Poll: do you like to drive with the windows down?

[kittenblue]

I’ve paid my dues. 5 people in a non-AC car for 4 weeks driving vacation from Ohio to California and back in July and August. I love my AC and unless it’s an absolutely gorgeous day and I’m tooling through the Metroparks with nowhere particular to be, the windows are up. Less noise, less hair whipping about (even when tied back the top hairs get all tangled, and I have stick-straight hair) less chance of bees flying in, less dirt, dust and cigarette fumes from the car ahead, and definitely better for keeping out snow. Plus I feel safer, especially when driving through certain neighborhoods late at night.

Now, when I’m with the SO in his convertible, it’s top down all the way. But he very kindly provides a hat, a scrunchie and sunglasses if I need/want any of them.

[flodnak]

I used to love driving with the windows down, at least at lower speeds.

Then I had an attack of trigeminal neuralgia.

My GP printed out a list of things that could trigger another attack, and “steady wind on the face, such as when riding in a car with the windows down” was at the top of the list. Even though I’ve only had one true attack, I don’t want to ever experience anything like that again. So it has become one of the childish things I have put aside (It’s not fun getting an “old people” disease before you’re 40, let me tell you.)

[nogravity]

Female - Windows down at least partially. Even when I lived in Chicago and it was 25 below I needed to have the window open at least a crack. It’s both a claustrophobia thing and I used to get car sick all the time when I was little.

Now that I live in Florida I like my window open enough that I can get out if I get bumped off the road into a pond/lake/canal/river/bay. Don’t laugh because it happens frequently down here.

[minionkat]

@Moonlitherial

Female - I like the windows down in specific situations. I prefer them up on highways and down on city streets.

My absolute favorite time to have the windows down is when spring is just beginning and there is a sunny but still cold day. I roll the windows down and turn the heat up and enjoy the sunshine. Same situation in the fall when I’m trying to wring the last bits of summer out of the year is a close second.

Since this is exactly how I feel, just quoting today.

[Fubaya]

It depends on the vehicle. In my Jeep, the windows stay down all summer. Taking out the rear windows results in the nicest airflow, but i usually have the top down and the doors are usually left at home too. Other vehicles often don’t have good airflow with the windows down or are just nicer to drive with them up. Some cars beat you to death with wind when you open a window.

[kanicbird]

Up most of the time, occasionally down but just long enough to remember why I like them up most of the time, which the main reasons is buffeting and noise.

[Tad_Dainty]

Got to open the window, where else am I going to throw my cigarette? :rolleyes: :smack: :mad:

[Phedre_no_Delaunay]

@The_wind_of_my_soul

Also to those women who hate their hair getting messed up, usually if I bring a hair tie and secure the hair at the nape of my neck that solves the problem. (And since I always have a hair tie with me I rarely have that problem.)

My hair takes a set very quickly. Putting a hairband in it will cause it to be crimped in that area and look stupid until I wash it, so no.

[control-z]

At speeds below 40 or so, yes. Above 40 MPH it’s too noisy, but if it not too hot I will crack the front passenger and rear driver-side window to get some flow-through.

[Toucanna]

Female.

Windows open when driving at lower speeds, in good weather, in a good neighborhood, or any combination thereof.

Windows closed at higher speeds, in bad weather, in a bad neighborhood, or any combination there of.

[Larry_Mudd]

Unless the car has no A/C, I usually prefer them up. I hate the noise, dirt, and smells which having the windows up either eliminates or mitigates.

If the sun is beating down and there’s no A/C, I’ll tolerate those things rather than being cooked alive.

[ZenBeam]

I like the windows down, but I will say that it is much more pleasant in a two-door than in a four-door.

In a four-door, the window frame is pretty much right next to my head. The wind hits the frame, and blows into the side of my head. In a two-door, the window frame is well behind my head, and also generally angled instead of vertical, and this problem doesn’t occur.