Driving....is it still fun?

[Bunkermagnet]

So yesterday I heard Mike Brewer on the radio, and he was saying how most cars are now Euro moulds, had no character and were bland to drive. He then went on to list a few older cars he said were "rewarding" and fun to drive. Perhaps it's just me, but when people talk of a "rewarding drive" they mean noisey, heavy to handle and uncomfortable to drive.
If you then look at how our roads have become infested with speed cameras, average speed zone's and ocean's of 20mph zones plus the inevitable constant traffic queues and delay's I am left feeling that driving is no fun anymore, and unless you own a county or country going any speed is just not possible or viable anymore.
So is it really worth having anything more than a Euro box, that will get you from A to B eventually and has the style of a tin of beans?
Has driving on the road been killed?
What do you think?

 

[Foxholer]

If you want 'fun' get a Motor Cycle!

Cars are for convenience!

But yes, there's still pleasure to be had driving a car! the A82 from Loch lomond to Fort William is certainly an example!

Just remember that your 'fun' could endanger the lives of others!!

 

[patricks148]

I suppose it depends where you live. There are some really nice places to drive up here.

My last Car was an Alfa GT 3 litre and that was really nice to drive. you could really push it into bends and stuck to the road like Glue.

I remember the wife and i heading out along the side of Loch Ness and up into StathGlass with Bond Theme on car Stereo one afternoon, really enjoyable.

Lovely car to drive, not very practical though

 

[Alex1975]

I specifically got my current car for fun. My two regular trips are to work and to the golf club and both are lovely sweeping country lanes with lots of ability to see far ahead.

As the OP said, the car can be a pain on the motorway or when I am in it a long time as its noisy and hard and is always on at you to rev more.

I do think about getting an automatic something or other but for now I like a manual, I like fast and most of all I like grip and handling.

 

[User62651]

If you're on holiday and you're driving somehwere new with no time pressure driving can be fun, but generally no it's not fun. I drive a Hilux with off road tyres 95% of the time, love the truck side of it for it being a beast off road and for carrying/load space but on the roads it handles a bit like a bus tbh and I drive it accordingly.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

If it is fun you want, try this...........http://www.northcoast500.com/interactive-map.aspx

I have driven nearly all of this in sections over the years

I did about 100 miles of the West Coast in September......brilliant.
Even getting there is great.

 

[Hobbit]

I love driving, even long journeys. My favourite drive this year was from the Algarve across to Murcia. 7 hours with very little traffic apart from around Seville. My 3 worst this year are more to do with the last 50 miles on the M1 when I head down to Watford. Its the volume of traffic, not the length of the journey that spoils it.

 

[patricks148]

If it is fun you want, try this...........http://www.northcoast500.com/interactive-map.aspx

I have driven nearly all of this in sections over the years

I did about 100 miles of the West Coast in September......brilliant.
Even getting there is great.

Doing it in winter would be my suggestion on this trip..... Summer, you would bestuck behind caravans and camper vans doing 20 looking at the scenery and not letting anyone past.

 

[Ross61]

My 3 worst this year are more to do with the last 50 miles on the M1 when I head down to Watford. Its the volume of traffic, not the length of the journey that spoils it.

I dislike driving but being as I live in the middle of that 50 mile slog on the M1 it's not surprising. I get on that section and either north or south it's horrible. Add in the M25 and the A1(M) and no joy can be found as even the A roads are dreadful with people avoiding the Motorway.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Well some of the replies sort of reinforce my feeling...driving in the UK is generally horrible and no fun. Sadly I'm in the South East, and traffic and congestion are an everyday happening. There aren't the open roads, sweeping or straight that don't have some sort of money grabber, and their proliferation is increasing. I'm sure given time, the sweeping roads and areas mentioned will be average speed governed just like the rest of the country it seems...or at least thats what the authorities want anyway.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I have a 35 mile commute each way on dual carriageway and motorway and it is just one long continuous line of traffic. It's no fun anymore so all I want from a car now is comfort, safety, good economy and a decent stereo.

I really used to enjoy a blast along country lanes but those days are gone...........

 

[Alex1975]

I think its quite frowned upon these days too to be having fun.

 

[BubbaP]

When I passed my test I lived in a place where they had just put in the roads infrastructure to cater for the next 15 years anticipated aggressive growth - it was great. When I left (prob about 15 years later) it was like any other city, queues.

I recall watching those USA movies years ago where the speeding cars dodge in and out 4 or 5 lanes of traffic all going the same (slow) speed and thought it was weird, now it is reality

 

[Tashyboy]

When i was driving in portugal it was a real pleasure as has been driving in france and parts of Italy. But i have all the time in the world. Whilst in portugal i saw a capri and beetle for sale and asked missis T what is todays classic cars, there just isnt any They all look boring. Unless you are spending serious cash.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Driving is just a form of transport to me.
I've no real interest in cars/motorbikes.

 

[louise_a]

Driving is just a form of transport to me.
I've no real interest in cars/motorbikes.

This.

 

[Golfmmad]

Yes it certainly is!

I drive cars for a living - covering mostly Sussex, Surrey, Kent and parts of Hampshire. Often set the sat-nav to avoid motorways, plus if you know the route without sat-nav you tend to take all the dual carriageways and motorways. Whereas using the sat-nav on the quickest route setting will sometimes take you on roads you never even knew existed, driving down narrow country lanes and through picturesque villages, with some wonderful scenery.

So just driving to and from work can be a bore fest, and since I started driving for a living it has really opened my eyes to what I've been missing for all these years!

The moral of the story is: "Trust your sat-nav".

:thup:

 

[Blue in Munich]

If you want 'fun' get a Motor Cycle!

Is the correct answer if you live south of Watford!!

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Is the correct answer if you live south of Watford!!

Except the new breed of rear facing average speed cameras that are now spawning across long lengths of road might put a dent in your fun

 

[Jimaroid]

Driving is fun. Driving in the UK isn't fun unless you go a long way north and west.

I don't see the point of having a fun car or bike any more. Our roads are too busy and in too poor a condition. I got rid of the nice cars and just have little runabouts now. My next car purchase is probably going to be electric. I do miss my motorbikes a lot but I'm still alive unlike a few deceased friends...