Photo credit: Graham Richardson
I was never a boy racer. Sad as it is to admit, I learned to drive long after I had started to shave and I have never been one for racing around at any age.
However, I still got to thinking this morning as to whether I enjoy driving more now than I did when I was younger.
The answer is yes and here are a few reasons why…
A Better Car
Most of us can afford to drive a better car as we get older. My current vehicle is actually pretty old but I wouldn’t swap it for the world. It is the first time I have ever owned a big 4 x 4 and I love it. If I had stayed in the UK I would probably have made the usual progression through progressively more elegant and statesman like cars but I still feel as though I have more choice in what I drive than when I was a naïve 20 something.
More Confidence
As you drive more you learn to relax and trust your own judgement. I have no idea how many miles I have driven in my life but it adds up a lot and in a lot of different places and circumstances. I recently started driving on the right hand side of the road in a big vehicle after a few years without getting behind the wheel, and I suddenly remembered how nervous I used to be every time I went out in my car. Now I am back to being relaxed again and it is a wonderful way to feel.
More Things I Want to Do
There are also more things I would like to do now. Looking back I regret not using my car more in the UK to visit some of the wonderful villages and festivals and such like. However, like most youngsters, this kind of thing didn’t interest me much. Instead, I would drive to work and sometimes cruise aimlessly around town. Now I tend to go to places where I want to be and do things which genuinely interest me.