I’m currently gallivanting around Prince Edward County with my friend Colette. PE County is an agricultural and touristic region of southern Ontario located two hours east of Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario. There is plenty to see and do here, including wineries, beaches, conservation areas, quaint shops, and of course farms and restaurants.
Three days is barely enough to scratch the surface. No matter how much time you have though, the one thing you need here is a car. Fortunately we have one, courtesy of my friend. Which brings me to the secret…
Long time readers may remember a post I wrote back in October 2013 entitled My Dirty Little Secret where I explained how sea sickness had limited my travel experiences until I seriously decided not to let it anymore.
Well, today I’ll spill the beans again and tell you my other dirty little secret. Ready?
I don’t drive.
Oh sure I took driving lessons way back like most teenagers and got my driver’s license. But I barely ever drove after that and never bought a car. And to tell you the truth, it was never really a problem. I spent the vast majority of my adult life in large cities where I could walk or take public transit. I felt virtuous that I wasn’t polluting the air or adding to the traffic. I told myself that with all the money I saved by not having a car, I could travel for several months every year. Plus, all the exercise helped keep me slim.
All true. But deep down, I’ve always known the real reason why I don’t drive. I’m scared. I’ve never been a confident driver. And the road accidents’ statistics don’t help. I’m even too scared to rent a car. You could say I’m the driver’s equivalent of a kitten that was weaned too early.
The stuff you can do if you drive
Despite this “handicap”, I’ve been able to travel all over the world. Fortunately for me, most of the world outside of North America is crisscrossed by buses, trains, and other means of public transportation. But it’s become increasingly obvious to me that I am missing out on many travel opportunities because of this impediment. Here are a few examples:
- In many parts of the world such as Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, the more scenic and less-crowded countryside is only accessible by private vehicle. Having a rental car gives you a lot more flexibility, especially now that more and more visitors are flooding the main cities.
- Related to the above, it’s a lot easier to find unique off-the-beaten path spots if you’re driving.
- You can go on good old road trips!
- You can do deliveries or relocation of cars and travel from A to B for free. (I always thought this could be fun to do. See here for an example.)
- If you have your own car (or perhaps even a rental?) you can become a Uber driver and participate in this aspect of the social sharing economy.
- Some house and pet-sitting gigs require the use of a car because of the remote location. I had to turn down a cat-sitting assignment in Costa Rica last winter after discovering that it required driving.
One of my long term goals is to take remedial driving lessons to build up my confidence, if I can find a company that caters to the “older, nervous driver.” 🙂 There is room for plenty of procrastination on that front though!
For the time being, I’m just grateful for friends with cars, and enjoy travelling through my backyard in this unusual way (for me of course – it’s all relative).
If you’re curious to hear and see more of Prince Edward County, fear not, I will write about it very soon. (By the way, the feature photo is from Argentina, not Ontario!)
What about you? Is there something that scares you that you’ve been considering doing something about?
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at 7:55 PM
I also have a driver’s licence and used to drive all the time. I would borrow my parents’ car if I needed it. I even once rented a car in Newfoundland. It was my first time renting but overcame my confidence with two passengers for the first half. However, I have not driven in several years so don’t feel confident enough to drive. Plus the drivers in Quebec are pretty bad at times so that scares me too. I would also have to take some extra lessons which I may do some day.
at 7:57 PM
Thanks for your comment Maida. I’m glad to see I’m not alone!
Big Travel Nut recently posted…Prince Edward County: escape from Toronto
at 12:57 PM
I own a driving school and have recently had a number of customers who have passed their test but were too scared to drive once passed and before they know it 5 years have passed.
The longer you leave something the harder it gets to motivate yourself to give it another go as you have managed up to now without driving.
Taking lessons with an instructor who has pedals on his side of the car may give you a little confidence knowing he or she can stop you if required and help to slowly give you confidence again.
Really enjoyed reading your blog post thankyou
at 1:45 PM
Thanks for your comment Wayne. It’s encouraging to see that there are others in the same situation and that there is hope for us! 🙂
Big Travel Nut recently posted…Abroad and alone on your birthday?
at 8:15 AM
I don’t drive.
I took quite a few lessons back in 2003, but never took my test. I guess the fact is, I’ve never *needed* to. I’ve always lived in places with decent public transport networks (and close enough – within 4 miles – to where I work to be able to walk there), and when I travel abroad I doubt I would have driven anyway – different road rules etc.
The main advantage for me I’ve noticed is financial – no insurance, no tax, no petrol costs, no running/maintenance costs, so it’s amazing just how much money I save compared with my work colleagues. It does make it awkward to get to some places in the countryside, especially on Sundays, but nothing that some detailed research can’t resolve.
Apart from never really needing to, I’ve also not considered learning because I doubt I’d be a safe driver. I’m not terribly observant and I have, shall we say, ‘poor’ spacial awareness. On the road, I’d be a lumbering buffoon, basically. I think I’d also get bad ‘road rage’; I get bad enough ‘pedestrian rage’ when people walk too slowly or stop in front of me for no reason or cyclists block the path or … aaaa don’t get me started! :p
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at 1:25 PM
Ha ha ha! You sound a lot like me when it comes to driving. And walking. 🙂 I totally agree regarding all the money one can save by not owning a car. Although as noted above, there are times when I wished I could have rented one.
Big Travel Nut recently posted…First solo trip: 6 travellers’ tales