From romance to picnics: All the different ways we use our car

I still remember thinking as a kid that there was no better place to play than in the car. While in hindsight, this is probably not the most child-safe area (and something I do not encourage), 30+ years ago, when my cousins and I snuck into my mum’s car, turned the steering wheel, and pretended to move the clutch as if we were really taking her Datsun for a spin, well it was the greatest.  

My husband and his siblings also used their family car, Terry the Tarago, as a much larger playpen while their mum worked at weekend markets. They spent hours making up games and wasting time within the once much-loved and popular family car. 

Now, as adults, the primary purpose of family cars for many parents out there is work or taxiing children around, but there are still plenty of other ways we use our car that aren’t synonymous with driving. 

There’s nothing better than a picnic but when the weather is cold, an unexpected shower comes along, or allergies are flaring up, the car picnic is a trusted way to enjoy a family meal out of the elements. 

In an SUV this can even include the picnic rug, but in smaller cars, sitting in your designated seat, parked waterside with a view as you tuck into your Maccas can work just as well.

Sometimes, whether you’re on the move or parked somewhere, your car can provide a safe space, and a quiet place to escape reality – i.e., kids, work, or whatever is pressing your buttons – or just to appreciate a moment of calm. 

For me, this involves finding somewhere relatively quiet – like a park, before it gets too busy, popping on a podcast, some tunes, a meditation track, or sometimes just enjoying the silence as I sit. Alternatively, I bring a book along and utilise the solitude to catch up on the pages I haven’t gotten to throughout the week, which is also just as relaxing.

Again, this isn’t always the best idea (and depending on where you do this, it can also be illegal), but most of us have, at some point used the car as a place to catch some ZZZZs. Whether it was at a country party as a teenager where the car was your transportable hotel room, at a camping ground, or even for a power nap on a long drive, a car can be the perfect place to recline, get cosy and sleep. 

Speaking of sleep, many parents out there would know that the car, its engine white noise, vibrations and motion can be the answer to sleep prayers for babies who won't sleep elsewhere. 

This can involve late-night drives, or visits to a road with some extra bumps; whatever your sleepless baby needs, it gets for the sake of everyone’s sanity. 

Whether it's an old-school drive-in or something a bit more ‘hands-on’, a car can be quite action-packed when it comes to date night, especially as a teen. As they say, if it’s rocking, don’t bother knocking! 

But above board, scenic drives along coastlines, visits to wineries, or exploring the city lights can also be the way cars are used to generate some romance. 

There’s nothing quite like catching up, or just hanging out with your bestie over a long road trip – chatting about anything or everything. 

For whatever reason, the car offers a sense of security for our teenagers, who are often reluctant to share with their parents but who, inside the cone of silence (the car’s cabin), conversations naturally flow, and sometimes secrets can be shared if you’re driving long enough. 

Perhaps this goes hand in hand with number six but singing like no one is listening to all your favourite divas and cringey 90s pop is a rite of passage for road trips, especially with your friends.  

Hitting play on an old-school playlist or singing along to your favourite radio station, it all works just as long as you (mostly) know the words. 

So how do you use your car? As an ersatz studio for recording your podcasts perhaps? Or the home theatrette in the garage? Maybe even the mobile office for teleconferencing?

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