The love of driving.
Discussion
2thumbs said:
petrolsniffer said:
+1 to all of it
Nice to see a positive thread on driving for once!
Agreed.Nice to see a positive thread on driving for once!
I love driving anything, cars or vans.
I've "taken the racing line" in 900cc Micras, 30tonne Volvo quarry dumpers, and pov spec derv Focai.
I've drifted the same Volvo dumper, I've done daft stuff on private land in 1100cc mk3 fiestas and I've tried to do a 30mile trip in a 2.5tonne 4x4 on snow, as sideways as possible just to see "what it'd do".
Even when I spent 10hours a day behind the wheel of a dumper in a quarry, and did 30k a year miles in my own car, I'd STILL go for a pointless hoon sometimes, or take the long route home, add 30-40 miles to my trip.
Driving is a release, a hobby, an escapism and an art form. I love the fact that no matter what your day job, social life, personal world resembles...... Behind the wheel, you can be free.
I love having confidence in my abillity, a proven record in it, and not fearing adverse weather conditions. Whether I'm in a capable 4x4 or a £400 snotter on ditchfinders, or a tuned RWD jap wagon, fun can be had.
Driving to me, is like others playing musical instruments........... Practice, practice a lot and it becomes a skill, an artform, something that many can do to a "basic" standard, but few can do with their eyes closed, whilst humming merrily.
CHIEF said:
Thing is just recently my annual mileage has dropped and i'm getting an itch, an itch for something that whilst not a road rocket will at least have super unleaded running through its veins and have a redline above 4000 rpm and i'm hoping will pull back some of the thrill that the Subaru did.
..... if i can replicate just 10% of that thrill then surely i'm onto a winner and I just am getting an itch that i think needs scratching.
Caterham!..... if i can replicate just 10% of that thrill then surely i'm onto a winner and I just am getting an itch that i think needs scratching.
Agreed! fun can be had in any car. Sometimes the cheap, slow cars are more rewarding as you have to squeeze every single ounce of power from them and you don't have to worry about massive running costs if you break something.
Unfortunately a lot of more expensive cars are bought on image and looks.
Unfortunately a lot of more expensive cars are bought on image and looks.
Since I bought the Zed I get it all the time from people - a friends dad told me that 25mpg was "socially unacceptable" and asked what the point of a stupid impractical car like that was (although, he has one of those horrid Audi Allroad things, so I didn't take it too personally 
)
My answer is that it puts a bloody great smile on my face every time I go near it and even more so when it starts making that wonderful racket - I don't even grudge sitting in traffic standing on the heavy (compared to what I am used to) clutch because I know leaving it in second just a little too long coming off the next roundabout will make the world all ok again.
Looking at in another way, I do not like golf, but I understand why a golfist would spend a fortune on a set of bats and then spend hours traipsing around in British weather - it makes them happy. Driving is the same for me, the thing is many people just look at driving as a way of getting from A to B rather than a hobby.
)My answer is that it puts a bloody great smile on my face every time I go near it and even more so when it starts making that wonderful racket - I don't even grudge sitting in traffic standing on the heavy (compared to what I am used to) clutch because I know leaving it in second just a little too long coming off the next roundabout will make the world all ok again.
Looking at in another way, I do not like golf, but I understand why a golfist would spend a fortune on a set of bats and then spend hours traipsing around in British weather - it makes them happy. Driving is the same for me, the thing is many people just look at driving as a way of getting from A to B rather than a hobby.
What a wonderful thread.
A couple of years ago I made a couple of life changing decisions which resulted in me giving up, what was at the time, my pride and joy (My M3) - I decided to remove my finger from my arse and buy a house...and get married, or at least, I got engaged to be married (in 5 weeks time
) so have spent the last 18 months saving for the fast-approaching big day. Anyway, I digress.
In those 2 years, I've had a number of memorable driving experiences in cars which I wouldn't normally give any consideration (in regards to their ability to put a smile on my face whilst driving) because, if i had the financial resource available to afford something more driving/driver orientated at that time, I would have been doing just that. My point? As others have mentioned, that special 'moment' whilst driving can come at the most unexpected time in the vehicle you'd suspect the least.
A big thanks to the OP for sharing his affinity with driving, a thanks I'd like to extend to each of you who have posted so far.
Keep these experiences coming, fascinating stuff...
A couple of years ago I made a couple of life changing decisions which resulted in me giving up, what was at the time, my pride and joy (My M3) - I decided to remove my finger from my arse and buy a house...and get married, or at least, I got engaged to be married (in 5 weeks time
) so have spent the last 18 months saving for the fast-approaching big day. Anyway, I digress. In those 2 years, I've had a number of memorable driving experiences in cars which I wouldn't normally give any consideration (in regards to their ability to put a smile on my face whilst driving) because, if i had the financial resource available to afford something more driving/driver orientated at that time, I would have been doing just that. My point? As others have mentioned, that special 'moment' whilst driving can come at the most unexpected time in the vehicle you'd suspect the least.
