<p>Anyone’s child hate to drive and not get their driver’s license until after 18? My S hates to drive. He has taken driver’s ed but does not want a driver’s license. He is 18. He anticipates always living somewhere with public transportation. He doesn’t want to spend money on insurance or gas and in he just doesn’t feel confident driving.</p>
<p>One of my DDs did not want to do the “stupid” local driver’s ed class that requires a month of classes several times a week, 2 hours at a time. In another state her sisters did a weekend marathon class which was long but nice to get it over with.</p>
<p>That D is now away at school and will be 18 away at school, not sure how she will get her license, her permit expired, she is not practicing, not sure i want her to have it :eek: Her older sibs do make fun of her!</p>
<p>I am thinking a defensive driving course might be smart</p>
<p>I would encourage them to learn to drive. It’s a life skill that everyone should know whether they use it every day or not. H and I are old fashioned enough to believe everyone should learn to drive a manual transmission car also. Our two S’s don’t have manuals but learned on DH’s (and various friends’)truck(s).</p>
<p>S2’s roommate (a hs. friend) just got his license at 18. I was glad he did so that on the 4 hour drive back and forth to school, he would be abe to take over for S2 behind the wheel if the need ever arose. You never know when you might be callled upon to drive in an emergency. </p>
<p>It’s also helpful in many situations to have a driver’s license as a legal form of identification.</p>
<p>My son took all the classes and got his permit at 16 but couldn’t drive where we lived until he was 18. He got a license in the states at 17 and when the instructor/test guy found out how old he was, he had him drive right back to the test site and he signed the paperwork for him and son was licensed but he couldn’t drive at home until 18 and since we drive on the left, well he has never driven here.</p>
<p>My sister didn’t get her license until well after she was 18. :)</p>
<p>My middle daughter wants nothing to do with driving. She hates it. She did take drivers ed last summer at 17, and got her permit. She turned 18 this past summer - did not want to practice at all and let her permit expire. She is now a freshman and can not have a car at her college. We are hoping next summer she will get her real license. She has several friends that graduated with her that are still not driving. </p>
<p>So, bbkitty - You are not alone.</p>
<p>I got my license the summer after I graduated from college. I had to, since I’d also gotten a grant to drive around the country to photograph firehouses for a year! Mathson seems to be on the same schedule, though he did take driver’s ed the summer before college, he had no interest in practicing driving last summer. His learner’s permit is good for five years, I do hope he does something before then! The learner’s permit works fine for an ID.</p>
<p>My niece did not drive until age 20.</p>
<p>I was 27 when I learned to drive. I grew up in NYC, we didn’t own a car, and I only lived in cities until I got married and moved to suburbia. I think it’s better to start earlier - I’m a pretty good driver now, but not very comfortable on highways.</p>
<p>I know two 19 year olds who do not have their license and seem to have no desire to get it. One is male, the other female. I have no clue as to why either one doesn’t choose to get it. In both cases it would make transportation issues SO much easier.</p>
<p>My D got her permit at 16 but had no interest in getting her license. She is now 20 and still has no license, though now she wishes she had gotten it earlier since it is almost impossible to get enough experience driving since she’s only home for brief periods of time.
I think it’s much easier to learn to drive while still in hs since you have the time and parents can supervise.</p>
<p>I lived overseas in high school, so most of the students in my class didn’t get their licenses until they needed them and had the opportunity to get them (in my case, at age 28 when I was getting married and moving to the 'burbs).</p>
<p>One of my high school classmates got a ride home from college with the father of a friend. The father was completely plastered and my classmate was in fear of his life. </p>
<p>He couldn’t even insist on taking over and driving himself because he didn’t have a license.</p>
<p>So I agree that it is a life skill that one needs. If possible, have him get the license even if he doesn’t immediately use it.</p>
<p>I was 20 when I got my license, and only then because I was living in an area where not having the ability to drive was taking up too much of my time and money (getting stranded because the bus stopped running when I needed it, waiting for the bus for 1+ hours for a 25 minute ride versus a 15 minute drive, overpaying gas share with friends to get rides, etc.).</p>
<p>I had no interest in driving, and if I hadn’t spent that year in that place, I probably STILL (23 in November) wouldn’t have one.</p>
<p>I had no interest in driving in HS - lived in a place with great public transportation and many friends had cars. I finally got my license at 19, the summer after my freshman year. DD is on the same path - just turned 17 and still has no interest. It means more driving (chauffeuring :)) for me, but I figure my time with her is limited and a few more trips (and conversations) in the car is a good thing.</p>
<p>DD wasn’t in a rush and got hers 2 days after HS graduation. I think it’s a skill they need whether or not they’ll ever live somewhere with no public transportation. I’m a worst case scenario type person. I would have hated for her not to have the ability to drive in an emergency.</p>
<p>I began teaching S to drive when he was 15 (on private property roads) in everything from compact cars to backhoes to 10 ton dump trucks. When he was of age he went through the permit process and paid for driver’s ed classes and road lessons himself. On that permit he drove with adults many, many miles in a variety of vehicles and is a good driver. Now 18, he left for college without ever taking the final test for his license. Says he has no need for a car, driving or a license…</p>
<p>True story: I still don’t have my license at 24. Everyone keeps telling me I should get it, but I really don’t want to.</p>
<p>And now you all know my secret!</p>
<p>My oldest has her license at 26 ( got it a couple years ago)
never has owned a car.
Youngest is 18- hasn’t taken drivers ed even. I have been trying to encourage her to, but she wants us to take her out!!!</p>
<p>my d’s friend is 19 and is not driving. First, it was not wanting to take the class, then, the gas is expensive. She is relying on my D for transportation and it does annoy me a little, since my D doesn’t have a car or her own, she takes mine. I do believe it’s a life skill, just like swimming or riding a bike.</p>
<p>Our son is 19 and doesn’t have his license. He passed the drivers ed course (highest score in his class which isn’t saying much) and has 10 hours on the road. I got my license around 19. I think that later is better for certain kids.</p>