Taking a road trip or commuting to work is an exercise that utilizes every one of our five senses. You see the world around you, feel the car you sit in, taste the drive-thru snacks you picked up, and smell the air as it wafts through your windows.
But what about the sounds you hear? These are vital to any drive and can make or break any motoring moment. So, we asked you what some of the worst sounds you can hear while driving are?
Here are your top suggestions.
“Loose belt. The distinctive screech puts my hair on edge and I feel great anger towards the driver of the broken Grand Am that it is inevitably coming from.”
The wail of lose belts was also a popular option here at Jalopnik. Our own Jason Torchinsky added: “Belt squeals are embarrassing”.
Suggested by: citricola
“When people remove the muffler on their car and it’s just a loud noise. This mainly pertains to I4s and V6s.”
When you first hear this awful rumble from far off, you assume it’s something broken. But the sound becomes even worse when you realize someone chose to make their car sound this way.
Suggested by: @IAmGaroot (Twitter)
“As much as I hate really loud exhausts, I’m going to say all the little rattles in the dash/interior that only happen while driving (and sometimes, in certain temperatures) so you can never really pinpoint them to fix them!”
This. Why is it that an unidentifiable tick, rattle or snap is so infuriating when you’re driving? It might not be a serious issue, but a noise you never find the source of is the worst.
Suggested by: sergio526
“Bass (as in music, not fish)
“The booming thumping of another car’s music shouldn’t reach mine when we both have our windows up, even more so when they’re half a block away.”
Everyone has their favorite driving album. Mine’s Let’s Dance. But, not many other motorists want to listen to your road trip anthems from across the highway. Especially when the only sound that reaches them is the ‘duh duh duh duh duh’ of a bass line.
Suggested by: timbales
“The squirrels rampaging in an engine because the driver doesn’t know how to check the oil.”
When working, your engine can create one of the best noises out there. But, they bring their own host of awful sound effects when things start going awry.
Suggested by: James D. Jarvis (Facebook)
“V6 Mustang. It is the combination of someone buying the wrong thing then revving it to make sure the whole world knows they bought the wrong thing.”
Sometimes, even when your engine is fully functioning, you might wish it made a slightly nicer noise. It’s maybe not a bad noise, but it’s definitely the wrong noise.
Suggested by: rigidjunkie
“The guy yelling out his car window “FUCKING MOVE”... .00000003 seconds after the light turns green (that’s the worst car sound I can think of).”
Anyone shouting anything out the window of their car can get in the sea.
Suggested by: Julian Pillars (Facebook)
“‘I don’t feel good’” – coming from the back seat.
“It should be ‘I don’t feel well’. Nausea is no excuse for poor grammar.”
Grammatical errors aside, these four words followed by retching sounds is never nice.
Suggested by: smalleyxb122
“High pitched sound of an EV.”
We’re at a turning point in the car world, and soon the whine of an EV will be all that we hear. Personally, I’d rather hear the drone of an electric motor than an artificial engine note, but who knows what the roads of the future will sound like?
Suggested by: @ichbinArno (Twitter)
“The sound of silence. You go to hit the accelerator and ... nothing... oh hmm the radio is off now – the steering is very heavy... shit we have lost all power. It wont restart – just the sound of quickly slowing wheels and your own panic about how much it’s going to cost this time.”
What if the worst sound, was an absence of sound? That’s certainly a nightmare we’ve all had – one where the lights go out, the engine stops and you’re left powerless and alone. Your car is dead and there’s no hope of resurrection. The silence is deafening.
Suggested by: the_AUGHT