It is frustrating to have your driver’s license revoked. Suddenly, the ability to drive legally has been taken away, and you might not know exactly how long it will be until you get that ability back. For many people, a revoked driver’s license means they will work on getting a hardship license as soon as possible. With a hardship license, it is at least possible to drive under certain circumstances, lessening the negative impact on your life.
But what if you decide to ignore the possibility of getting a hardship license? If it sounds like too much work, or you just don’t bother, let’s take a look at what life might be like.
Your Schedule Is Not Your Own
One of the best things about having a driver’s license (and a car) is the ability to take yourself anywhere you want to go, at any time. Need to get to work early, or stay late? Not a problem. Friends decide to go to a party at the last minute and you want to join them? Again, no worries – just get in your car and you are on your way.
If you can’t drive, however, that pattern changes entirely. Now, your schedule is no longer your own, as you are dependent on other people to get you where you want to go.
In some cases, that will mean asking a friend to give you a ride. Even if you have great friends who are willing to help you out, they won’t be available all the time. Or, they will be able to take you, but not pick you back up at the right time. Trying to coordinate a ride everywhere you want to go is frustrating, to say the least.
The other primary option for those with a revoked driver’s license is public transportation. This can be a great choice in many situations, but it is not going to revolve around your schedule. The public transportation schedule is what it is, and it is up to you to plan accordingly. It can be a great option for structured things like getting back and forth to work, but spur of the moment trips can be harder to handle.
You May Be Left Out
Even the best friends are likely to get tired of having to frequently pick you up and drop you off. That is particularly true if you don’t live in a location that is convenient for them to visit. So, in the long run, you are more likely to simply be left out of certain activities. While your friends plan a meet up somewhere around town, you will be left at home, frustrated at your inability to hop in a car and join in on the fun.
You may think that this won’t happen to you, and maybe it won’t at first – but in the long run, constantly asking for a ride is going to be a drain on those around you.
Your Life Will Be Stuck in Neutral
It is hard to make any progress toward your goals in life if you don’t have a current and valid driver’s license. If you are trying to advance in a specific career, you may need to go to interviews or career-related events that would be easiest to access by car. Or, you may want to go to school at night after you are done working, but that could be difficult or impossible as well. Basically, even if you are able to get by on a daily basis, you won’t be doing anything more than getting by. As the days add up and the calendar continues to turn, you will remain right where you have been since your license was taken away.
So far, this is a pretty bleak picture. Your professional life is almost certain to suffer as a result of having a revoked driver’s license, and your personal life probably won’t look much better. If you decide to just accept the fact that you can’t drive, you will be giving up on much of what you want to get out of life, and that would be a shame.
This is why it is so important to pursue a hardship driver’s license. Possessing a hardship license is not the same thing as having a license with no restrictions, but it is a start. This will let you drive at certain times, lessening the burden of trying to find rides for every trip out of the house. Even if you can’t do everything you want at all times, you will not be nearly as restricted as you would be without any kind of license. If a hardship license is a possibility for you, put together all of the necessary paperwork and position yourself for a successful application.
Good luck!