What’s with all the driving gloves?

[craigster59]

What's next, red driving clogs?

[ramonesfreak]

So I just learned that my gas cap door must have a bent latch mechanism because I’ve always had to reach through the window and pull the release with one hand will pushing the the door down with the other and then letting go of the release until it’s latched. Thought it was normal.


And being a record collector, I do clean my records. But that serves a real purpose unlike wearing gloves on the street in the summer

Originally Posted by kach22i

I keep my driving hat in the car, keeps the sun off my head.

Poser?

I used to wear an open scalp golfing hat, white with black letters saying "ping" for when finals came and I had to be drawing all night long while in college.

At the time it was the only hat I owned and reminded me of the good times I had golfing with my friends. It was comforting in times of high stress.

Some people clean their vinyl albums before playing them, it's all about the ritual man.

The guy that sold me my Porsche showed me his ritual for closing the gas lid on the car, he didn't just push down on it with one hand or by using his fingers. He would place his flat hand on the lid and lightly hammer fist the back of the hand with his other hand, the lid sets off a snappy reassuring chip out of it when it closed.

I did that for years, a cool ritual.

[hughc]

[QUOTE=svandamme;10484468]It makes sense for normal driving if you have a wooden steering wheel or one with crappy plastic.
not so much if there's a /QUOTE]

Exactly. I used them a lot back in the day when I was driving my 124 Spyder. That wooden wheel would cause my hands to sweat real bad and the gloves also got wet but they felt right.
No need now with my beautiful 400mm leather covered raid wheel.

[sugarwood]

I thought driving gloves ended when the 1980s ended

[GH85Carrera]

I too don't understand driving gloves. If it is really dang cold, I wear nice thick warm gloves until the heater in the car is up to full hot. On my 911 it only takes a few minutes for the heater to make the cabin HOT. On a 16 degree day, and the leather steering wheel is not cold feeling.

I can't imagine any reason to use driving gloves in the summer.

But some folks like to put on a scarf, and funny hat and driving gloves to get the right look. I can't possibly care less what someone else thinks of my "look" and I drive the car with no costume or rituals. Get in and go. I have never even tried on driving gloves. Lots of things I don't try because I already know I will not like it.

[jcwade]

I used driving gloves back in the 70's in my Triumph.
Just seemed like the thing to do.

[DanielDudley]

For some people, I think it is like getting a new golf club. It is in your head, but it still works out to up your game.

Whatever floats your boat.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

I will say my lap times dropped due to easier gripping of the wheel at the local karting track. A lot of steering force required in karting though. Used my motocross gloves.

I'm a karting veteran. Not the same. Yes, the steering wheel on a sprint kart is part of the chassis, if you know what I mean. You put forces on that wheel that no other steering wheels sees. W/o gloves you are asking for massive blisters.

I don't wear driving gloves ever except at the track (when I did that). I wore bright red Simpson's so if I stuck my hand out of the window, it showed. Well, on a black car it showed.

[winders]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I used to Autocross and do track days in a car with manual steering and 6 degrees of caster.

At AX events I was frequently setting top time if day, never wore gloves.

Like OP have tons of driving miles under my belt, including many trips to the tail of the dragon never wore gloves.

Kachi nailed it, it's a costume.

When I first got into track days my intention was to race in the scca. My friend / mechanic told me I better get a set of fireproof gloves and start wearing them. Reason being, it changes what you feel in the steering wheel. In a manual steering car like I had it was so well balanced, Incould actually feel it starting to under steer in the wheel and could open up the steering slightly and lift a tad.

Once I put on some Simpson style racing gloves it numbed the feeling of the wheel. I hated it and stopped wearing them for track days. I figured if I made the leap to SCCA licensure I would deal with it then. I would be learning a new car anyway.

I actually race and obviously wear gloves. They have not hurt my "feel" one bit. I feel naked without them on now. Same with my race suit and shoes. I wear a balaclava too.

