Over my time reading and writing for CC, I have found that almost without exception the readership here is civil, considerate, and well-tempered. Part of this is likely due to the fact that Paul runs a pretty tight ship, but I also suspect that this tone is the more or less natural result of a certain chronological maturity within the community and the resulting overall lack of drama that comes with being of age. I don’t get the sense that the typical CC reader is prone to acts of hot headed impulsiveness, or if so, has found a way to channel those behaviors in safe and/or other than public ways.
Reflecting upon this brings me to the subject of driving, and thoughts of how my personal behavior behind the wheel has changed over time. Now, before anyone gets started thinking that I ever was a truly flagrantly unsafe driver, I should say that I’ve never wrecked a car due to my own bad driving behavior. But, well, maybe I’ve come closer to that bad outcome than I might should have. My own particular vice was speed.
I wasn’t a speeder as a newly-licensed driver, but at some point after moving to college, starting to drive my own cars, and generally transiting the “young adult” years, I picked up a strong interest in “going fast”.
A little tiny bit of this behavior was “taken to the track”, but for the most part it was taken to the Interstate. Subsequently, my driver’s license and auto insurance rates paid the price of my growing familiarity with highway patrol officers throughout the Northeast.
I had several occasions to explore the enlightening curriculum of the National Safety Council’s drivers’ re-education course. This is something that my state requires of anyone who racks up more than three speeding tickets in a two-year span and who wants to remain a legally registered driver…a qualification that unfortunately does not include a double-digit percentage of actual drivers on the road. All I can say is that the state-mandated experience for me was summed up best by that line in Alice’s Restaurant where Arlo says that the sergeant “talked for 45 minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench”. While a few of my classmates seemed to be dedicated criminals, most were just an unlucky bunch of men and (many fewer) women who seemed chronically unlucky and (surprisingly frequently) late for work.
In addition to speeding, I’ve also been known in the past to be less than tolerant of a variety of other behaviors commonplace among my fellow drivers. This includes using the left lane for anything other than passing, tailgating, and all who feel the need to cut me off at intersections…which being as how I live in Massachusetts, that pretty much includes 90% of all drivers (including law enforcement officers, school bus drivers, and bicyclists). My lack of tolerance would usually be expressed through headlight flashing and sometimes triumphant gesturing with various fingers.
Over the course of 45 years behind the wheel, I’ve observed that my behavior was not at all out of the norm.
But here’s the thing. It’s been 10 years since I’ve received a speeding ticket or for that matter been stopped for anything at all. This is not to say that I don’t still “go fast” on the highway, but I don’t travel faster than the flow of traffic (which as I’ve written here before, is quite fast in my state). When I’m doing 80 and someone inevitably comes up on my bumper at 90 or faster, I signal right and let them by as soon as I can (and hope that there’s a trooper around the bend who will bag them…although that’s seldom ever the case). If someone jumps the green and cuts me off by turning left in front of me, oh well. My hands stay inside the car and on the wheel and I get on with the business of driving. Not quite what would have typically happened a dozen years ago.
True, the emergence of road rage as a thing over the past decades is reason enough to give any thinking person reason to reconsider actions that might result in ticking off your fellow driver. That shirtless fellow who just cut you off and to whom you decided to give a piece of your mind apparently won’t think long or hard about stopping to hurl a pickaxe through your windshield. This by the way seems to be something that has recently happened more than once, and not only in the U.S.
Physical threats from fellow drivers aside, the fact is that as time has gone by, I just don’t have it in me to get worked up about being competitive behind the wheel. I have changed.
For me, some of this might have come from raising a kid to the point where he learned to drive. There is literally no more powerful a motivator for behavioral change than knowing that your behavior is being observed – and likely judged – by your offspring. I’m not saying that works for all people and for all behaviors, but it certainly had an impact on me. Also I tend to feel, although I have little data to support this belief, that the roads in general are less safe from the perspective of drivers’ skills and behaviors. There are more people going faster, being less attentive, and generally showing less judgement, such that I finally woke to the idea that my personal best course of action was to take my driving behavior down a few notches in order to stay safe. I now compete with the crazies by being less crazy…as crazy as that might sound. I think I’m better off for that regardless of whether or not it has any impact on those around me. I am for some reason no longer in personal need of teaching my fellow drivers “a lesson”.
Just the other day, some youngish (ok, he may have been in his 30s) dude came up fast behind me in an S6, jockeying half way across the center line to show his displeasure with encountering random old me going 40 in a 40mph zone. A dozen years ago, I would have either sped up or slowed down to take on the (obvious) dirtbag. At very least I’d have flipped him the bird. But now? I maintained 40 and let him pass me without incident on the double yellow (this was a local, town, road). He blasted off down the road to his vehicular and hopefully karmic fate. No big deal to me.
So CC reader, have you made and achieved conscious change in your driving behavior with age? Do you still see the red mist or has that darkened or faded over time? How has driving maturity come knock-knock-knocking at your door?
A great question as I finish polishing my COAL for next Saturday in which I reflect upon an incident in which my level of mellow was distinctly less than what it is now.
Some of what you mention seems to be as much about being weary with one’s fellow man as it is about the greater risk taking one has in their youth. So I really look at this two ways – with, and without, the people element.
Without: Much of my driving is on two-lane roads with light to moderate traffic. Thus, I still speed. I take curves faster than most. When in my work car I am very aware of the GPS device that will bark at me for some infraction. In my personal vehicle, I drive at the speed where I feel comfortable – whatever that is. Part of my speediness is a personality thing – I want to get things done so farting around at or below the speed limit wears on me.
For perspective, I have not received a speeding ticket in over twenty years. Then again, where I frequently drive is in areas in which there is little to no law enforcement. Part of me could say that is a win-win.
With the people factor: I try to simply blend in. If traffic is going five over, I will also. If traffic is going five under, I will also. I don’t egg on the idiot drivers but I am not above tapping my brakes if they are too close to my rear.
In general, you are quite correct about the level of driving prowess having declined. A few years ago I wrote about taking my ’63 Ford to Nashville for a CC meetup. With no radio, no a/c, no power steering, no power brakes, and a manual transmission, it was an engaging driving experience. The day after I returned, I was driving the ’07 Silverado I was assigned at work. I was drowsy within fifty miles as there was so little to do. Thus, in my opinion, driving skills have declined considerably.
This theory is also reinforced by something I did this past Wednesday. Holding a meeting of the field supervisors where I work, I was able to make use of a closed track used for driving instruction. I was able to procure seasoned and skilled driving instructors and everyone had opportunity for track time. Some were nowhere near as good at collision avoidance as they thought they were and, in the survey I later sent out, a few even admitted as much. Thus the training was worthwhile.
Yet in regard to road rage, I think that is an indicator of a bigger problem with society itself, but that is another can of worms unto itself and I will leave it at that.
Overall, we do grow more cautious as we get more life experience. We realize how short life is along with we are simply more mellow and realize there is more to life than getting somewhere first. But that’s just me.
