Five Things We Love About Cars and Driving

There's no question that Americans love to drive, and love their vehicles. Since the 1880's Americans have been driving for pleasure. Driving in congested areas can certainly be a headache, but there's nothing quite like hitting the open road and going for a drive!

Here are a few things we love about cars and driving...

Sense of Accomplishment

If you're driving, it's because you passed your driver's test and were issued your driver's license. Earning your license as a teen or an adult takes weeks of studying, participating in hands on driving lessons, and of course- taking and passing the sight, written, and on the road test. There's nothing quite like the feeling of being handed that plastic card or piece of paper with your photo on it, letting the world know that you are a licensed driver! The day one received their driver's license is a rite of passage, and often includes a special family celebration to mark the accomplishment.

Family Bonding

There's nothing quite like hitting the road with your family. Whether you take a family trip, or are just running errands, bonding definitely happens in the car. It may be the place where you have deep and meaningful conversations with parents, children, or siblings. Perhaps time spent in the car lends itself to a family karaoke challenge, or a new family game is invented.

The Sunday Drive

Believe it or not, Americans still love heading out for a Sunday drive. It can be nice to just get out on the open road, without a plan as to where you are going. Nothing beats the feeling one gets when driving with the windows open, underneath blue skies, and soaking up the sunshine. Sunday drives often lead to fun exploration. Perhaps you'll come across a country fresh fruit stand, or you'll happen upon an historic site that you never knew existed, just one town over from yours. Pull out a road map and take a road you've never traveled before!

Road Trips

Everyone deserves to experience a road trip at least once in their lifetime. Road trips aren't so much a thing of the past, as one in four Americans take a road trip every year. Couples, families, friends, and business partners travel together for many different reasons. Road trips can be a lot of fun, if treated as a road trip, not not as twenty boring hours in the car. Planning your road trip accordingly can make it worth-while. Do your research before you hit the road, planning to stop along the way, at must-try restaurants, must see attractions and sights, and more! Planning a fun road trip will make a long drive much more fun, and will provide lots of memories down the road.

Naming Your Car

We tend to humanize our cars, especially if they have been in our lives for a while. It's natural for folks to want to give their car a name. Cars are relied upon, and after a while, they tend to have their own personalities. Famous names for cars include 'Herbie, 'Bumble Bee,' 'Greased Lightning, 'KITT', among others. Women tend to give their car a female name, like 'Pearl', while men are more likely to give their cars names like 'Thunder Road.' Naming cars is fairly common, as your car sort of starts to feel like it's part of the family, after it's been in your life for some time. Naming the family car can be a lot of fun for the family. If your car doesn't have a name, why not have a car naming night, and allow your family members to make suggestions, and then cast votes for their favorite name?

What do you love most about driving?