I've not missed the "joys" of motoring..

[wafter]

I come from a vaguely motoring background and to an extent like my cars and driving (subject to all the usual caveats).

Despite this today has been largely unpleasant and cars have been at the centre of it all.

First off I get into a restrained altercation with a neighbour over parking (essentially she's a snotty self-entitled muppet), which was handled without fireworks but left a bad taste in my mouth.

An hour later off I go to a mate's to fit new front discs and pads to my latest shed. Having already stripped the brakes numerous times this went largely OK but wasn't without issues. I found the back brakes to still be somewhat sketchy and on the way home the battery light came on, so that's likely a prelude to another £100+ on a new battery or alternator

Further I got cut up while making my way through the now-nearly-back-to-normal traffic by some complete idiot whose impatience was clearly more important than everyone else's safety or welfare. A few miles on I waited at a set of lights while they changed to green and the utter, utter imbecile at the front of the queue decided to save the world by waiting for a cyclist to cross. Except the cyclist understandably didn't want to cross on account of the moving traffic in the lane next to us. So we all sat there like idiots (the cyclist understandably growing more embarrassed, everyone else growing ever-more enraged) until the lights changed to amber, the moron at the front dashing through and leaving everyone else behind them waiting on red once more

Little things to an extent but a thoroughly toxic motoring experience and one that I've become unaccustomed to in the past four months where I've covered probably 50 times the mileage on the bike as I have in the car. As much as I love cars and driving today was a horrible reminder of how these insular little world-destroying metal boxes really echo everything that's wrong with our society and bring out the worst in people.

I'm off for a ride to get it out of my system...

 

[Slick]

I haven't enjoyed driving for a number of years now but for some reason do appreciate a nice car. As well as the reasons you describe, I find it just bores me to tears and would rather do anything else than drive a car.

As an aside, traffic still nowhere near normal levels yet round here.

 

[fossyant]

I'm with you there. Whilst I wouldn't mind the odd half day in work, I'd travel early, as I hate traffic.

 

[Gunk]

I used to be car mad, 25 years ago I bought my first 911 and owned two over a 10 year period, I’m pretty ambivalent towards motor cars these days, I still own a motorcycle, but cars leave me fairly cold, they just seem so boring these days.

 

[dodgy]

I haven't driven a car since February the 13th (I think that was the date), I actually like cars but life is different now. I got into habits that precluded the need of a car, we have one for my wife who is not able to cycle or walk far. I don't even miss it now, but still have a hankering for a new one come retirement.

 

[vickster]

I don’t mind driving on clear roads and I do enjoy my 8’year old perky but practical green Skoda.

However, I
absolutely hate sitting in traffic to the extent that there are plenty of good very well paid jobs I wouldn’t consider as I’d probably have to spend 4 or more hours a day commuting to the Thames Valley...or pay to stay in a hotel several nights a week.

I guess with the new normal of more home based working, those jobs may now be a consideration

 

[welsh dragon]

I quite like driving, then again I live in a very rural part of Powys. Not too much traffic apart from tourists, good roads, very few people are in a hurry to get anywhere, very few speed around or get get angry. For the most part drivers are considerate to each other.

I would hate to have to drive In a city though.

 

[gbb]

I used to be car mad, 25 years ago I bought my first 911 and owned two over a 10 year period, I’m pretty ambivalent towards motor cars these days, I still own a motorcycle, but cars leave me fairly cold, they just seem so boring these days.

I was never a car 'nut' but enjoyed (to my shame now) driving like the Stig when I was young, tearing around, modifying cars, etc etc etc. I got away with it (and luckily so did everyone around me) and sensibleness set in as I got married, mundane might be the word for my car choices nowadays...and your words chime with me...cars are relatively boring now. I mulled buying a newish car late last year, had a look around....couldn't find anything I could...or wanted to realistically afford...that excited me. Not a single car.

The last cars I got excited about was a Mini Cooper with a supercharger I think a friend was selling, I thought that'd be something exciting, then realised I'd just start driving like a tw&t again
That and a Alfa JTD saloon (159 I think) I just fell in love with visually...luckily, common sense did kick In.

 

[Saluki]

I drive once a week, to the office and back for an hour. I do a big shop, if necessary, on the way home. My car has been waiting for a part for a few days, I haven’t missed it for a moment. I haven’t driven in just over a week as there was no need to go to the office this week.

I am giving consideration to looking for a different job, at some point. So I can cycle to work. 25 miles, each way, even with panniers carrying my laptop and stuff, is not happening on those mad fen roads.

 

[cougie uk]

Not driven much at all in lockdown.
Traffic has definitely increased over the years though so it's going to be more congested than we remember.
Next car will be electric. All this clutch and gears and petrol stations seems very outdated now.

 

[screenman]

No real interest in cars, I find driving boring but I love fixing dents in them. I have been self employed in the trade for about 45 years now and it has become a paying part time hobby for me.

 

[keithmac]

I don't enjoy driving anymore, it's a means to an end.

Try and avoid going out of my way most of the time and much prefer plodding around on the bike.

 

[Drago]

It's been 2 decades since I regarded motoring as remotely enjoyable, and prior to that I was a long, long way from being a petrol head. When I tell folk that the car is an appliance, a tool with a job to do, and holds about as much interest for me as the toaster, they invariably reach for the phone to call the men in white coats - how dare I not participate in the big game of spending money I haven't got to buy cars that I can't afford to impress people I don't like.

The mechanical side holds great fascination for me, but then so do Zeppelins and traction engines. That's all down to being the son of an engineer who decided that from an early age I was going to follow in his footsteps. But as for getting the greatest pleasure, enjoyment, or social standing from owning a car...nah.

 

[Gunk]

Although I’m not quite so in to cars they way I used to be, I’m just speccing a new Mini Cooper JCW which is quite exciting, even at the age of 55 I do still love a hot hatchback.

 

[vickster]

Although I’m not quite so in to cars they way I used to be, I’m just speccing a new Mini Cooper JCW which is quite exciting, even at the age of 55 I do still love a hot hatchback.

I had one of those back in the day, the performance was always erm disappointing and it had those dreadful run flat tyres. Then I fubared my left knee and went to a mk 5 DSG Golf GTI...which got stolen off my drive in the night...wtf!!

I’ve had Fiona the green meanie since and see absolutely no reason to change. Not even done 30k miles yet. Ok the tax is £150 a year or so, but my insurance is now down to about £300. Clearly any new car would cost far more in purchase and depreciation and potentially insurance.