Is anyone else finding it harder to drive for fun?

[C n C]

NDNDNDND said:

C n C said:

Not trying to be so negative, but where exactly in the terrible south east are you that you can get up to drive a loop of country lanes on your doorstep?

.... because there are sod all country lanes on my doorstep, or within easy reach.

I live between Harrow and Wembley btw, so feel free to point me to these idyllic roads just round the corner?

Well, if you insist on living in London it's your own fault really. Were you expecting driving Nirvana when you moved there?

You make a valid point and yes, it was/is my choice to live here, although since I moved here from Yorkshire 33 years ago, things have deteriorated very significantly. I guess this is due to increase in population/cars on the road, but also due to further regulation, speed cameras, reduced speed limits etc..

Example - one road local to me:

15 years ago, this was a stretch of NSL dual carriageway.
10 years ago it was reduced to 40MPH
In the last 12 months it's been changed to 30MPH and had speed humps installed all along it.

In the past, it wasn't unusual for someone to hit 90MPH going up there when there was no/little traffic, which wasn't particularly dangerous given very good views of the small road parallel so plenty of warning re. anyone joining.
Now, if someone did even the old speed limit on what is the same road with similar good visibility (so no physical changes to the road layout), they'd be hauled over the coals for going over twice the speed limit, and branded a heinous criminal - not that this would be possible in practise due to the speed humps.

Road by conradsphotos, on Flickr

[fastraxx]

Frank7 said:

Those that are aware of my feelings in all this will hopefully be pleased that I’m giving this thread a wide berth,
and keeping my trap firmly shut.

So why post then?

[1602Mark]

Are modern cars guilty of taking the fun factor out of driving?

[Frank7]

fastraxx said:

Frank7 said:

Those that are aware of my feelings in all this will hopefully be pleased that I’m giving this thread a wide berth,
and keeping my trap firmly shut.

So why post then?

To reassure the cognoscenti?

[fastraxx]

1602Mark said:

Are modern cars guilty of taking the fun factor out of driving?

Absolutely

[rjfp1962]

1602Mark said:

Are modern cars guilty of taking the fun factor out of driving?

That's a good point - In modern cars the rawness has largely gone, driver is insulated from what is going on outside.
I remember thrashing round the lanes in my old Mini 1000 was fun, the theatre of it, being on the limit, relying on drum brakes when you needed to slow down! So much going on and not at great speeds....!

[ddom]

Little interest in track days tbh, all a bit pointless after you’ve raced IMO.

Those moaning about the SE should get out of bed early and head to the Malvern Hills area, working twice a week there currently and the roads are stunning and empty. It reminds me of Ireland some of it. Brilliant place.

[s m]

fastraxx said:

1602Mark said:

Are modern cars guilty of taking the fun factor out of driving?

Absolutely

Next topic up will be people laughing at the cost/price of some older noted drivers cars!

For me, having owned some old and some new it’s easy to understand
If a new GT86 at 30k is just the right performance and fun for modern roads I can see why old Capri 2.8s, Alfa 105s, rwd RS Escorts and 205gtis are commanding good interest and prices for fun Sunday drives at the same money or less

[2gins]

Thread's getting a bit TL/DR but my experience is the same, bearing in mind I live in SW London and it's 30 minutes to even get to a decent bit of countryside before you start driving for fun.

Had 3 goes at it over the last month or 2, took a couple of days off and did a loop down to the south coast, then a day earlier this month out through Berks/Bucks to get some beef in; both early starts or driving in the middle of the day when people are supposed to be at work! Plus a drive last week at the other end of the day 8.30 PM to 10 PM again out around Berks b roads.

Everywhere I go, it's wall to wall vans and Volvos. 35-40 mph everywhere, vans chucked up embankments or sticking out of entrances, Volvos & Peugeots creeping along at a snail's pace etc. Pass one, or turn off, another one spawns in front, turns out of a side road or you just catch up within half a mile.

So frustrating, and more so since Covid. Usually I get a weekend in Wales for other things that provides some enjoyment, but Wales has basically been closed since March at least in terms of my other activities (caves).

