Not Enjoying Driving Anymore
Discussion
Hungrymc said:
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.
I do enjoy the occasional overtake though... the ultimate PH dilemma. No traffic or enough for overtaking...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.
theplayingmantis said:
not being funny but what do yo expect with a citigo, it is a white good isnt it.
No more so than the average VW/Audi/BMW these days, and being small and low powered with decent handling they can be a whole lot of fun to drive on the right roads. The 65 mile commute is killing the OP for sure, it drains your soul and removes every last shred of enjoyment for driving. That's why I switched to using two wheels when I could.TurboHatchback said:
Get a small convertible roadster (MX5 or MR2). I've found they instill a joy to mundane driving that I'd not felt since I was in my teens and I thought was lost forever. Traffic jams are still tedious but so long as I'm moving I'm enjoying myself, no need to even go fast.
QFA.Just bought a £60 307cc scrapper. As a car its a pile of dogs
t, but as soon as the roof goes down you can't help smiling, you get a totally different feeling of roads you drive every day. Driven a clk convertible and a mustang convertible and both are seretonin pumps.ChilliWhizz said:
Er, on many roads the NSL is 30...... They're the one's that have a sign that says 30.....
Unless I'm mistaken (and happy to be corrected) yes, an NSL can technically be 30mph in a built up area. But it would still be signposted as an NSL."The national speed limit is depicted by a white circular sign with a black stripe diagonally across it from right to left."
If it was actually signposted as a 30 as you suggest, then surely its not an NSL?
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 slows, 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...
I am of the same opinion, UK roads are dreadful for a motoring enthuaist - You need to go far far north (think north west scotland) for any enjoyable funHowever, 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...
England is over crowded, uselss drivers, idiot drivers, slow drivers, 1 billion speed camers - you name it.
Driving an expensive sports car is probably the worst waste of money ever in fact.
ericmcn said:
I am of the same opinion, UK roads are dreadful for a motoring enthuaist - You need to go far far north (think north west scotland) for any enjoyable fun
England is over crowded, uselss drivers, idiot drivers, slow drivers, 1 billion speed camers - you name it.
Driving an expensive sports car is probably the worst waste of money ever in fact.
There are many roads south of the border where driving can be enjoyed. Some of them are well known and documented, others less so but they do exist, even in the crowded south east of England. Here are a few suggestions:England is over crowded, uselss drivers, idiot drivers, slow drivers, 1 billion speed camers - you name it.
Driving an expensive sports car is probably the worst waste of money ever in fact.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=opera&q...
Thanks for all your replies guys! Last night I went out for food in Bristol so drove home late-ish and had a better time of it. The A37 is hardly inspiring but I managed to crack a smile a few times while trying to encourage some lift off oversteer round some quiet roundabouts...
I think it is mostly the commute that's sucking all the fun out of it, the Citigo is remarkably capable on the motorway for a city car, but at the end of the day it's still a city car and I'm spending nearly 3 hours in it every day. Hopefully when I start getting the train (trial run next Weds when the schools are back to gauge how busy it will be) I'll be able to enjoy the car again. I'll have a 16 mile drive to the train station, which will be easy in the morning and I've counted no less than 4 twisty routes I can take home, which are often quiet at all times of day.
The car itself could be a factor. While it is white goods in the grand scheme of things, for a new car I think it's rather good. It's rewarding to drive quickly although it doesn't have enough power to trouble the grippy tyres, which might be taking some of the fun away. I had a Kadjar for a year before (where do I hand in my PH membership card...?) and I found throwing that about on Dartmoor in the wet the day before it was due for new tyres highly amusing, if a little terrifying at times....
There's no getting away from the fact that the Citigo is financed however (I know, boo hiss, stupid me etc.) and isn't eligible for termination for a while. I'd love a second car but I'm saving for a house and insurance is crippling at my age.
I could go for something now that is eligible for classic insurance but my budget for the car would be tiny (we're talking snotter money - 3 figures).
