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A recent survey found a great percentage of motorists were not enjoying motoring due to the speed humps-cameras-unused cycle lanes etc. I am one of these folks...how about you?
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I don't enjoy it as much.
I love the M4 junction 15 to Brecon series of roads (Cirencester, Ledbury, Hereford, Hay-on-Wye) and go on them as much as possible to put the fun back into motoring.
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I get thoroughly depressed by the meddling of the traffic nannies, not so much because of speed cameras but because of the tendency of highway authorities to put as many signs up and as much white paint down as possible just in case anybody tries to think for themselves. We live in a madly over-regulated society.
That said it is possible to get pleasure out of driving if you put a bit of thought into it, either by choosing interetsing routes or employing different driving techniques.
I get my kicks on the track these days, but get a different kind of pleasure out using advanced driving techniques on road or using my fuel computer to do my own private economy runs. A little sad, I know, but it keeps the brain ticking over. Whoops, shouldn't have said that - there's a law against it...
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Yes but only if you work at it.
For example did portsmouth to guildford the other week. A3? nope
the A286 up over the south downs through Petworth and Chiddingfold and gorgeous sussex surrey country with lovely empty challenging roads.
I had to do the A47 in Northants quite a bit, Get up at 6:00am just to appreciate its empty swoopy challenging bends and dips (no fixed cameras except one village) Ok so I get there early but a LC breakfast takes the time away while chariot quietly clicks and ticks away while it cools down.
M6 Toll. Super road, smooth & quiet., super place to waft along at 90mph listening to the radio with the gentle bustle of air fluttering around your rear.
Enjoy it? yup but savour the moments when they come, its rare and getting rarer.
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Yes I do. In the huge fast chess game where the rules are obeyed at random and the most powerful piece doesn't always win, I still maintain a level of enjoyment. I'm off to the National Railway Museum tomorrow with 3 curious 8-year-olds. A1, A59 and a fight through York; I'm looking forward to it. Who was that at the back who said "Get a life"?
And then there's always the motor-bike ...
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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I still enjoy driving: come and live in Scotland. Speed cameras? I heard there was one in Edinburgh somewhere. Traffic jams? Ditto (although there's usually one on the M8 in Glasgow as well). Speed bumps? None of those round my way. Parking charges? Nope, still free where I live. Nice countryside to drive through. Houses that don't cost the earth. Every time I have the misfortune to drive down south I realise why I left as soon as I could.
On second thoughts, no don't all come and live here, 'cos you'll spoil all my fun!!
--
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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Depends.....
My usual commute (when I'm not working from home) is Watford to Camberley, Fleet or Hook. Not very enjoyable. Arguably the worst bit of the M25 and the M3 is always a bit of a lottery...
However, I do quite a lot of mileage in the Scottish highlands what a joy - If you want you can drive "hard" along the empty, smooth and challenging roads or simply take it easy and enjoy the great scenery. (Alway helps that I'm usually on holiday or semi-holiday when I'm up there!).
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I do now that I dont drive every day.
Having an hour commute in London to travel about 6 miles usually puts most people off, now I cycle during the week and look forward to driving at the weekends.
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It is misleading to say there are no speed cameras in Scotland. No fixed cameras in some parts but there are some dam sneaky police. So be careful.
I have a lot of trouble to max Toad the Supra and I'm not going to say where! (And that statement is entirely uncorroborated and I am prepared to retract it under oath.)
And yes, motoring has been wrecked, to comfort all the anti-car cranks.
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Having a 60 mile commute along the A27 past Chichester & Portsmouth, I can honestly say that my driving pleasure has diminished to zero.
Thankfully it's coming to a stop soon and I can get back on my bike to work and avoid all the speeding, impatient & irritable sales reps and white van men who have blighted my life.
Hopefully I'll recover from the ordeal and once again learn to love getting behind the wheel.
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Love it! But I don't have to commute and I live in rural Lincolnshire with lots of empty roads.
