Not Enjoying Driving Anymore

Not Enjoying Driving Anymore

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Today when I got to work I decided that I was going to leave early and go for a blast afterwards. So 2:30 came and I left, excited for the drive ahead - quick jaunt down the Bristol ring road then on to Cheddar.

However, I got maybe a few miles after the ring road before I decided that I'd had enough of the slow s, poor road surfaces, slow s, lack of overtaking opportunities and slow s...

I don't know what it is but when I got this Citigo it was because I wanted a fun new car that was cheap as chips for a young un to insure. I know it's a slow as balls car but I used to have so much fun in it, now not so much. Every fun drive is ruined by some old bag in a Yaris driving at 36 mph, with nowhere to overtake and I just don't enjoy it. I can't remember the last time I even cracked a smile because of a nice bit of road or a well taken corner.

Maybe it's the fact that not long after getting the car I moved and now need to do a 65 mile each way commute (which is hell on the way home) that has ruined my enthusiasm, but that still doesn't change the lack of available good roads that aren't clogged up by coffin dodgers and useless mums.

I will be getting the train from next month which will present some good roads to be used for coming home from the station, so maybe my enthusiasm will be restored by not having a soul destroying commute.

Has anyone else felt this way? I've been into cars since I was a kid and it's sad that at 21 years old with only 2 years of driving under my belt I'm considering chopping in my car when it ls eligible for VT and just getting a white goods EV...

TheLuke

2,218 posts

140 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Its probably the car, mixed with our rubbish roads. get yourself a decent motor and you'll be smiling in no time

Also, newer cars have a way of "disconnecting" you. Go back to basics.

ryanthescot

287 posts

153 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
a commute is rarely ever fun imo, unless it's over some REALLY good, quiet roads.

in fact i'd say i no longer enjoy road driving half as much as i used to since i started doing track days/autotests/targas/drifting. if i were you i'd pick up a cheap mx5 and start doing 'fun' driving that doesnt require a public road.

randlemarcus

13,507 posts

230 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Time to look at two wheels then...

TameRacingDriver

18,048 posts

271 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
I enjoy every drive mainly because I cut out commuting altogether. I haven't driven to work in 8 months now and its bliss. Doesn't matter what car you have, a 65 mile dull commute is going to make you hate driving in the end.

The Wookie

13,909 posts

227 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
130 miles a day in a city car doesn't exactly sound like fun.

Ninja59

3,691 posts

111 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Nope, the only good time is very early on a Sat or Sunday or whenever there is another holiday of some description.

Rest of the time it is a total fkfest. I rarely encounter slow drivers, we just seem to breed the more "incompetent" types who blast through 30's and 40's, tailgate excessively and have not a brain cell thinking of braking distances*.

It is sadly one of the reasons driving me to consider selling up the MX5 (amongst many other reasons like lack of use) and going back to just having one car, which is my daily 640D Gran Coupe which I do enjoy driving most of the time (I know the bills from said car mostly the insurance costs for me, make it a heavy undertaking), but even so....at least I can enjoy a cruise either on the motorway (usually Lane 1 these days to make progress, oh the irony) or some of Kent's more rural roads.

  • minus this morning where traffic oddly was calm, distances increased to nice big safe gaps...reason there was an X5 of a certain description cruising in lane 1....
Edited by Ninja59 on Thursday 31st August 16:57

foxbody-87

2,675 posts

165 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Around here there are some really nice roads but the catch 22 is that when it's sunny enough to enjoy them you find yourself in a convoy being held up by tourists who have seemingly never driven round a bend before and are cakking themselves. One spindly old guy in a kaki sun hat in front of me nearly had a head-on because he was too busy doing 30 in an NSL gawping at the view. frown

Ron99

1,985 posts

80 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Summer holiday time or any other school holiday time is terrible for enjoyable driving.
Weekends are the same unless it's wet so there's not much point having a 'Sunday afternoon sports car' with big engine because it'll just sit in traffic jams drinking petrol.
Mondays and Fridays are busy too.
The nicest times to be on the road are evenings after 6 most days, plus daytime Tuesday-Thursday. However, with the nights drawing in now autumn is arriving it'll be dark soon after 6 which just leaves daytime Tuesday-Thursday.

If I want to take an enjoyable drive at a time that might be less than ideal, I'll head out to flatter and more open landscape so I have better visibility which improves my chance of quickly and safely passing dawdlers.

Alternatively, I'll take our small car along minor roads/country lanes which are usually fairly quiet and good fun. Small and agile is key there; it doesn't need to be quick.

TurboRich

23 posts

145 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
I had exactly this a long time ago.
Back in my twenties i was fortunate enough to own and run an Escort Cosworth.I remember saying several times whats the point of a fast car as you can only go as fast as the car in front.
Now i'm not saying i do or condone speeding everywhere but then and now you can get stuck behind people doing 10 mph under the limit.
Suffice to say i sold the Cossie and got a bike license and ran fast bikes for over ten years.
Back in the fast motors now and yes get held up all the time but just have to suck it up and or do some euro trips for nice and quiet roads.

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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Buy a jeep.

