Thread: More than just the car

Yes Pedro I understand that.

In the Land Rover on or off road I am aware that I am driving and that control is my responsibility. I actually have to make decisions and listen and look. Anticipate and plan. Become part of the landscpe and not divorced/insulated from it.

It is tactile and visceral and not an arcade game.

It is not only LR though. My Alfa inspired similar attention.

I think that road safety requires involvement not detachment.

Just as off road driving requires something more than "dashboard dial up terrain selection".

Driving should be a challenge.

Yea,, I'm quite happy to have a quite giggle at Vlads description of bouncing around fraser,,

but I dont want or need ( no really) lots of bloody drink holders,,,

I'm quite happy to have ( in BUB 92! ) lots of electronics, and pay for their repair,

but I'd want to be able to turn them off, making THEM my slave ,, not the other way around.

but then,, by the time I can afford a D3,, I may just leave them all on!!! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img]

one_iota: I completely agree, and could not have said it better myself :!: [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

Originally posted by one_iota


It is not only LR though. My Alfa inspired similar attention.

Did I tell you in my youth, when the '33's came out,
I rented one and thrashed the **** out of it up and down the old highway to Gosford,, had these tiny little 155 tyes on the front,, and at its limit was completely neutral, want oversteer, no problem, understeer yep can do.
Yes the steering wheel was off centre,
yes you had to wear pointy italian shoes to use the pedals,
yes they were unreliable,( and prone to overheating :roll: :wink: [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] )

but OMG did they make you think about what you were doing.






and about how to go faster 8)

Had an interesting discussion re fatigue the other day. My contention was that looking at hours behind the wheel was too simplistic, and what you are doing behind the wheel makes a big difference.

I suggested that modern cars are expressly designed to relax the driver and minimise involvement. A quiet, climate-controlled cabin, powerful engines that don't need gearchanges, cruise control, drinks within easy reach, music, everything designed for a low-workload environment....it's basically a first-class class airline seat but you're the pilot.

No wonder people nod off and end up in the ditch.

Contrast this with the Defender experience.

A novel argument, don't you think?

I agree to a point rmp, I find I can drive the same distances I used to without being as tired when I get out at the end.

Hi rmp, I too agree in part but I find that with vehicles becoming more pleasurable to drive, where only a few years ago, I would rather drive from Brisbane to Sydney with only one quick pit stop, I now tend to be relaxed more and want to stop and do the tourist thing.
But then again this may not be the comfortable vehicle thing but more likely the on set of old age. :?