Tuesday 3 October 2017

My biggest regret is.... Day 3 of #Blogtober17

I am taking part in Blogtober17 and will be writing posts with various themes/prompts throughout October...Today's prompt is: Car.

I don't have a car as I don't drive, neither does my fella so writing this blog post with the prompt car was a toughie....I thought I would write about not having a car...lol

I don't have many regrets in life but one I do have is not passing my driving test.....I did learn to drive but never went through with trying for my test....


As a child I lived on a farm and drove tractors, dumper trucks and motorbikes....I knew the basics of driving.

When I was nearly 16 years old I started having driving lessons from my dad in a real car on real roads (sort of).....We drove around a industrial estate on a weekend when it was quiet....I did quite well. I could change gears and not stall the car. I was heading in the right direction so to speak....I was doing quite well considering I was learning in a Morris Traveller. A car which was way older than me at the time....lol


On my 17th birthday I was bought an old Vauxhall Astra and some L plates....I was legally allowed to drive on the roads. My dad took me out and I did OK....Not as well as I was driving around the industrial estate but there I knew I was safe. There weren't any traffic lights, roundabouts, other cars moving or people!! Eek!

I drove whenever I got the chance....There were a few moments that stick in my head. The time when I saw my friend and waved and totally forget I was in control of a car and nearly went off the road and the time when my dad asked me to pull in the side of the road and I drove up the kerb....Nearly into a lamp post....My dad shouted and I shouted.

I don't know why I stopped driving....When I wasn't at college I was seeing my boyfriend...I just didn't find the time to drive...I wasn't a confident driver. If there were no other cars on the road I would have been fine but I don't think that was ever going to happen....

It wasn't until I moved up to Northumberland that I realised I regretted not passing my driving test....When I lived in Stockton and Thornaby there were plenty of buses and trains just minutes walk from where I lived and all my family were nearby....

When I met Stu he didn't drive but did have some lessons then the girls got diagnosed with their heart problems and all the spare money went on bus fares too and from the hospital.....He was going to start his lessons again then we moved house and that ate up all our savings....Then something else came up over and over again.....

I don't think I will ever learn to drive....I get road rage just sitting in a passenger seat of a car. I swear some people just think indicators are there for decoration.

I sometimes imagine what it would be like having a car....

We would be able to go and visit my dad in Scunthorpe instead of spending over £200 for return tickets on train fares....We could also go and see my Aunty J for the day who is only about an hour away by car but would take about 3 on the bus.....She would be overjoyed to see the kids more....

We could go on spur of the moment days out....In the summer picking the kids up from school and just going to the beach would be amazing....

Any hospital appointments we have would not take two hours to get there like they do now by bus....I reckon the drive would take about 40 minutes at the most.

We could use different supermarkets like Morrison's and not rely on Tesco delivering. We could even go and do our Christmas shopping at the Metrocentre and not have to worry about travelling back in the cold and dark...

We wouldn't get soaked on the school run and in the winter we wouldn't have to freeze in the snow and wind....

Life could have been so different.....


10 comments :

  1. It's never too late to try again, my husband passed at the grand age of 35 and omg the freedom we have now made all the money and tries worth it. :) #Blgotober17

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  2. I wrote a similar post for today's prompt, I don't drive either.

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  3. It's never too late!! Don't give up. The expense of running a car isn't small but then the money you'd probably save from train fares etc. It'll give you so much freedom! Go for it! #Blogtober17

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  4. I'd say it's definitely not too late! My friend decided to learn to drive an automatic car which meant she felt that she had less to concentrate on when driving and it made such a difference to her!

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  5. I passed my test when I was 17, so I've been driving for over half of my lifetime now, and can't imagine not! You never know, never say never and all that! x

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  6. I don't drive either and no how hard it is. My hubby does have a car but can cost an arm and a leg. Plus just think how much you.get in club card points, silver lining and all that X #Blogtober17

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  7. It's not too late. If you're worried about confidence, have a taster session so you have duel control x

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  8. I don't drive and its my only regret. If at all possible just do it, someone I know passed at 66, so you are not too old #blogtober17

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  9. Oh it's not too late - not by a long shot, if it's something you really want you can make it happen

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  10. Give it a go again. It might be easier now with a bit of life confidence behind you. It’s a shame that driving is the easiest transport but that’s the same here where I live too.

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