in an emergency. There is just this mindset in some small towns down here that the woman stays home and keeps house and if she needs to go somewhere her husband will take her there.

Additionally I've worked with and known lots of people here in Atlanta that don't drive because they can't afford a car. Life is a lot more difficult for them, but they do survive on public transportation. I would probably not use a car in NYC for anything but driving out of the city to somewhere else to be honest. Too much traffic, not enough parking spaces, an extensive public transit system, and density of population and businesses would all seem to make a car expensive and unnecessary in a place like New York City.

Ashlee

[Quiet Reflections]

There are pockets in the mountains where people still don't drive and or get licensed but its few and far between. Most people will drive without a license anyway

[LibertyHarkness]

my auntie cant drive and she is 52 hehe

[nonnonnon]

I'm much more shocked that some states you have to pump your own gas. I feel like a peasant

[Quiet Reflections]

I'm much more shocked that some states you have to pump your own gas. I feel like a peasantwhat? you must be kidding

[MdR Dave]

I'm much more shocked that some states you have to pump your own gas. I feel like a peasant

When I moved to NYC and couldn't pump my own it made me feel like I was being labeled a potential thief.

[Caff_Racer]

If you want to see some astoundingly bad driving, come to Spain, you'll have feckin' kittens. At least it makes for a lively, eye-opening and fun drive :lol:



I'm much more shocked that some states you have to pump your own gas. I feel like a peasant



I always fill my own tank, because I always like brimming it (an old trick that was used in endurance races before the advent of rapid-fill systems and that is still used during fuel stops at the Isle of Man TT), and petrol pump attendants never, ever brim your tank, which feckin'
drives me daft!!! :banghead

[Quiet Reflections]

If you want to see some astoundingly bad driving, come to Spain, you'll have feckin' kittens. At least it makes for a lively, eye-opening and fun drive :lol:






I always fill my own tank, because I always like brimming it (an old trick that was used in endurance races before the advent of rapid-fill systems and that is still used during fuel stops at the Isle of Man TT), and petrol pump attendants never, ever brim your tank, which feckin'
drives me daft!!! :banghead
If you ask someone to fill your tank for you here(Maryland) you will get nothing but laughter

[Dino Velvet]

My mother was from Texas. She could drive a tractor and operate farming equipment but never drove a car.

I know this gal from The Philippines who's lived in LA for years and cannot drive. I asked her, "If we went out and I was in no condition to drive you wouldn't be able to?" She said she's never driven and doesn't know how.

[OEMEnemyNum1]

Oregon forces gas stations to be full service also. But they say it's for job creation. Every once in a while there will still be a full service station, even without a law requiring it... but they are pretty much disappearing.

[fred41]

Lots of people drive in the outer boroughs of NYC...but if you live in Manhattan, it's almost an inconvenience to own a car, but on the flip side - you probably never need one either.

[fred41]

as far as filling your tank...once they invented the self-serve pump...there's no reason (except for being a lazy ass) to ever have someone fill it for you. That's for people that don't even know how to change the batteries in their smoke detectors.

[Stavros]

I live in the UK and dont drive and have no intention of learning -a) I have always lived in cities with an urban transport network, or owned and used a bicycle (the most efficient form of transport in the universe); b) I don't have an interest in cars, someone once told me he had some specific type of Porsche and when I said I had no idea what he was talking about he really looked disgusted; c) cars in urban areas will gradually disappear over the next 25 years, they have been a disaster in urban areas, and in the hand of a drunk are simply a lethal weapon.

[fred41]

I live in the UK and dont drive and have no intention of learning -a) I have always lived in cities with an urban transport network, or owned and used a bicycle (the most efficient form of transport in the universe); b) I don't have an interest in cars, someone once told me he had some specific type of Porsche and when I said I had no idea what he was talking about he really looked disgusted; c) cars in urban areas will gradually disappear over the next 25 years, they have been a disaster in urban areas, and in the hand of a drunk are simply a lethal weapon.