Jason, I think you’re exactly right about making the connection to the “people element”. Where this connects to the age thing for me is that as I’ve gotten older, I believe that I’ve become more aware of what might be going on with my fellow drivers as I’m less in my own head and maybe a bit more aware of others. Whether that’s empathy, wariness, or some other combination of sensibilities, I am increasingly aware that my survival (and as a byproduct, my driver license’s survival) is highly dependent upon the actions of others in combination with my own. In some way, age has opened the door to that understanding that was – for me at least – difficult to see as clearly when younger.
I’ll also add that I totally agree with your point about how older – less technologically enhanced – cars require greater attention and that this can be a good thing. When I’m out driving my 45 year old car, I don’t mind that the radio stinks and there’s no AC so I drive with the windows open, because I’m totally in tune with just operating the vehicle. This is also why I made sure my kid put in the first several thousand miles of his driving life driving THAT car. Sure, it was missing some very useful safety features, but he learned how to pay attention in a way he’d never have managed in a more modern car. That may be a controversial position…but it worked for him (and me).
What I’ve noticed most is how much more attention I have to pay while driving busy interstates now vs. when I was 30 years younger. Back when I was commuting every day on rush-hour interstates driving was almost automatic for me. I spent an hour per day doing it and it was second nature. It no longer is. Now I have to pay extra attention to merging traffic, cars changing lanes, speed differential, road hazards; things that I didn’t have to think about nearly as much when I was younger. I’m out of practice. OTOH since I now normally ride my bike for local errands I’ve found that I’ve become more adept at negotiating city streets on a bike, much of the time bypassing streets and riding in the alleys in my relatively old American city. And it’s fun: my bicycle has become my sports car.
Over my time reading and writing for CC, I have found that almost without exception the readership here is civil, considerate, and well-tempered.
When did you first arrive at CC? I suspect you missed the early years (2011-2015 or so) when things weren’t always so civil, considerate and well-tempered. A lot of my articles, especially the GM DS series, used to generate a lot of blow-back from GM loyalists, and others. They failed to understand what I was trying to do, to document the choices GM made that led to their ultimate demise, and not ragging on the actual cars themselves so much, which invariably had plenty of good qualities.
But folks took it personally, and they let their feelings be known in no uncertain terms. And that eventually that led to a polarization, a reflection of the same polarization that infected the whole country during this time. It became personal, with an obvious political undertone. It’s as if some folks just had to push certain buttons, in order to see who was on what side of the great divide they saw everywhere in their lives. And inevitably, most of them eventually left, or in some cases, were shown the door. Once they felt they had to attack me or the site, it was time to put a stop to that.
It made for a lot of comments, but it sucked up a lot of my energy. I don’t miss it. Now it truly is civil, considerate and well-tempered here. Some may miss the sparks that flew here then; I don’t.
You’re right, I did miss the early years…although I’ve gotten a sense of some of that through reposted old threads and their comments. So it just goes to show, not everything has gotten worse with age…and some things have moved decidedly in the other direction.
Actually, when I wrote that line, the thought I was having was that this whole topic might generate a degree of spiciness that doesn’t accompany more technical topics. But then I figured that the readership here (as opposed to some other car sites) might just be into relating stories and experiences (my intent) without being judgmental of anyone and their driving habits.
So far so good.
I’m 25 years old, and drive like an old man. I should drive a souped up Golf GTI or Honda Civic, but I take an interest in large and comfy sedans. Cars that invite you to not drive like a lunatic.
I’m convinced that you can make driving as relaxed or as frustrating as you want it to be. Drive like a asshole, and people will get back at you. Drive normally, and no one cares. And even if you do get cut off, or something like that happens, let it go… let it pass. Retain your dignity. Uncessary waste of time and energy.
And maybe I’m ahead of the curve as once an older co-worker told me: “The older I get, the more I start to value comfort than sportiness/speed” Couldn’t agree more!
The day I retired I could feel the stress go away. What’s the rush? I’ve slowed down a lot in my daily driving. Traffic doesn’t bother me. I even drink less. I knew I didn’t like getting up early and commuting 40 minutes one way, I’m just amazed of how quickly I adopted to to retirement.
Night. And. Day. Up until probably the age of 18 or so, I was a genuine menace. I think I developed my skills pretty well and had great reflexes, and never had an accident that didn’t involve snow. But I took wild chances and did tremendously stupid things – like playing car-chase games with a friend through neighborhood streets. I realize now that I could easily have killed someone, but was sure enough of my abilities at that time that I was certain I could avoid it. That I did was only dumb luck or a guardian angel.
In my 30s I was still not above some aggressive driving and would get way too close behind slowpokes in the left lane of an interstate. Amazingly, I have never had an at-fault accident with another car since about 1979 (which was in a parking lot) and have never gotten a ticket at all.
Once small kids came into the picture I became pretty sedate. The car makes a difference – Many of my “adult” cars have not really encouraged aggressive driving. I am not so much into straight line speed or winning stop light drags, but I tend to take curves faster than most – a lot faster when I had the Miata.
I did notice your mention in one of your recent COAL chapters that you’ve never received a speeding ticket, and now that we have a bit more of the back story, I am even more amazed at that fact.
It’s got to be just luck or the guardian angel…or maybe the car. I do know that I picked up more citations when I had the red Nissan SE-R and the MINI (more in the SE-R than the MINI). Although I will say that I managed to get pulled over more than once when driving the white diesel Rabbit. So maybe it’s just me.
On the other hand, I have a generic gold Toyota Highlander hybrid that frankly is one of the fastest vehicles I’ve owned (speed limited mostly due to the fact that it has the aerodynamics of a cinder block). And I can drive that thing all day long by cops at 90mph and it’s like it’s invisible. So no, it’s the car. 😉
We too had a gold Highlander, and yes they appear to come with a forcefield around them that just blocks the radar. As well as the standard invisibility cloak.
The three fastest cars in the world in ascending order of immunity to law enforcement attention:
A. Rental car, any
B. Minivan, again any
C. Any Toyota in a shade of gold
Agree 100% with B. I have a dark grey 2010 Honda Odyssey that seems to be invisible to police. I’ve never been reckless but now in my 50s, I drive with the overall pace of left lane drivers. Comfort (Honda’s aren’t quiet) matters more than all out speed to me. My next vehicle will likely be a Highlander hybrid as well.
Absolutely true about minivans. Some of the routinely fastest drivers (yes, silver or dark grey Odysseys…I’d add that to the gold Toyota list) I’ve known have been minivan drivers. They’re absolutely invisible.
Top of the list is the white Transit van, of course. It is here….
I utterly avoid possible road rage situations. Guns are everywhere. When i was young, I had several close encounters, but never again. Fortunately I have very little exposure to typical urban traffic.
I still drive fast when I’m on forest roads and such in the xB, and on the rare occasions when I drive the TSX, I have to watch myself, having gotten a ticket for doing 130 mph a few years back in it.
Most of my mileage these days is in the van, and I never hurry in it. It’s just not a vehicle that one wants to drive fast in.
I was kind of a scattered driver, not as attentive as I needed to be, when I was younger. I had a lot of close calls. Today I’m more focused behind the wheel.
