Do you like driving?

pastryboy

Several years of cycling under my belt before I started driving (in London).

I hate it, it feels so disconnected being in a metal box when you're used to the wind on your face, feeling every bump and hearing every little sound . Worried I'll clip on an oncoming car with my wing mirror. Worried where I'll go when I see a car coming towards me on a narrow road lined with cars each side. Worried about complicated roundabouts if I get stuck in a wrong lane. Worried so many drivers aren't looking where they're going (I generally only drive for my kids to get to places so never just me in the car) and don't indicate. In a car I feel so much more at risk than on my bike where I can control 99.9% of things.

Assuming you're in a busy area, can anyone used to cycling actually like driving?

rower63

I love both

bendertherobot

I have an Alfa. So, yes.

voodooman

I love both too. I actually like the trip I make a few times a month which is just long enough for the Kermode and Mayo film podcast. It's perfect.

Love my commute on the bike 3 days a week too. Especially if I've had to do a load of control and restraint. Need something to get the aggro out.

Initialised

Yes, I like both. But both are better when the road is relatively empty.

iPete

Yes, have a lovely noisy little French hot hatch, no doubt confuses cyclists when I pass super considerately on the other side of the road

Driving it in London on the other hand, no! that is horrid, drove into Shoreditch late at night last month, hated it, surprised me people do it daily!

Initialised

I like hot hatches, used to have an Almera GTI, parcel shelf speakers, roll bars, nice alloys etc...

Now I have a slightly more sensible Octavia VRS, I had it tuned up to 260BHP and a dump valve fitted but it's back to normal now. Though I was eying up some 19" alloys for it the other day.

I find hot hatch and modded car drivers give you space if you appreciate their cars. Besides, half of them don't want to damage their precious toys and the other half aren't insured for all their modifications. A lot of their drivers use sites like this but about cars that tend to espouse high driving standards. So despite their reputation they can be some of the most considerate drivers out there.

Just give them plenty of space on B roads, after all they are the only roads that are still fun.

greg66_tri_v2.0

pastryboy wrote:

Several years of cycling under my belt before I started driving (in London).

I hate it, it feels so disconnected being in a metal box when you're used to the wind on your face, feeling every bump and hearing every little sound . Worried I'll clip on an oncoming car with my wing mirror. Worried where I'll go when I see a car coming towards me on a narrow road lined with cars each side. Worried about complicated roundabouts if I get stuck in a wrong lane. Worried so many drivers aren't looking where they're going (I generally only drive for my kids to get to places so never just me in the car) and don't indicate. In a car I feel so much more at risk than on my bike where I can control 99.9% of things.

Assuming you're in a busy area, can anyone used to cycling actually like driving?

Sounds like you're not a very good driver.

I hate doing things I'm not good at too. Driving's not one of them though.

meanredspider

Nah - hate it

Agent57

Depends. Nose to tail in rush hour traffic, or on the motorway; nah, it's mostly just transportation and can be stressful. Everyday driving on mostly flowing roads is fine.

Blatting around empty roads playing tunes on the gearbox is pretty fun.

Track circuits are the best though. Karting's great, but the most fun I've had was in an open-wheeled single seater at Oulton Park. It was a lot more fun than the M3 I also drove on the same day.

EKE_38BPM

Stop-start driving is rubbish but I love driving on the open road.
I passed my driving test nearly 23 years ago and am amazed to realise that in that time petrol has more than doubled in price but the number of vehicles has also increased massively; the government must be raking it in in taxes (presumably to offset what the big corporations don't pay).
Driving in France was brilliant.

markhewitt1978

Initialised wrote:

Yes, I like both. But both are better when the road is relatively empty.

This. Nothing better than a country road but only when you're not stuck behind anyone. Nobody enjoys city driving.

MrSweary

Living in Beckenham where every driver is a maniac I drive everywhere at 25mph tops just to annoy all the speeding numpties.

If course, driving an old Micra I don't have much choice anyway.

I hate cars.

veronese68

I used to love driving when I was younger, have worked in the motor trade all my working life. Now I hate driving in the South East and do hardly any miles. Of the 4,000 miles the car did last year 2,500 were on holiday. Driving on holiday was great. Beautiful scenery and quiet roads. But I find most cars so incredibly dull now, especially mine.
I miss my Alfa.

roger_merriman

It was independence as a lad, and some roads are fun. I love driving in snow.

I don't like motorway driving much, don't mind city driving actually but the trick is to accept you'll be there when your there. Plus at least these parts it's still faster than bus/train.

I use the car, to go MTB, though I do use the train a fair bit now.

Drew123

I avoid it whenever possible. Last year was less than 4,000 miles and I aim to reduce it every year - by increasing the bike miles
It's impossible to enjoy driving where I live - the roads are just too busy and unless fuel duty increases tenfold that ain't going to change. Plus owning a car is deeply unsatisfying... You spend a fortune buying it and within months it's covered in dinks and dings from car parks and who knows what else and then when you actually need to use it the battery is flat because it's been so long since you used it ( is 3 weeks too long? - sounds very needy to me). Then when you go to change it after a couple of years you find out its worth half what you paid for it. Finally it takes up half the garage which would be much better employed housing a bigger bike workshop / pool table / bar. What's to like?
This is Rants isn't it?