Trust me, I was going through a similar slump, ended up being given a Mitsubishi Shogun (someone offered to trade it for an old Subaru of mine and it was a trade up value wise), I intended to just immediately sell it again but actually had a fantastic laugh in it. It just ate up potholes, speedbumps, traffic calming kerbs, old women in aygo's etc etc without even flinching, and it was so fun to hustle it along at 60-70mph on a b-road, holding on for dear life as the thing rolls around underneath you, I noticed, like you, in a moderately quick car you would hit traffic far too fast at a 'fun' pace, but in a 4x4 you can really push the vehicle but at much lower real speeds. Also have the added fun for greenlaning or pay & plays. It doesn't beat a track day but it is a different type of driving fun.

It has the added bonus of making whatever sporty car you get into next feel like a rocketship. I found ultimately the best combination was 2 cheaper cars, I currently have a lifted Jimny and a lowered MX5, although I am selling the MX5 this winter due to it's rather terminal rust issues, toying with going for a bike instead for next summer. Also trying to justify swapping the Jim out for a Defender but just can't see past the horrendous values nowadays.

On that note a Jimny is a good 1st venture into that kind of vehicle, costs buttons to run and the little DOHC 1.3 N/A petrol loves having it's neck wrung out, loads of custom bits about for them for not a lot of money (Green oval brigade is king in that regard in the UK, but 'zooks come close).

Edited by caelite on Thursday 31st August 17:23

bristolracer

5,527 posts

148 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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The mistake you made was driving in and around Bristol.

clarkeysntfc

67 posts

88 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
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For daily grind driving like commuting the key is to mentally disengage from the behaviour of others on the road as much as possible, and adopt a more "cruisy" approach.

A lot of my commute (which I usually do twice weekly) is on the A34, and I never go faster than between 70-75mph. I'm happy to cruise along passing lorries and alternate between lanes 1/2, usually making progress just as quickly as those who bomb along at 80+ only to be caught behind a passing lorry.

Never ever react to tailgating either.

ChilliWhizz

11,990 posts

160 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
foxbody-87 said:
Around here there are some really nice roads but the catch 22 is that when it's sunny enough to enjoy them you find yourself in a convoy being held up by tourists who have seemingly never driven round a bend before and are cakking themselves. One spindly old guy in a kaki sun hat in front of me nearly had a head-on because he was too busy doing 30 in an NSL gawping at the view. frown
Er, on many roads the NSL is 30...... They're the one's that have a sign that says 30.....

wink

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
You're in the wrong country. smile

juice

8,509 posts

281 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
bristolracer said:
The mistake you made was driving in and around Bristol.
I live not far from Cheddar in Chew Valley, I love driving round here. Not so much this time of year though as it's harvest time so you never know what you're going to meet on the lanes !

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
I have to admit I enjoy driving at any speed in most cases, aside from stop-start traffic.

theplayingmantis

3,721 posts

81 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Jbeale96 said:
Today when I got to work I decided that I was going to leave early and go for a blast afterwards. So 2:30 came and I left, excited for the drive ahead - quick jaunt down the Bristol ring road then on to Cheddar.

However, I got maybe a few miles after the ring road before I decided that I'd had enough of the slow s, poor road surfaces, slow s, lack of overtaking opportunities and slow s...

I don't know what it is but when I got this Citigo it was because I wanted a fun new car that was cheap as chips for a young un to insure. I know it's a slow as balls car but I used to have so much fun in it, now not so much. Every fun drive is ruined by some old bag in a Yaris driving at 36 mph, with nowhere to overtake and I just don't enjoy it. I can't remember the last time I even cracked a smile because of a nice bit of road or a well taken corner.

Maybe it's the fact that not long after getting the car I moved and now need to do a 65 mile each way commute (which is hell on the way home) that has ruined my enthusiasm, but that still doesn't change the lack of available good roads that aren't clogged up by coffin dodgers and useless mums.

I will be getting the train from next month which will present some good roads to be used for coming home from the station, so maybe my enthusiasm will be restored by not having a soul destroying commute.

Has anyone else felt this way? I've been into cars since I was a kid and it's sad that at 21 years old with only 2 years of driving under my belt I'm considering chopping in my car when it ls eligible for VT and just getting a white goods EV...
not being funny but what do yo expect with a citigo, it is a white good isnt it.

Solocle

3,247 posts

83 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Live about an hour away from Bristol, Citigo driver. Bristol is a crock of scensoredt. Get out, try the A350 south. There are some nice stretches on that road, and some good corners between Shaftesbury and Blandford. Nearby, you have zigzag hill, bendiest in Britain. If you can avoid slower vehicles , there's some fun to be had.

Hungrymc

6,642 posts

136 months

Thursday 31st August 2017
quotequote all
Ploughing through traffic is rarley anything more than a chore. One of my cars is bought specifically for that job, it's OK, comfortable and well equipped, but it's still a chore.

Driving or riding on good roads when they are a little quieter is still wonderful fun. I've had some really memorable rides and drives this year. Spring time trips from the midlands to the coast, late summer evening drives out into mid Wales etc.

If you really want to keep enjoying driving these days, you have to pick your time and head to the right kind of roads.