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Original poster

Do you enjoy driving?

113 replies

TheChronicalTales · 11/02/2022 13:50

My friend recently passed her test and is a nervous driver. She asked me at what point I started to enjoy it and come to think about it… I don’t.

I don’t mind driving to Tesco or other shortish (under an hour) routes that I am familiar with but apart from that I don’t enjoy it and find it a panic. Obviously I do it because I have to and being able to drive was almost a necessity due to where I live but I much prefer my DH driving.

So, do you enjoy driving? Am I just odd?

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 11/02/2022 14:21

Yes. I love driving.

NightmareSlashDelightful · 11/02/2022 14:23

I absolutely love it, and I loved it from the very first lesson. To me it represented freedom and independence. I’ve had some really difficult interesting and cool cars over the years too.

Justcallmebebes · 11/02/2022 14:26

Depends on the driving. Open top, sunny day, cruise along a coastal road with the top down - love it

Motorway/stuck in rush hour stop/starting for 10 miles - hate it

irregularegular · 11/02/2022 14:34

No I don't.

I don't generally hate it. But at best I'm neutral. I actively dislike driving in the dark (I don't trust my night vision), or with other adults in the car potentially judging me, or in bad raffic, or if I'm not sure where I'm going in a city, especially big complicated roundabouts/junctions. I also don't like parking as I am quite bad at it. I'd always choose for someone else to drive, given the choice.

Those people who say they enjoy the break, thinking time, space, freedom. I can sort of see that, but I'd infinitely rather go for a nice walk! I also rather enjoy a nice train ride in a quiet carriage. I'd never, ever just go for a drive just for the sake of it.

bedheadedzombie · 11/02/2022 14:41

I do, but I was also a nervous driver for the first year. Too scared to make a mistake, and now I just think, oooops, sorry, will do better next time.

So if you're the driver today that I didn't give right of way when I should have, I'm sorry! Didn't mean to, misjudged there,

Hasselhoffsheadband · 11/02/2022 14:44

I have been driving for over 2 decades and the longer I drive for, the more I dislike it.

I think it's partly to do with the fact that I have never been in an accident, even a minor one, and the longer I drive for, the closer I get to having the 'inevitable' car accident if that makes sense?!

Mol1628 · 11/02/2022 14:45

I love the fact that I am able to drive as it does make lots of things easier.

I hate the actual driving part. I am an anxious person though so driving is just an extension of that.

AnnaSW1 · 11/02/2022 14:46

Hate it. Never do it

RampantIvy · 11/02/2022 14:49

I neither enjoy it nor not enjoy it. Driving is simply a means for me to get from A to B. I am a confident driver, and like to think I am careful and safe. I find long journeys rather boring. I have to drive 250 miles on Sunday and am not looking forward to it - only from the boredom factor, but it needs to be done.

tiggergoesbounce · 11/02/2022 14:50

I love driving, i love having my music on singing along driving around.

As a PP said it represents independance and freedom. I feel horrible if im without my car for any reason, i always think, if i want to, i can just go somewhere, i hate that not being an option.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 11/02/2022 14:50

The older I am, the less I enjoy it and the more I stick to local and familiar routes.

Joystir59 · 11/02/2022 14:51

I echo a pp on that I love driving an automatic. I will drive anywhere. I'm not keen on having passengers though, much prefer long journeys taken on my own.

SouthMan28 · 11/02/2022 14:52

I'm not a fan of driving at the moment, just because ever since the last lockdown people have become very impatient! I would be driving just over the limit on an A road single carriageway doing about 65 mph and someone would overtake me doing 70 mph plus! There is some very impatient, aggressive, dangerous drivers nowadays, for which is something to worry about for me as I think the Police should be patrolling the roads more!

Footballschmootball · 11/02/2022 14:53

Hate it. Don’t mind local driving to the shops or school but anything I don’t know , big roundabout, different lanes etc I really don’t like, I find it really stressful. Also really hate being watched parking even though without an audience I’m (relatively!) competent!

Kazzyhoward · 11/02/2022 14:54

I used to love driving, I took the advanced driving test and then even started voluntary teaching (observing) others to do the IAM test too, purely for fun.