I used to follow much more closely than I do now. I wasn’t a tailgater but I was JUST two seconds behind other cars. Now I give cars a lot more room in front of me. I’ve been rear-ended something like four times and that has changed how I think about following other cars. I want plenty of room so that in an emergency I have all the road ahead that I need to stop.
The one thing that I’ve tried and failed to modify is speeding. I’m just a speeder. It’s not egregious, but it’s constant. The only exception is when traffic is flowing and heavy enough that to speed would mean I have to weave around cars. Then I just go with traffic.
I my teens and twenties I drove for fun a lot more than now. Modding vehicles for better handling and performance and of course enjoying the results. I took pride in smooth steady driving when I had passengers, emphasize comfort with no dramatic manoevers.
I thought I was a good driver until I went to Britain in 1996 and realized I was actually terrible. Compared to Toronto, everyone in Britain meticulously followed the rules of the road, drove properly and drove in exactly the same way. It was a joy to drive there, no surprises, and no frustration of dealing with unpredictable driving.
By comparison my driving was undisciplined. I didn’t always follow the rules and often would break them if I thought I could get away with it. I realized I was low level menace, so I actively tried to improve. Follow the rules all the time and avoid unpredictable or adventurous manoevers.
For me, many factors influences my behavior.
AUTO: Some cars make me want to drive fast
LOCATION: Chicago driving is stressful, but Denver is a complete nightmare. Boston, I’m agressive, DC, I’m usually lost. SF, I’m cheery and calm and NYC, I’m expecting trouble and drive catiously.
SOLO: I’m not as safe as I am with family.
AGE: As I age, I’m more aware of my physical limitations. I’m driving a nice cruiser. I’m in small-town USA, where you know the other drivers and get anywhere in 20 minutes.
My insurance company considers me a good driver, and I’m paying a pittance compared to when I lived in Chicago.
I always drove like a old lady 95% of the time, I only got one ticket ever(10 over) and generally have as much preservation for the car as I do myself. Ironically I like loud fast cars, but actually drive them the least aggressive of all of them, I turned my Cougar into a straight up street machine with a Mach 1 Mustang powertrain and all manner of speed parts on top of it, but most I really do is occasionally peel out when no one’s looking and accelerate hard right up to the posted speed limit, otherwise I’m just content to manually shift the gears feel the vibrations and listen to the noises.
I’ll get red mist but I have matured enough to keep it to myself, no audible yelling, hand gestures and aggressive maneuvers, but I’ll still bang my fist on the wheel and utter every expletive in the dictionary. It’s a trait I seemed to inherit from my Dad, no confrontations with the drivers who angered you but instead scare the hell out of passengers
I used to live to drive; now I drive to live.
That first part is maybe a little overstated—I was never much of a daredevil, even when I had a quick, fast, red car.
To quote John Waters “crazy at 20 is sexy, crazy at 30 is just crazy.” I have mellowed in all ways with age, driving being one of them, all for the better.
Interesting question, I drive for a living so self reservation looms large but recreationally I like twisty roads that have some degree of difficulty bad roads loose gravel not a problem, I do see my fair share of road rage, I get a great view of it in fact but only as a spectator but drive around in something slow thats 20 metres long you are bound to be in some impatient drivers way
Speeding doesnt work so well here most of the time the revenuers are out most days with radar vans and other devices ready to turn you into either a poor person or a pedestrian, the only places where speed can be fun now are where the authorities dont think you can do it, the twisty secondary roads where my daily drive excells, its where you can see other people in various ‘sporty’ cars driving too fast for the conditions but often not exceeding the posted speed limit who look in amazement when a diesel French car overtakes with ease, a car that is beautifully balanced on gravel too, paul would love it.
Jeff, you are a great addition to Paul’s team of writers. So much quality writing, observations, and discussion here. A great source of automotive info, and life experiences. Always appreciate your articles and comments. Thank you!
About 10 years ago, I got a 1979 Lincoln Mk V Collectors to use as a daily driver, replacing a 1995 Camaro Z28 convertible. I quickly went from a fighter pilot to a bomber pilot. I still drive all across Texas to service my community bank accounts, but even with a 2017 Lincoln MKS with 400 hp, the pace is usually more bomber than fighter. Maybe it’s age!
My driving habits have not changed at all. I was not known for speeding when young even though my only speeding tickets (three) were between 1969-1973 for 7 over, 5 over, and 10 over coasting down the Altmont because I was almost out of gas, 12/18/73, during the height of the 1973 gas crisis at 11:00 PM. However, speeding has gotten out of control in the Bay Area and much of it in the below 45 crowd and we are talking 80-85 in mild traffic and 100 on early Saturday mornings.
I had defensive driving at Bondurant in 1974 so I am not careless as that is not my nature anyway. My nature is to be very calculating in my risk assessment and it has served me well. I drive 65 on the freeway because I learned at Bondurant to leave the speeding to those who know nothing. Instead I learned to be quick in my decisions and quick in my movements when maneuvering. Don’t brake but maneuver and stay aware. So #1 rule in my car is no talking to the driver.
On a last note my personality changes depending on the car I am driving. The Focus is very quick and maneuverable so I put it to use. The 626 some notches below with the Cougar and Mustang just below the 626. The big cars being the Park Lane, Polara, and the Le Sabre I treat as the big family cars they are. In the meantime I drive my 65 F-100 like Fred Sanford.
As a general rule, I would aspire to do most things in the style of Fred Sanford.
I need a 65 F-100. In that chalky red color 🙂
Whenever i hit traffic and need to suddenly stop, I tap on the hazards and turn on the lights. It’s my way of alerting those coming up behind me that we are not moving. I try to watch out for everyone as I’ve got older. Even my cars are no longer flashy; I recently picked up a sedate convertible for even more leisurely driving. Just enjoying the ride at this point.
I’m with you in terms of using the hazards when unexpectedly stopping. I spend probably more time than I should monitoring the rearview mirror for people coming up on me at speed when I’m stopped. Having been hit several times while sitting at a red light, it seems warranted.
I also have enabled the daytime running lights (even though I otherwise hate them) on my daily…anything to increasing the likelihood of being seen by not-attentive drivers. I can only imagine that my paranoia over being hit is going to increase with further age.
I spent a decade as a taxi driver. There are two kinds of taxi drivers:
1. The drivers who take it easy, obey traffic law and don’t get tickets. It was amazing how many passengers got mad at me for not speeding, as if driving the car fast would cost them less. I would say, “Give me $500 right now and I will drive faster.”
2. Drivers who gun it every chance they get, break traffic laws and get tickets. In British Columbia, four tickets in a year would be a one year suspension. Typically, they don’t last long.
I was type #1 and in ten years, I got one ticket for blowing an amber light.
I am still a careful driver. There is no point in trying to speed anywhere in the Lower Mainland. There is too much traffic and limited freeways.
I break lose on my annual Rocky Romp. This year there was very little traffic. I was hitting 140-150 km/h on the Coquihalla Highway and 120ish on the Trans-Canada Highway. After many trips in the region, I have a good idea where the cops hide.