Middle of the night is probably the sweet spot but I bet then it'll be HGVs trundling about or taxis.

[SidewaysSi]

waremark said:

SidewaysSi said:

I am a driving enthusiast and have done hundreds of trackdays but I am a bit bored of them to be honest.

I like to slide my car at will so going on a trackday isn't always ideal for that. Also they need far more planning than just grabbing the keys and going for a balls out thrash on the road...

I get far more from driving courses than I do going round and round on a circuit.

What sort of driving courses do you enjoy? Do you think that driving courses eventually become boring?

Don Palmer, CAT etc.

Trackdays are fine but pretty dull.

I live a stone's throw from the M25. Just came back from a 40 minute drive out in the Caterham. Not far, not above 70mph but it was a proper laugh. And it's not just the car - was out in the family wagon earlier and was good fun.

I just dont understand what some people's problem is.

[ddom]

SidewaysSi said:

Don Palmer, CAT etc.

Trackdays are fine but pretty dull.

I live a stone's throw from the M25. Just came back from a 40 minute drive out in the Caterham. Not far, not above 70mph but it was a proper laugh. And it's not just the car - was out in the family wagon earlier and was good fun.

I just dont understand what some people's problem is.

It's a byproduct of modern cars, but not the sole reason. I don't understand why if you if you live in the city, and enjoy cars, you wouldn't be heading out early on a Saturday/Sunday somewhere...

That's the point isn't it?

[sonnenschein3000]

There's no doubt that the roads have definitely gotten busier and more congested in the last few years, and this has made driving less enjoyable.

Go onto any motorway or major A-road now, and the right-most lane will be clogged up because someone 15 cars ahead is doing dead-on 70mph, which then has a knock-on effect on the slower lanes going about the same or slower.

The country roads are also noticeably busier now, and it is very easy to get stuck behind someone doing 10mph under the speed limit. It could be a mile before I can safely overtake them, only to get stuck behind another similar idiot up ahead.

As people have already mentioned, there is also the issue of the dashcam vigilantes who will make sure they report you for the smallest of infringements. I'm not saying every dashcam owner is like that, but I don't know who is, and that always stays in the back of my mind.

If there was a direct train (or even bus service) that had a stop near my house and dropped me off near my work, I most probably wouldn't bother with a car anymore.

[Riley Blue]

sonnenschein3000 said:

There's no doubt that the roads have definitely gotten busier and more congested in the last few years, and this has made driving less enjoyable.

I avoid them unless their use is essential or unavoidable even though it may take longer. I suppose it depends whether speed or pleasure is your driving priority.

sonnenschein3000 said:

Go onto any motorway or major A-road now, and the right-most lane will be clogged up because someone 15 cars ahead is doing dead-on 70mph, which then has a knock-on effect on the slower lanes going about the same or slower.

You can't blame a driver doing dead-on 70mph where that is the speed limit. In any case I wouldn't consider driving on a motorway or major A-road for enjoyment.

sonnenschein3000 said:

The country roads are also noticeably busier now, and it is very easy to get stuck behind someone doing 10mph under the speed limit. It could be a mile before I can safely overtake them, only to get stuck behind another similar idiot up ahead.

Slow traffic on country roads need be no more of a problem than any other road. I've recently driven the length and breadth of the UK; Land's End to John O'Groats and St David's Head to Ness Point, in daylight hours, by B roads and been in traffic for less than 5% of the time; that was mostly when I had to visit towns to fill up. You can avoid traffic almost completely if you plan your route well.

sonnenschein3000 said:

As people have already mentioned, there is also the issue of the dashcam vigilantes who will make sure they report you for the smallest of infringements. I'm not saying every dashcam owner is like that, but I don't know who is, and that always stays in the back of my mind.

I've never given dash cams a second thought, I never check other vehicles for them - does anyone?

sonnenschein3000 said:

If there was a direct train (or even bus service) that had a stop near my house and dropped me off near my work, I most probably wouldn't bother with a car anymore.

