Why we love driving

[TheMadHatter99]

Out of my group of friends I am the only car enthusiast. Most of them are musicians who prefer giant vans or cars with huge trunks to lug their equipment around and thus can't understand why I am so into cars and driving. They see it as nothing more than moving from point A to point B and, although I've tried to explain my passion, I don't think I've done a good enough job.

So, I'm putting the question to all of you, why do you love driving? Why do you love cars in general and the Camaro in specific?

[86Z28]

funny. im in the same situation. but, im a musician too. ive been touring with bands for years but when im home its all about my car. my grandfather started a family car business back in the 70's and my father and uncle took it over. so i pretty much was forced into loving them. both my parents had camaros and starting early next year its my turn.

[Mr Twisty]

Maybe it's inherited. I was raised by a bodyman and avid car guy. Nothing like the smell of fresh laquer first thing in the morning ahhhh

[MerlinZero]

I'm a computer geek, and well... my love for driving comes from the roads, If you've ever been in Washington, the roads change so much so quickly. you can start in Seattle, downtown. Where the streets are crowded and the people are lively, and in less then half an hour, you can be out in the woods, flying down I-90 at 80+ with nothing but you, your car and the road, barely any other cars out there.


I think my love came from driving all the back roads, seeing all the differences, learning short cuts and the sorts.

I've been an enthusiast since i got my first piece of crap Geo Storm GSI. was but ugly, but it moved. My friends and I would always race from our Vocational School back to our highschool and i believe that is where it started.

[FenwickHockey65]

My dad built 3rd gen. Camaros and Firebirds at Norwood Assembly. Before that, he almost worked for Ford (think about how different I'd be...I'd be a Mustang fan instead! ), but got turned down. He almost followed the Camaro to Van Nuys, but decided to just move up the highway to a Delphi plant where he made brake pads. Now my dad's retired after 30 years with GM/Delphi and gets a nice pension check every month. So with all this automotive history in my family, it's pretty obvious that I ended up being a car fan.

And yeah, out of all my friends, I've always been the car guy. I've researched cars for them, given them suggestions on what to buy (GM of course! ), I've even changed the oil in one of their cars.

And I've always wanted to drive. Ever since I was a little kid.

[pinkcamaro10]

part of being in control...Its like the car is part of you.. jamming to your music, watching people's heads turn.. but see i dont love driving just ANY car. like if i was stuck in like an 85 civic i wouldnt love driving. I dont even enjoy driving my grand prix all that much even though i thought i would, but i KNOW i will LOVE driving my camaro.

[Mindz]

I like driving for the freedom it offers. You can fly down the highway, or just idle along a popular road (burlingame avenue, main street, etc. etc.).

You're shielded from the elements if you'd like, no one can talk to you except your baby.

The idea of control of something so powerful it can move something several times as heavy as you, 8+ times faster than you can move yourself. The raw power of the v8 has always given me goosebumps, same as any display of power.

The fact that you can set the cruise and just go through the countryside almost on autopilot (just have to steer) is very tempting as I like just going along for the ride sometimes.


As for the Camaro,

I'm going to love turning people's heads, and having them know "something evil this way comes..."

Being able to take turns sideways with a slight depression of the noise pedal

The feel of being pinned against the leather while listening to my own symphony beginning and ending with "S".

Knowing that I can smoke any ricer if I so feel like it, but holding back and waiting for the tuners once I install my little spooling contraption after warranty leaves.

Attracting lots of attention at any car shows I go to even without lots of mods, just for it's commanding presence.

The adrenaline from pushing the car to the limit around a track, then having fun in a laid back powersliding run.

This was a good exercise, it really makes people think (if they take it seriously) and it really tells what kind of person you hope to be with your new Camaro.

[dimitri]

i just love cars from a kid ..i look at cars like u would art...remember thats what the designers believe there designs are art.

