I am almost 42 and I plan to begin my driving lessons next week after I apply for my permit. I am scared out of my mind! I have never driven before and the ironic thing is, neither has most of my family. We live in Philly - you may have heard we just had a week-long transit strike here, which was murder for non-drivers! Anyway, growing up in the inner city, we just walked to everything or took the transit - we just never thought of cars. That's just the way it was. Well, now I am living a little outside the city where it is a mix of rural and city, meaning that the only train I have access to to get to work is a 15-minute walk away but a dangerous walk, because there are no sidewalks on the road. I like living here a lot, but there is just no way to get around without a car (such is the suburbs). I have no way to finance a car at the moment because of the recession, but I am determined to learn to drive before I get too old. My thinking is once I get the license, that will motivate me to save money to buy a car, and maybe become more disciplined in other areas of my life. I think that being a non-driver all my life and depending on mass transit for everything has made me somewhat immature and irresponsible. I never had a chance to be fully independent!

Five years ago, I was crossing an intersection when I was hit full-on by a delivery truck. It was a severe accident - I lost an ankle and have a bit of brain damage (memory loss) and the thought of driving terrifies me, mostly because I'm scared of hitting someone else. My biggest obstacle is that I don't trust my own judgment - I can see myself in the car with someone else, but the day I have to go out on my own, I just can't picture it. My best friend was 30 when she learned and she swears she was terrified also and never ever thought she could do it, today she is very at-home in her car.

Just remember, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears have drivers licenses. If those two bimbos can drive, there's no reason we can't!

Make a long story short after being told not to or that I couldn’t and having absolutely no support from family and friends I eventually at the age of 18 or 19 saved up the money to pay for myself to go to driver’s ed. I did fantastic in driver’s ed on both the knowledge and driving! Then there was no car and no money for me to take the tests. Fast forward to when I was 29 and after years of physical, verbal and emotional abuse from family and friends and giving up I took the written test and passed the first time and I got my learner’s permit! I wanted to get comfortable driving since I hadn’t really tried since I was 18 or 19 before taking the road test and after one weird instructor (paid for by myself) and no support from family and friends I gave up again. I don’t want it to be another 10 years before I take the road test. I don’t have the money now but when I do I’m going to pay for a professional instructor to help me get used to driving again and take that road test a million times if I have to. I'm 30 and may have to turn down the perfect job because of me not being able to drive. I have a case of learned helplessness, fear, and anxiety that only occurs when I ride with certain people. I'm not blaming them for my problem but it is what it is. I read these comments where people say they just can't do it. YOU CAN DO IT! I CAN DO IT! We just need a little help, time, and patience. It's hard when you don't have support from family and friends and no money, and we might be scared and nervous, but we are not incapable of driving. I'm tired of feeling depressed, Iike I am less of a person and that I have no self worth all because I don't drive. I have been drivin to the point of wanting to commit suicide and I even attempted to. I'll be damn if I let what others say or think about me not driving bring me down that road again. I WANT TO LIVE! and I WANT TO DRIVE! I want my driver’s license and damn it I’m going to get it!!!! I want to read motivating stories of what people did to overcome this obstacle and move on with their lives. I want to read something that will inspire and motivate me to keep trying and not give up. Sometimes that's all folks like me need. When I start to lose that little glimmer of hope, or lose whatever that thing is that keeps me waking up to live another day, I start to feel suicidal again. I respect everybody's opinions, and their stories on here and believe me I can relate. I'm just trying to hold on to whatever it is that keeps me going, cause once I lose that...that's it.