Do you enjoy driving?

[DecidedlyAverage]

Do you think you're a good driver?

We've spent quite a lot of time on the roads over the past week. Seen some spectacularly bad driving going on.

Last question - who is the better driver, you or your other half 😈
(if you have one obviously)

I do a lot of driving and can be a good driver but also a bad driver. I know I do things I shouldn't at times but I would say I a never do anything reckless. It depends how you define 'good' I suppose. I'm not scared of motorways, I am not hesitant at roundabouts, I can reverse park, parallel park and navigate country lanes with ease but I can also get irritated and impatient when people who drive less, hesitate or make a meal out of things like this.

I neither enjoy nor dislike driving. It’s just functional.
I think I’m pretty good - I drove very defensively and try not to be a twat, but I’m sure I make mistakes sometimes.
I don’t have a partner - back when I did he was a more aggressive driver, but I’m not sure any more or less safe…

I like driving in the day, less so at night these days but I’ll do it.

I’m a much better driver than DH, he drives me mad with his shite driving.

I drive 220 miles a week with school run and work. I am a good driver I think. Every couple of years I book a lesson with an instructor just to have a bit of a tune up. I love driving because it is usually the only time no one wants anything of me. I listen to classic fm. Dh is an awful driver…. He used to drive only in London so is a much better driver in heavy traffic when he needs to really focus. Less good on country roads where he ought to step back again a bit.

Reasonable driver.
Don't particularly like it. But I don't particularly enjoy many other essential things like cleaning, they just need doing.

DH or me better.... he is probably more competent but takes more risks and can be cavalier.

I love it!

Absolutely love it. From motorways down to single-track country lanes.

I'm an OK driver - not good - but OK.

I don't like or dislike, it's a means to an end, I'd say I'm a good driver, I haven't had an accident in 30 years of driving or incurred any penalty points.

Dh does about 20k miles a year and I think he's a bad driver, he's too focused on what other drivers are doing and gets so wound up, we've had many arguments about his road rage.

I love driving and think I am a good driver, been doing it for over 30 years!
One of the best things about it is I treat my car as my own private karaoke booth, love putting good tunes on and belting them out, much to the despair of the DCs
😆

Can reverse park like a boss. It stresses me to see people reversing out of spaces, especially in shopping centre car parks and there's children on the loose! So much easier and safer to reverse in and drive out.

DH grew up driving in central London so tends to be on the defensive side but is a good safe driver though his taste in music is dire 😫
I know people who only drive if their other half isn't around.
What is that all about?!
If we're taking my car, I drive.
His car, he drives.
Simples!

@DecidedlyAverage I let DH because he's shit at being a passenger and I really can't be bothered with it.

I love driving even though I live in a city with one of the highest uninsured drivers numbers.

@PuttingDownRoots god I read that as I left him 😂

I love driving - I love the sense of freedom it gives me. Possibly because we didn't have a family car during my childhood. My mum learnt to drive at the same time as me when I was 17 .
The roads before Christmas are always a nightmare - it is the one time I don't like driving. You see such appalling things going on. And skills have certainly decreased since lockdown.
I think I am an OK driver. I live in London so am fine with busy roads, endless bus lanes, ridiculous junctions etc. I love motorway driving, but unfortunately all my journeys have to start and end with the M25 which is a different kind of motorway altogether.
I don't have the same experience of country lanes, but I hope drive at a reasonable speed. I don't drive at 60 along narrow bendy lanes, edged with high hedges, meaning I haven't got clear views ahead which I think annoys locals, but then I don't know where farm entrances are or where bridleways join the road etc so I am happy going slower.
I think I am a better driver than DH. I usually drive when we are out as a couple/family as I am an awful passenger. He doesn't drive for work or anything. When he does drive, it is far too fast.

I do about 800 miles a week, I love driving when I’m not sat in traffic. I get irritated by overly hesitant drivers though.

I don’t enjoy it but do it because I have to. I’m a very good driver but DH can handle longer drives better than I can - I find I get quite overwhelmed if I have to do more than about 2-3 hours.

@Sophia89 hahaha 😆 me too! I thought ok that's a bit extreme but maybe it was just the tip of the iceberg 😂

@PuttingDownRoots thanks for sharing your perspective.
And for inadvertently making us laugh 😅
I think some people defer to their OH, for want of a better description.

I would say I do it out of necessity and will and can drive anywhere but I don’t enjoy it. I learnt to drive a long time ago so probably have some bad habits but I stick to speed limits. I think I am a better driver than DH locally as I am more patient- we have a lot of visitors and foreign drivers in our area. DH is the better motorway driver though and can drive for longer than me, I get tired.

Yes, I love driving...used to do about 1000 miles a week, but doing a lot less currently. Am confident and happy to drive in other countries etc.

DH also does high mileage and is a decent driver but less patient than me... However, he also taught DS to drive really well (and DS passed his test very quickly) so his nerves are clearly better than mine😁

Ooh I absolutely love driving. I learnt quite late and I still get a little thrill sometimes from the awareness that I'm actually doing it and I have my own car. I love my car too.

I think I'm competent at it. I don't have a partner at the moment, but I was significantly better at driving than my ex. He was the type to piss off everyone around him and have no idea why. It was painfully obvious to me why. He could also only drive an automatic. Plus he was shit scared of perfectly normal road conditions. It was stressful having to be his passenger because I'd end up being copilot. Always having to tell him what lane to be in, always having to point out signage or cameras, suggesting he might try doing the speed limit, constantly reassuring him or talking him through manoeuvres. I might as well have been an unpaid driving instructor!

He is a more experienced driver than me, he commutes a lot for work and I don't. I'm a better parker.

I have no problem with any sort of driving though, I am not the sort of driver who avoids motorways or country roads or city centres or whatever. Have been driving over 30 years and never had any points on my licence.

His driving habits might be annoying but he has plenty of redeeming features.

He's just like an impatient child in the car when not driving. Not unless he's been drinking.

I'm not a fan of motorway driving, because it's boring.

I think I'm the better driver in this house, DH breaks too hard and throws the car around corners. I've never had a serious accident (just two minor bumps years ago thanks to small children distracting me in the car) whereas he's written two cars off.

I've been driving 35yrs, member of IAM. Police driver trained. Can reverse park on a postage stamp. Used to absolutely love driving but now it's a means to an end. Hate driving in the dark now, though.

Not really, perhaps the first time I go somewhere, not otherwise.

I'm surprised OP you have taken this long to realise how many people are unfit to drive. Or unable to drive their SUV because of the 1 in 50 hill that they have to negotiate.

IvorTheEngineDriver · Today 12:31

Absolutely love it. From motorways down to single-track country lanes.

I mostly enjoy driving and like country roads and am happy to maintain speed through corners, which I put down to riding motorbikes for 20 years prior to getting my car licence at 38.

My wife brakes hard for corners and then doesn't change down on the exit. She also drives at a licence retaining 98 mph on motorways. She always used to ignore gantry limits until once, when I was begging her to slow down, to be told, "It's fine, there's no queue." before almost running into the back of a stationary van.

She's an order of magnitude better than me at slow manoeuvres, she can get into parking spaces smaller than the car (well, almost!). I once had to to a 15 point turn to get it out of a space with 6 inches of clearance at the front and none at the back!

I'm a much, much better passenger than she is. I don't start asking searching questions at complicated junctions, after being silent for 20 minutes. I don't shriek when she's overtaking a lorry, or when she's parking.

I also don't grab her arm and shout when she's parallel parking, making her think she's about to run someone over... and then say, "Mind that car!"

As in the one parked in front, which I've just lined up with, for a reverse park.