[Jiu Jitsu Jon]

If people have never driven a fun, high power car they won't see driving as something other than a means to get from A to B.

[KatarHol]

I grew up with my dad's '71 Formula 400 Firebird and to hear it at idle was like crack for my young ears,it wasn't like other V8's,it had a distinctive type of idle,must have been a Pontiac thing. In Smokey and the Bandit,when he stops to pick up Sally Field in the middle of the road,it's there....that sound...........there is nothing on earth like the sound of a V8,any V8.
Life is so full of compromises,that for the brief time i'm in my car,whether it's going to work or running erands,it's just me and the car and life is good. I can be badass Frank Bullitt going through the gears or the Bandit showing off just for the hell of it. Just walking up to a interesting car in a parking lot full of Camarys or Accords or Minivans tells me,for me, i'm still holding on to enjoying as much of this life as possible. While a Accord is nice,and you can love cars and love a Accord,but for my personal standards,it would be settling. I will always have interesting cars,i love the stories,i love the histories,i love it when somebody has owned a Pinto for 25 years,i love learning about different makes and models,it's just endlessly interesting to me.
I've tried to make a list of cars to own or experience,i've owned Bimmers,Miatas,Camaros,Mustangs,it's just so nice when someone tells you that once you have kids,those toys will go away,and while they may put away their toys,you're still at,plotting the next awesome car to cross off the list,and hopefully influencing a new generation while i'm at it. Maybe one day,one of my sons will be on a message board remembering what his dad's Mustang sounded like.......

[o2camaross]

One word for me SPEED, idk why but its like a drug to me. Anything i own with wheels and an engine, i try to make it as fast as possible. All the way from my 02 SS and 71 Chevelle SS, down to my RC Nitro cars and trucks. Ive been into engines since i was probably five or so. I remember when me and my dad went hunting and the whole way there and back i would ask questions about engines and how they work. Its just something about the hundreds of moving parts in an engine all working together perfectly. As far as driving, in my book there is nothing that compares. Rowing through the gears taking the turns at extremely illegal speeds and knowing exactly how far you can push the car before you lose traction. It is such and Adrenaline rush.

[GXPMAN]

When I was 13.. My dad took me to a target parking lot on a sunday night..Thats back when stores were closed on sunday.

And he taught me how to drive...

In his 72 corvette... The following week we went back and this time he let me drive his 69 SS 396 chevelle..

My dad was cool!! He had me do things like slam on the brakes while going 60mph.. Just to show me how the car would react.

he also made me while doing about 40.. crank the steering wheel all the way left.. to show me how cars won't Flip over things like that...

Ever since.. I've loved driving .. And power..

I love driving so much.. Just being on the road.. I drove from Biloxi MS to maddison WS.. non stop.. Spent 1 day and drove back non stop.. 1100 miles one way 21 hours, And i did it with out drugs. Unless diet mountain dew is a drug lol..

I just love freedom I guess.

[Mindz]

I steered the last half mile to my house when I was 4. my dad had let me play phantasy star on the master system and knew I was good at avoiding things. He at me on his lap of our '79 Toyota landcruiser and let me steer on the old country road leading out to our place. Then at 10, he took me to the Concord pavillion parking lot (semi hilly parking lot) and taught me to drive a stick on his 91 pickup. Since age 12, I've been parking cars for my grandmother's parking company in SF. They own a few parking lots by the symphony house and federal buildings.

[TAG UR IT]

To put it plain and simple, words could never describe it. It's a passion.

I remember being about 12 and having my mom let me drive the station wagon at UTSA in their huge parking lot on the weekends. We never got messed with. We just drove around and I learned how to park, reverse, etc....no fun j turns, no 180's, no slamming on the brakes, etc.

Then, while growing up, my mom would let me hold on to the steering wheel pretty much the entire drive down to the coast...for about 2-3 hours. I'd just steer the whole way which got me used to highways. What can I say...I love driving. No matter where we do, I'm always at the wheel.