With more and more things becoming standard over the years..such as abs, electronic throttle control, auto trannies..is the driving experience becoming better from it, or worse?
Does technology improve the FUN of the driving experience, or take away from it?
- Thread starter Syringer
- Start date
I'm not sure whether it is better or worse but I can tell you one thing, it has created a large population of people who rely more on the vehicle than themselves and thus the quality of drivers has diminished greatly over the last 15 or so years.
Thats well said.
I think all the cush and plush, auto shift, interior isolation from road noise, preium surround sound and fancy LCD's and stuff have really gotten people away from the wind in the air seat of your pants enjoyment of it all.
You gotta figure that safety comes at the expense of fun. Right now, I suppose it isn't a big deal. But in maybe 200 years? We probably won't be driving ourselves anywhere. We'll be using mass transit systems or automatic people movers.
Most driving isn't fun regardless of equipment. Sitting in traffic for an hour after work is no more fun with a manual transmission and manual brakes than it is with an auto and ABS.
Most people don't drive for fun.
Most people don't drive for fun.
Anubis
No Lifer
definitly worse.
we have a 74 porsche 911. its just car and engin nothing else. so much more fun to drive. Ive driven new porsches and the older ones are more fun because the car dosent drive itself. A fam friend of ours has driven the 7 series BMW's and he dosent like them. hes a beimer nut and he complains that there too much computer stuff in there and it basically drives itself
we have a 74 porsche 911. its just car and engin nothing else. so much more fun to drive. Ive driven new porsches and the older ones are more fun because the car dosent drive itself. A fam friend of ours has driven the 7 series BMW's and he dosent like them. hes a beimer nut and he complains that there too much computer stuff in there and it basically drives itself
Demon-Xanth
Lifer
- Feb 15, 2000
- 20,551
- 2
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You can have just as much fun in a brand new Miata as you can with a 240Z. I got the whole MPFI, coil on plug setup, rear ABS, MP3 player, and A/C; but that doesn't stop me from having some tire smoking, tail wagging old school style fun with it. (yay posi!) Technology only takes away from the experience if you let it.
As someone hinted at earlier:
More technology == easier to drive
Easier to drive == more drivers
More drivers == more bad drivers
More bad drivers == more dangerous to drive
More dangerous to drive == less fun
∴ More technology == less fun. QED
(Edit: made ∴ symbol more standards-compliant)
More technology == easier to drive
Easier to drive == more drivers
More drivers == more bad drivers
More bad drivers == more dangerous to drive
More dangerous to drive == less fun
∴ More technology == less fun. QED
(Edit: made ∴ symbol more standards-compliant)
radioouman
Diamond Member
- Nov 4, 2002
- 8,632
- 0
- 0
Well said.
It's really nice being cut off in my 1975 Plymouth Duster or my 10 year old Dakota because some person in a great handling new car feels that I can stop just as well as they can. They don't have any respect for the older and larger vehicles still on the road. I wish that we were still driving cars from the 1980s or earlier. We should be driving sedans with 100 horsepower, minivans with 125 horsepower, and econoboxes with 75 horsepower. When people have a lot of power and a great handling car in their control, they forget that not everyone else has an equivalent vehicle.
Can't wait till I can tell my house I want a car in five minutes to take me to Oregon and be driven there savely, guietly and at huge speeds while I'm informed on and vote on all the latest legislation, or do my fingernails.
Hah! Little by little, it's starting to sink in that you don't get the chance to enjoy what a "fun to drive", econobox, go-kart does best. Handling? Oh brother! What percentage of "driving enthusiasts" get to "tame the twisties" on a regular basis?
Even motorcyclists risk life and limb every minute they're "adventuring". Ever alert of nit-wits in cages or risk becoming another statistic. Sounds really enjoyable!
Face it, technology has brought us safer, longer lasting vehicles, that are faster and more stable. All for a few more bucks and added complexity. Hell, I bet half the added complexity is EPA related anyway. If you want "fun", take up Kart racing. For cruising the boulevard from point to point, I'll take a well equipped, high tech, boulevard cruiser any day.
