What Drives People's Obsession With Driving?

The automobile is a relatively new technology that has in a short time transformed the world. It liberated the wolrld from the leisurely pace of 40 mph, the previous best thanks to the horse. Shortening trips from hours to mere minutes and making the world so much smaller, it ushered people into the century of speed.



The car altered forever the modern landscape, opening up vast swathes of country and giving people the freedom to go where they want, when they want. The car revolution has been so successful however that it is now taken for granted. It has become just another part of modern life. The previous thrill of speed and power is often forgotten in the daily commute and the romance and elegance of the early days has all but vanished.



On the other hand, for millions the car is not just a method of transport but a work of art and a thing of beauty in itself. Many adults are still able to recall the thrill of stepping into their very first car and the sense of liberty that came with it. It is perhaps for this reason that many people are so passionate about their car, viewing it not just as extension of themselves but also as the vehicle that gave them their freedom. Many people choose to spend their weekend driving nowhere in particular, using the car not as a means of commuting but as a leisure pursuit in itself.

For some the car and its history is a source of edification. Cars such as the Ferrari 308, Austin GT, Ford Mustang or Alfa Romeo Spider are universally admired and viewed as classics. Cars such as the Morris Minor, the Reliant Robin or indeed the Volkswagen Beetle also boast legions of devoted fans worldwide that admire and love these cars not only for their accomplishments but also for their faults. Weekend meetings exist where various aficionados can get together and spend happy hours swapping stories about their pride and joy.



Others choose to harness the full power of cars by spending a blissful weekend racing in one of the many amateur circuit tracks that are scattered throughout the country. Generations of children grow up with toy cars, Top Trumps and fantasies of winning their own F1 race. So, it seems likely that the car will continue to be an obsession in itself. Just as the cult of the horse survived the auto-mobile, it is certain the cult of speed will survive traffic jams, parking tickets and congestion charges.



The reasons behind people’s obsessions are as diverse as people are themselves. For all those who love cars for their speed and power there are just as many that admire a certain car’s style or heritage and others for whom it is simply an inexplicable passion. For all these petrol-heads there is no greater pleasure than picking dead bugs off their windshield with a smile in their eyes and an open road beckoning them to destination unknown.



Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.