Are you an enthusiastic driver or a regular driver?

mclaren1885 · 30th September 2007, 15:02

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 · 30th September 2007, 15:08

Both. Depending on situation.

ashwin390 · 30th September 2007, 15:28

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

rks · 30th September 2007, 15:30

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 · 30th September 2007, 15:50

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

doomsday · 30th September 2007, 16:12

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 · 30th September 2007, 16:52

Quote:

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 · 30th September 2007, 17:24

Quote:

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 · 30th September 2007, 18:08

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

iraghava · 30th September 2007, 18:45

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 · 30th September 2007, 20:47

Quote:

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 · 30th September 2007, 20:51

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 · 30th September 2007, 20:57

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.

Quote:

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 · 30th September 2007, 21:02

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 · 30th September 2007, 21:25

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.

View Poll Results: Which category would you put yourself in? And explain WHY?
I am an average Indian Joe to whom car is only a means of transport!	6	5.50%
I am an enthusiast!	103	94.50%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll

30th September 2007, 15:02	#1
mclaren1885 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore (the city of modded cars) !! Posts: 4,818 Thanked: 46 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (10)	Are you an enthusiastic driver or a regular driver? 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?
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 15:08	#2
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,196 Thanked: 1,821 Times View My Garage	Both. Depending on situation.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 15:28	#3
ashwin390 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 32 Thanked: 2 Times	I do not really think you will find many "Regular Joe" drivers on team-BHP!!!!
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 15:30	#4
rks BANNED Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: ?? Posts: 1,237 Thanked: 19 Times	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.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 15:50	#5
Desert fox BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 227 Thanked: Once	Enthusiast...even when my transport mode is a Sumo.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 16:12	#6
doomsday BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 424 Thanked: 59 Times	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.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 18:08	#9
bottle Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,641 Thanked: 294 Times View My Garage	i m a lazy driver and cycles to autos overtake me giving me dirty looks
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 18:45	#10
iraghava Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bhaiyyaland Posts: 7,997 Thanked: 281 Times View My Garage	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! Last edited by iraghava : 30th September 2007 at 18:51.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 20:51	#12
blueraven316 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,109 Thanked: 21 Times View My Garage	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.
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 21:02	#14
meenakshi Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14 Thanked: 0 Times	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 !! --
	() Thanks

30th September 2007, 21:25	#15
caliper BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: India Posts: 160 Thanked: 3 Times	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.
	() Thanks