First step I guess is to wait and see how the train goes, and if the driving/car is still not sparking my interest then maybe I'll look at some classic snotter fun cars (if such things exist).
I think it is mostly the commute that's sucking all the fun out of it, the Citigo is remarkably capable on the motorway for a city car, but at the end of the day it's still a city car and I'm spending nearly 3 hours in it every day. Hopefully when I start getting the train (trial run next Weds when the schools are back to gauge how busy it will be) I'll be able to enjoy the car again. I'll have a 16 mile drive to the train station, which will be easy in the morning and I've counted no less than 4 twisty routes I can take home, which are often quiet at all times of day.
The car itself could be a factor. While it is white goods in the grand scheme of things, for a new car I think it's rather good. It's rewarding to drive quickly although it doesn't have enough power to trouble the grippy tyres, which might be taking some of the fun away. I had a Kadjar for a year before (where do I hand in my PH membership card...?) and I found throwing that about on Dartmoor in the wet the day before it was due for new tyres highly amusing, if a little terrifying at times....
There's no getting away from the fact that the Citigo is financed however (I know, boo hiss, stupid me etc.) and isn't eligible for termination for a while. I'd love a second car but I'm saving for a house and insurance is crippling at my age.
I could go for something now that is eligible for classic insurance but my budget for the car would be tiny (we're talking snotter money - 3 figures).
First step I guess is to wait and see how the train goes, and if the driving/car is still not sparking my interest then maybe I'll look at some classic snotter fun cars (if such things exist).
bristolracer said:
The mistake you made was driving in and around Bristol.
Hahahaha! As soon as I saw Bristol I thought the same thing! There is rarely any joy to be had driving in Bristol, regardless of what time it is. OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
AB57 said:
Hahahaha! As soon as I saw Bristol I thought the same thing! There is rarely any joy to be had driving in Bristol, regardless of what time it is.
OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
Sorry, I re-read your post but I noticed you said you drive a Ford KA, and that you had a girlfriend? OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
AB57 said:
Hahahaha! As soon as I saw Bristol I thought the same thing! There is rarely any joy to be had driving in Bristol, regardless of what time it is.
OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
I wholeheartedly agree that within Bristol I've got no chance. I was just a bit disappointed that on some minor roads outside Bristol there was so much traffic, although 2:30pm in the school holidays is perhaps not ideal.OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
Early morning blast to Wales will be on the cards at some point, I am an IAM member so I know not to let my frustration affect my driving. I don't think I can help being a little frustrated though (I have stopped getting annoyed at other examples of poor driving, it's just being stuck behind Doris on her way to the garden centre that I hate).
Edited by Jbeale96 on Friday 1st September 09:06
toasty said:
If you want to enjoy driving in the South, get up early. Leaving for the commute at 7am was a nightmare, traffic everywhere. Change that to 6am and halve the traffic, 5am and halve again.
I leave at 0530 but its a 65 mile jaunt up the M5 from Chard - no fun to be had. I could do A303/A37/ring road but there's not much fun to be had there either.I love the lack of traffic on the way in though, nice to relax and just cruise. It's the way home that ruined it for me, even at 3pm the M5 is rammed from J17 where I get on to J21 and its an eternal cycle of speed up, slow down, speed up, pass MLM, slow down, lorry pulls out, brake, pull into L3 just as the lorry finishes overtaking, back into L2, speed up, slow down...you get the picture!
On Motorways and A-roads all enjoyment is removed by the ever present and oppressive speed cameras. My old commute used to consist of 19 cameras out, 21 cameras back. This was a 19 mile journey.
These days I have 0 cameras on my commute (yay!) as it is mostly country roads. I do however now have to contend with two-abrest cyclists, people who think the NSL on a single carriageway is 40, the same people who brake at every single tiny bend in the road (and will often indicate for the larger ones, for some reason) who brake at the mere thought of an oncoming car, who straddle both lanes making it impossible to overtake, who flash you if you do manage to overtake...
Even when I'm on lates and I'm driving home at around 11pm these people are still out, holding everything up.
Driving can be fun, but you really need the planets to be aligned to make sure you have the ideal conditions for it.
These days I have 0 cameras on my commute (yay!) as it is mostly country roads. I do however now have to contend with two-abrest cyclists, people who think the NSL on a single carriageway is 40, the same people who brake at every single tiny bend in the road (and will often indicate for the larger ones, for some reason) who brake at the mere thought of an oncoming car, who straddle both lanes making it impossible to overtake, who flash you if you do manage to overtake...
Even when I'm on lates and I'm driving home at around 11pm these people are still out, holding everything up.
Driving can be fun, but you really need the planets to be aligned to make sure you have the ideal conditions for it.
foxbody-87 said:
ChilliWhizz said:
Er, on many roads the NSL is 30...... They're the one's that have a sign that says 30.....
Unless I'm mistaken (and happy to be corrected) yes, an NSL can technically be 30mph in a built up area. But it would still be signposted as an NSL."The national speed limit is depicted by a white circular sign with a black stripe diagonally across it from right to left."
If it was actually signposted as a 30 as you suggest, then surely its not an NSL?
https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits
The table basically says 'Cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles' are subject to NSL's of 30, 60, and 70.
And then...
Default maximum speed limits apply to all roads where no specific lower numeric speed limit is already in force. The default speed limit is known as the national speed limit (NSL). The NSLs vary by road type and for vehicle types....
So, I think you are right
But I'm also not sure I'm incorrect
........... Interesting though, its made me look at stuff I haven't looked at for over 40 years, especially this one...... "This means it should be assumed that, unless an order has been made and the road is signed to the contrary, a 30 mph speed limit applies where there are three or more lamps throwing light on the carriageway and placed not more than 183 metres apart" (that's 600 feet in old money). 
Jbeale96 said:
AB57 said:
Hahahaha! As soon as I saw Bristol I thought the same thing! There is rarely any joy to be had driving in Bristol, regardless of what time it is.
OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
I wholeheartedly agree that within Bristol I've got no chance. I was just a bit disappointed that on some minor roads outside Bristol there was so much traffic, although 2:30pm in the school holidays is perhaps not ideal.OP firstly I think your car is fine it's just the traffic density. I find when the roads are quiet on the odd occasion in Bristol I can have some safe legal fun. A good one is having a nice flowing driving down the ring road back from Ashton after seeing my girlfriend. I love plodding at 70 mph watching all the cars fly past me and then smoothly but quickly flying past them come the roundabouts only then to get over taken again. Rinse and repeat all the way down the carriageways. I drive a 2001 70bhp Ka and I'm blown away at much fun it is to drive, so I imagine the citgo is great fun as well while not having to break, if actually possible, 70.
I suggest your car is fine and you just need to get up nice and early and head out of Bristol and maybe into Wales and have a drive. But the important thing to remember is that your on a public road and you have to be patient and safe. Don't allow yourself to get frustrated with others even if they're bad drivers. I found Advanced Driving helped a huge amount in changing my attitude to others and learning how to drive smooth, safe, and at a quick pace.
Hopefully the train works out for you. I can just about cope with a 40 minute drive in traffic in the Ka before I start to lose the will to live.
Early morning blast to Wales will be on the cards at some point, I am an IAM member so I know not to let my frustration affect my driving. I don't think I can help being a little frustrated though (I have stopped getting annoyed at other examples of poor driving, it's just being stuck behind Doris on her way to the garden centre that I hate).
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 1st September 09:06
I know what you mean with frustration, it's really hard sometimes when you having people like Dorris holding you up but you just have to let it go. Otherwise you'll drive yourself mad or end up doing something you regret. If an opportunity presents itself then go for it, if not just sit back and enjoy the ride
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