You won't find a bigger fan of Drive it Day than me. It's an incredibly simple and sensible idea that does the world of good for enthusiasts, their cause and, of course, the punters who have their day brightened by seeing a load of machinery that is normally locked away and unseen. And that is where I start to have issues with it. The "normally locked away and unseen" part. Now, it is certainly not my place to tell other people how and when they should use their classics, but it just strikes me as a little sad that the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs needs to set aside a special occasion to encourage people to actually use their classics.
This Drive it Day, rather than being out in that glorious spring sunshine enjoying – and sharing the enjoyment of - a classic, I was locked away in the house decorating. Obviously the panic to get the jobs done that I might have already intimated were complete, before my family came back from a two week break in France was a big factor, but I also realised that I simply didn't feel beholden to take part in Drive it Day. Sad, but true. I drive a classic every day, so it doesn't apply to me. That's the thinking anyway. Thinking that is fundamentally flawed, admittedly, but I am just being honest about how I feel about it. And that is that the very existence of Drive it Day creates a perception that the event is for the fair-weather fans only. Nothing could be further from the truth, but that is the way it seems.
