How Do You Feel About Driving?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by scotpens, Sep 10, 2013.

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How Do You Feel About Driving?

  1. I enjoy driving. For me, driving is a pleasurable activity in its own right.

    33 vote(s)
    56.9%
  2. I don't mind driving, but I'd just as soon let someone else drive or use public transportation.

    13 vote(s)
    22.4%
  3. I generally dislike driving and do so only when no practical alternative transporation is available.

    5 vote(s)
    8.6%
  4. I don't drive at all, don't need to, and don't want to.

    7 vote(s)
    12.1%
  1. Tora Ziyal

    Tora Ziyal Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2010
    For environmental reasons, I wish I had access to better public transportation and/or lived within walking distance of more places (one of the things I love about Manhattan is being able to walk almost everywhere). But I've always enjoyed driving.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2013
  2. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2001
    Location:
    Trekker4747
    I assume they just buy as much as they can carry meaning they have to go to the grocery store several times in the week. Buy what you need for the next day or two then go back.

    Heh. That's actually a good question, one that's never occurred to me even after I see people buying cart loads of groceries every day, loading up the car trunk with them. I guess it's just something you really can't do at all if you don't have a car.
     
  3. Pondwater

    Pondwater Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Location:
    The Backwoods
    I don't mind driving. Although, if its a big busy area I'd like someone else to do the driving.
     
  4. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2003
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    I like to drive, but it depends on the mood. I realized I had to learn to drive because I was getting so frustrated with the bus system we had. I don't mind the train or BART, but taking the bus is awful.
     
  5. Davros

    Davros Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Kaled bunker, Skaro
    I like driving more when there are less other drivers on the road.
     
  6. tomalak301

    tomalak301 Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2003
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Driving at 5:30 in the morning does have it's advantages.
     
  7. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Location:
    City of the Fallen Angels
    Tell me about it!

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjTZvk2j6m0[/yt]
     
  8. Melakon

    Melakon Admiral In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2012
    Location:
    Melakon's grave
    I've not had a car since 1996 and will never have one again due to vision problems, but I loved to drive. I grew up in a suburban/rural area (17 miles south of St. Louis off I-55), and used to drive the back roads within 30-50 miles. It was a past-time I occasionally indulged in up to end. Unfortunately, the last 4 years of driving were in Phoenix, which is like one giant suburb with no real downtown area in the classic sense. The only challenge was avoiding the other drivers.
     
  9. Miss Chicken

    Miss Chicken Little three legged cat with attitude Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2001
    Location:
    Howrah, Hobart, Tasmania
    Most of the time I order them online and have the groceries delivered.

    If I have actually physically been to my larger supermarket (4 kilometres away) and have a large amount I catch a taxi, if it is only a small shop amount of shopping I catch a bus.

    If I go to the smaller, nearer shopping centre (1.25 kilometres away) I walk home with them or else I send my son/s down to buy things.
     
  10. Captain Ice

    Captain Ice Cookie Constructor Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2002
    Location:
    Getting Captain Ice on to the naughty list
    I generally enjoy driving, which is good as it accounts for about 40% of my job (I drive a bus for a good portion of my job).
     
  11. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 10, 2005
    Location:
    Confederation of Earth
    I drive only because I have to - my city has a barely functional bus service, but that's it. If I lived in a city with a full assortment of public transit (such as NYC, Boston or Chicago), I would gladly sell my car.
     
  12. Gepard

    Gepard Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2007
    I strongly dislike-bordering-on-hate driving. It's tedious and stressful. Getting behind the wheel is a means of going from point A to point B as far as I'm concerned, and there's other ways to accomplish that.

    I abandoned owning or operating a car years ago, and though there's times I miss the flexibility it offered (especially given how lousy the LA public transit system is), it's felt like basically the right decision. The day we see mass availability for self-driving cars, though....oh baby.
     
  13. Leviathan

    Leviathan Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2004
    Automated cars are the tool of Beelzebub.