Driving conservatively most of the time is simply cheaper. The brakes on my Golf are still at 80% after 50,000 km and the tires as just beginning to so show wear.
I made a decision to try to drive better (not just more slowly) after a small bump, which I caused due to impatience, 25 years ago. As it happened, this coincided with the widespread adoption of speed cameras where I live (the UK) and I decided that the only way to keep one’s sanity was to drive within the limits – that way I could just forget that the cameras were there.
I generally get out of other people’s way and let them get on with it – I’m not the police. Also, people make mistakes, me included, and you just have to accept it and try to make the situation easier – compensate for their errors. I think people are more distracted these days and that’s something to watch for, too. On a purely selfish point, I really can’t be bothered with all the hassle involved with damaging and repairing my car (let alone anything worse), so I’ll go to great lengths to avoid that. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.”
On a positive note, it’s quite fun trying to drive as well as you can – to really re-engage with your car and environment. I find it’s also nice being relaxed at the wheel and enjoying the sensation of travelling.
I may have benefited from being a middle child, we are usually the diplomats of the family, trying to broker the peace between our parents and our siblings. I am also non competitive by nature, I do my thing and let others do theirs. Even in my youth I was never a victim of the red mist. I could get angry, but never to an unreasonable level.
I rode motorcycles, and by my third bike I was riding the current Japanese Superbikes, bikes that would do the quarter mile in 13 seconds, so I didn’t have anything to prove at a stop light. What I did do was go out into the East Bay foothill back roads by myself and zoom around curves, it was a point of pride that my foot pegs were well beveled by this activity. I had a few close calls but learned to keep within my limits.
I have always enjoyed driving and have tried to make a bit of time on the road when on long trips. My preference has always been to maintain steady higher speeds, instead of making a banzai run.
My goal has to become a “freeway Ninja” moving through traffic without calling attention to myself or affecting traffic around me. I’ve also really mellowed out, seeking to find the harmony of the road, being courteous, and facilitating other driver’s movements. I try to keep things as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
Yeah, I am old, I’ll be 68 in a couple of months, but I still enjoy hustling a bit through the twisties on occasion.
My driving style hasn’t changed all that much over the years – I was always a relatively cautious and laid-back driver and still am – but my taste in vehicles has changed quite a bit. I am *so* over sporty cars, and now value a soft ride, quietness, and comfortable seats much more than fast acceleration or cornering limits. I have little tolerance for huge wheels and ultra-low-profile tires that crash over bumps and potholes and get bent or cracked too easily. “Sport seats” with huge bolsters and scratchy cloth upholstery are too much trouble to get in and out of, and are often uncomfortable once I’m in place. I don’t see the point of thick-rimmed steering wheels that are flat on the bottom and sometimes the top as well (don’t even get me started about Tesla’s yoke). Low, sporty coupes (including the four-door and CUV variety) are too difficult to enter and exit for my aching back. I’m pleased with a 0-60 time of eight second or so and and would rather have an extra 4mpg than even faster acceleration from a larger, thirstier engine.
Great question. A few (semi-connected) comments:
Myself: I’m nearing 50 now, and I’ve mellowed quite a bit over the past decade or two. Like others have mentioned above, when younger, I took chances and had close calls that I would now consider abhorrent. I’m glad I never seriously injured myself or anyone else while doing something reckless behind the wheel. Over recent years, I’ve felt that my reflexes have slipped a bit, however at the same time, having 3+ decades of driving experience compensates for less-than-razor-sharp reflexes a good deal.
Road Rage: I’d mentioned this before here at CC, but several years ago, the father of a friend of mine was murdered in a road rage attack (he was beaten to death after what was likely a minor traffic altercation). After that incident, I’ve become increasingly aware of how I react to other people doing stupid things on the roads. I just let them go – it’s not worth it. My wife keeps an inspirational quote on her dashboard reminding her not to be offended even to people who give you offense. That’s her own coping mechanism: it helps her maintain her sanity in tough situations.
Teaching Kids to Drive: You’re so right that having a watchful passenger in the car is a great motivator to be on good behavior. My oldest daughter is 15 and is very eager to learn to drive, so I often now describe the various situations that I see transpiring on the roads. One of the best lessons is not to over-react – I try hard to lead by example. Just yesterday we saw a very close call between a speeding police cruiser and a U-Haul rental truck – fortunately, an accident was averted, but that incident provided several minutes of good discussion!
I’m certainly more cautious at 55 than I used to be, especially in urban areas with crosswalks, bikes, etc. I’m amazed at how fast some people will blow through these areas or parking lots.
The big thing for me is glaucoma. It’s caused me to advance the purchase of toys that I had otherwise planned for later. And of course it makes me a more deliberate driver.
I’m in general a far slower driver nowadays, especially on the interstate. There’s no real rush usually to get anywhere and I get far less tired driving 70 or 75 (within the limit), than driving 90 or above, which wipes out any potential time savings, even when heading halfway across the country which I do semi-regularly. In fact I’ll find myself going below the speed limit at times, and try to stay to the right or the middle lane as much as possible.
People can go by me as much as they want, surprisingly often I end up seeing them again at the offramp or the next gas stop or wherever and if not, that’s fine too. Those weaving through traffic are the ones to just completely avoid and leave plenty of distance from as it won’t end well, eventually.
Half (or more?) of the reason I sold the Porsche was that driving fast has lost a lot of its thrill, as well as the opportunity to do so safely. Far more pedestrian cars are just as fast or faster and can handle just as well or better. Looking at it was always a thrill but the extra garage space is a thrill all its own.
I will say that having access to new test cars was extremely interesting and a lot of fun, there were surely some moments that would not have occurred in my own cars. The one that really though made a difference to some of my thought processes was the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye ( https://www.curbsideclassic.com/new-car-review/curbside-quicktake-review-2020-dodge-challenger-srt-hellcat-redeye-widebody-god-bless-america-and-canada-too-since-thats-where-its-built/ ), that one woke me up to the realization that I’m now so old that while freedom is a good thing, some things such as 700+hp in a car are just too crazy to let normal people without any advanced training drive in public. It’s far too easy to get in trouble far faster than most can realize with irreversible consequences. Red mist is totally a real thing.
Many of the more powerful electric cars have the same problem, frankly. The power is too accessible, i.e the Mach-E Mustang in normal form was great and plenty powerful/fast, in GT form it’s complete overkill, it’s a good thing it’s wrapped in a four door CUV body, that leaves it less attractive an option for the younger and less experienced crowd.
On the other hand, there is definitely an increase in interest in far slower, and often far more technical (or skill-intensive) driving in the off-road sector. Part of it may be that the paved roads just aren’t as conducive to getting the most out of a car any more as they have become ever more capable (the cars), while the roads are more crowded.
But off-road, you can easily overwhelm yourself and your skills (and work on increasing them) in a very slow and fairly safe environment, with the most risk being to the vehicle itself depending on the situation, less personal risk, and far less risk to others and still get a measure of achievement. A lot of people that may have wanted a Mustang or Camaro or Supra or whatever in years past are now channeling that into Jeeps, or Broncos, or 4×4 Tacomas or whatever. Sure, there are plenty of show-rigs out there or at the mall, but also plenty of others that are doing what the box advertises, usually in fact in the less showy ones.
This. That’s what I meant by my comment about my Highlander, above. That vehicle is powerful enough just with the 6cyl gas engine…but add electric motors, and the thing accelerates plenty fast. Faster than it probably “needs” to and fast enough for someone who’s inattentive to get into trouble. Fortunately, I think that most Highlander Hybrid drivers aren’t inclined to peeling out. I will say that I go through tires faster on that thing than I do any of the other cars.
It’s off topic kinda about age, but it raises a whole other topic about whether cars are getting faster than they ought to while at the same time drivers are getting less attentive then they should be.
I was going to state the same in my post but I didn’t want it to be too long. When I am on the Interstate, I set the cruise control at the speed limit and just relax. Going slower means I can spend more time in the driver’s seat, which actually makes trips faster.
This is especially true in Washington state, which has more highway patrol than I have seen in any other place in the world.
I used to be a fast driver, oddly the pandemic appears to have produced a faster crowd then me. At work it was known to let me drive as we would get where we were going quickly, as the joke went, “Randy was driving, we got here before we left.” A mechanic I worked with had been going to Indianapolis Motor Speedway since the 30’s called me Barney Oldfield for the way I hustled trucks around.
Anyway my first two motorcycles were all about speed, 1970 Kawasaki Mach III 500, never crashed but oh so close several times. Then the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport, didn’t have the acceleration of the Kaw but very fast, handled extremely well with some quirks that made it interesting. Crashed the Guzzi three times, never nothing serious, road away with minimal damage to the bike and me. Then I switched to Harleys, it was time so slow down before something bad happened. Then something bad happened. A friend of mine was killed right in front of me on his bike. I happened to be looking to the side when he hit a pickup head on so I didn’t witness what happened. A split second and forever riding motorcycles wasn’t as fun anymore. I still own my Guzzi and a Harley but rarely ride them.
I grew up in a rural town, lots of gravel roads with curves, wasn’t long be for I was sliding around these corners slinging gravel and counter steering into the slide. Throw in winter driving in Minnesota and you get a lot of practice driving in slippery conditions. First car was a 63 Ford 2dr Sedan hot rodded 352 4 speed car. Next was a 68 Cougar XR7 428 Cobra Jet C6. Oh boy another vehicle out to get me, only one stupid incident with it, way to long of a day and fell asleep, car survived and so did I. Still have it, needs major restoration. Never got a ticket but I think I only buried the speedo once with it. It was a real sleeper for its time. Most people figured some kid slapped a hood scoop on it and thought it was fast. Many found out just how fast it was.
Owned a bunch of cars thru the years but the one that stands out was my 2008 GTI DSG, I probably pissed off a few people with that one as it was a rocket, small and nimble. Then the 2012 Boss 302 comes along and I get into autocrossing. Damn am I having fun now. Also being retired I prefer owning cars and trucks that are fun to drive.
I prefer to let things go, I may grump about that idiot that ran the light but that’s about it.
I have had a couple of tickets, several warnings. I always pull over right away and always respectful to the cops, tough enough job without me adding to their problems. I do not speed in towns, residential areas. Out on the open roads.
This is my best non-ticket story, I have several non-tickets stories.
I was probably doing 65 in a 55 on my Super Glide with the wife on the back. Sheriff comes up on me and as he flies by in the opposite direction he flips on the lights. I immediately pull over and stop on the shoulder and wait for him to turn around and come back. He asks for my license, goes back and checks the plate and license, comes back and tells me to slow down and have a nice day, and oh by the way because you didn’t make me chase you down that’s why you didn’t get a ticket.
I have never had a moving violation, including for speeding. I have always been a careful, defensive driver, but in no way have I been perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and like everyone else, I have at times deliberately violated some rule.
My main problem in my younger years was being too self-righteous, which got me into some very nasty road rage incidents with people who didn’t meet my standards, esp. in regard to tailgating or passing me on a double yellow line.
I’m much more mellow in my older years and pretty much let almost anything blow over me. As an example, I very rarely use the horn, because it most cases, it was just an expression of anger too late to prevent others’ actions. (I will of course use it if there’s time to alert someone.)
My driving has mellowed in stages, after some ill-advised bursts of speed in my teens and early 20s. Nobody hurt, far fewer tickets than I deserved, but as I matured, an awareness that I had no business driving like that in any car, much less the ones I was driving.
The next big change came around age 30 when I began flying in helicopters for my TV news career. The pilots I flew with were some of the best, and I realized that if I took their approach to safety, attention and awareness, I’d be a much better driver.
And finally, my first trip to France just this spring was something of a revelation. Apart from the motorcycle riders (who are daredevils), most drivers obey speed limits and traffic laws. Despite maturing, I was still generally good for 10-15 mph over the limit on the interstate before this trip. Now, I drive the way I did in France. Right lane except to pass and no more than 5 over the limit. What used to be the close calls from other drivers are now happening several lanes over and I’m out of their way.
Re: speeding
There is another factor, at least for those in the US: Speed limits have gotten higher. The need for speeding was much more acute in the 55mph Malaise era. Today, 70mph is the norm, some western and southwestern states have speed limits of 80 or even 85mph.
As one gets older, not only does “maturity” reduce the need to speed, the actual “need” to get somewhere fast is reduced, if not eliminated, as well. Certainly for retirees and those who are financially independent, what’s the hurry?
I think a lot depends on the vehicle you’re driving. In my first car I used the accelerator pretty much as an on/off switch rather than a rheostat, but it was low-powered by today’s standards, about 100hp/tonne. A more powerful car meant more care with the right foot, especially as cars got quieter inside.
I always tended to treat highway speed signs as advisory rather than mandatory, and often cruised in rural areas where I lived at 10-15km/h over the limit. Conversely, as I aged I found myself driving slower than others in town, having to give so much more attention to the increased volume of traffic around me.
There was still the impatience to get clear of the slowcoaches, but I was more aware of my limitations as a driver, and the limitations of my vehicle.
I used to also be a fast, aggressive driver, perhaps followed too closely, quick to beep the horn, always driving in the left lane.
These days/years I am much calmer, take my time, at my age it’s too stressful to hurry and be too jumpy.
My memory cannot recall the last time I got a moving violation. To be sure, there were some back in the day, but it’s just not worth it.
I’ve witnessed road rage situations and I’m glad to avoid those. No need to take risks. I find I am more aware of carjacking incidents, now they are becoming more frequent, at least around here. A fender bender in front of me, were I to see one? Stay in the car and get out of there in case it’s a ruse for someone to approach your car and get you out.
For me it really depends on the type of car. A Chevelle I had with a bench seat, column shift and soft suspension made me lean back and calm down. However, an Alfa 33 I earlier owned often awakened my Italian dna and turned me into a very aggressive driver.
With its low center of gravity and rev-happy boxer engine I often overtook cars anywhere, anytime and I always threw it around corners because the car begged me to do so. After some highway driving I would slowly get up to 100 mph before realising I was going way too fast. In response I would back off to 60 mph and yet again slowly get near 100 mph. And then the cycle would repeat a couple of times until leaving the highway.
