A new survey by the AA has found that despite rising fuel prices and increased traffic congestion, more than half of people still ‘take their car for a spin’ with no specific purpose other than enjoyment.
I was pretty shocked to read that 55% of motorists drive their car for the sake of it. In fact, my surprise was two-fold.
Firstly, despite fuel prices rising drastically and most people tightening their purse strings, the number of car journeys is actually falling.
Halfords research last month found that motorists were simply reducing their car mileage to save money, with 41% of those surveyed opting to walk or cycle further due to increasing motoring costs.
Secondly, I just didn’t think people bothered to go out and drive for fun any more.
Is driving for fun out of date?
I guess I’m in a situation where I don’t really think about this. I’m fortunate enough to drive a lot of cars in my role at Which?, and I’m always taking different cars out just for the experience of driving them, be it a Porsche Cayenne or a Fiat 500.
But one thing I don’t do is go out for a spin in my own car, unless I have a specific need or location to travel to.
I’m one of those people who associates ‘going for a spin’ with a different generation. I think society has changed so dramatically in the last decade that I had thought this was becoming a lost pastime, experienced and enjoyed by enthusiasts only.
But 55% of the 20,029 AA members surveyed can’t all be enthusiasts, can they? Are you surprised by these findings, and are you one of those who drives their car just for fun?
Loading ...
