The Pros & Cons of Driving
What do you love about driving? The convenience and freedom? Now, what do you hate about it? Getting stuck in traffic or finding yourself behind an extremely slow and inexperienced driver? Well, you're not alone. No matter how you slice it, driving has its fair share of pros and cons, making it both a frustrating skill and an invaluable one. Here are 10 things people hate about getting behind the wheel. and 10 things that make up for it.
1. Aggressive Drivers
No one wants to drive next to an aggressive driver. Even if you're going at an acceptable speed and minding your own business, these types of people tend to tailgate you, blast their horn, or shout profanities at your window until you both finally split off at the next intersection.
2. Traffic Jams
Another thing people don't like about driving? Traffic jams. The annoying thing is that congestion usually happens during rush hour (surprise, surprise), which means even when you want to get home after a long day of work, you'll need to sit through a line of cars for another hour or so before your wish is granted.
3. Maintenance Costs
Driving can already be a pain in itself sometimes, but maintaining a car is a whole different beast. Not only do you have to take it into the shop to make sure everything works correctly, but you still need to pay for gas and insurance on top of all those bills.
4. Jaywalkers
Unpredictable pedestrians popping out onto the road at the last second are already a pain, but jaywalkers? They're a driver's worst nightmare. It doesn't help that most of the time, these lawbreakers don't even take into account that cars could be coming down the road at full speed, so braking can be extremely violent.
5. Busy Parking Lots
Few things are as frustrating as a busy parking lot. Every other driver is hunting for a spot, and just when you think you've found one, too, someone else is swooping in to make their dibs, or the car never actually pulls out of the bay. It's why you often opt for delivery.
6. Constant Construction
Traffic jams are annoying enough, but add construction to the mix, and you probably wish you had taken the bus instead. After all, no one likes making detours when they're rushing to work in the morning or when they're tired from a long day.
7. Merging Onto Busy Highways
Busy highways are stressful enough; the last thing you'd want is to have to merge onto one when cars seem to be flying past without a gap in sight. To add to your anxiety, the longer you take, the longer the line gets behind you, which means you'll have a lot of angry, impatient drivers.
8. Cyclists
Pedestrians who pop out at the last second frustrate drivers enough, but cyclists? Because they're also on a moving vehicle, it can sometimes be harder to predict how fast they're going or react quickly if they suddenly dart out into traffic, which only stresses out drivers more.
9. Unpredictable Drivers
Then you have unpredictable drivers: the ones who seem to weave in and out of lanes without warning, never signal their intentions, and seem perpetually lost. Being stuck behind one of these people means you're sure to be late going home.
10. New Drivers
If you ask any experienced driver, they'd probably tell you that they find new drivers to be one of the most annoying obstacles on the road. After all, novices are usually slow and unsure of themselves, which means you'll be camping for days behind them unless you can find a way to safely pass them beforehand.
But it's not all doom and gloom on the road; there are plenty of things people love about driving as well. Let's jump into what makes driving relaxing and fun:
1. The Convenience
Hands down, most people agree that the best thing about driving is the convenience. Have an appointment? You can leave 10 minutes before, as opposed to heading out half-an-hour before if you were taking public transit. Need to drop a friend off at the airport? With a car, you can do so (and maybe you'll get a free meal in return).
2. Solo Rides
Being in the car by yourself means you have unlimited alone time to do whatever you need to do to let your emotions out. Well, you'll still want to make sure you drive safely, of course, but seriously: where else can you jam to your favorite tunes with the volume cranked all the way up?
3. The Freedom
With a car, you can go anywhere you want, whenever you want. Ice cream at 3AM? You bet—provided that you can find a place selling ice cream that opens that late. Head to the beach right before sunrise? Yup, you can do that, too.
4. Spontaneous Road Trips
Speaking of going wherever you want, another great thing about driving is that you can hop into the car and take yourself to a completely new city if you suddenly have the itch. You don't need to rely on friends or family, and you can simply up and go if you want.
5. Exploring Remote Areas & Scenic Roads
Want to go camping in a remote area? Hike a new trail? Drive down a scenic route? These are all reasons people enjoy driving: it allows them to visit places they might otherwise never have a chance to explore and see.
6. Better Opportunities
When you know how to drive, you open yourself up to many more opportunities. Some jobs, for example, require employees to be able to commute to and from work with a vehicle. Plus, it wouldn't be very convenient if you had to rely solely on public transit or get to your workplace on foot.
7. Feeling in Control
When you're behind the wheel, you're in full control, and that can be an incredibly freeing feeling. When life gets overwhelming, it's easy to feel lost or anxious. The independence that comes with driving can therefore help ground you and make you feel more like yourself again.
8. Learning a Valuable Skill
Driving is a valuable skill; it can even save a life in cases of emergencies. Because it's such an important skill, people who know how to drive are often more confident, capable, adaptable, and prepared to handle unexpected situations.
9. Not Having to Rely on Public Transit
Let's face it: no one wants to rely on public transit. Sure, it can sometimes be convenient, especially if you live in an extremely interconnected city. But more often than not, people would rather drive and get to their destinations more quickly, and not have to wake up early to catch the bus.
10. Making a Car Truly Yours
Another fun advantage of being a driver? You get to decorate your car however you want and make it truly yours! On the other hand, if you're always relying on friends and family to drive you around, you won't get the chance to experience this kind of freedom and personalization.
