Are driving gloves really necessary in a Jetta?

"3ch0" (UsedToBe3ch0) 08/07/2013 at 08:34 • Filed to: driving gloves

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This image was lost some time after publication.

So I'm driving to work, minding my own business, when something catches my eye which makes my understanding of the world come crashing down: a guy in newer light-grey, very basic, Jetta sedan using black leather driving gloves. You know, the ones with the holes for the knuckles.

Well, I could see he had one on his left hand, as he was going with the too-cool-for-school 11 and nothing hand position. Am assuming he was fondling an auto shifter with the other hand.

He did not look especially young, so no, it's not a Millenial wearing those, which would also have been quite the surprise...

My surprise comes from the fact that I thought those were for gentlemen drivers driving yellow MGBs (like the one in the office parking lot) and old BRG Jags for the pleasure of driving and to be in character. Not to slog through traffic in a beigekrieg econobox.

Well !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! set me straight, it's even worse:

Driving gloves were originally worn to keep the hands clean when driving a motor car. Early racing cars used steering wheels taken directly from road cars. These wheels were normally made from wood, necessitating the use and development of driving gloves.

And:

Some owners of classic cars still wear driving gloves in order to protect the vintage wooden or ivory steering wheel .

Or:

True driving gloves can be identified by the fact that they offer !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! advantages to drivers handling a car near the limits of adhesion.

Hmm, none if these seem to apply to the situation I witnessed. But then again, these dudes wear them in the movies:

To be clear, I am not hating on the Jetta, to each his own. Nor am I hating on old-school driving gloves, as I am sure a few of you use them and they have their role. It's just that I did not expect both of these elements to be put to use together . In an old Porsche? Sure!

But there might be a something I missed which explains this quite clearly, right?

Brian Tschiegg > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:37

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Maybe he just likes the feeling of leather/mesh on his dainty hands. Or maybe he has the need for speed and you don't want to lose your grip on the steering wheel. Or maybe it's like that Audi commercial where he feels like he's constantly in a bank robbery. Most likely though, he's a bit of a tool.

Hooker > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:41

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I have a friend that uses driving gloves to daily drive his Neon SRT-4. It's not that nice and I am still not sure why he does it.

505 - morphine not found > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:42

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Could it be that the Jetta was so basic, it had a plastic steering wheel instead of leather-wrapped one? I would think the most important aspect of a driving glove is that your hand does not slide around on the otherwise less-than-adhesive polished wood steering wheel. Could be he felt his grip wasn't firm enough on the plastic wheel.

Or maybe it was a rental / loaner and he didn't want to touch the surfaces. You know... germs!

Could have simply been a douche too.

Nibby > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:43

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The only reason I can see for someone wearing driving gloves in such a car is if the steering wheel is too damn hot (summer) or cold (winter).

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:49

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I only wear mine in the winter, because the wheel is cold and my aluminum shift knob is even colder.

3ch0 > Nibby 08/07/2013 at 08:54

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It is a beautiful sunny morning here, so maybe, yes.

Sn210 > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:54

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Maybe he stole it and didn't want his prints all over the place? Maybe he thought wearing driving gloves wouldn't make him stand out as much as purple nitrile gloves, or yellow rubber gloves you clean dishes with?

Long Live the Longdoor > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 08:55

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Maybe he's someone's driver and needs to keep a low profile ;)

3ch0 > Sn210 08/07/2013 at 09:00

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He did look a bit suspicious. He had a shaved head, and if TV has thought us anything , then he must be evil.

Montalvo > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 09:11

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Is it necessary? No. Does it look weird? Certainly. Does it make you feel like a badass no matter what you drive? Abso-f@!#ing-lutely

Hermann > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 09:17

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My mother used to take turns with a colleague to get to their Doctorate (about 200 miles away from here), and he used driving gloves. "I use them because I's cold, and the heater smells funny. My skin gets all dry when I have cold hands."

When he said, my dad said to me "I used to get worried about your mother going on a 2-day trip with another man. Now I'm sure I don't have to."

Joe_Limon > Montalvo 08/07/2013 at 09:18

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This

corvairsomeday2 > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 09:24

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I have a coworker who uses leather gloves (not quite as nice as these, though) when he drives his brand new Camaro SS/RS. He says he doesn't want to leave skin oils on the wheel.

Makoyouidiot > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 09:54

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On an unrelated note, when/if I get a Morgan 3 wheeler, driving gloves and a leather skullcap are on the list.

jpaulus > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 10:00

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Someone needs to make an easily understood flowchart.

3ch0 > Montalvo 08/07/2013 at 10:20

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Worked for him. I was not going to ask him why he was wearing them!

3ch0 > Makoyouidiot 08/07/2013 at 10:22

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Don't forget these!

3ch0 > jpaulus 08/07/2013 at 10:22

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Yes, yes indeed.

3ch0 > corvairsomeday2 08/07/2013 at 10:24

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I thought adding skin oils to the wheel of a Camaro was a good, manly thing to do...

corvairsomeday2 > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 11:24

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Beats me. He also baby's it... He drives it very responsibly on the road, but he's not tracking it or anything. When I've ridden in it, he's never gone above 3000rpm. Seems a shame. :)

The WB > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 11:27

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I'm of the mind people can do what they want to do without judgment (so long as it isn't illegal or imposing on people,) so if he wants to wear driving gloves, he probably has a reason.

Whether the reason is that he's a leper and the gloves keep his skin from tearing free under the friction, he has a leather kink, or he is the reincarnated Steve McQueen on Practical Pills(TM), judging people for what they are wearing is something I stopped doing in middle school.

BurningDinosaurs > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 12:13

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I've always sort of wondered about that too.. I've seen leather driving gloves in prii and all sorts of odd cars..

I've been under the impression it was intended either for grip or to protect a more classic car's wooden wheel from oils/etc from your hands. I've definitely seen the need for this.

Performance wise its usually for grip. The materials used in the palms of most racing/nomex gloves is designed for use with suede/suede substitute covered steering wheels. I race a vintage formula car without power steering and it definitely helps!

stuttgartobsessed > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 13:17

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My Grandfather sports driving gloves in his Kia out of necessity. His skin has been baked by the sun in the Central Valley (CA) that it burns really easily. So it could be that Jetta-Guy is really sun-sensitive?

3ch0 > stuttgartobsessed 08/07/2013 at 15:55

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That makes sense. Although, his shaved head was clearly exposed to the sun through the open window.

3ch0 > The WB 08/07/2013 at 15:58

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judging people for what they are wearing is something I stopped doing in middle school.

Didn't you just judge what I did right there? ;-)

I was asking a genuine question, but yes, with an implied judgement of character.

3ch0 > corvairsomeday2 08/07/2013 at 16:00

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You never know how he really drives when no one else is in the car. I know I scale back a tenth or two when I have passengers, out of respect to them. And I generally drive really easy.

The WB > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 16:41

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No, judging negatively would be "it's stupid that you judge someone for what they are wearing," or the positive judgment "Awesome people judge others based on accessories."

Since I didn't state that I felt judging was wrong or right, it was a statement and not a judgment.

3ch0 > The WB 08/07/2013 at 17:02

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I can barely make sense of that because I'm due for a beer now.

Sounds about right though! :)

The WB > 3ch0 08/07/2013 at 17:54

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It is beer o'clock. You are absolutely right. BRB.