In my current Firebird the bad gas mileage helps me to be a slow, calm driver. I go around 55 – 60 mph on the highway but around town I’m still a bit quick off the line. I’d like to see how fast it can go, I did it in my Golf 3 once but I don’t like to bring myself, others and my car in danger. I still can’t resist the desire to play a little with the throttle to mildly slide a bit whenever it rains though. I just can’t help it.
The vehicle I’m driving is a factor for me. Since the Buick doesn’t stop or steer like a modern car, and in an accident is a comparative death trap I’m more cautious in it.
Given that it stands out from the rest the traffic, I’m also less likely to throw a finger out the window too. The relative anonymity of my Commodore is better for that….
Since I drive LHD and RHD cars, I’m equally adept at a finger out the window with either hand.
For the first decade after I got my license I averaged a ticket a year, some years more than others, I got dropped twice from my insurance provider, I had to take the written points test three times, and I had a departmental review, which is an in-person interview where you have to explain why they shouldn’t put you on foot.
In the second decade I had several accidents and a few more tickets, though I was more discreet because I was falling deeper into the clutches of alcoholism. That culminated in two DUIs in 18 months, a year-long license suspension, and rehab in lieu of jail time.
Two weeks after I got my license back I got a speeding ticket on the back side of a mountain. That remains my last ticket, and that was 11 years ago.
Sooner or later you have to grow up. I just took longer and the pathway was far more painful than I can possibly explain. Let’s just say that staring for hours at a wall with the shakes is no way to go through life.
Like most here, I have mellowed after having seen so much over my 40+ years behind the wheel. Two major life events have impacted my driving style: first, having children enter my life in my early thirties, which made me a more patient and cautious driver, and second, teaching the kids to drive 16 years later, when I began to model good behavior. I don’t necessarily drive more slowly now, as speed limits are higher after the federal limit was raised in the 1990s, but I am much more likely to go with the flow, say 70-75 mph on the interstate.
I also have become more observant and respectful of road conditions, especially weather-related events. After seeing some coworkers injured and their cars totaled after being trapped in rush hour traffic on a freeway during a severe thunderstorm which dropped baseball-size hail for 10-15 minutes, I am more likely to wait out a storm.
The human element has not gotten better, unfortunately, especially post-pandemic. Too much aggressive driving, volatile and sometimes violent behavior towards others, and distractions galore from cell phones have led to a general deterioration of driving skills. In Texas, police warn that 40% of drivers are carrying firearms, which could quickly escalate any conflict. Keeping your head down is the order of the day.
Certain types of cars encourage safer driving. I never felt the need for speed in my Volvos (in fact, Volvos seem to promote safe driving) and my current SUV’s pitch and yaw forces me to slow down when bumps, potholes and expansion joints make the ride downright uncomfortable, especially at extra-legal speeds.
In the past year, I had both adult daughters and my wife on a long road trip. For the first time, I was content to let the kids drive and sit in the back seat and enjoy the scenery. I was happy to de-stress and arrive at our destination in a good mood.
When I was young I always had to be going somewhere. A perfect vacation for me now is a week at home (very secluded) and going nowhere. Bliss!
Hmm interesting question as I approach my 68th birthday. I have no demerits, haven’t had a speeding ticket (excluding photo radar) in years. Eyesight still good, I like to think I still have good reaction skills based on recent incidents with stupid drivers in my city.
I certainly don’t speed anymore as I don’t have to be in a hurry and can usually judge traffic based on the time of day and route I have to take. That said, I can still drive at 130 km/ph from Calgary to Edmonton and feel confident enough to push higher if I want to get away from vehicles behind me.
Am similar to most of the others. Had my share of mishaps and tickets in my 20s and 30s including one big accident resulting in a total loss but no injuries but have calmed down. I still enjoy a fast drive but out on deserted country roads I know well. Driving through local villages is done in old fart mode – the last thing I need is to hit someone. Similarly in big cities I follow all traffic rules, it just makes no sense to push as all it gets you is arriving at your destination a couple of seconds quicker. I do get upset by other people’s driving but, thankfully, here in Austria driving standards are reasonably high, so that even when that happens it mostly only results in some foul language inside my car. On our Autobahn I tend to drive over the speed limit (130 Km/H / 80 MPH) but am never the fastest – I always allow someone to overtake me to act as I suppose a decoy… On the German Autobahn my Mazda 3 feels comfortable at 160 – 180 Km/H (100 – 110 MPH) so that’s what I do, keeping to the middle or left lanes to allow those who are much faster (of which there are plenty) to get by.
I also agree about how driving an older car sharpens your senses, the Mercury after its suspension modification goes round corners as well as any sporty 60s European sedan would but still requires one to stay focused and plan ahead on those winding country roads – particularly as I have not yet converted from drums to disks. After a drive you get out of the car totally trashed but with a sense of achievement, not something you generally get with a modern car…
Well… I started out as a pretty decent driver (considering my lack of experience) when I got my license at age 15 in Montana, but as I gained real world experience, I started driving faster and faster and pushing my luck more and more. After some at fault accidents and a rash of tickets, plus having to pay for my own tires and transmission rebuilds, I eased back just enough to stay alive. Speeding was my drug of choice, and I had a bit of a temper when behind the wheel (that might be a slight understatement).
As I’ve aged (just about middle 40’s, ugh.), things have improved. Driving over the speed limit remained an issue; I’m most likely to take advantage of empty freeways than blast through residential areas… So… partially due to recent high fuel prices and my driving an older-ish truck everyday, I decided to try slowing it down to see if fuel economy would improve (it did). Even with stupid tall gearing, I found out that my old truck is happiest lumbering along at 45-60mph in overdrive, and can return 16mpg (significantly better than 12mpg). I happen to live in an area where I travel lots of secondary roads, and I do much of my traveling at night, so I don’t have to deal with as many goofballs crowding my personal space. I still grumble to myself when I encounter one of those few turdburgers you have to share the road with, but almost never lay on the horn or give ’em the middle digit.
I do occasionally let off some steam in areas where I won’t endanger others. There’s still something satisfying about the sound of the secondaries opening on a spread-bore carburetor right as the transmission downshifts, combined with the sound of a V8 exhaling through just-louder-than-stock dual exhaust… even if the 4 cylinder Camry in the other lane steps it up a notch and fizzles right on by you without breaking a sweat. Still, the old brick is capable of moving with enough alacrity to not be a liability in traffic if needed.
Very interesting question and comments.
As someone who liked to drive fast both in cars and on motorcycles and still enjoys it when conditions are right, I agree with many commentators that getting older and particularly having a child has made me much more mellow. I don’t feel the need to prove anything anymore. Having had many fast cars, I have come to enjoy much slower ones like my Karmann Ghia – unless you drive it correctly you will be a (slowly) moving road block, but the pleasure comes from getting it right and maximizing what performance it has.
Not having any significant passive safety also makes one drive defensively.