    Seriously. I was at the meeting where he presented it. Little bastard thought it was the ultimate tool to destroy those proud few who can enjoy driving.

    Automated driving is masturbating with mittens on.
     
  14. Rarewolf

    Rarewolf Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2002
    Location:
    Devon, England
    I'd never trust my eyesight (I see double when I have to refocus) but to be honest I've always used that as excuse. I think partly because my Mum never drove either, I've just got used to not having to depend on a car. My sister learnt as soon as she was old enough though.

    Oddly I keep dreaming my mum can drive now :D

    I've never wanted the responsibilty - it wouldn't be just my life I could ruin - but that's the story of my life.

    On my own its cheaper to get the train anyway. Only a few times a year are there occasions where I call on a lift if availible. I think I've resorted to a Taxi three times in my life.
     
  15. scotpens

    scotpens Professional Geek Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2009
    Location:
    City of the Fallen Angels
    Hear, hear! :techman:

    Even driving with an automatic transmission isn't really driving. It's just aiming the car.
     
  16. Kelthaz

    Kelthaz Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2005
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    I have two major grocery stores within 1km and 2km from my apartment, so after getting off the subway from work I stop in and buy a few things. I go grocery shopping 2-3 times a week.
     
  17. Relayer1

    Relayer1 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2011
    Location:
    The Black Country, England
    I have one supermarket and local shops within 5 minutes walk and two more supermarkets within easy bus reach. I have a large backpack and shop once or twice a week. Occasionally I'll do a really big shop and get a cab.

    Your lifestyle develops according to your facilities - I never got a job, childcare or anything else that I needed to drive to get to. My life is perfectly OK without a car.

    And hugely cheaper.
     
  18. MacLeod

    MacLeod Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2001
    Location:
    Great Britain
    Fortunatly only about 1 in 10 cars sold in the UK are automatics. Not overly kean on driving them. I prefer manual transmission.

    So why do people think automatics are prefered in the US whilst manual ais preferred elsewhere?
     
  19. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2007
    Location:
    inside teacake
    Definitely hugely cheaper. I never wanted to become dependent on a car when I was very low income either. You're just fucked if you need a car to get to work, buy food, take kids to activities or childcare or attend appointments.. your whole LIFE. And because you are poor your car is a piece of crap and it breaks down and costs you hundreds of dollars or a new car to get your whole life back. It's a vicious circle. I remember my friend who was in the same financial situation as me crying on the phone because her car was stuffed, she had to borrow money to fix it, she didn't know how she was going to continue her life while waiting for it to be fixed.. and I was like, you live right next to the train. Your kids school is right next to the train. Your course is right next to the train. The supermarket is right next to the train.. but this was like some psychological impossibility to her.

    At this point in my life I could afford a car and it wouldn't be a drama. But I don't want one and I am VERY happy not to have one. I used to feel guilty and ashamed that I didn't drive or have a car even though I would rarely, maybe twice a year, ever ask anyone for a lift. But people would say "oh you don't have a car? do you have a license? Oh.." and they would sound like they were gently talking about your disability in some sympathetic yet bewildered way. It's like saying you can't be bothered having electricity in your house, it makes absolutely no sense to people. But now I phrase it that I am "car free" because it is a lifestyle choice and that sums up how I feel about it.

    As to shopping, I live 5 minutes walk from a supermarket. It is a terrible supermarket but the train is right there taking me to any supermarket I want. I will sometimes get stuff delivered, sometimes order online, more frequently I just buy fresh vegies and meat as I need them on the way home. I think I save on shopping not being able to load up on extra crap every single trip.
     
  20. iguana_tonante

    iguana_tonante Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2006
    Location:
    Italy, EU
    I enjoy driving but I don't mind using mass transport. I guess you could say I swing both ways. ;)

    As for groceries, I didn't have a car when I was studying out of town, so I just stopped at the supermarket on the way home every couple of days to get what I needed. No biggies.

    On the other hand, I live on the third (and last) floor in a walk-up bulding: now that is something that makes you conscious about what you buy! :lol: