February 27, 2026 at 9:21 am

18-Year-Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

by Mila Cardozo

Close up of automatic car interior

Freepik/Reddit

It’s really important that kids feel supported when entering adulthood. This also means letting them make their own decisions.

In this case, however, a young woman told her parents that she wants to drive an automatic car, only to be called lazy by her father.

Of course she felt offended, but could he have a point?

Keep reading for the full story!

AITA for wanting to drive what I’m comfortable with?

I (18f) only just got my Learners license today, two years after I originally registered and paid for the prep course.

I did all that was required within the course, and then passed my learners test first try and told my parents.

(I live with my dad (48m) since my mum (41f) doesn’t have room to house both myself, my boyfriend and my brother).

I texted them both, and they were happy for me, they both sent money so I could order and pay for my license to be sent to my house.

(I am currently job hunting as someone who has never been able to get a job, hence the receiving money).

But sharing things with her parents comes at a cost.

My dad come homes a couple hours later and I’ve just started cleaning the lounge to vacuum and he asked me what license I’m going for.

I say my automatic license, and then he just goes off.

Calling my lazy and pathetic and belittling me in every possible way, stating how he’s let me off with being lazy all my life and how I’ll never be able to get a job with an auto license because some places require a manual license.

But she has good reasons for this preference.

The reason I don’t want to drive and get a manual license is because of the following:

I am medically diagnosed with anxiety, the thought of driving manual makes me sick especially considering paying attention to the road as well as having both hands and both feet doing 4 different things at once.

It’s just something I do not feel comfortable doing.

I am intending on enrolling in an online tattoo course, which would then allow/assist me in creating my own tattoo business.

Last I checked you don’t need a manual license to tattoo someone.

But now she’s second-guessing herself.

The thought of driving an automatic puts me at ease, I don’t have to worry about shifting gears while paying attention to everything.

It makes me more comfortable.

I know I can’t just pick and choose what I want just to be comfortable for the rest of my life, that’s quite clear in today’s society, but if I really wanted I can always go and get my manual license late on down the road.

And now he is talking to me like he didn’t just call me names and make me feel useless for a solid ten minutes.

Surely my license means my license, not my dad’s license.

AITA?

Her dad sounds like a real charmer. She doesn’t have to do what he thinks is best.

Let’s see how Reddit feels about this.

Australia.

Screenshot 1 dfde0f 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

Something to consider (or not think about for too long).

Screenshot 7 b40842 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

Exactly.

Screenshot 3 e445b3 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

This person relates to her.

Screenshot 4 a58076 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

A hot take.

Screenshot 5 730e0b 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

Another reader chimes in.

Screenshot 6 f9bb16 18 Year Old Tells Her Parents She Wants To Get An Automatic Car, But Her Father Calls Her Lazy And Says She Should Learn To Drive A Stick

It’s actually really smart of her to get used to what she feels most safe with first.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.