I imagine that few people who use it have door-to-door public transport. Before lock down my O/H's commute was a 15 minute walk followed by a 17 minute train ride followed by a 30 minute walk.

[1602Mark]

I'm lucky I live in Cornwall and the A30 is easily avoided once you know the back routes. It's just a shame that the nearest circuit is Castle Combe and nigh on 2 hours or more away. That said, I still used to drive my old track M3 to Silverstone, Brands Hatch etc.

It might be my age but I like old, lightweight cars where I have to make up for the shortfalls. Carrying momentum through corners, as opposed to relying on big power to drive out of them etc. Even my old £400 Matiz was a fun drive and reminded me of a classic Mini 850!

The manufacturers seem to think there's something in the old cars are fun theory too. Peugeot are bringing back 205GTi's and companies like Retro Power appear to have full order books.

[e46m3c]

Turning Japanese said:

Ive just got back from a 1 hour cross country spirited drive in my GT86. I had no destination in mind, just exploring the buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire countryside around where I live. I used to love drives like this on a Sunday but Im finding more often than not Im getting home afterwards feeling frustrated and wondering wether I really want or need to own a performance car any more.
My main frustration is that the roads around here are in such bad condition it makes driving slightly quickly both difficult and dangerous. Add to that the number of cyclists riding in huge packs and the amount of slow sunday drivers clogging up the back roads means its really hard to get a good uninterrupted flow going.

Im now seriously considering selling my car and buying something 'normal' and then maybe a motorbike for a bit of fun.

Anyone else finding themselves feeling the same?

Trackdays.

[sonnenschein3000]

Riley Blue said:

You can't blame a driver doing dead-on 70mph where that is the speed limit. In any case I wouldn't consider driving on a motorway or major A-road for enjoyment.

My point was that if there's a car in the right-most lane doing 70 or so, then they're not really overtaking anyone they're just sitting in the overtake lane, whereas there's a queue of cars behind that person to overtake all the traffic on the lane just left to them, of whom are now doing a lot less than 70 so that they don't undertake the original car blocking up the overtake lane.
In other words, my criticism is about sitting in the overtake lanes, I'm not criticising someone for doing the speed limit.

[maz8062]

I live in West Essex and have some good roads within a couple of miles of my house. The issue is less a case of crowded roads, but more about the policing of said roads and the ridiculous speeds of modern cars. My car is barely breaking a sweat at the national speed limit, so I’m always conscious of getting caught speeding and therefore choose not to bother with the game of roulette.

My days of fast road driving is perhaps behind me now, but try convincing my ego to get rid of my 330 bhp sports car. No chance!

[Aidancky]

J4CKO said:

I'm a cyclist and sometimes the big packs piss me off, but having a strop because you cant go as fast as you like in your car because someone else dare to use the road just seems a bit petulant, "But they dont pay Road Tax !"

I'm also a cyclist but off-road mostly.

Its not them being on the road that bothers me, it's doing it in a way that prohibits people from overtaking them. Riding bikes at 5mph up an incline of a 60 mph road in a pack of 30 bikes spread out... is just selfish.

[monkfish1]

waremark said:

monkfish1 said:

Did the A68 from the A1 to edinburgh a few weeks ago. Fantastic. Followed by a detour over the cairngorms. Even more fantastic.

Good roads do exist, but hard to enjoy in the south east.

Agree with the spirit of all that, but I wouldn't normally expect to choose a low number A road for a fun drive - much more fun to be had on lightly trafficked and policed unclassified roads.

Nor would i, but i was doing milton keynes to JohnO'Groats in a day, so this was light years better than M6 +M74. And the detour over caringorms better than endless miles of average speed camera on the A9.

That said, on the A68, once north of corbridge, it was basically empty until we got near edinburgh. Sure, there are better roads, but its still fantastic compared to what i normally have to endure!

All in the stag too, so it had to work hard, quite hard in fact.

[monkfish1]

1602Mark said:

Are modern cars guilty of taking the fun factor out of driving?

Yes. That why i sold my fastest most competent car. You cant really enjoy it without engaging in stupidity.