Ask Lemmy

Was 19. Needed it for a job and got it in 2 weeks. Took the permit test after a few nights of studying. Took a driving course online while I was sick and then scheduled a driving exam. Lots of practice with my dad doing the exact stuff that was on the test. I had an expired permit from when I was also 16.. never had the courage to get a license. I also felt trapped despite biking places. Many places were just outside my reach, including jobs. I was terrified of driving because it felt too complicated. I eventually got accustomed after a summer of driving to work.

Tips: drive around the area you’re testing in. Never hit the curb when parallel parking. Always Be Signaling (ABS). Come to a complete (0m/s) stop before a stop sign. Make sure to make it obvious you’re checking your mirrors, etc. because the grader is looking at your eyes.

Years before I got my license, I took some lessons with a driving instructor. They’d take you on some rides, some on the highway, some doing simple stuff. It was helpful. When I got my license, I kind of already knew how to drive, just wasn’t that familiar with the rules.

Two weeks before 18.

The earliest possible age in my country.

My wife got hers at 14 1/2. That was the legal age in Maine until the late 1980s.

We would steal my friend’s mom’s car when she fell asleep back when we were 12 and 13 and go to BestBuy to steal CDs… so by the time we were old enough to get a license, driving was pretty familiar.

Driver's Ed was a mandatory course in my high school. I got my liscense at 16 a year before they raised the minimum age from 16 to 18 in my state.

Then, like 8 years ago I got a Class A and drove a school bus for about a month, but I didn't like the responsibility of or dealing with all the kids. I'd rather take that and drive trucks all by myself, but trucking companies are bullshit these days. I can legally drive pretty much anything on 4+ wheels as long as I ain't hauling hazardous chemicals (need a special thing/cert for that).

Driver's ed in high school. Either 15 or 16. It was mandatory where I grew up.

They didn't teach stick though. My dad "taught" me that. I.E. yelled at me until I learned it myself.

I learned to drive in high school, but never bothered getting a license until after I graduated college and got a job, so maybe 22? I’ve commuted via train for over 20 years now though, rarely drive.

Had my learner's permit at 15, and regular license at 16, which is pretty standard in the US. The driving school for me was literally the high school. Like, the driving class was one of the classes you take in your regular school. That is also pretty common in the US.

I was 18 and drove twice with my dad before taking my test, we had a buggy on the farm that I drove, but that's about it, 22 and haven't had an accident or even close, and my job has me driving 3+ hours each day

I was 17, and my parents taught me.

My oldest is 22, she still doesn't drive.

Her little brother is 18. He's gone driving with his mom and I a few times, but hasn't taken the test.

15 learners, 16 license. I learned from the people who raised me letting me drive when I was younger on back roads.

I learned to drive when i was fourth grade, nice thing about knowing people who had farms. Got my license the day I turn 16.

18

Started when I was like 14 but I just didn’t care enough to get the license until 18.

18. I find it insane that you're allowed to drive full sized cars at highway speeds at 16 without adult supervision.

Practiced with my dad mostly. Drove from and to skiing practice. Had 6 lessons with an instructor, which is very low apparently.

18, but I started lessons around 16. Did a bit of driving with parents, but mostly through an instructor.

Learned at 18. I loved biking everywhere and was against cars for environmental reasons. Also I didn't have a car. Eventually I wanted to learn because taking 3 hours on transit for a 30 min drive was starting to get annoying.

My dad mostly taught me, but he was not always a patient teacher tbh. But it worked. I had to go to drivers ed class where they teach you stuff you already probably know. I had to take some in-car drives with an instructor, and I don't think they were that interesting either. The instructor found out I liked to ride bikes, so he took me to a road where I would have to learn how to pass cyclists, so that was cool I guess.

I failed the test the first time. I was nervous and the instructor was ornery and stressed me out more. I was trying to parallel park a van and I couldn't do it within the time limit.

The second time I got a really chill instructor, and when I was having trouble parking he was like, its OK, you got this, and I was able to do it within the time limit. Also I had practiced a bit more too.

18 is not too old to learn how to drive. I recommend you take your time and get a lot of practice.

If I had the option, I would have never bothered learning how to drive. I never felt the need to drive, when I could just cycle everywhere. However, because I moved to my aunts place, she forced me go to a driving school to learn how to drive. I passed the dmv and am getting my license at 24.

I overheard my coworker talk about how a lot of her college classmates choose not to learn how to drive. This article from Vox, is from 2015, talks about young people are driving less.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150503002553/https://www.vox.com/2015/5/1/8524147/driving-young-people-millennials

Plenty of other articles out there discussing a more shift of the young people not learning to driving because they are choosing not to. So don’t worry about not having a driver license, you’re not the only one.

I felt like the upfront cost of a used/new car as well as insurance plus yearly maintenance, car ownership is not worth it. It’s cheaper to just use public transport and uber if you’re willing to spend more time waiting. Maybe consider getting a e-bike if your city is pedestrian friendly. Don’t need to get a license as well as you can park anywhere given you lock it up properly. It’s much cheaper than a car, and you’ll be working out somewhat.

I think I was about 16 1/2? We did night time (?) Drivers Ed classes in my high school with my geography or history teacher (he was awesome) and then we had road experience with a local drivers ed instructor.

I remember when it came time to do the road test, he actually took us through the actual course first so we were prepared and then during the actual test I got "warned" about being a little too far into the road turning at an intersection to go back to the RMV but the instructor I had backed me up because I had to go due to the other person turning the other way so I could see around him.

Honestly, nothing wrong with not having a license. I hate driving, to be honest. If you can get places without cars (or at least without driving your own, more power!)

Grew up on a farm was driving tractors, ATVs pickups by 13. By 15 I was driving full load grain box trucks some with no power steering and sometimes barely functioning brakes.

Dad taught me but also did drivers Ed.

Do drivers Ed. Ask someone to teach you. Learn on gravel as well, learn how weight shifts and how to feel for it. Driving isn't scary. learn

19 I think? I went to some random driving school. No sit-down class, just went straight behind the wheel. I already knew how to theoretically drive (manual transmission) because of observing other drivers, so I just needed a legal way to practice. I still learned a lot of course. The instructor basically used our driving sessions to run his personal errands. lol

@DeathByBigSad at 18... with family, started with tractors at 10 probably, then when I reached 18 my grandpa let me drive him arround while I was in driving school

Well over 18. Paid for Driving instructor(cuz by then I was able to afford it at that age) . Seriously best money I have ever spent.

do not have a relative teach you. All a relative will teach you is all their bad habits. An Instructor will reprogram you the correct way and teach you how to actually pass the test.

Most people now a day don't drive, not because they can't, but because most choose not to. Especially if they have access to viable and accessible alternatives like trains, subways, trams, buses or a bike.

I do agree with your statement "feeling trapped" and not able to go anywhere.

This TBH comes down to how our cities and towns are designed, somehow only assuming everyone no matter their age or background or income can drive. Hopefully this changes in the future someday to allow people to get around more enjoyably, independently, comfortably.

Now that being said driving schools exist. You can do a in class session for the written test, and then you can get a driving instructor that takes you around for 5 hours or more if you want to practice things like parking, parallel parking, left and right turns. You can also schedule longer sessions and multiple sessions as needed.