Does anyone else not really enjoy driving?

I drive out of necessity, because living in this bit of the rural countryside means that public transport is a foreign concept. I don't mind driving locally so much, but I do not like driving in busy places. I will deliberately set off ridiculously early in the morning to avoid work/school/holiday traffic, or very late at night.

If I do drive anywhere different, I prefer a nice traffic-free motorway to towns/cities, because everybody is driving in the same direction, nobody is going to do a U-turn in front of you, it's easy to overtake a slow driver, and you don't have to stop and start at traffic lights and things. I love having a tiny car as it can fit in stupidly small parking spaces that other people don't even attempt, but a bigger car would be more convenient at times... but I don't like driving unfamiliar vehicles!

For me, it only got better when I started driving on quiet stretches of the motorway, but I think that is because it opened my world up much more, and got me well out of the area where I'd grown up! As for snow and ice, do you have winter tyres or snow socks for your tyres, OP?

I learned on narrow country lanes (with added fun in the form of dry stone walls that look like hedges until you are trying to tuck in) so they don’t faze me but there is a particular bend near a friend’s house with a 40 mph sign that has us both puzzled every time we pass it. There’s no visibility of oncoming traffic - If you took it at anything over 20mph you’d end up in a ditch at best but probably crunched into another vehicle or into the wall. My DH used to ride a motorcycle and said it would be madness even on 2 wheels,

Yes! I don’t understand those roads, full of signs saying SLOW and advising of bends etc but the speed limit is 60! WTF

I learned late and have never enjoyed it. I especially hate those narrow country roads which have a 60mph speed limit but where I am terrified to drive over 40 and so the local cars drive up your bum. And night driving.

I love driving and always have, I remember being a young un and pretending to drive using a silver cake stand while mum & dad were driving! Love driving an old fashioned traditional manual car with no lane assist or any of that modern nonsense! I did get fed up of driving last week as I drove a 250 miles round trip on Friday and again on Saturday and then drove another 120 miles on holiday on Monday and I thought I’m sick of driving!
I do about 400 miles a week for work and use it as time to unwind and either chat to my cousin in the mornings or listen to an audiobook on the evenings. DH suffers with fibro and is always in varying amounts of pain so I do 99% of the driving whenever we go anywhere.
I completely understand why a lot of people don’t like driving as there’s a lot of knobheads on the roads!

I hate driving. I live in an area with a high number of road accidents per head of population. I'm a perfectly adequate driver but it's all the dangerous idiots that terrify me.

I enjoy driving, but not being near other people driving so generally avoid it unless it’s quiet times or rural roads.

I used to hate driving in the UK (too many other cars, never anywhere to park) but then I moved to Spain and now I quite like it as there isn't a lot of traffic where I live. I also drive a tiny car which I prefer as it's just easier to see all corners of it. But god all mighty, the local drivers are enough to give anyone a panic attack. The Spanish do love to overtake on hills and blind corners plus they cannot do roundabouts to save their life! They are excellent at parking 5 cms from a wall though.

I don't get the enjoyment out of it that I used to. Roads are way too busy, awful drivers who tailgate, cut in or drive way too fast down residential roads.

I never used to be nervous or apprehensive about driving long distance or motorway journeys but the last ten years I avoid it as much as I can.

I hate that I've got like this but it does definitely seem like I'm not alone in being this way.

I enjoy the freedom but not the actual driving, no. Unfamiliar routes and parking situations are stressful.

I hate it too. Always wasn’t keen but as I’ve got older I hate it even more! Especially driving in the dark and to places I don’t know

In cities we definitely need fewer private cars clogging the roads. The more that use public transport and cycle the better.

I absolutely hate it. I am dyspraxic,

Absolutely hated driving.

never wanted to do it but pressurised by family who told me it was essential.

it really isn’t when you live in a major uk city with very good transportation.

too many impatient people on the road

too many people driving like maniacs

too many people who don’t add power to have passed a test or have any control or understanding of what their actions and inactions can do.

crazy people on bikes who don’t follow the Highway Code

nothing but utter stress .

so glad I had my licence revoked on medical grounds. Means I never ever have to do it again.

team bus train tram uber taxi all the way for me.

I love being able to drive myself where I want to go. Absolutely hate public transport. There’s not much by me anyway. I much prefer my own space. I listen to what I want, have the heating or AC on as I want and I don’t have to be anywhere near anyone I’d rather not be near to! I can arrive and leave when I want. No waiting for public transport or a taxi. I can’t see any downsides to driving. So YABVU.

If someone gives you a rude sign when driving blow them a kiss especially at red traffic lights. A wink really floors them as well.

Even if you really hate driving and your DP loves it, do not give up on driving even if they are in the car. Always take your turn as you will lose even more confidence if you don't. Circumstances change and you may need to do most or all of the driving at some time.

I don’t like driving but it’s just something that I do!

It’s draining when people behave in an unpredictable way on the road because you’re constantly scanning for danger.

The choice to drive into london when there are other options affects more people negatively.

I love it less than I did, though there are still moments of joy. I have to drive fairly frequently on a section of the M25 where there is a concentration of exits and on slips from equally busy roads and it’s the noticeable drop in the standard of driving which has spoiled it for me. When somewhere like that works well, at speed or in the rush hour, it’s because everyone is paying attention, there’s give and take, it feels like an organic whole with everyone playing their part. . There’s so much more awful driving lately - undertaking to weave about across all the lanes at speed , nipping into any safe braking space, tailgating in the fast overtaking lane when people are already breaking the standard and variable limits and assuming that great big HGVs can stop and slow as quickly as a car.

My DH gets het up in a jam but I take a watchful zen attitude - what will be will be, getting cross won’t change anything and we are either going to see the reason for it soon or the sheer weight of traffic reason is going to suddenly relax.

I was recently staying in Watford and chose to drive into Central London rather than get trains, I think I feel the same about public transport as a lot of people on here feel about driving, absolutely cannot stand public transport!

I love driving. After leaving a controlling marriage it represents freedom to me and a wonderful feeling of being capable. As a single parent I do all the driving in all conditions and roads. Just back from a mega road trip to the Isle of Skye and navigating the single track roads there!

I absolutely adore driving, it's one of the things I enjoy the most in life. I quite often take a longer route or just go out for a drive just for the pure joy of it.

I can totally see why some people hate it though, my daughter being one of them. I'm practically having to force her through her test (she's failed twice already) but we don't live in a major city and it's really a life skill that I don't want her to miss out on.