Moderns with all kinds of driver nannies and give one the ability to walk away from accidents that would be deadly in a ’50s design give a feeling of invincibility that probably encourages more risk taking and aggression.
Thanks!
What is that old saying about how it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast?
The point that you and others here have made about the lack of passive safety systems in older cars is interesting to me. I do wonder what data or real research might exist (it may, I just don’t know of it) that says that drivers of modern cars are any less careful BECAUSE of the existence of safety systems…that they may simply take for granted. Again, I don’t know. I think that the difference may come from learning; that is, a driver learning that s/he did something unsafe, and that’s what caused the accident even if s/he was able to walk away from it. If the driver doesn’t actually learn, then the “accident” would keep happening. Probably a bigger subject than we can get to here, but given that it’s about learning, it’s one that intrigues me.
My experience at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (where I worked for more than 40 years before retirement in 2020) showed that risk compensation (driving less carefully because of auto safety features) is largely bogus. After all, who really wants to risk crashing even if there are no injuries; it’s still a hassle getting your ride fixed, and your insurance premiums are likely to be adversely affected.
Here’s a recent article summarizing current thinking (in driving as well as other examples such as birth control pills and covid masks): https://slate.com/technology/2021/11/risk-compensation-debunked-masks-rapid-tests-vaccines-safety.html
The money quote: “At best, risk compensation is something that happens at the level of the individual but rarely, if ever, fully offsets the social benefits of an effective safety regulation. At its worst, risk compensation is just kneejerk libertarianism masquerading as fundamental insight into human nature.”
Thank you 210delray! That’s an excellent article and goes with what my gut feeling is/was (that risk compensation is bunk). This doesn’t explain why people seem to be engaging in increasingly risky behavior behind the wheel…but I do generally agree with the fact that it’s not the safety technology’s fault that that is happening.
It isn’t just age that has changed me ( I’m driving 57 years ) – in my first car at 30 mph, if I wanted to do 40 I’d put the pedal to the floor and count to 20. Now I just twitch my big toe. These days it is so much easier for police to catch speeders, and even family cars and crossovers have huge performance, usually more than the driver can handle. Most folk don’t realise it is only electronic “safety” features keeping them on the overcrowded roads.
I still like to go quickly sometimes, if I can find a challenging road with no traffic, but those times are rare.
Very interesting to see some of the responses to the question.
My habits haven’t really changed. As a child / early teen I would be upset when someone passed my Dad while driving. My parents were worried I would be a terribly aggressive driver but that didn’t happen. I got rear ended at a stop light soon after getting my license which hurt my neck and gave me lots of time to consider the ramifications of an incident.
I’ve always been a poky motorcycle rider too, I don’t ride much with my long term motorcycle buddy Bill because he went the sportbike route. There’s no speed that we both enjoy, it’s either too fast for my comfort or too slow to prevent Bill’s boredom.
My last ticket (first & only from the State Patrol) was 38 years ago. I classify myself as mellow/low aggressive. I constantly watch the traffic, seeking to improve my positioning with as little drama as possible. Based upon my younger days as a “stop light” drag racer, I STILL refuse to line up like a sheep behind a line of cars if first place in the adjoining lane is open. Driving a slow car fast (5 spd Honda Fit Sport) is fun! Knowing that any V-6 CamCord can outrun my classic Charger, I get more smiles, waves, and thumbs up just driving normally. As long as the other drivers’ idiocy doesn’t cause me to have to take action, I just call them an idiot and let it go, much less stressful! I have traveled extensively on the interstates w/ my cruise control set at 75 (or lower) and though occasionally, I feel the “need for speed” it’s much more relaxing to be mellow. So, yes, I’ve changed! 🙂
I racked up a number of speeding tickets starting with my first on the way back from Spring Break after high school graduation. Lost my license in 1985 when I added 6 points in one shot (100 in a 35, written up as a 70 in a 35 due to a sympathetic officer), which put me over the points limit. Had to take DUI school to get my license back (not because of DUIs, I rarely drink and have never been drunk). Started driving my ’71 VW van as a DD because it was too slow to get me in any trouble.
I dialed it back after that to what most folks do, 5-10 over the limit, but decided in the early 2000s that it would be better to just drive the speed limit. It took two years to ‘retrain’ myself to the point where cruise was not needed. While I’ve had one ticket since 1985, it was for an improper lane change in an unfamiliar city in 1995. No tickets since then, even while driving my Chevrolet SS Sport Sedan for four years as a DD. Sold the SS after I retired and we moved near an Amish community – putt-putting along at 45 with potential horse & buggies around every curve really wasn’t fun in the SS. My pickup truck is better suited for the driving I do these days.
I just celebrated my 33rd wedding anniversary and I haven’t had a ticket since I had just started dating my wife. So yes, I have slowed down. A big part of it has been aging: worse reflexes, better judgment, different values. Most of my mileage over the past 10 or so years has been in a pickup and now our big van, and even if they were fun to drive fast, the fuel bill would be even worse than it is. I only put about 500 miles a year on my wife’s Golf but if I had opportunity or even interest to drive it more, solo, I would probably find that my skills have declined a lot since I was Showroom Stock racing 40+ years ago. I’m also riding my motorcycles rarely now .,, maybe I’m feeling my mortality. For the record, I have exceeded 150 mph twice on public roads, both times on borrowed Suzuki GSXR1000’s.
The cost of fuel is a good point, although not one that really has ever resonated with me aside from that moment when I look at the total on the pump and realize that it’s just cost me $65 to fill the tank. I tend to combat that by simply not driving at all, which has been easier over the past couple of years when working from home has increasingly become the norm.
“…A big part of it has been aging: worse reflexes, better judgment, different values…”
Well said dman. At age 78 I do not feel declining reflexes but I know it’s surely a fact of life.
Much of my old man driving behavior stems from a serious accident that occurred almost 60 years ago. The sight, sound, feeling, and fear experienced at that moment of impact and the following events have never been far from my conscience.
In the current world I am painfully aware of kids and adults on bikes or street joggers who seem unaware of their proximity to vehicles and the pedestrians with cell phone airpods/buds, etc who wouldn’t hear me approaching if I had open lake pipes.
I also no longer turn on the radio/cd/bluetooth for entertainment but do use it for GPS map assists.
The way I see it, I don’t want to waste any brain CPU cycles on music or news; I need all of it working to protect myself and everyone else around, near, or approaching me.
It is sometimes tough to notice, but I’ve caught myself a couple of times being surprised by something on the road…not causing a close call, but it made me reevaluate my ability to “notice” everything going on…which I used to think I was pretty good at, but nowdays doubt. It is kind of like balance, which in my younger days I thought was pretty good, but as I get older I notice it isn’t as good as it once was. Declining facilities happen at different times but they’ve made me a more careful driver. Also, the place I live has grown greatly, with about 10x the number of people here as when I moved here 40 years ago, such that there’s “always” someone around, which I think reduces your margins…if you do something wrong, you’re more likely to affect someone else negatively.