Even motorcyclists risk life and limb every minute they're "adventuring". Ever alert of nit-wits in cages or risk becoming another statistic. Sounds really enjoyable!
Face it, technology has brought us safer, longer lasting vehicles, that are faster and more stable. All for a few more bucks and added complexity. Hell, I bet half the added complexity is EPA related anyway. If you want "fun", take up Kart racing. For cruising the boulevard from point to point, I'll take a well equipped, high tech, boulevard cruiser any day.
its funny listening to some of these geek types talk... everybody loves cool tech sorta things but when it comes to cars you're saying you'd rather have an old junker that can't brake, can't corner, can't accelerate, and rides like a farm wagon, and that's good???? I think the newer cars are fun to drive b/c of the technology. My 99 Honda Accord for example, a great car with good acceleration, great braking, and overall good handling that's dependable. Now that's what I call a good ride.
Demon-Xanth
Lifer
- Feb 15, 2000
- 20,551
- 2
- 81
I dunno, I get to "tame the twisties" pretty much every time I go out. I have to drive on a minimum of 2 miles of back road to go anywhere.
Demon-Xanth
Lifer
- Feb 15, 2000
- 20,551
- 2
- 81
Would you rather have an all in one bar that gives you all the nutrients and energy you need for an entire day or would you rather have a good steak dinner cooked over a barbecue?
Originally posted by: Ornery
Hah! Little by little, it's starting to sink in that you don't get the chance to enjoy what a "fun to drive", econobox, go-kart does best. Handling? Oh brother! What percentage of "driving enthusiasts" get to "tame the twisties" on a regular basis?
Even motorcyclists risk life and limb every minute they're "adventuring". Ever alert of nit-wits in cages or risk becoming another statistic. Sounds really enjoyable!
Face it, technology has brought us safer, longer lasting vehicles, that are faster and more stable. All for a few more bucks and added complexity. Hell, I bet half the added complexity is EPA related anyway. If you want "fun", take up Kart racing. For cruising the boulevard from point to point, I'll take a well equipped, high tech, boulevard cruiser any day.
You should really try to drive a) A Miata b) a CRX one day through your favorite road. There's something to be said about driving a "simple" car thru its paces and having fun.
Don't knock it till you try it.
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Lol! Ornery in a CRXWe'll see the second coming of Christ before we see that happening.
how about Ornery in a MGB Roadster or those Triumph roadsters from back in the day?
i dont know, tough question. but safety is important to be like abs or traction controller, stability is a must.
I thought Ornery's favorite road was a mosquito crossing slow to 5 mph. Not to good for a miata convertable.
There's a lot to be said for nimbleness, and I actually own a fine ride just for that purpose!
Crusing down my favorite road? Personally, I put about 3,000 miles per year on my car. My wife puts about 5,000 per year on hers. We live right next door to a huge mall. Only a couple miles from Walmart, Kmart, Staples... you name it. I don't drive for the sake of driving. I quit doing that many years ago. I HATE to travel. Only time I think about the car is when it's doing something it shouldn't be, like rattling or not starting. Otherwise, the less I have to think about it, the better I like it.
Crusing down my favorite road?
Personally, I put about 3,000 miles per year on my car. My wife puts about 5,000 per year on hers. We live right next door to a huge mall. Only a couple miles from Walmart, Kmart, Staples... you name it. I don't drive for the sake of driving. I quit doing that many years ago. I HATE to travel. Only time I think about the car is when it's doing something it shouldn't be, like rattling or not starting. Otherwise, the less I have to think about it, the better I like it.LOL!
So what kind of cars did you drive when you were younger and enjoyed driving for the sake of driving?
So what kind of cars did you drive when you were younger and enjoyed driving for the sake of driving?
- 1966 GTO 400ci, 4bbl, 4spd,
1965 Catalina 4dr, 389ci
1968 Camaro RS, 327ci
1978 Grand Marquis 4dr
1977 Town Car from 1982 till 1986
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