I don't mind getting stuck behind interesting slow movers, it's convoys of boring caravans that get my goat. As do cyclists 'commanding the road': Lycra-clad bottoms waving in my face, yuk!

Must be getting old, I vaguely remember a time when Lycra was interesting...

Dave

still enjoying driving. road of chose a motorway with little traffic. car of chose my 70' s American pick up. as for smart motorways how can an inanimate object be smart although probley smarter than the people that dreamed up the idea

You've just got our house on the South East corner of that map; drop in for refreshments if you're ever in need.
.
Yes I do enjoy driving, sometimes, it depends on the reason.
Motorbike(s) certainly, as since they are no longer my only means of transport, I only set out in good weather.

The Marlin always brings a smile, barring an occasion visiting my Dad one Feb.
Very cold, but sunny, so set off from Sheffield, with the hood down and a warm jumper.
I then hit a bank of freezing fog at the foot of the Winnats pass, first the outside of the windscreen froze, then the inside; heater of course was no good with the roof down and the washer froze.
No problem, it's not far to the summit, peer over the top of the windscreen; first the outside of my glasses froze- etc.

Bill

I still enjoy driving but my annual mileage is only a fraction of what it used to be, I changed to an automatic a number of years ago and that brought a new vision of stress reduction in driving. Unfortunately roads maintenance here in East Sussex is very hit and miss, the roads resemble medieval cart tracks and we are a county with no motorways and very little dual carriageways. I enjoy driving on proper motorways, especially the toll road in the Midlands, but Smart Motorways scare me, they are positively dangerous with no hard shoulders, the toll of those killed in breakdowns on them is steadily rising, when will common sense prevail. Dave W

Just bought myself a Lotus Exige Sport 420 Final Edition, so yes, very much still enjoy driving!

My drive this morning (back with drills from Lidl) made me realise that some people need a little education about driving on the narrow roads shown in an earlier picture. Don't bunch up behind other cars. Leave 200-300 yards so that if there is traffic in the opposite direction you can all find passing places. Field gate an other passing places are usually only one car space,

Under statement of the year

I spent 45 yrs years driving sometimes 1000 plus miles a week as a service engineer repairing Commercial Laundry & Dry Cleaners . Now prefer to drive only to where I want to go. Many pass me and I then finish up behind them at the next set of traffic lights. I am left puzzled at the rush ???

Regards Bee >M

It's because you've grown up and they haven't!

Watch out for cars bigger than 1300cc, boy racers, men having a mid-life crisis, go-faster paint jobs, fat tyres, wide bore exhausts, personalised number plates, tinted windows, stickers of any kind, big loudspeakers, and chaps who wear a hat behind the wheel! Or fighter pilot sunglasses...

Dave

Mr Duffer,

that just about sums up all the pick up drivers here in Crete......

plus, often with a fag, a coffee and a phone on the go......

I dont drive much anymore.....which is nice....

Can't wait untill my Indians are finished....I'll never be at home....hahaha...

I always find it slightly amusing listening to people moan about driving standards, as I do frequently to be fair, driving standards generally are abysmal in my opinion but the thing that amuses me is that everybody agrees, has anyone ever come across someone that has said yes I'm one of those, my driving is terrible.

Bill D.

For me it all depends where I am, why, and how much time I have. I can remember very unhappy journeys when much younger, driving to see an ill-natured and demanding software customer (my job was implementing sales/inventory/purchasing/manufacturing systems), but also perfectly relaxed trips where I drove a 400+ mile roundtrip and delivered 6 hours training or data-conversion work in one day.

It's true the roads are busier now and very many businesses are operating on tighter just-in-time schedules than they used to, but there are still times for an easy cruise down the motorways.

Being older, I find the country roads harder work now...

It’s confession time, Bill

Despite having my RoSPA Advanced Driver Certificate, I remember the embarrassment when …

“Making good progress” along the A449 in Staffordshire, I cursed the idiot coming the other way, who was overtaking on a blind bend with double white lines.

No harm done; but the embarrassment came when I looked at my Speedometer.

MichaelG.

Great thread.

I too remember when the speed limit was advisory and generally to be exceeded by 10mph on a matter of principle, even in a 1300, whilst others often stayed at 10mph or more under. This offered plenty of interesting situations and much to discuss.

Nowadays every car can easily exceed the limit and most people regard it as necessary to go at that limit irrespective of weather and light. Towns are regarded as special rally stages and woe betide anyone who can't see the arrows on the road under the cars in front. SATNAV is mandatory for preservation, not just for navigation.

So a lot of motoring is a pain, and in no way enjoyable other than arriving unscathed. Most journeys are discussed in terms of the delay.

However I still enjoy it when I can, like every commute which is along pretty country lanes, touring beautiful mountains and foolishly when I leave people at lights or between roundabouts. I like to feel the car balance around corners and the steering adjust as the turbo boost increases. Its always an extension of my body and as an unfit and decrepit ageing man I appreciate that even more than I did as a hooligan.

Usually between 23:00 and 04:00 on the way back from Scotland down the A1

Martin P

Have always hated driving - always loved my big bikes until a few years ago

Many years back I had a left hand drive Triumph TR7. On odd occasions when it wasn't in the garage being fixed it was real fun to drive (compared to run of the mill cars of that era). Overtaking was a hoot - funnily enough always seemed to end up with a passenger looking ashen-faced for some odd reason.

All the best for the new year. Mike

I still enjoy driving most times but would enjoy it a lot more if the roads were in better condition. In Scotland it seems like they get worse every day. I bought mysef a Hyundai ioniq at the start of this year and the peace and quiet when its running on battery on a scarce section of good road is great.

Good for you....enjoy it!

I still love driving but I do get frustrated driving in England as opposed to driving on the continent, which I've done a lot of pre-Covid. Too crowded here, and a generally poor infrastructure doesn't help!

My biggest gripe with driving in the UK is the ever expanding guessing game we have to play these days.Until thought transference is available to all, I wish use of direction indicators would become common practice. It would appear that vehicles have those little plastic amber things on each corner, maybe you have to pay extra for a switch??

I don't particularly enjoy my 100 miles a day commute 4 days a week (mainly on motorways) in the car, but do still enjoy "going places" on more minor roads by car, motorhome & (particularly) motorcycle.

With very few exceptions I have travelled independantly for holidays, going abroad for the first time in 1982 & I still look forward to doing so (when allowed, that is ! ). I have missed taking the bike around the Alps / Dolomites passes for the past two years - hopefully next year will see me return there. Advancing age & infirmity mean the long distance motorcycle tours have been replaced by towing the bikes behind a motorhome to the "interesting" bits - still fun, but in a different way.

When doing so ceases to be fun, I'll stop - but I don't expect that to happen any time soon. Conditions have changed considerably since I started on the roads in 1976 & rarely for the better, but I still have the feeling of freedom I first had on a single speed Honda 50 at 16 - no more being tied to other people's timetables.

Nigel B.