 |
Warning! This page contains information regarding Star Trek: Discovery, and thus may contain spoilers.
|
T'Ana driving a forklift
Driving was the operation of any type of land-based vehicle, such as cars, trucks, buses, jeeps and any other automobiles. This could include bicycles and their motorized counterparts as well.
In some places, a certain license; called a driver's license was required for a person to legally drive certain types of vehicles. Such a person was referred to as a driver.
According to Beckett Mariner, driving was something that nobody did in her time, which was the 24th century. This was clearly an exaggeration, as Mariner herself had drove away team buggies and karts from time to time. Still, there was some truth in what she said, since modern forms of transportation such as transporters, air trams and shuttles would have no doubt played a large role in reducing the need for driving on Earth. (LD: "Second Contact", "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers", "Grounded")
However, there were still people on Earth that possibly preferred it the old-fashioned way. For example, hovercars were still quite common on the streets of Paris in 2399. And even Professor Saul Rubichik liked driving his antique car in San Francisco during the 24th century. (PIC: "Remembrance"; LD: "Much Ado About Boimler")
History[]
During the 21st century, tire locks were an anti-theft device that kept criminals from driving off with a vehicle that they intended to steal. Although such devices might have also been used by law enforcement, to enforce one to pay their traffic citations so that they could drive their vehicle again. In 2004, Jonathan Archer and T'Pol encountered a vehicle with such a device on it's wheel. (ENT: "Carpenter Street")
In Toronto in 2022, James T. Kirk from an alternate future stole a Dodge Challenger Hellcat. La'an Noonien-Singh rode shotgun. Kirk used the keys to start the car's engine but he initially had difficulty driving it, but he started to get used to it a little better, despite driving like a madman. (SNW: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow")
In 2024, when Raffaela Musiker and Seven of Nine were stealing a police SUV from Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters, Raffi was shocked to learn that Seven never learned to drive even though she could masterfully pilot a starship. (PIC: "Watcher")
In the early 2150s Michael Rostov was interested in seeing the movie called The Wages of Fear, on movie night, on the Enterprise; because he was excited to see Yves Montand "driving explosives through the mountains." (ENT: "Vox Sola")
In 2365, Geordi La Forge asked William T. Riker if he had ever popped the clutch while driving a Grenthemen water hopper. (TNG: "Peak Performance")
In 2268, while travelling on the streets of Sigma Iotia II, James T. Kirk asked Spock if he had something against cars, and Spock told him "Not at all, captain. It's your driving that alarms me." (TOS: "A Piece of the Action")
Driving while under the influence of alcohol was quite dangerous, as it impaired one's ability to operate a vehicle safely, and might have caused the driver to have a traffic accident. In 2285, this may have been the reason a Federation Security agent offered to give Dr. Leonard McCoy a ride home from the bar. It should be noted though, that Dr. McCoy wasn't actually drunk; in fact all he had ordered from the bar was Altair water. The real reason for the Federation Security agent's offer to give him a ride was because he planned on arresting him for attempting to chart an illegal spaceflight to the Genesis Planet. He was indeed arrested, and was intended to be taken to the "Federation funny farm." (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
In 2379 on Kolarus III, Jean-Luc Picard enjoyed driving his away team vehicle at high speeds. This prompted Data to say "I will always be puzzled by the Human predilection for piloting vehicles at unsafe velocities."
In 2381, Ensign Beckett Mariner told her father that since she was unable to help her mother in the courtroom, she felt as worthless as the Golden Gate Bridge. Her father didn't understand what she meant by that, since he viewed the bridge as a historical monument; but Mariner thought it was stupid, asking him "Nobody drives anymore! Why do you need a bridge?" (LD: "Grounded")
When Beckett Mariner learned that Brad Boimler would rather ride as a passenger in a sidecar then actually drive the vehicle himself, she thought that was a very unusual fantasy, as she assumed he would have been the driver. He told her "driving is scary. I'm a natural passenger." (LD: "Mining The Mind's Mines")
In 3191, when Michael Burnham, Rayner and Cleveland Booker were pursuing Moll and L'ak on Q'mau on sand runners, Burnham and Booker were having a conversation, and Rayner told them "Come on! more driving, less talking!" (DIS: "Red Directive")