Do you still think driving is enjoyable?
Functionally, diving a car is to get from one place to another. When New Seniors were young it meant freedom. As we grew older, having a fancy vehicle brought prestige with it. Then driving became a necessity in order to transport the kids from one event to another. In later years convenience gave way to comfort. And, in time, driving a car reverted back to getting from one place to another. So, what are people saying about driving today?
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A recent Rasmussen survey showed 43% of American adults really enjoy driving. This is up from 39% last year. Among the 18 to 29 age group this number rose to 53%. Enjoyment dropped steadily with each age cell (10 year spans) until reaching a low point of 34% with those 65+. Men of all ages enjoyed driving more than women, 53% to 34% respectively.
The study did not indicate how people felt about traffic congestion in major cities, weather conditions or even the type of cars the respondents drove. But it is likely that these factors might contribute to how enjoyable ones driving experiences may be. Nonetheless, Americans are enjoying driving more.
It is not surprising that those expecting to buy or lease a car this year fall into the enjoy driving category. Almost 90% of respondents believe they will be paying more for gas by summer, with most citing $4 a gallon gas to be the going price by July.
In spite of rising fuel prices the majority of Americans do not plan to buy an electric car in the next 10 years. And, buyers increasingly believe purchasing an American car is as important as getting the best price. Therefore, the future for auto manufacturers seems a little brighter.
For New Seniors, the fun of owing and driving a car has passed us by. There are some exceptions; but, overall, we view having a car as a convenient necessity – something we could probably live without but prefer not to. Yet the subject of cars and enjoying diving has a way of taking some of us back to our youth.
Remember when gas was less than 20 cents a gallon and a starter car was probably as old as you? When going for a ride with some friends or your main squeeze was a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon? There was no air conditioning. We just rolled down the windows and drove. Sure it was hot, but we didn’t care, we were having fun.
There are still a lot of places we haven’t seen and plenty of roads left to travel. Maybe you ought to fill up the tank and take off this coming Sunday for places unknown. Or you might want to wait for the weather to warm up. But don’t wait too long; otherwise, your practical side might convince you that this is frivolous and it would be better to stay home. What fun would that be?
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