joy rides
Reckless drives for thrills
Joy rides are trips taken purely for pleasure rather than necessity, especially in a car.
The term often implies recklessness or unauthorized use of a vehicle: Teenagers took the neighbor's car for a joy ride.
More innocently, any leisurely drive with no particular destination qualifies.
The singular joy ride and verb joy-ride follow the same pattern.
Bypassing ignition without key
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- illegalForbidden by statute
- delinquentFailing in duty
- underageBelow legal minimum years
unlicensed · jailbait · getaway · sirens · evading · careless · irresponsible · dangerous
Unobstructed route for travel
- liberationRelease from constraint
- escapeFlight from captivity
- unboundNot tied down
- roamingMoving without fixed purpose
roving · rebellious · independence · unrestricted · boundless · uncaged · cruising · highway
Without advance preparation
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- whimSudden arbitrary desire
- spur-of-the-momentDone without advance planning
- impulseSudden urge to act
random · carefree · last-minute · escape · getaway · aimless · wandering · cruising
Emergency response hormone
- speedingExceeding posted velocity limits
- racingSpeed competition sport
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- driftingMoving without purpose
donuts · revving · acceleration · velocity · fast · furious · rush · exhilaration
Of youth, 13-19
- coming-of-ageYouth becoming adulthood
- convertibleCar with folding roof
- buddiesInformal term for friends
- crewWorking team aboard
nostalgia · rebellion · mischief · curfew · parking · makeout · drag-racing · showing-off
hotwiring
Bypassing ignition without key
- unauthorizedNot officially permitted
- illegalForbidden by statute
- delinquentFailing in duty
underage · unlicensed · jailbait · getaway · sirens · evading · careless · irresponsible · dangerous · risky
open-road
Unobstructed route for travel
- liberationRelease from constraint
- escapeFlight from captivity
- unboundNot tied down
roaming · roving · rebellious · independence · unrestricted · boundless · uncaged · cruising · highway · backroads
impromptu
Without advance preparation
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
- whimSudden arbitrary desire
- spur-of-the-momentDone without advance planning
impulse · random · carefree · last-minute · escape · getaway · aimless · wandering · cruising · meandering
adrenaline
Emergency response hormone
- speedingExceeding posted velocity limits
- racingSpeed competition sport
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
drifting · donuts · revving · acceleration · velocity · fast · furious · rush · exhilaration · buzz
teenage
Of youth, 13-19
- coming-of-ageYouth becoming adulthood
- convertibleCar with folding roof
- buddiesInformal term for friends
crew · nostalgia · rebellion · mischief · curfew · parking · makeout · drag-racing · showing-off
- anticshijinks, shenanigans, pranks, mischief, tomfoolery
- cheap thrillsroller coasters, haunted houses, jump scares, bumper cars, amusement parks
joy ridescommuting
Regular work-home travel
commutes · school run · business trip · grocery runs · school runs