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It all depends where i'm driving. There are some fantastic driving roads near me (Cheshire/Shropshire way), and the police are surprisingly sensible. No hidden cameras on the open roads, but many in built up areas and around local schools which is fine by me.
So yes I do still enjoy driving!
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Yes I do. Although some roads are congested and there are some unnecessary bits of road furniture the roads themselves are much improved since my early driving days in the 1950s. But the big bonus is the enormous improvement in the cars, superb handling, ample power, stability and reliability are all taken for granted and so much better. My first car, a Singer 9HP had a top speed of 50 and it was horribly unstable, it could'nt climb some of the hills where I lived in Scotland unless any pasengers got out and then it was a grind up in 1st. It needed greasing and various adjustments every few hundred miles. Ghastly.:((
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According to a relative if London get the go-ahaead to host the Olympic games in 2012, Weymouth are going to host the yachting competition, but they need to sort out the traffic scheme round there as its a nightmare driving on A354 between Weymouth & Dorchester on a peak hour!!!!
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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An empty A303 through Dorset on a late summer evening, fantastic.
If you lose faith in driving in UK, go to France for your holidays. All the space you need, sunflowers, maize and big irrigators. Love it.
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Yes, I'm glad to say that I still do, even after 37 years of driving. Speed cameras are a necessary evil (still too many stories of children being knocked down) and humps are sheer stupid spite, but there are still roads to enjoy: I love the A68 north through Durham and Morthumberland and up over Carter Bar into Scotland, and I was on some terrific roads in mid-Wales a few weeks ago.
Thallium is right - a good car makes sll the difference, and there is a feeling of well-being which can come from choosing carefully and realising you've got it right. I'm lucky to have a new car but I don't think this is confined to new or sporting cars: my first was a fine old Austin A50 which was very reliable and would often go up a hill in top gear. I realise I was fortunate that my £65 banger was one of these and not a Singer Nine!
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Love it!
Along with air travel, one of the great individual freedoms that came out of the 20th century.
If you don't love driving why are you on this site?
If you don't love driving have you tried the other options?
Commuting? Rather sit in the car with my CD player on than sit hunched up on a train or bus any day.
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"
If you don't love driving why are you on this site?"
A loaded question. I love driving, but I am not allowed to.
Is it a motoring or an anti-motoring site?
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I am on this site because I need a car to get to work. As a peripatetic I visit different places and public transport is not up to it. Ex.what trains / buses etc could get me to a village outside Giuldford from the other side of Basingstoke by 8am? I hope by listening to other members on this site and asking their opinions it may be possible to forge ideas on how to make the powers that be ease off on their anti car stance. I am interested to see that the members come out as the survey on the radio at about 50% enjoying driving and the same number not. The southern guys seem the least happy while our friends in Scotland have the clearest roads/less humps etc. making for much more pleasueable motoring.
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Well, as mentioned by other people, it depends upon where and I?m driving and what I?m driving for.
I hate commuting by car because its such a pain in the posterior! Everyone?s trying to be ahead of everyone else, traffic queues left right and centre so its anything but leisurely. This is the reason why I try to avoid driving anywhere near rush hour as it so much more efficient if i hang back, and travel at a different time.
However, I am beginning to enjoy it all the more these days. I wasn't a huge fan of driving after i passed my test because i was quite nervous, but now, that?s all in the past. Also, as I leave all my commuter driving to a bus driver (yes, I do use public transport!), the car is more of a toy, and only gets used on odd occasions. So I can appreciate and look forward to it more.
But living in SE Northumberland has its benefits, believe it or not. A couple of weeks ago, me and a friend went off into the countryside, which is practically on our doorstep. Not a camera or speed hump in sight, just plenty of steep hills, tight turns and ?yumps? to get stuck into. You ain't gonna get caught on your mobile neither, apart from no police, you don't get a signal so its not going to ring any time soon. I really enjoyed that, and hope to go back soon.
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YES! It's easy to get worn down by day to day frustrations with aspects of motoring and concerns about finding our perfect car!