Saying gloves hurt "feel" is ridiculous. Well, if you are wearing snow mittens maybe.....

[RWebb]

leather driving gloves are for Walter Mitty

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by jcwade

I used driving gloves back in the 70's in my Triumph.
Just seemed like the thing to do.

i dare ya to drive like that today....I will LOL...

Bell bottoms, Afros, John Travolta, Jerry Garcia....which flashback ?

Gloves with a purpose...get a pass.

Cool works....but just not me.

Float yer boats boyz!

[herr_oberst]

IF i had a classic sports car (any marque) from the mid 1960's, I WOULD find and wear a pair of these on all my long drives.
Jimmy Clark signature leather driving gloves.

Then, my hands would be sheathed in coolness, no matter what the season.




Who knows, I might even search out a pair of Jim Clark signature driving shoes from the mid '60's to complete the set....

[Evans, Marv]

I saw an oriental lady with white driving gloves on driving a Prius a few weeks ago. She was on the freeway so not much in the way of curves involved.

[ramonesfreak]

Jerry never became a flashback. Listening to him now. Everyday for 35 years. And I know if I said i like wearing leather gloves for no good reason while driving in the summer in a poorly ventilated car go for it.

Originally Posted by KC911

i dare ya to drive like that today....I will LOL...

Bell bottoms, Afros, John Travolta, Jerry Garcia....which flashback ?

Gloves with a purpose...get a pass.

Cool works....but just not me.

Float yer boats boyz!

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Jerry never became a flashback. Listening to him now. Everyday for 35 years. ....

I listen to Jerry all the time too....I'm just messin' with y'all boyz

[A930Rocket]

Only at the track. Plus a full fire suit, etc.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Sometimes it's just cold outside and you want to open the windows.

3 of my favorite things, a Porsche, a little white dog, and an antique tractor (McCormick Deering 10-20)

[wdfifteen]

I've been thinking of getting a pair. The steering wheels on my modern cars are thick and padded. The wheels on my 356s and my VW are skinny and slippery. It didn't bother me before, but I'm used to the fat, grippy wheels now, so I may start driving the 356s and VW with gloves on.
If I had a British car I'd drive in stringbacks, but they would look pretentious in a German car.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I've been thinking of getting a pair. The steering wheels on my modern cars are thick and padded. The wheels on my 356s and my VW are skinny and slippery. It didn't bother me before, but I'm used to the fat, grippy wheels now, so I may start driving the 356s and VW with gloves on.
If I had a British car I'd drive in stringbacks, but they would look pretentious in a German car.

Exactly. My 356s steering wheel has some cheapo plastic rim. The 914-6 wheel resembles some sort of bake-lite or whatever. Both are slippery and skinny. As I say, I like to open the windows or take the roof off when I drive to the coast. But it can get colder than a witch's titty, so I put on a jacket and gloves, sometimes a beanie if it's really cold. I went with the Hungarian made PD gloves. They're lined and the superb fit makes them worth every penny. Suede in the palm area, and great fingertip feel. It just feels right to me. Wind, screaming engine, and a heater that throws off as much heat as a wheezing hamster with emphysema. What really does not make sense to me is wearing snow gloves, as one guy suggested. I guess if you're driving a Masey Ferguson or John Deere....

I guess a lot of the guys here turned into codgy old farts who incongruously worry about their fashion statement. Oh well.

[kach22i]

You know, if this topic all goes back to those driver's video then the costume prop of driving gloves helps stage or set up a mood, an atmosphere.

Plus no more comments about hairy knuckles distracting the content, why isn't the driver a person of color, does this steering wheel make my hands looks small and so forth.

The gloves give a veil of anonymity to the presentation, it could be anyone - even you or that guy sitting in his mom's basement waiting for his life to begin.

Sun glasses and hats have much the same effect, which is why some dogs go nuts when they see a combination of hat, glasses and gloves. They freak out not knowing who is standing before them - that anonymous figure must be a threat - bark, bark, bark.