Are adults who won't learn to drive a nuisance?

Well, it should be at least men that get forced to learn how to drive...the fewer women on the roads the better!

ZING!
 
tbh I tend to think of it in emergency situations and how useful or useless a person will be.

It doesnt matter if a person has a car or insurance, in a life or death situation in a remote place Id prefer to be with someone who can drive my car to get me to assistance. Being with someone who flaps their hands at their own uselessness doesnt help when Im dying by the roadside.
 
But you're 'less' of a nuisance than if you can't drive at all.

I'd contend you're more of a nuisance. Borrowing a car is a quick way to an argument.
If you cant drive, you get a taxi. They aren't difficult to organise.
 
I'd contend you're more of a nuisance. Borrowing a car is a quick way to an argument.
If you cant drive, you get a taxi. They aren't difficult to organise.

It depends on the situation. I would prefer, for instance, if my sister could share the driving when we go en famille somewhere. Or if I could call her and say 'mum needs to be brought to the hospital on Tues morning. I can't get off work. Could you take my car and bring her up. Otherwise she'll have to fork out for a taxi' or whatever. In my view, even if you can't afford to run a car, being able to drive can still be helpful on occasion.
 
It's possible to be an adult, not know how, or be able, to drive, and not be a nuisance.

What is a nuisance is adults who think they don't have to take responsibility for their own lives. Relying on family and friends for lifts, living at home with parents, content to expect generosity from others and rarely inclined to reciprocate.
 

There are a lot of things that can be helpful on occasion. It doesn't mean people who can't do certain things are a nuisance. People should learn to drive as it is a good life skill to have but I wouldn't call people lazy or a nuisance just because they don't have that particular skill. There are plenty of people who can't cook an omlette. There are people who don't know how to use computers. There are people who don't have mobile telephones. There are people who don't know how to do any sort of DIY. Are all these people a nuisance as well?
 

I would definitely contend that people who refuse to learn how to use a computer or a mobile phone can make life inconvenient for other people. And I certainly think people who expect to be constantly given lifts, or for other family members to do all the driving around while they sit back, or for arrangements to constantly revolve around their lack of ability to drive impact on other people.

Out of interest, why did you throw in making an omelette??
 

As I said, I know people who don't drive including a family member and they have never acted like that. It might have more with the particular people you know.

No reason. It is just the basic test of anyones cooking skills. (According to all those cooking shows!!). Even though, I can cook to an ok standard but my omelettes suck!!
 
Hmm. Maybe. I've just found lately, due to various family crises, that having a particular family member around who can't drive has added a bit to the pressure and hassle on some occasions. Particularly during a certain period when my mother was up and down to Tallaght hospital twice a day and another driver around the place would have made life a lot easier.
 
They sure are pests. Especially those that work near you and expect a lift every day. It puts people out. Every time you need a day off, need to start earlier or later, need to do something after work the other person has to be told. It becomes a burden.
 

I know. I've never got into a car pool arrangement because of that. I'd hate to think I couldn't decide to leave early on the spur of the moment or hang on for a while to finish something.
 
I do think it's a really important life skill, particularly here in Ireland. I lived in London for years happily without a car, but after moving here it was clear I couldn't be independent without learning to drive and having a car.
 
Car ownership should not be encouraged.

Outside Ghent uni you will see thousands of bikes parked, in UCD or NUI Galway one of the complaints from students is lack of car parking!!

Society should actively encourage public transport.
 
I do think it's a really important life skill, particularly here in Ireland. I lived in London for years happily without a car, but after moving here it was clear I couldn't be independent without learning to drive and having a car.

It depends where you live and work in Ireland. I lived in Dublin for over ten years before I learned to drive, I just didn't need to. The only time I drive now is when I'm travelling home to Cavan with the baby (and her baggage). Oddly enough, I don't rely on lifts from people either, I use taxis for that
 

Yes, they actually are. I married the one who can't cook an omlette, put a wash on or iron (all good to have life skills) and refuses to do any DIY. If he got disqualified from driving (highly unlikely, thankfully!) and I had to ferry him around all the time, I'd probably rather kill him.

We have a distant-ish relative who is always ringing looking for a lift to all kinds of family gatherings and functions (even the ones we don't plan to attend) and then moans about how difficult it is to get back home or what a drag it is to leave early when we say that we are leaving early-ish to either relieve our baby sitter or put a young child to bed.

Also, an occasional work associate of mine claims not to be able to afford a car. However, this person is out at least two nights a week getting sloshed and takes at least three holidays a year plus a few weekends away in between. I don't begrudge them this but it starts getting rather annoying when you think of all the time and all the expensive petrol you used to ferry them around (so they wouldn't be waiting for a bus in the rain / miss the train / get to their next meeting on time / ...) only to have your car door slammed so hard that you worry about the future integrity of the hinges and not a single offer of as much as a fiver towards the petrol. I have to add that if it was offered, I'd refuse it but it's the principle, rather than money.
 
Car ownership should not be encouraged.

Outside Ghent uni you will see thousands of bikes parked, in UCD or NUI Galway one of the complaints from students is lack of car parking!!

Society should actively encourage public transport.

Or we could just go all the way back to riding horses around the place, you only need to buy one or two, and then let nature take its course... you'll spare yourself the need of a lawnmower as well...!

Seriously though Protocol, I see your location is the Northwest; are you telling me you expect people to cycle around the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language end of Donegal?!

The population density in Belgium is nearly 6 times that of Ireland, so I don't think you can do valid comparisons using Belgium.
 


Sorry but you are allowing yourself to be used as a door mat,I give everyone a chance,one chance,manners cost nowt,failure to behave like a decent human being would find both these takers walking before I would enable them in their poor manners and behaviour again and while I'm at it your husband needs a good kick in the backside as well.
 

Hmm, in that case I would think that obliging everyone to learn basic first aid would be FAR more useful. If they are driving you somewhere, they can't take any care of you and a car is hardly equipped to deal with emergencies.
I would prefer they know the basics of CPR and have the sense to ring for an ambulance!! Also moving a person who has been in a road incident should always be the last option, only if you or they are in danger should it be attempted. They could have serious non-visible injuries that you could exacerbate.

The ability to drive is not a life-saver, CPR is.