Renewing Driver's License -- Worth the Hassle?

[SaskiaKC]

My 18yo car died 6 years ago and I have not been able to replace it. I can't afford car insurance now, let alone upkeep, forget emergency repairs and towing, so it's just silly to think about buying another car.

But I started driving 50 years ago and I always had a car, or access to a family one, until 6 years ago. Now my driver's license has expired and I have to go in to renew it in person because, being over 63, I have to do the vision test. The closest DMV office (Dept. of Motor Vehicles) is about 9 miles away, the one I want to go to is more like 20. It will cost me as much to pay someone to drive me there as it will to pay the renewal fee. So about $65 total.

And what is the point of renewing a driver's license when I don't have a car and really don't want to have to deal with the city traffic where i live now?

The point is that I have had a license for 50 years. And I remember when my father couldn't drive anymore due to macular degeneration, and my mother couldn't drive anymore due to other health reasons. But they were about 20 years older than I am now. But they had money for cars, gas, maintenance, repairs, etc.

Moan.

 

[wolfie11969]

Do you need your driving licence for ID purposes? If you dont have any other form of photo ID I would consider renewing. However if you have a passport etc I'd probably give it a miss as it's an expense you probably could do without ie use the money for something else that gives you pleasure.

Driving is an expense. We have a car and with all the stuff you have to pay out I often wonder if it's worth it. Problem is I have a hubby that goes around the UK following a band so he needs the car for that. Me, I use a bus when I dont have the car. I hop on and use my MP3 player to block out fellow travellers (until one speaks to me that is )

 

[Deleted member 308541]

I kept my UK drivers licence up to date after I left the UK in 1970, it finally expired in 2015 when I turned 70. As I have no plans to have a holiday there I did not bother to get it renewed.

If I was you I would keep it up date, it's good for ID purposes as well.

 

[alf_Josiah]

Ok I'm in Great Britain, 66 yes old, drive and ride a 1000cc Honda motorcycle.
That bits fine, the next bits getting compilcated I had a liver transplant 26 yes ago, so my drug list is a little long as you can well imagine. It only took the British Driving Licence authorities 6 months to renew my license......but I was allowed to carry on driving and riding under a get out clause.

 

[SaskiaKC]

Thanks, everyone.

I can get a state ID instead of a driver's license and I don't think I have to travel to the license office (DMV) because there is no vision test for an ID. It's just the hassle of getting a ride to the place and budgeting so much money for the ride and the license that has got me down.

I seem to be turning into a couch potato now, since I can't just get out and go, whenever I want, wherever (within reason) I want. Not that I really "want," it's just knowing I could if I did. Freedom.