I'm not going to get into a big debate over this...but...even if you never own a car, you should still learn how to drive.

[Caff_Racer]

I think cars are crap too, that's why I only ride motorbikes! 8)

[fred41]

I think cars are crap too, that's why I only ride motorbikes! 8)

but do you know how to drive one?

[Caff_Racer]

Yes, but I just don't feel safe or at ease enclosed in a steel box

[fred41]

Yes, but I just don't feel safe or at ease enclosed in a steel box

...there you go then...if you had to , you could...

[Caff_Racer]

In fact I couldn't: I only have a driver's licence that is valid for motorbikes, not cars ;-)

[Quiet Reflections]

I'm not going to get into a big debate over this...but...even if you never own a car, you should still learn how to drive.I agree its like shooting or building a fire

[fred41]

I agree its like shooting or building a fire

Thank You....you got what I meant.

[CORVETTEDUDE]

What about the U.K. and Western Europe where public transportation is so much better?

[sunairco]

I guess this is the point that I wanted to know. This isn't question about if you have a car or not, but if you learned how to drive. This was school curriculum. Unless there was some reason such as a physical or mental disability or some objection by parents, you take drivers ed and end up with a full operator's license. Most kids in school and even in college either can't afford the insurance or their don't want to place that risk on their policy. It's understandable that many young folks won't be able to afford a car and insurance for a while. In other cases, those with access to dependable rapid transit or scarcity of parking and vehicle housing may choose not to own a vehicle as some here noted. It still doesn't excuse the fact for not having a motor vehicle operator's licesnse. Many businesses will not even consider an applicant without a license even if their job description doesn't involve driving. Furthermore, here in the states, an operator's license is the de facto state identification card. Try cashing a check,verifying ID, or opening an account without one. I know a chick that was a passenger in a car that didn't have a valid DL in which the operator was charged with DUI. They hauled her in an kept her overnight until someone drove up and produced acceptable ID.

[Quiet Reflections]

I guess this is the point that I wanted to know. This isn't question about if you have a car or not, but if you learned how to drive. This was school curriculum. Unless there was some reason such as a physical or mental disability or some objection by parents, you take drivers ed and end up with a full operator's license. Most kids in school and even in college either can't afford the insurance or their don't want to place that risk on their policy. It's understandable that many young folks won't be able to afford a car and insurance for a while. In other cases, those with access to dependable rapid transit or scarcity of parking and vehicle housing may choose not to own a vehicle as some here noted. It still doesn't excuse the fact for not having a motor vehicle operator's licesnse. Many businesses will not even consider an applicant without a license even if their job description doesn't involve driving. Furthermore, here in the states, an operator's license is the de facto state identification card. Try cashing a check,verifying ID, or opening an account without one. I know a chick that was a passenger in a car that didn't have a valid DL in which the operator was charged with DUI. They hauled her in an kept her overnight until someone drove up and produced acceptable ID.
I have been put in cuffs for not having my DL on me when my friends got into some stuff. Luckily they let me go but I completely agree that having one these days is almost mandatory. However most states will give a state ID that looks like a DL and will allow you to cash checks,open accounts,etc...

[sunairco]

That was a contentious issue about a DL proxy for a formal ID. There's been many court cases in our state where someone refused to surrender their DL to law enforcement as ID in non-motor vehicle situations. The courts always ruled for the defendent and the state statutes used to make that clear that it wasn't an ID card. That may have changed post 911 with the states now beginning to implement the fed's Real ID act and you need several documents including your birth certificate to get a renewal. Years ago in the 80's, the state got into hot water with issuing non-DL ID cards. You had to formally write the DMV with a valid reason that you had no intention of driving to get an approval for one to be issued unless you wanted to get a learner's permit. The county level police departments began issuing ID's that required finger prints and a back ground check that some places made mandatory to get a job especially in the service industries.