I’ve been a pretty slow driver most of my life, even when it was briefly my profession as I was a transporter for Hertz in the 70’s. The pay back then was fixed for a given destination, so people who speeded kind of got higher pay per hour. To balance that out though, more than one ended up hitting a deer on the highway, even totalling out the car. More than once I drove a car that had been stolen back to our location, and often that car had been abused such that the car drove funny. I think some of these situations still color how I drive. In my mid life (say, to age 45 or so) I tended to drive faster than I do now, for the last 20 years or so I’ve definitely slowed down, such that I’m usually being passed by traffic, even driving the speed limit. Mostly I think it is easier to drive smoothly the slower you drive, and I’m not a fan of jerky movement that often comes with trying to drive aggressively.
Both my parents have stopped driving, almost 10 years since my Dad did (he’s gone now). Even before that, I did more of the driving during our long trips to visit relatives back east (1700 miles each way), at the end doing all of the driving, even around town…he finally gave up his license. My Mother drove longer (while my Dad was alive they were basically the same age…he was 1 day older than my Mother) and assumed my Dad’s car after he passed, but due to back problems eventually gave up driving last year. She’s such a slight person (she weighs less than 80 lbs) that turning the wheel is hard for her, even with power steering, probably mostly due to back problems. She wasn’t doing much driving the last years before giving up her license, just local trips. As a single person, I wonder how I’ll cope when I eventually need to stop driving…the city I live in isn’t exactly easy to live without a car in (public transport isn’t too bad, but it doesn’t go to major parts of the city unless you’re willing to walk quite a distance to bridge it, which I’m less likely to be able to do as I get older.
I’ve never been one to engage in outright roadrage because, let’s face it, there’s always the implied threat that somebody in this country is carrying a weapon and I haven’t wanted to find out if I was correct in any given situation. With that said, I am still on the lookout for the nearest opportunity to get the heck out of dodge when somebody is being an irritant. I keep up with traffic while playing that game determining what is the better course of action; speeding, keeping up with traffic, risking a ticket; or going the limit, reducing the risk of a ticket, creating an obstruction. I err on the side of keeping up with traffic because the gendarme can’t pull everybody over.
With that said, my mom recently got a hybrid Fusion that I frequently have occasion to drive. I’ve been modulating my driving to get a high score within the bounds of safe driving practices (I won’t go Wayne Gerdes). It’s stupid, but a different kind of fun. I’ve also been trying to max out the mileage in my CX-5 Turbo, again within the bounds of reasonable driving behaviours. My best mixed tank was 27 and change.
As I get older, I figure out where I can push and where I should hold off. At this point, I’m more interested in getting to the speed of traffic and sitting there. I have nothing to prove and nobody to prove it to.
A good and timely thread here .
I’ve been driving 50 + years now and haven’t gotten any tickets for years .
In my youth of course I got loads of stupid tickets ~ _I_ was stupid not the tickets nor the cops who gave them to me .
All the above comments I guess are why I recently sold my speedy car and now have a plodder that will struggle to break 85 MPH .
I had my son when I was…….?20? (or so) and I wasn’t smart enough to realize he was paying attention just as I did in 1959, luckily for me he’s a far better driver than I .
He drives way too fast but that’s not my lookout anymore .
I’ve seen and been involved in a few really bad collisions, I don’t want to say ‘accidents’ because they certainly were avoidable, even the ones I didn’t cause (most of them) .
I assume I no longer have the reflexes I used to and I don’t like driving after dark at all any more .
Driving slow vehicles quickly really is fun, some tell me I’m a fast driver but I know fast driver’s and I never attempt to keep up with them .
Crashing sucks, it hurts like a b*tch, spending a year in a wheel chair twice sorts-kinda made me think , I’m still riding Motos, I can’t seem to quit them .
Rode rage, oh boy ~ Paul oughta begin a thread about that, I’m sure the stories will roll in by the hundreds .
Motorvate rapidly and thoughtfully but, always : _SAFELY_ ! .
-Nate
Age 8 – “I really get to drive this truck out in the country? Better be really careful or my dad will put me back in the passenger seat.”
Age 13 – “Driver’s Ed classes are so easy, but the driving part is kinda intimidating, especially on the interstate. How do I parallel park again?’
Age 14-18 – “Can I do a burnout in this thing? How can I get my stereo AND my exhaust to be louder?”
Age 19-22 – “What’s the point of speed limits when there’s no one else on the road? Do I really have to ride my brakes and go that slow when it’s downhill like this?” (3 tickets at this age, could have easily been 4)
Age 23-24 – “My car insurance costs HOW much? I’m switching to a road bike.”
Age 25-32 – “I just have to drive really smooth and easy and hopefully I don’t overheat this thing. Wow, my mileage sure got better! What’s the record best mileage for this car model?”
Age 33-34 – “So if I can coast at the right times, I’ll get 65 mpg out of this Prius!”
Age 35-38 – “Is the car seat attached right? What’s the record for most Cheerios on the floor of this car model? Why are those toys on the floor always a little out of reach? My son keeps saying “we’re going FAST” and I don’t think we’re even going 40 yet, haha.”
30 years of driving, one accident (got rear-ended on the freeway while braking for a traffic jam, really minor), three tickets total. I drive a little smoother every year, fast when necessary but that’s pretty rare. Just trying to get to point B with as little wear and tear on the car and its passengers as possible! I do like to be the first off the line when the stoplight changes, but I’m still taking off pretty slowly!
Common theme here, age breeds restraint, maturity, and awareness of ones mortality.
50 year driving anniversary for me, been driving like Mr. Magoo recently, cataracts have really gotten bad the last couple of years, finally just three months away from long delayed and overdue surgery. I drive as little as possible and avoid night driving, luckily being retired I can pick times when traffic is light, I drive extra carefully with my head on a swivil!
I’d say my first 10 years of driving were often dangerous and stupid, after a few lessons learned I’d say 20 years in I was aggressive and fast, but not a real idiot, got a ticket or two, 30 years down the road, just battling the heavy traffic to work, going with the flow, avoiding conflict, it was in this time period I got my last ticket. After 2008 the work commute was over and driving from this time on has been a pleasure instead of a source of aggravation.
Its also helpful as far as avoiding speeding tickets goes, to drive a car that relies more on momentum and working the gearbox to keep up with traffic, and the 90 HP Jetta was the right car for that as well as blending into traffic.
I drive carefully and avoid confrontations, though I might mumble a few choice words under my breath. Now I drive a 148hp 5 speed automatic Mazda 3, and its more relaxing to drive then the Jetta because it has adequate power with just a push of the gas pedal. And as Paul mentions, guns seem to be standard equipment in most cars today along with some unbalanced people in the mix.
Sadly, at age 74 I finally have my BMW (335i convertible) but due to a combination of Ankylosing Spondilitis and, most recenty, Osteoporosis I find driving is a challenge. Due to the latter condition I’ve lost 3 inches in height (down to 5′ 6″) as a result of several fractured vertebrae. I can still reach the pedals and shift the 6 speed, but sitting high enough is barely possible. (Just getting into the car requires careful negotiation.) It’s the
same with my 280z. I’ve kept myself debt-free and with the ability to essentially own what I want to drive within limits, but that’s been negated by physical deterioration.