Are you an enthusiastic driver or a regular driver?

[mclaren1885]

Very often, I have come across posts of people saying to them the car is only a means of travel from Point A to Point B. Where as elsewhere, we keep finding people who are known as enthusiasts. People, to whom their car is not just a means of transport but much more than that. People who are referred to as "crazy" for their love of cars, speed, zeal to maintain them immaculately clean (a certain bling-old man comes to picture first), or be it those who drive enthusiastically, or those who mod their cars & others who take part in various events. So which category do you belong to?

So do you belong to the average Indian Joe era to whom a car is only a means of transport?

Or do you belong to a group called enthusiasts? What makes one an enthusiast? What are the qualities that you possess that differentiate you as an enthusiast from the rest?

[theMAG]

Both. Depending on situation.

[ashwin390]

I do not really think you will find many "Regular Joe" drivers on team-BHP!!!!

[rks]

I consider myself a driving enthusiast. I like to drive fast and drive well; mistakes annoy me and I try to learn from them. On the other hand, I do not spend a lot of time cleaning my car or learning about it in more detail than necessary. I want the car to be in very good condition where it matters, and I am willing to spend more money on maintenance than the average Joe.

E.g. I will usually change my tyres when there is about 3 mm of tread left because I am worried about grip while braking and cornering on wet roads. And I usually do not question the authorized service centres when they want to change parts as per maintenance schedule, which I am keen on maintaining. I do believe in the preventive maintenance philosophy, rather than wait for some part to fail unexpectedly.

[Desert fox]

Enthusiast...even when my transport mode is a Sumo.

[doomsday]

I will term myself an enthusiast. I drive the pants off of any set of wheels (cars/bikes/18 wheelers ) and want to learn about them as much as I could and maintain them immaculately.

[shuvc]

Originally Posted by rks

I consider myself a driving enthusiast. I like to drive fast and drive well; mistakes annoy me and I try to learn from them. On the other hand, I do not spend a lot of time cleaning my car or learning about it in more detail than necessary. I want the car to be in very good condition where it matters, and I am willing to spend more money on maintenance than the average Joe.

E.g. I will usually change my tyres when there is about 3 mm of tread left because I am worried about grip while braking and cornering on wet roads. And I usually do not question the authorized service centres when they want to change parts as per maintenance schedule, which I am keen on maintaining. I do believe in the preventive maintenance philosophy, rather than wait for some part to fail unexpectedly.

Ditto that whole writeup for me. @rks, hope you don't mind this plagiarism !

[rks]

Originally Posted by shuvc

Ditto that whole writeup for me. @rks, hope you don't mind this plagiarism !

Not at all, you are welcome. I am glad you share my views, and anyway it is not plagiarism when you have cited me.

[bottle]

i m a lazy driver and cycles to autos overtake me giving me dirty looks

[iraghava]

Enthusiastic 80-85% of the time but at times drive slightly less enthusiastically if I have company. If alone it's always pedal to metal time!

P.S. Is driving enthusiastically a requirement for being an enthusiast? I would disagree since I know many enthusiasts who don't drive fast.

And if that was indeed the case then I suppose most of our cab drivers would be in our gang, considering the way they drive!

[planet_rocker]

Originally Posted by bottle

i m a lazy driver and cycles to autos overtake me giving me dirty looks

whoa! i am just like you buddy! they dont usually give me dirty look - but laugh at themselves thinking that i dont deserve to drive.

well i am an enthusiast when i am with the fiat and a regular driver when i am with the m800.

therefore i have not voted.

[blueraven316]

Am an enthusiast, petrolhead, But the speeds have some down significantly in last few years. I like doing things the right way and prefer not to push a car without good brakes/tyres. My biking days are dormant now, but will start soon as soon as I get a big bike between my legs again.

[rjstyles69]

For me it solely depends on the mayhem while driving,I mean the traffic conditions during my city drives.

Otherwise I simply enjoy driving around.

Originally Posted by blueraven316

My biking days are dormant now,but will start soon as soon as I get a big bike between my legs again.

Will a bicycle do for starters my friend ?

[meenakshi]

Enthusiast driver all time time. Be it a swift, Jaguar, Chevy-Montecarlo, Chrysler300. I love driving to the speed limit or sometime having thrill and fun breaking the rules under control ! Try to test the machine to the extent it could be a scorpio on the bombay-pune highway.

-- The day I lose control of my car ! I will stop driving !! --

[caliper]

You could count me as an enthusiast if that means:

• wanting to keep the car very clean
• buying exotic products to maintain the paint
• wanting to learn about the various sub-systems of the car
• wanting installation of ICE and other accessories to be done absolutely correctly and not "desi"
• paying attention to safety issues
• on the lookout for new products/accessories
• interested in new car technologies
• wanting to able to drive well
• be able to drive fuel-efficiently when required or desired

However, I don't think being an enthusiast means driving fast on public roads in India. On most roads, that's either not possible, or just stupid.