UndercoverElephant

I used to, or at least I thought I did. Now it's just transport. Mrs Elephant has a car, but for the past five or so years, I've had my bikes. I did have to buy one last year to get around while I had a broken arm, so went with an old IS200 Sport, which was OK, but it's more fun on the bike.

Owning, buying and selling cars is such a pain in the arse too, hard to get excited about it - not like buying a bike in the least!

rubertoe

I have ridden a bike a lot more in London than I have driven a car being a relativly new driver, I dont mind driving in london, but then i drive an uto so its masically like a massive go kart.

Both driving a car and riding a bike is so much better when I leave home and head north (towards the lanes of hertfordhire) than south (towards the city).

essex-commuter

Hated driving for the past 10 years but have just bought a new car that has rekindled the passion. Rode 70 miles Saturday morning but then went out for a drive (just for driving sake) in the afternoon. Loving both again.

davis

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I used to, or at least I thought I did. Now it's just transport. Mrs Elephant has a car, but for the past five or so years, I've had my bikes. I did have to buy one last year to get around while I had a broken arm, so went with an old IS200 Sport, which was OK, but it's more fun on the bike.

Owning, buying and selling cars is such a pain in the ars* too, hard to get excited about it - not like buying a bike in the least!

This. A thousand times this.

The "dream of driving" (you know, the one in the adverts that involves an open road, a sunny day and an implausibly attractive couple smiling) is great. But I don't get to do it. I sling a load of crap in the car, then partake in the brake-light parade like every single other arsehole. And it costs many lots.

menthel

Not really- the roads are just too congested and cycling is more fun!

slowbike

Sometimes I love driving - I loved my first car - a Peugeot 205 - because it was mine and meant freedom. Then I got married and we have had a number of cars - the memorable ones were a Rover with 1.9 diesel engine - great for tailgators an MX5 1.8L with towball - wow, that car shifted and was excellent fun drifting around the roundabouts (until they put non-slip on them) and 2 MGBs - slower, but good fun anyway.
Since then we've had a 4wheel drive car - great fun in the snow and very surefooted everywhere and now a campervan (panel van, not coachbuilt) and that's quite fun too - of course, the best bit about that is that I can carry the bikes to somewhere else to ride, ride then come back, have a shower, cold beer/cup of tea (or both) etc etc ... then have more fun driving home

bigmonka

Living in the countryside whether I cycle or drive its always good fun :-)
Driving in towns/cities isn't fun, but then I don't find it run cycling in that either really (although not being stuck in traffic in a car feels good!)

elbowloh

Yeah I love driving or well I used to when I had my Alfa 145 cloverleaf!

Now I have a Prius (company car), which is ok, but not fun to drive. Problem is that it's so quiet, pedestrians and cyclists don't hear it.

Captain Slackbladder

Prefer to cycle obviously but when needs must with the family etc.

First few months after our daugher was born I was very cautious when she was in the back....suppose its natural?

bigmonka

Captain Slackbladder wrote:

Prefer to cycle obviously but when needs must with the family etc.

First few months after our daugher was born I was very cautious when she was in the back....suppose its natural?

Yeah I found the same thing, in fact I noticed when I was driving with my 4year old yesterday that I still don't take gaps at junctions/roundabouts that I would when she's not in the car.

richk

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I used to, or at least I thought I did. Now it's just transport. ...

Same here though I'd not want to be without a car as it makes so many things (eg shopping, family trips, holidays) much easier.

gbsahne001

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Stop-start driving is rubbish but I love driving on the open road.
I passed my driving test nearly 23 years ago ......
Driving in France was brilliant.

Had to fill in a form relating to putting me onto the company van, within which I discovered that I've been driving for 28 years and 7 months....not something you want to see on paper Monday morning.

Agree wholeheartedly re France, spent a week in Normandy and loved it

monkimark

I used to enjoy driving when I first passed, then I got rid of the car and only occasionally drove hire cars etc for about 12 years before getting a car again this year to make life with a 1 year old slightly easier (and in preparation for moving out of London)

In the interim I got a motorbike and I've been cycling the whole time. Now I find driving pretty irritating - in London you spend half your time sitting in traffic and pretty much any journey would be quicker to cycle anyway. If the roads are open, twisty and fun in a car then they'd be better on the motorbike.

Also, I sometimes have a crying one year old in the back of the car, which is no fun at all.

EKE_38BPM

monkimark wrote:

... in London you spend half your time sitting in traffic...

It once took me 45 minutes to drive across London Bridge. It is only 269 metres long. An average speed of 0.37 mph!

Pufftmw

30+ years and I still love driving. Obviously better on an empty and open road but I'm quite happy to go anywhere, preferring to drive 1000 miles to Donegal & back on a regular basis rather than fly over*. Spent many years driving in London as a courier both cars/vans and motorbikes and detest PT with a passion - will still drive/park rather than PT if I can, that is when I'm not on my bicycle.

*It is generally more cost effective for 2+ people to drive over/back than fly but it often comes close on a solo trip