Driver's License

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sanctamaria17

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OK, I’m a little ashamed to admit this but I’m nineteen years old and I still don’t have my license. :o

Here’s the back story: I got my permit at 16 and went through Driver’s Ed. All my life, I was told how dangerous cars were, about accidents, and I had a lot of people close to me get seriously injured in accidents. It got to the point that my parents had a hard time teaching me how to drive because I would get nervous. As a result, I didn’t get a lot of practice and it became an endless cycle. Now that I’m over 18, I would have to be put on their insurance policy in order to drive and it’s just never worked out. I’m very frustrated because I hate being dependent on people for rides.

My question is: did anyone get their driver’s license at an older age? If so, how did you manage it? How did you get access to a car in order to accomplish it? And, since I live in a big city, is a license even necessary for me?
 
I’m 19. I just got my license this last friday.
My married sister got her license a month ago.

Don’t sweat it.

I was always dependant on people giving me rides, and I haven’t even gone out driving on my own yet!

It sucks, I know. However, if you get rides from other people, its still possible to drive where you are. So, getting your own license doesn’t sound impractical.
 
Three days before I was going to sign up for driver’s ed, I was injured in a car accident. It scared me and I did not want to drive for a long time.

I ended up not getting a license until I was out of college and just a few months before I was married. By that time, I was 21.

Can you ask a friend to teach you?

If you have good public transportation in your city, it may not be a big deal to wait. I guess it depends on your needs.
 
KCT said:
Three days before I was going to sign up for driver’s ed, I was injured in a car accident. It scared me and I did not want to drive for a long time.

I ended up not getting a license until I was out of college and just a few months before I was married. By that time, I was 21.

**Can you ask a friend to teach you? **

If you have good public transportation in your city, it may not be a big deal to wait. I guess it depends on your needs.
Click to expand...
If you do ask a friend to teach you, make SURE they know the rules and laws!! That may sound obvious, but when I took my son to the road test for his license, this woman in her 20s was asking ME all sorts of questions about driving…how do you turn left from a one way to a one way? what about uncontrolled intersections? If 2 cars get to a stop sign simultaneously, who goes first, etc. Basic stuff any driver should know.

So, this woman gets called for her road test. Then this guy speaks up, who turns out to be her husband. He explained the reason she was asking me all these questions was because she failed her road test the first 2 times, he taught her, and he (and subsequently she) was not sure about what was correct.:eek: Then he tells me he had just gotten fired from his OTR trucking business and he really hoped she passed so she could drive herself to a job, since he needed his truck to get to his new job.:eek: :eek: (yet he is not sure of the rules of road…):eek:

She failed, my son passed.
 
I got my license at an average age, 17, but I didn’t do any driving until I was 18 and could afford to buy my own car.

As for the embarassment factor: I took the bus every day my last year of high school since I didn’t have a car of my own :eek: Then I went to college and with gas prices and campus parking spots in high demand, I went back to taking a bus 😛

Also, my cousin (18, just graduated high school and enrolled to start college this fall) doesn’t even have her permit yet. She just hates the idea of driving.

–
 
I was 40 when I got my driver’s license!

I would never have learned to drive if I took lessons from my husband, my son(s) or a friend!

The best way to learn how to drive is to get lessons from a good driving school. Relations and friends are not usually good teachers - they may expect too much of you and get you nervous.

Professional instructors are much more likely to be calm with you.
 
sanctamaria17 said:
OK, I’m a little ashamed to admit this but I’m nineteen years old and I still don’t have my license.

My question is: did anyone get their driver’s license at an older age? If so, how did you manage it? How did you get access to a car in order to accomplish it? And, since I live in a big city, is a license even necessary for me?
Click to expand...
Don’t be ashamed!!! I had my first permit at 15 and really wanted to get my license, but we never had a car working properly 1/2 the time, so it didn’t happen.

I lived in Boston and took the subway all the time. The “T” took me where I needed to go (only grocery shopping was a pain). I didn’t get my license until I was 21 years old. We didn’t have a lot of money and my brother’s wedding was in Savannah. We couldn’t afford a bus tickets or to fly, so I got my permit then took the test not long after (borrowed a friend’s car). The only reason I got my license was to make it to Savannah (gas wasn’t $4/gallon in the mid 1990s).

I will say that it is good to have your license, if you can get it. By waiting so long, when I finally got my own car, my insurace was high since I was categorized as “inexperienced” driver.
 
My friend didn’t get hers till she was 25 and the kids needed to be taken to their appointments and hubby was at work. The neighbor that lives behind us is in his 50’s and still dosn’t have his and will never get them. His mother was killed by a drunk driver.
 
sanctamaria17 said:
OK, I’m a little ashamed to admit this but I’m nineteen years old and I still don’t have my license. :o

Here’s the back story: I got my permit at 16 and went through Driver’s Ed. All my life, I was told how dangerous cars were, about accidents, and I had a lot of people close to me get seriously injured in accidents. It got to the point that my parents had a hard time teaching me how to drive because I would get nervous. As a result, I didn’t get a lot of practice and it became an endless cycle. Now that I’m over 18, I would have to be put on their insurance policy in order to drive and it’s just never worked out. I’m very frustrated because I hate being dependent on people for rides.

My question is: did anyone get their driver’s license at an older age? If so, how did you manage it? How did you get access to a car in order to accomplish it? And, since I live in a big city, is a license even necessary for me?
Click to expand...
I’m almost 30 and I still don’t have my license but I’m not allowed to drive because I have Epilepsy…That’s a different story though.

