Which is better? Learning drive earlier or later ?

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I didn't pass my test at 17, I passed it 28. I remember my dad got me into manuel driving lessons at 21 for a year but I feel like I struggled to even drive the car during the lessons because I had to keep changing the gears and a few times I stalled on the road. I nearly always felt uncomfortable during the sessions and didn't look forward to the moment when the instructor exchanged seats with me and let me be the driver. I didn't get back into it until at 24, I was given automatic lessons and they seemed more comfortable as time went on for I think about 3 years I was with the instructor. This may sound strange, but I felt more comfortable with my latest instructor because she was female and I don't know why but I didn't always like going out with my male instructors worrying they might get angry or shout at me for making a mistake. Obviously I'm not making out that all male driving instructors shout and get angry at their students because that is not what I'm saying. My latest instructor seemed always calm and didn't shout or make me feel uncomfortable.

I seem to think as time went on during those lessons, my anxiety in the car lessened and I got more confident in doing the lessons and even after I had passed and had my own car. I don't know if that was because I had matured and was able to calm myself in the car and convince myself that everything is okay whereas when I had my first lessons in a manual car I was nearly always panicking and not knowing how to use the gears while in drive or getting out of a situation in which the car stalled sometimes in the middle of a busy road.

I feel glad that I do know how to drive and have a car but a part of me, sometimes thinks that I feel bad that I was anxious during my lessons and feel like I was the only one in my early 20s at the time who felt that way, when maybe every other 20 year old was having lessons or driving a manual car without any anxiety problems. I seem to think I wish I was as confident in my early 20s as I was in my late 20s. I just makes me feel like I ''should'' have had more experience with driving my own car by my late 20s and probably ''should'' have by that time have gone through 3 different cars even though I was only just starting at 28 with my first one. I will also say that I didn't drive because I really wanted to, I feel it was persuasion by my dad that got me where I am now. A part of me does feel glad that I do drive because I seem to feel that if I didn't right now, I would be feeling a lot more like I am ''falling behind in life'' or that I am ''missing out'' because I still didn't drive a car.

Lots of people can't drive stick.

The average driver isn't that good in terms of car control.

Don't sweat time you've lost, just keep improving.

I failed a couple of times when I was 26, but passed when I was 36. It could have been that learning later was better for me, or maybe it was simply that when I was 36 I was driving practically every day as a learner, with a qualified driver in the passenger seat. I'd often felt that I'd found learning hard before because all I had then was a lesson or two a week, often crammed in at lunchtime while I was working, so I tended to forget the lessons.

My grandad had a really bad accident 30 years ago, an entire building wall fell on top of him and he was in hospital for years.

His wife who he remarried to couldn't get back and forth to the hospital all the time because it was quite far on a coach, so at 60 years old she sat her test and kept trying and trying out of brute willpower and by the time she reached 61 she had passed her driving and was able to visit my grandad in hospital whenever she wanted with ease.

So never tell yourself you're too old/young, it literally doesn't matter. Just drive if you really want to or take the bus if it's easier. Some people are too scared and choose not to, it makes no difference as long as you can get to where you need to go.

I would say younger but purely from a "do it for the sake of doing it" slant.

Stick can be annoying at times too. The van in work transitions horribly between gears because of its terrible turbo lag. I think automatics are where it's all heading now.

Idk at some point I will have to grapple with 'you're 33 why is it you still just have a permit' and I mean I just never got a car cause I could never afford it so also never bothered paying to do the test to upgrade to a drivers license but I feel like at this age it will be more embarrassing to go for a drivers test than if I had done it when I was younger.

I didn't drive until I was older and on my own for a couple of years. It was great to to be able to go places on weekends. I don't think anyone cares why you didn't learn earlier. These days there are a lot of reasons why people wait until later in life to do stuff. People now get their teeth fixed as adults because their families couldn't afford it when they were young. But maybe they get a nice job and can do it now.

I didn't learn to cook and sew until I was in my fifties.

i think its best for each person to learn things when they are ready to do so.

that said i personally have not learned to drive. fortunatly i live in an area that is very pedestrian friendly.

With the sorry state of the economy in many places I think folks may be envious that you are learning to drive!
It costs money that they don't have to own car!
You really shouldn't worry about what other people think when it comes to stuff like this.
The important issues are what you need the car for and how you intend to pay for it.
These days I need a car for hauling bulky garden supplies to my home. As well as moving plants!

IMO the earlier you learn to drive the better, as it becomes more natural and subconscious.
This means you can focus more on the driving conditions outside the car rather than the act of driving itself.
This is why kids who grew up on farms are often very accomplished drivers.

^ my neighbour's 3 kids raced speedway from about the age of 10.
They're all girls.
I've never been to the speedway but I've witnessed them loading/unloading all kinds of cars, driving trucks, backing trailers and doing their own mechanical repairs.

I think I'm quite an accomplished driver because I can drive a manual, use 4wd, and manoeuvre a trailer.
I'd love to get my own tractor one day.