But over the years, the roads have got busier, no-one seems to care about traffic laws anymore, and it's getting more and more like the wild-west on our roads, especially in congested town centres and busy motorways.

I do less and less driving as each year passes, and now I'm probably down to around 3,000 miles per year, after doing about 25,000 per year in my first few years of driving.

Love driving abroad though, where driving standards are generally better (at least fewer people who've not got a clue and aren't concentrating).

I do wonder if today's poor driving standards has followed the greater use of mobile phones and other tech in cars.

sofakingcool · 11/02/2022 14:55

I enjoyed it once I got a decent car, that definitely improved my confidence hugely!

So I'd driven second hand older cars for about 8 years, and whilst I was happy enough, it wasn't until I treated myself to a brand new, not too fast but not too slow, Corsa that I suddenly found actually driving is really not that bad!

There are certain instances I'm not keen on - I'm not wild on driving on country roads at night, and motorways aren't my favourite places, although I am planning on trying to get more practice as I've recently got a new car which is bigger and more powerful and I think that will help my nerves massively.

Definitely one thing that hasn't helped with my motorway driving is a lack of practice. DH has always done the weekend/long distance driving a) because he's a better driver than passenger but also b) because his car was the family car so it was better suited. So I've never really had the need to do much motorway driving, I'm going to change that soon though

Aderyn21 · 11/02/2022 14:56

Absolutely hate it. Will avoid it as much as I can. I also learned in my 40s, by which point I was hyper aware of all the things that can go wrong. I don't think being peri menopausal has helped tbh.

happyjules · 11/02/2022 14:58

Love it and always have done, especially the freedom it has given me over the years. Plus, it has enabled me to earn a living during phases in my life as I hold PCV entitlement. That has also given me a different level of awareness and competency. I hope I am never not able to drive. I want to be that old dear still off on my travels for as long as possible.

frazzledfragglefromfragglerock · 11/02/2022 14:59

Yes love it but mainly when on my own. If the whole family is in the car I prefer dh to drive. He's a shot passenger too even though he admits my driving is great he just isn't good in the passenger seat. He tends to shout just before I'm about to react to something. There's always plenty of time/space but he makes me jump and Flustered!

I love being on my own in the car. Not so keen on running kids around. Just short journeys and parking then leaving again gets on my nerves!

CirreltheSquirrel · 11/02/2022 15:05

Not really - I'd usually rather be on my bike and get jealous when I pass a cyclist.

HowToStopThinking · 11/02/2022 15:19

I’ve only been driving for 2 years and passed when I was 40. I hated driving lessons with a passion but so glad I persevered because I really enjoy driving now. The day after I passed I did a four hour round trip to a Children’s hospital for my youngest DD’s appointment. DH was with me which helped me feel supported but I enjoyed it.

However I don’t enjoy driving on single lanes/backroads etc, I still drive on them but don’t like it much.

Toddlerteaplease · 11/02/2022 15:20

I love it!

traintraveller · 11/02/2022 15:23

I do it because I have to. It doesn't make me anxious or nervous and I'm fine on motorways and driving long distances. I don't like it though, I find it boring and will jump at the chance if someone else offers to drive.

Watercoloursky · 11/02/2022 15:33

I quite like motorway driving and big dual carriageways - I'm not scared by driving fast and I find these kinds of roads more straightforward as everyone's going in the same direction and you don't have people pulling out of unexpected side roads or random dogs/people/buggies suddenly appearing from between parked cars, etc - but for the same reason, I really hate urban busy driving, especially in towns I don't know - it makes me feel like I'm stuck in a live action version of the 'hazard perception' part of the theory test, and I can feel a bit overwhelmed if it's really busy and I don't know where I'm going.

My solution: I do the long stretches of motorway driving if we're going on holiday/visiting family (and I don't mind doing short trips to the supermarket/garden centre, etc, as our local ones are along big roads), but my OH does fiddly town driving. I know I'll have to desensitise myself eventually, but splitting it like this works at the mo!

AlphabetStew · 11/02/2022 15:36

I like getting out on my own on a long stretch of road and ending up someone new and/or fun.

I like quite a bit less doing the school run.