The older I get , the more I despise driving

[johnnyb47]

Years ago when I first past my driving test ,.I actually used to enjoy driving and heading off somewhere for a day out. Everything back then seemed so much easier. Parking , the lack of heavy traffic, tailgating and aggressive driving all seemed to be rare occurrences. Nowadays though driving the car is more like a chore as apposed to enjoyment. Even the simplest things like buying petrol are a pain in the back side ,with waiting in a long queues that often extends into the main road. , Gone are the days where the garage attendant would come out and fill your car up and have a chat with you for 5 minutes. Its now a case wait your turn ,.fill.up and pay your money in some sterile ,high turn over multi national garage. The traffic on our roads is now at virtually saturation point ,where you need eyes like an iguana ,pointing in every direction for hazards and danger. This combined with parking problems, the cost of insurance and cars, that are now virtually electronic boxes on four wheels that make them nay on impossible for the diy mechanics to get his hands dirty in a sunday morning.
No wonder people are turning to cycling in great numbers. There simple to work on in the comfort of your back garden, they cost next to nothing to maintain and no constant money out goings on fuel and insurance/tax and most importantly no parking problems. The benefits of cyling just go on and on. My work is around 16 miles away from home ,and if it wasn't for the dangerous A road ,I would cycle there most days but I would fear to much for my own safety using it on a regular basis. Traffic congestion is not going to go away for many years to come and it makes me wonder if this big resurgence in cycling will no doubt keep on growing at its incredible rate.uhh

 

[simon.r]

I feel exactly the same.

20 years ago if I had to drive a couple of hundred miles in a day I'd actually look forward to it. Nowadays I dread it. I have to drive for work (about 15,000 miles a year), but my private mileage is about 1,000 miles a year, if that.

I'm hoping to retire in a year or so and I'm looking forward to handing my company car back.

 

[JtB]

I work from home now, so my car often ends up in the garage all week.

 

[simon.r]

I work from home now, so my car often ends up in the garage all week.

Same here, based at home, but have to visit sites once or twice a week on average. The problem is that the sites I visit are rarely less than 100+ miles round trip.

 

[johnnyb47]

I find it a case of, I drive because I have to nowadays and not because I want to.

 

[arch684]

I worked for british car auctions for a couple of years,collecting and delivering cars all over Scotland and the north of England.I got to despise cars and driving

 

[Drago]

I now gain no pleasure from driving, for all the reasons Johnny mentions. However, I do try and remember that my mere presence on the road makes me part of the problem, so I do my bit by venturing forth in a car as little as I can.

 

[Tin Pot]

I like driving, but I do it by choice. I've been driving for about ten years, driving in Europe is much better than southern England.

Part of our route through France and Spain in the family mobile

Car ferry near Bordeaux

Champagne

Exmoor

 

[snorri]

it makes me wonder if this big resurgence in cycling will no doubt keep on growing at its incredible rate.

There is little, if any, evidence of any resurgence around here.
I'm not sure that I can wait for congestion and queues at petrol stations to build up before any growth in cycling begins to appear.

 

[NorthernDave]

I find it a case of, I drive because I have to nowadays and not because I want to.

^^^ This

I now only drive when I have to - most weekends the car is parked up on a Friday night and won't move again until Monday morning. The supermarket shop is delivered and any thing we need in between is bought from shops within walking distance of either work or home.

 

[Globalti]

In the old days I used to leave work on Friday and jump on the motorway to go away for a weekend climbing or walking or cycling. Before we met Mrs Gti used to drive up to Stornoway to dive. You'd be mad to attempt anything like that now, next weekend we are going to Salisbury for a family wedding so we are flying to Southampton and hiring a car.

 

[screenman]

I dislike driving, but I like arriving.

 

[Biff600]

I really enjoy driving, I do quite a number of business miles a year, so I have a car that is comfortable to be in.

 

[Globalti]

I also enjoy driving, it's just that most driving is a ballache nowadays; you seldom get a chance to enjoy the open road.

 

[Drago]

I may enjoy driving a smidge more from the captains chair of my camper van.