The most important part of a (public road)driving experience

[Benbay001]

Having gone from a V8 with a noisy exhaust, to a 4 cylinder and then going for a number of trips in a mates Rover v8 TVR, it made me appreciate that above all else; to me the most important part of a road car driving experience is the noise it makes.

What about you?

(Tried to add an option for everything, but i know i wont have managed it)

[goneape]

No. Other. Traffic.

[jamieduff1981]

It's how the whole car, road and weather make me feel. It matters not so much exactly what I'm driving nor exactly where or when. It's similar to really enjoying anything else. A cigar and a bottle of Red Stripe are a bit naff in a gale outside a pub in the rain, but are great when sat overlooking the Caribbean. It just all depends really.

[Benbay001]

jamieduff1981 said:

It's how the whole car, road and weather make me feel. It matters not so much exactly what I'm driving nor exactly where or when. It's similar to really enjoying anything else. A cigar and a bottle of Red Stripe are a bit naff in a gale outside a pub in the rain, but are great when sat overlooking the Caribbean. It just all depends really.

But there has to be something about a bottle of Red Stripe that you prefer to a glass of salt water.

[jamieduff1981]

Benbay001 said:

jamieduff1981 said:

It's how the whole car, road and weather make me feel. It matters not so much exactly what I'm driving nor exactly where or when. It's similar to really enjoying anything else. A cigar and a bottle of Red Stripe are a bit naff in a gale outside a pub in the rain, but are great when sat overlooking the Caribbean. It just all depends really.

But there has to be something about a bottle of Red Stripe that you prefer to a glass of salt water.

Quite

I just think I'd struggle to nail down the key elements of a great road drive to even a couple of choices. They're all important, but so is the environment and even my own mood

[lamboman100]

The view. The music. The weather. The traffic. The passenger. The engine noise.

Doing medium speed in a howler on halfempty roads in the sun or snow through the Highlands or the Alps or the Himalayas with tunes banging out with someone you like is about as good as it gets.

[NoNeed]

The most important part isn't there and that is the sense of freedom. You can go anywhere anytime you choose, it Is up to you. No more waiting for lifts, no more checking public transport timetables you just go on the spur of the moment.

[226bhp]

A smooth road.
Being able to drive down a road that isn't absolutely fked would be bonus in this country. I know the potholed road debate is old and boring, but I had a thought the other day - apart from the motorways I don't actually know a road near me which I don't bang & crash over and bugger my car up on every day.

[Baryonyx]

The road and the traffic. Quiet country roads in the Northern borders and the south of Scotland. The weather doesn't matter much, even the car is secondary to the road and the drive. Imagine owning a TVR Chimaera or a Lancer Evolution 6 and doing most of your driving in London!

[divetheworld]

Sense of occasion.

[Mastodon2]

Hard to pick from the list above. In a car, comfort is my main priority. Being warm, or cool if need be, a nice seat and radio 4 are top priorities, to the point where road and traffic conditions are irrelevant as long as I complete my journey feeling fresh and relaxed. My 1.8 Zetec Focus sounds bland and isn't fast, so I don't drive it for the sake of fun. It's the most comfy car I've owned by a long shot though, so it meets my requirements perfectly. When I had my Civic Type R, the noise was a huge part of the fun for me, as it sounded immense, whether with a loud exhaust, or the quieter, yet still fruity exhaust and a hard pipe induction kit. Hearing that brilliant soundtrack used to spur me on to rev it through the gears for the sake of the noise.

On the bike, I'm riding purely for enjoyment, so its a combination of quiet or empty roads - though a bike makes short and easy work of overtaking just about anything, the noise of the bike, the ludicrous acceleration, the feel of the suspension loading and unloading through a corner etc. You come to a corner in the right gear, position yourself and tip in, the bike is leaning and you're looking through the bend, you hit the apex perfectly, rolling on more throttle and standing the bike up, shooting gears at it as you bolt out of the corner exit and tear down the straight for the next corner, there really isn't a better feeling in motoring.

[kambites]

Either control feedback or damping precision, for me; although I'd always take a rubbish car on a good road over a good car on a rubbish road.

[CrutyRammers]

Mostly about the road. I'll enjoy driving pretty much anything on the right road. Second to that would be the ergonomics of the car; has it got a good gearchange, can I heel and toe, is there decent feel through the wheel, is the driving position good? Added things like power, sound and looks are just icing on the cake really.

[Riley Blue]

Where's the 'none of the above' option. It would easily win the poll.

[FiF]

None of the above is a good shout frankly.

Also second the observation that I am sick of driving on roads that resemble tank training grounds with obstacles at every turn due to either lack of maintenance or deliberately introduced in name of control freakery. Hence Sheffield is my nemesis. Hate hate hate.

Sorry OP not voted.

[McWigglebum4th]

What public road?

The road into applecross or the M25 parking lot

[Chicane-UK]

So many variables sometimes. At various points I've found the car, the engine noise, the music, the weather, the company, the scenery, the destination have all played important parts in how you feel on a drive.

Some of my fondest memories are driving through some quiet, picturesque countryside in Germany having just spent a few days with friends at the Nurburgring - we all had walkie talkies (so there was a bit of banter), the sun was shining, the cars were all unscathed from their trips round the ring - honestly it felt fantastic.

[Tickle]

The road and its location must be top of the list for many, certainly is for me:

A well sighted, flowing, empty road with beautiful scenery that is smooth; completely makes the driving experience.

The above mixed with an involving car, that doesn't have to be fast is my idea of a good if not perfect driving experience.

I know the road described sounds like a bit of a myth these days but they exist, you just have to go out and find them.

Edited by Tickle on Sunday 23 March 11:09

[Benbay001]

Basically, I messed up.
It should have been "Whats the most important part of the car for the driving experience?"
Or similar.

[EricE]

Very interesting results so far.
I reckon a 2CV going 60 mph would beat a 991 Turbo S in the "sense of speed" department any day of the week.