If you lived near your parents or some other relative, I’m sure that they would let you use their car to take the test as long as the insurance covered you. Also sometimes those driving behind-the-wheel training classes let you use their car for a nominal fee…Just have to check into that though.

You act like you’re so very old…You’re still a teenager 🙂 Your life is still just beginning.

I guess its up to you to realize whether you think driving is necessary for you or not. If you have a great public transportation system and traffic is always congested, you really dont have to worry about it I would think but also it seems that you have an issue with not having your license yet so why not just take the test and get it out of the way? God bless you in whatever decision you end up making.

Curtis
 
I got my license when I was 18. My best friend already had hers, so if we went out, she drove. For work, I relied on my parents (but they were the ones who wanted my to wait, so they didn’t mind driving me, plus my jobs were usually only 5-10 mins from home). I am glad I waited, as I found the whole process very stressful. My mother has severe anxiety attacks while driving on busy streets and she can’t handle the highway, and I think I take after her a bit there. :rolleyes:

As for access to the car, if you take drivers ed, they have their own car that you use for lessons (usually anyway, because the instructor has their own set of brakes just in case). I believe you can arrange to use their car for the test too, but I used my parents. I didn’t buy my own car until after I finished college and got a job.
 
Funny coincidence…I got mine at 20, b/c i felt nervous, etc, etc. But, in the modern world, that’s one thing you need to get by. I also don’t think that having a feeling of independence is insignificant…
 
I got my Learners permit at 16 in the US but never drove.
I moved out of the country.

I came back for a month and actually got to somewhat learn enough to get my license.

But I actually really learned to drive in the the worst place in the world to learn and drive.

Rome.

Not only is it stick shift, but the only rule that exists here is that everyone will not follow the rules. Plus the city is civilizations on top of civilizations. Cars are the last thing that fit!!!

After two days I was already having fun running reds and scaring the silly americans that croud St. Peter’s while on neutral. 😃

Don’t worry, at least in the US, driving is a joke.
The cars are all automatic, the cities were designed for cars and everyone follows the rules.

Just don’t be silly.

Not in the US. 😉
 
I’m 21 and I still don’t have my license. I have an adult permit,which is a little embarrassing. I’m working on it though. I get so nervous when I drive it gives me a headache.

It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that is taking their time getting a license. I had the impression I was really weird, maybe I’m not.

-Driel
 
It depends on where you will want to live once you graduate.

Many neighborhoods where you live are safe and close to public transit and shopping. (The neighborhood with your school is one of these.) If you will live and work in a neighborhood like this, then you will probably not need a car any time soon.

Unfortunately, housing is very, very expensive in those neighborhoods. Without the benefit of student housing, it may be difficult to afford a livable apartment.

Other neighborhoods are more affordable, but they are either too dangerous to arrive at night without a car, or too far from frequent public transit. In theory, a bus route is all you need, but you’ll quickly discover that this is not practical when spontaneous errands take hours, or when you have to walk to the bus with all of your groceries. (Believe me, I’ve been there…)

Plus, you might have to accept a job in the suburbs. Unfortunately, too many of the new area jobs are being created in areas where public transit is impractical or nonexistent.

Not having a car would also make it difficult for you to take a summer internship in another city.

If I were you, I would get a driver’s license, but wait until you graduate to get insurance or a car. You could use your parents’ car and insurance to learn how to drive.
sanctamaria17 said:
OK, I’m a little ashamed to admit this but I’m nineteen years old and I still don’t have my license. :o

Here’s the back story: I got my permit at 16 and went through Driver’s Ed. All my life, I was told how dangerous cars were, about accidents, and I had a lot of people close to me get seriously injured in accidents. It got to the point that my parents had a hard time teaching me how to drive because I would get nervous. As a result, I didn’t get a lot of practice and it became an endless cycle. Now that I’m over 18, I would have to be put on their insurance policy in order to drive and it’s just never worked out. I’m very frustrated because I hate being dependent on people for rides.

My question is: did anyone get their driver’s license at an older age? If so, how did you manage it? How did you get access to a car in order to accomplish it? And, since I live in a big city, is a license even necessary for me?
Click to expand...
 
The problem is, I can’t use their car and insurance. It’s too expensive and so is gas. I’m trying to figure out how to learn how to drive on my own dime.

During the school year, I live in a big city with a wonderful transportation system and nice apartments are surprisingly affordable and comfortable, as long as you share with two or three other people. However, I know that when I graduate, things could change.
 
I didn’t get my driver’s license until I was 25, married with two kids. I grew up in the city, neither of my parents drove so there was no car to drive.
 
I am almost 23 and still don’t have my license. Then again, I live in NYC so I definately don’t need it. But you can get a license at an older age. however, with the price of gas now, why would i want it? if you live in a city with a good bus or train system, then it really is better not to have a car I think.
 
I’m 22, married with a baby and still no license (not even my learner’s! ) DH and I have no car and don’t have a hope of owning one in the near future which is why I’ve put it off for so long. I guess if we ever get a car I’ll have him teach me (Is this a terrible idea? 😛 )
In the meantime I know the public transit system around here like the back of my hand. It’s fairly reliable and only a minor pain. Before the baby I used to bike everywhere in the summer and only take transit in the winter. I usually got where I needed to be just as quickly as the bus would get me there and it was great exercise to boot! I really miss that 😦 Oh well, next year I can get an attachment for the bike and take the baby on bike rides…
 
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