My children learning to drive brought me back to earth, seeing how much it means to have that machine parked outside and the freedom to walk out, get in it and go where you want, when you want.
My younger daughter stayed with us in Warwick the othernight, with a couple of her mates en route to Uni at Reading from a party in Manchester. One of the mates said 'it's brilliant that Janine has a car, we have such fun the places we get to go'. We need to remember that those of us with cars are fortunate and enjoy it while we can.
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M5 going south between Bristol & Exeter is actually a nice journey even during a Monday afternoon, especially with my cd player on loud! The A303 is a good run too around Wilts & Dorset.
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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Not where I live where it took me last night 80 mins to go 11km (it's pay-day you see) in my car. And that was at 11 p.m. Thank God for motorcycles. I would cheerfully dispense with my car tomorrow except I need it during the rainy season.
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Yes ~ when I'm alone in the car.
I can't remember the last time I encountered a hump.
I don't generally exceed the limit sufficiently (based on my speedo reading which I assume reads fast anyway) to worry about cameras, and in any case now they are yellow they are pretty visible. The white graduations on the road are a good clue as well.
The thing which really spoils it for me is that my partner (who can't drive!) is neurotic about speeding. She complains the very second that the needle goes over the line. I can't imagine that it's much fun for her either as she must spend most of the time with her eyes transfixed on the speedo. I've tried to explain to her that there will be a parallax error from where she is in the passengers seat, and that all speedos read fast, but to no avail. Anyone else have this problem?
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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The drive to work is only 6 miles and difficult to vary as there is only one road for most of the trip - otherwise it's backsteets and loads of junctions - this is boring, but for 15-20 minutes I can hack it.
But get me out on a weekend for a trip to the Yorkshire Dales or the east coast and the fun is still there. Even after 12 years I still enjoy my trips to Cardiff to visit family - the M50 through to the M4 must be one of the quietest motorway routes in England and the A38 from the M42 at Lichfield to the M1 jcn 28 is an excellent alternative to the M1 between jcn 23a(?) and jcn 28.
l'escargot - yellow speed cameras have helped, but watch out as all are not yellow - try the A57 from the M57 lots of grey cameras hidden behind trees!
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l'escargot - yellow speed cameras have helped, but watch out as all are not yellow - try the A57 from the M57 lots of grey cameras hidden behind trees!
I was under the impression that all cameras now had to be painted yellow by law. I admit that some authorities don't appear to enter into the spirit of things by choosing the yukkiest and most inconspicous yellow that they can find.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I've tried to explain to her that there will bea parallax error from where she is in the passengers seat, and that all speedos read fast, but to no avail. Anyone else have this problem? -- L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
I have that problem.
"Why are you doing 80?"
"Well, the speedo says 70, we're probably doing about 65." etc etc.
I do enjoy driving - depending on the car, and the route.
In the MX5 we always seem to end up taking the long way home because it's such fun!
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I still love it
There's an element of being the underdog about driving these days. It's such a challenge to get anywhere and that seems to add to the thrill for me.
Give me the gladiatorial glamour of the M25 with no quarter asked and certainly none given; give me Knutsford services and the exchange of glances that says "Yes! we're still alive"; give me the urban jungle of south London where respect is earned and doors are kept locked.
I know they try to grind us down with the cameras and the cones but however hostile it gets I'll still be there with a defiant grin on my face.
CF
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yes. v much so, even when doing 47K a year (april 04-05)
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Of course I love it. What we me traversing 12 speed bumps, 4 "chicanes", 6 cameras, 2 mobile camera sites, clogged up roads and endless potholes to avoid I don't think I could do anything but enjoy driving.
I always make sure I go the fun way home which is basically a winding road with negligable traffic, no pavements for the most parts, and great scenery. Oh - and an empty motorway is quite good too.
By the way, those figures aren't exaggerated. I really do see 6 speed bumps each way, 2 chicanes etc etc...