A big thanks to the OP for sharing his affinity with driving, a thanks I'd like to extend to each of you who have posted so far.
Keep these experiences coming, fascinating stuff...
I have driven many cars and only really disliked a tiny number of them.
I sometimes wonder if PH is turning into a troll fest full of keyboard warriors trying to prove how hardcore they are.
The genuine enthusiasts tend to get lost to the hoardes of snipers.
This kind of thread is the perfect antidote!
I sometimes wonder if PH is turning into a troll fest full of keyboard warriors trying to prove how hardcore they are.
The genuine enthusiasts tend to get lost to the hoardes of snipers.
This kind of thread is the perfect antidote!
Chilliman said:
CHIEF said:
NGee said:
Caterham!
I'm powerfully built. 
I struggle to squeeze myself in my pals Dax Rush so a Caterham would be a definate no no.
This
I can waft about in my Freelander 2 HSE in perfect air conditioned comfort in leather heated seats every day of the year. Particularly in the current weather conditions
However, the TVR makes me smile just by looking at it in the garage followed by a child like snigger when I fire it up and bursts of inane laughter when the taps are opened once warm
Great post OP, and I know exactly what you mean. I haven't really had a fast car since I left the UK nearly 6 years ago, and I didn't have a car at all for a couple of years.
Living in Thailand, fast cars are out of the question due to the price, and even a beaten up old knacker is eye wateringly expensive by UK standards. However when I did snap up a bargain (in relative terms) old knacker last year it was a brilliant feeling.
Forget the fact that it was a boring little family saloon, or that it was old and so poorly maintained that it would have been scrapped years ago. It was just brilliant to be able to get in my own car and drive it anywhere I want to go.
I did a lot of driving it to the garage, and an awful lot of fixing and buying of new parts - far more than it really warrants but never mind. Now I have a running, functioning car, I've covered 15,000km in it, and despite lots of things breaking, it's never really let me down.
I passed my test as soon as I possibly could when I was 17, and although I've driven hundreds of thousands of kilometers since, the excitement never really dims.
There is quite simply nothing in the world for me that compares to having your own car and being able to drive it where you want, when you want.
Living in Thailand, fast cars are out of the question due to the price, and even a beaten up old knacker is eye wateringly expensive by UK standards. However when I did snap up a bargain (in relative terms) old knacker last year it was a brilliant feeling.
Forget the fact that it was a boring little family saloon, or that it was old and so poorly maintained that it would have been scrapped years ago. It was just brilliant to be able to get in my own car and drive it anywhere I want to go.
I did a lot of driving it to the garage, and an awful lot of fixing and buying of new parts - far more than it really warrants but never mind. Now I have a running, functioning car, I've covered 15,000km in it, and despite lots of things breaking, it's never really let me down.
I passed my test as soon as I possibly could when I was 17, and although I've driven hundreds of thousands of kilometers since, the excitement never really dims.
There is quite simply nothing in the world for me that compares to having your own car and being able to drive it where you want, when you want.
Vladimir said:
And so it happens once again. You can only have fun in x car, etc. Always the same.
I believe the point of this thread is to avoid waffling elitist rubbish and to enthuse about driving. Whatever you're in.
If you can only have fun in a TVR, you're missing out.
'Waffling elitist rubbish' I believe the point of this thread is to avoid waffling elitist rubbish and to enthuse about driving. Whatever you're in.
If you can only have fun in a TVR, you're missing out.
ETA: Apologies to the OP was trying to be helpfull, no thread hijack intended.
Edited by Chilliman on Monday 6th February 15:29
Edited by Chilliman on Monday 6th February 15:45
NotDave said:
Driving is a release, a hobby, an escapism and an art form. I love the fact that no matter what your day job, social life, personal world resembles...... Behind the wheel, you can be free.
..NotDave seen here winding down with his mates after a spirited drive..
..sorry..
k me hunni, were you the one with the big lens peering through the window? Dirty sodYup. If you're a tru petrolhead you can see the joy in pretty much ANY car IMO! Even things like trabants and Maestros hold a place in yout heart.
Some of the most fun I've ever had was in some of the least powerful cars.
And my most memorable drive to date was in my wifes 1.3 Mazda 2, although I was en route to hospital with her in labour at the time! A perfect combination of being able to use the training I've had, empty roads, a genuine reason to ignore circular signs (and explain the situation adequately if I were pulled over) and a real purpose to the drive. It's the only time I've "gelled" with that car, I can't drive it smoothly for toffee most of the time, but it will always hold a place in my heart for that one drive - and the drive home 18 hours later +1
Some of the most fun I've ever had was in some of the least powerful cars.
And my most memorable drive to date was in my wifes 1.3 Mazda 2, although I was en route to hospital with her in labour at the time! A perfect combination of being able to use the training I've had, empty roads, a genuine reason to ignore circular signs (and explain the situation adequately if I were pulled over) and a real purpose to the drive. It's the only time I've "gelled" with that car, I can't drive it smoothly for toffee most of the time, but it will always hold a place in my heart for that one drive - and the drive home 18 hours later +1
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff