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Okay, here's the thing: I am a senior and I still don't have my license. I turned 17 this year, so technically, I'm in the same position as many of the juniors at my school are in, but the fact that I'm a senior makes it all the more embarrassing that I cannot drive. I mean, I CAN but 1) being terrified of driving does not help 2)my dad works nights, 365 days/year and my mom works days, so there's no one to help me practice driving 3) I took drivers' ed last summer and seriously doubt if I can even go on the freeway again.

I am trying to take private lessons (I don't know how that'll go yet) but the guy who might teach me needs anger management classes. This is really frustrating, and I was wondering, are there any others out there in my situation? What are you doing to get driving practice? I also have no one else around me, such as relatives, who can help. I guess what I'm looking for is that I'm not the only one...

By Purgeofdoors (Purgeofdoors) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 05:37 pm: Edit

I'm a graduating senior who doesn't drive. Well, I can drive, but I'm poor and thus have no car. Doesn't bother me at all; the other students don't seem to care at all.

You really won't have to drive at all while in college, although it's a fairly important skill for life on the whole. If I were you, I'd wait until after college when you truly need a license before re-undertaking the task of getting one.

By Zephyrmaster (Zephyrmaster) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 06:17 pm: Edit

Yeah, I'm like Purgeofdoors combined with Dagnytaggart :p, I turned 17 this year as a senior, I don't have a car, and my parents can't buy me one. It kind of sucks in the looking for a job, doing things with friends categories ("Hey, you want to pick me up so we can go see that movie?" :p) but it won't matter in college, because a lot don't drive. Listen to Purgeofdoors, no reason to repeat well spoken words with similar ones.

By Korey (Korey) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 06:24 pm: Edit

Well, its worse to have gotten a learner's permit and then have it expire, as I did, lol. Now, I have to take the written test again (whenever my parents stop being lazy and take me to get a license) Oh well...I'll probably end up in the same boat as you in my senior year...

By Insanity (Insanity) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 06:36 pm: Edit

Or, you can be an idiot like me. I have failed my driver's test three 3! times, all because of the freaking parallel parking. So, now I have something of a complex regarding this issue. I really don't want to even try to get my license again. Of course I want to drive... It is so cruel.

By Usunkmyb_Ship (Usunkmyb_Ship) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 10:32 pm: Edit

Korey my permit expired too in January so I have to take the written test again?!!Ah!

"Okay, here's the thing: I am a senior and I still don't have my license."
"but the fact that I'm a senior makes it all the more embarrassing that I cannot drive. I mean, I CAN but 1) being terrified of driving does not help"
"there's no one to help me practice driving"

I am in the same position and it is embarrassing. I'm not comfortable driving and really noone at home is pushing me to. It's more of peer pressure that makes me want to get my license. How people my age and younger can drive whereever and have jobs. Just be more grown-up. I have two cars in fact; my very first car I won last year and my brother had to drive it home for me! (it was manual so others could understand that) and one in the garage my brother is giving to me. I'll be 18 in a month

By Dagnytaggart (Dagnytaggart) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 12:48 am: Edit

Well, at least I feel better now. Unsunk, I totally know what you mean. There are SOPHOMORES at my school driving their own cars and whenever my friend can't give me a ride, I take the yellow bus. The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round...it's great. (In a way, environmentally friendly, but I doubt the bus is very friendly with the stuff it emits...) Thanks to everyone who responded!

By Usunkmyb_Ship (Usunkmyb_Ship) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 12:50 am: Edit

I'm the only senior (ok there are 2) on the bus!!!
Ahhhhhhh!!!!

By Justinmeche (Justinmeche) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 01:17 am: Edit

Don't feel too bad. My cousin has a masters degree and he still lives with his parents and has no license. But he is a very lazy guy so I think that is the reason for not getting a license....his excuse to have other people drive him to places.

I am 21 and got my license when I was 17 (permit at 16). With my permit I was a very nervous driver. But once I got my license, I was cool. However, many people out on the road drive stupidly and shouldn't have a license.

Advice? When you do get your license, do not speed. If you do, don't get caught. I recently got my first speeding ticket. The $127 fine is enough to make me not want to speed again. But the rise in insurance costs that can occur with one ticket aren't a good thing. Some of my college classmates have gotten their licenses suspended for speeding and the rise in insurance costs wasn't pretty.

By Lame (Lame) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 02:56 am: Edit

If you wait until you're 18, you can just go take the driving test--no need to get a permit beforehand (assuming you already can drive and just have an expired permit). Since you're close to there anyways, just wait a bit more.

By Fallenangel85 (Fallenangel85) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 08:32 am: Edit

heh dont feel so bad, im in the same situation. 18, senior, only a learner's permit. I took drivers ed through school in 9th and grade got the permit but i failed the actuall class because i didnt do the book work...god there was soooo much of it, mr. asbell was insane! anyway a couple of years later after practicing only a handful of times my mom and i are in an accident(she was driving) and i find out that she has been letting me practice in a uninsured vehicle for nearly two years! do you know how many redlights i accidently ran?! not to mention i didnt associate driving with anything positive in the first place...my mom is constantly yelling at the top of her lungs over the littlest stuff when im behind the wheel. Youd swear she should be tested for neurosis the way she raves. She does the same thing with my brother...heh.

By Varr (Varr) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 11:13 am: Edit

hehe I'm 16 (living in Mexico) and I already got a drivers licence! it expires until 2005, I dont have a a car yet since we are moving to Ohio, so it wouldnt make sence to give me one when the move is just 2 months away. But over there Ill be driving a Mini cooper( we have the original and my dad want to have the "New" one as well but identical in color etc..) or a New unlimited Jeep. I cant make up my mind yet

By T2opine (T2opine) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 01:30 pm: Edit

Insanity, do you happen to live in Pennsylvania? lol that parallel parking is pretty difficult. I failed the test once because of that. I know someone who failed it three times after having her permit for three years.

By Justinmeche (Justinmeche) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 01:46 pm: Edit

I live in PA and the parallel parking is very easy. The parking space is more than big enough. Maybe it depends on how strict your instructor is.

I think some people make learning how to drive to be too difficult. My dad is one of those people. My very first time every driving I pressed the accelerator too hard, and he gave me a 30 minute lecture about it.

If you are uncomfortable handling a vehicle the best place to learn is in an empty parking lot. I would get use to the "feel" of the vehicle before taking it out on the road.

I don't really understand why people are afraid of driving...whether or not they are afraid that their driving skills are poor or if they are afraid of other people driving stupidly.

By Insanity (Insanity) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 10:24 pm: Edit

Yes, I live in PA. Ahhh.... it is very difficult. I can park on the road in a real situation, but at the test I just can't seem to do it. The reason I can't park at the test is because the space is WIDER than an actual car. Plus, the practice spot at the center has been totally destroyed by reckless practicers.

By Shhh (Shhh) on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 10:31 pm: Edit

Dagny, ive practiced driving, and im terrified of it. The most terrifying thing of all is that i have no control of the other cars. theyre impatient and always want to be first. i almost got into an accident my first time driving because a car behind me wanted to skip in front of me and i didnt notice it until it almost crashed into me.

do what im doing- move to new york, get a subway pass, never worry about drivihng ever again

By Run4fun (Run4fun) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 07:31 pm: Edit

OK, I know this sounds bad, but if you are "terrified" of driving, please dont let yourself go out on the road. I sympathise with alot of you because I skipped a grade and couldn't legally get my license until after practically everyone else in my grade, but ppl are really lazy and I was like the 10th person to get it. I dont have my own car either, but I usually get one of our cars when I really need it (i.e. Friday nights). But the reason I said that before is because there are a bunch of girls in my grade who just got their licenses. Since they live in DC, all you have to do to get it is drive around the block (while all us MD and VA ppl have to parallel park and all that other junk). The point is, they DONT know how to drive. Most of them cannot reverse properly, none of them can parallel park (which is essential in DC)and some of them dont even know how to turn the ••••*n windshield wipers on. I mean, come on, thats just pathetic. It scares me that such people ar allowed to be on the road. So bottom line: If your scared of driving or dont really know how (be honest with yourself)...dont drive. Thanks.

By T2opine (T2opine) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 11:36 pm: Edit

Maybe the fear of driving isn't what you will do, but what other drivers will do? Just a thought.

I hated the parallel parking when I was taking my test. I live in a suburb where I never have to parallel park. I guess it's not so bad if you do it all the time though.

By Justinmeche (Justinmeche) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 11:50 pm: Edit

In some peoples' minds driving can be a very chaotic experience or a phobia. When driving you have to assume that other drivers know what they are doing but this often not the case. As a result your mind is constantly working to pay attention to all of the surroundings. But on long highway trips with little traffic you can start to daydream. I do and sometimes it seems like minutes go by before my mind actually gets refocused on the road. It seems like my brain senses the patterns and flow of the road in front me so while "I" am in dreamland, my brain is controlling my body. Quite a weird feeling. One of my cousins was driving and fell into a dream. The next thing he remembered was waking up in his car, parked along the side of a road.

By Dagnytaggart (Dagnytaggart) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 01:35 am: Edit

Oh, I've heard stories like that. It is indeed weird. Moreover, I have no idea how people attempt to MULTITASK while driving. Putting on make-up, eating, talking on the phone, and too much other junk!

By Shhh (Shhh) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 03:50 pm: Edit

"So bottom line: If your scared of driving or dont really know how (be honest with yourself)...dont drive. "

Oh i know how, but its still super scary! I mean, i have NO CONTROL over the other cars.

T2opine summed it up perfectly