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Adam
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I dont think there are many young lads that dont enjoy driving as much as possible in as many cars as possible. country roads always the best to drive though do have some downfalls such as large puddles that soak the electrics and mean you have to be towed home by your dads 4 week old company car!! Doh! apart from that they are fantastic, not too sure on city driving being fun all the time but coventry ring road can definetly be entrtaining!!
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Im a student ive got time!!!
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Enjoy driving? Depends where.
A lazy day, on a mountain road, enjoying the view without having to sweat to gain height - brilliant, especially freewheeling downhill.
A wide, empty Irish N-road with a good view -- lovely, very enjoyable.
But urban/sububan driving is tedious, it's all stop-start and negotiating around all the other folks whose paths intersct. It's only enjoyable being a passenger and trying to irritate the driver by asking every 3 nanoseconds "are we nearly there yet"?
Motorways are just tedious: a car on a motorway is just a poor substitute for a nice cofy train seat, except that ther is nobody to bring you tea and cake. And driving on a motorway is simply a devilish cobination: tedium which requires concentration. The only pleasure in it is knowing that if the next seven tailbacks aren't too bad and the BM*-driver doesn't tailend you, it'll be over soon.
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I'm stuck with commuting on the tube all week, so I enjoy my driving at the weekends!
I agree with your comments about motorways, but there's always an A-road alternative. I'll be driving from London to the Westcountry this evening, and I'd chose the fabulous A303 over the M4/M5 every time!
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Living near the Staffordshire/Cheshire/Derbyshire border, we've got the joys of the Derbyshire hills and few traffic police (unless you use the Snake Pass0.
DOes not mean I break speed limits but scenery is great and roads relatively free.
Now winter has gone driving is a pleasure.
Driving Leek to Buxton over the Roaches in winter when it's snowing and dark is NOT a pleasure.
And PS: no rwd cars in these roads on the wet or snow will survive being driven hard. And Porsche Boxsters appear to dislike ice and swap ends easily from what I have seen.
madf
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I ceased to enjoy the joys of the road in 1981 when I bought I nice new 911 Carrera. In a very short time I realised it was 20 years too late and that cars like these really had no place on the roads except for posing purposes. I sold it after 3 months. Back in the 50's and 60's driving was a fun experience.
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Do I enjoy driving? Only in France.
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I used to love driving about 10-15 years ago, but now its simply something to endure as its literally the only way I can get to work.
What with the constant fiddling by local authorities and changes to the phasing of lights/lane closure/bus lanes/'speed' calming measures it seems to take twice as long as it did a year ago, and I'm not convince that the amount of traffic has increased by that much.
I also have to drive through the Tyne Tunnel everyday, probably the worst example its type in Europe!
Having said that, my wife gave me a 'Driving experience' at Croft Racing circuit for a birthday present a couple of years ago - now that kind of driving I did enjoy, blatting about in somebody elses Porsche 944 Turbo!
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I usually enjoy driving, but I don't always look forward to long journeys.
Maybe it sounds dull, but I get pleasure from driving an ordinary car according to the rules of the road. Not that I dawdle, but since I enjoy driving, I'm in no great hurry to end my journey. I've travelled in cars driven by impatient 'press-on' drivers and it is not a pleasant experience.
In my 32 years of driving I don't think standards have deteriorated. I even remember seeing a road-rage incident around 1970 on the old A11 where one driver got out of his car and attacked the driver of another, kicking and punching him violently. I distinctly remember the victim was in a Hillman Super Minx!!!
Cheers, SS
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"I ceased to enjoy the joys of the road in 1981 when I bought I nice new 911 Carrera. In a very short time I realised it was 20 years too late and that cars like these really had no place on the roads except for posing purposes. I sold it after 3 months. Back in the 50's and 60's driving was a fun experience."
Meditek, I noticed on the "what's your car CV?" thread that you've recently owned a BMW540i! SureLY you must occasionally get some enjoyment from driving a car like that! V8, 280+bhp, what's not to like???
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