Why do we love doing it? Driving, that is.

We can think of million reasons why we have to drive. The job that’s across town, or little Tom’s school that’s at the other end of the county.  Going grocery shopping every weekend, or going to the dentist’s every other month. But take all of that out of the equation. The appointments, the routine, the burden. The duties that have turned driving into an automated activity. If we take them all out, all that is left… is the pure joy of driving.

Surprisingly, for many of us, driving is still a pleasant activity. The traffic jams, the flat tires, and the high gas prices over the years may have taken some of the glory of driving away.

Yet, despite the troubles, excitement prevails. Even if you don’t feel the overflowing joy all the time, the feeling is still there every single time you get behind the wheel.

Why do we love driving?

We looked into dozens of stories online that show people’s affection for driving. Some were amusing, others somewhat scary, third – completely bizarre. Yet, they all came down to a few reasons that triggered people’s love for driving.

Is it because of the relationship we have with our car?

For most of us, the car is the first major purchase we make in our lives. Even if we don’t buy it ourselves, it is definitely the first thing that we learn to take care of.

Many young men learn the components of a car quite some time ahead of the purchase itself. The affection is already there before the object gets to them. This is a predisposition to a special feeling that transfigures into a relationship.

Once you get your first car you are overflown with emotions – it is a first, it is a car, it is the first car that you can drive by yourself. Eventually, you start seeking these moments where you can have a little one-to-one interaction with the vehicle in your garage. You develop an attachment and at some point, even the maintenance that you have to do on your car becomes a positive emotion.

Where does the soul of a car hide in?

The soul of the car hides in its sounds, its smells, its interior, and design. The roar of the engine is a factor for a number of men to openly love their vehicles. Or others’ vehicles.

It is not uncommon to hold up a Maserati GranTurismo or a Ferrari V8 on the highway and make them pass you by just so that you could hear their engines. Seriously, you won’t even have to take your kids to the zoo to hear a lion.

Even years later you still feel that the car has a soul of its own. She behaves well when you take care of her. She makes you happy when you show her you care for her problems. You lift her up when she is broken down… You make her beautiful when she is literally covered in s**t.  All these little moments that make a relationship sincere.

Well, some take this too literally. Please don’t. It’s ok if your love for driving stems from all the years you have been taking care of your car. But the moment you start stroking it gently and kissing it … well, maybe it’s time you two break up.

Is it because of the freedom it provides?

I am sure there isn’t a single driver in this country that hasn’t felt it. The feeling of pure freedom when you get behind the wheel and turn the engine on.

Some might say it is exactly the opposite of freedom – that the dependency on our vehicles in the US is more similar to being chained rather than free. But putting that thinking aside and putting your mind solely on driving – doesn’t the movement make you feel unrestricted, able to go anywhere you want?

This again is a feeling that you experience during your very first driving lesson – that moment when you felt relieved that nobody at school will see your mom dropping you off at the gate anymore. Yes, the love for driving ignites right there and then.

Those last years of high school that you so desperately wanted to be free of everything. Driving gave it to you. The moment you get your license is the start of a whole new beginning. It is the first moment of self-accomplishment, the success that unlocks an endless number of possibilities and routes ahead.

Psychologists say today this might be slightly different as millennials no longer see freedom in driving. Seeing your son invest all his savings on a hiking trip to Europe than on getting an old Cadillac might be a painful sight. The impatient question “When will I get my own car” which you had for your parents every day is turning into the calm statement “I’ll just call Uber”.

Is it because of the many adventures it offers us?

Oh, wow, where do we even begin? The first time you want to take a girl on a date? Yes, maybe that’s where it will all change for millennials. Calling a cab, even if it’s Uber, cannot compare to the impression you will leave when you pick her up and drop her off in your car. Or your dad’s car.

You are the one driving it, in control, and that sends out a message of prestige and masculinity most of the girls desire. No matter what age you both are. Being truly into driving is definitely a turn-on.

Do you think we should mention racing? Hell, yes! After all, adrenaline is a huge part of the driving experience and we can’t close our eyes to this despite the safety issues. Racing and drifting are probably the top associations that come to mind when you think of driving in the first place.

NASCAR and Formula 1 might have been an influence on some of us, but even if they haven’t, the kick you get from going at a high speed is familiar to all. And it doesn’t need an excuse.

What about the excitement of going places?

Then there’s the excitement of going places – the ability to drive away across cities and states. Or simply put- the road trips! You haven’t lived if you haven’t taken one – in your 20s, in your 30s, and definitely in your 50s! Trust me, it gives a whole new angle to the experience of driving!

Driving may often seem to be just the means to get you places, but it is much more than that. It makes you feel an explorer – it exposes you to what lies beyond the vehicle itself and brings you thrills that you are able to find all of that.

Driving gives your life an edge, a special vibe – it makes it dynamic which is human nature, and hence it is thanks to driving that you feel part of nature, part of the world. And yes, planes probably do that job as well, but in a place, you are only a passenger.

When you are driving, you are in control of the world ahead of you. You decide what matters, you decide where to pause. And it is your closest ones that get to share this feeling with you, whether you are with your high school friends or on a family bonding adventure. What can be better than this calm yet enriching experience?

Is it because driving offers you the privacy you need?

Probably most of you will agree with this one. The car is our own territory – it has become something like an extension of our home. A place where you feel at ease. Driving is very often the little time that you have only for yourself. Once you drop off little Tom at school, of course. You can sing your lungs out and no one will hear you. Or try your perkiest dance moves while seated. You can practice your broken French or listen to a new podcast.

You can be rolling with the windows down, elbow out, letting your hair flow… Or you might be hiding when eating a doughnut. That’s also ok. Because this is your Me time. Whether you prefer the music or the silence of the road, driving can give it to you – a little time to pamper yourself.

The solitude that can never turn into loneliness. Because driving gets you moving – your body, and your mind. It gives you clarity and peace to think about what truly lies in your heart because movement and vibrations are the innate human nature.

What’s the reason that hides behind your love of driving? We hope you still have that excitement somewhere inside of you and haven’t turned it into an automated mindless activity because that would be a pity. You will be missing so many emotions, adventures, you’ll be turning your back on yourself and your freedom. So, think again.

Why do you love driving?