I was talking to a friend of mine about her teenaged son the other day. He has no interest in getting his driver’s license. This is baffling. When I was a kid, back when we drove Fred Flintstone cars, people couldn’t wait to be free of the restraints of parental driving. Sure, it wasn’t cheap, but I don’t remember anyone who at least didn’t WANT their license.
How are you supposed to go on a date if you don’t have the ability to drive a car? Are you going to make out on the bus?
Then I saw this article on Yahoo that said this “Meh” attitude about driving is prevalent in today’s youth. Today’s youth apparently don’t get it.
I don’t like driving at all, mostly because I’m always alone when I do it, but I do like the freedom. I can go wherever I want, when ever I want. I don’t have to wait for public transportation and be subjected to the various smells and noises that accompany it.
I can flee from danger whenever I want because I know how to drive. Also, driving can be kind of fun. Have you ever been flying down a country road? The scenery whizzing by, gravity pulling you into a curve, there’s something electric about it.
Also, driver’s ed was part of the curriculum. For one quarter, everyone whose birthdays were near each other would sit in a darkened cubicle and learn driving safety from some random P.E. teacher. Another P.E. teacher took us out in specially designed cars to give us some real world experience. That’s how I learned to curb my wheels. It was probably the most useful thing I learned in high school.
Of course, budget cuts have eliminated driver’s ed from California high schools. Sad. I think that’s why we have such shitty drivers now. The kids aren’t learning the rules of the road. They are just winging it enough to pass the damn test.
Its the super highway nowadays.
your poor poor friend! no one to drive to the store for her or go pick up the younger sibling! lol!! course, in her defense your friend did comment yesterday that once the teenager in question gets his license she and his father were going to neck in the backseat while he drives. so perhaps she is part of the problem?
Fascinating article. I do like the idea that Millennials are more into public transit and bike riding, as I think that bodes well for communities getting better mass transit services. It’s also great for the environment, yada yada yada. But a cross country drive can teach you so much about the US in ways you don’t get from watching reality TV or faffing about on Facebook.