Amarita Muscaria

like first of all hawkins is such a small town that before the mall if you didn't want to go to the arcade or just get drunk in a field then driving really fast was probably ur only other option for entertainment.

in terms of plot/character though:

just imagine Steve at 15 or younger learning to drive by himself bc his parents weren't there to take him places and there was no one to teach him. Imagine him being so good at it bc he has no kind of warning in his head from his parents teaching him, or anyone who would know if he scratched the car or hurt himself.

imagine getting his nickname from being undefeated at his racing - that's why when Billy arrived he was 'usurped'. Even though Billy is arguably attractive you can't get that popular in like a week and Billy is known to be reckless especially at driving, so it makes so much more sense.

imagine when Billy says he's finally seeing King Steve is because of how reckless and uncaring about his own safety Steve used to be bc of how noone would care if he showed up home injured.

imagine Steve relying on his instincts from driving around all the streets again and again to be able to drive his car with all the kids back to the Byers' safely with his concussion and vision screwed because no matter how shit he might feel he would still be better at driving than a 13 year old.

imagine him driving the toddfather into Billy's car in s3 despite how cars like that are not built for it and knowing exactly how to do it. imagine him knowing the exact make and model he was destroying and how unsafe it was and doing it anyway, unthinkingly, because his friends were in danger.

imagine eddie ceding the rv to him in s4 bc of course the drug dealer knew exactly where teens who could sell to hung out and had seen him in action. imagine Steve knowing exactly how fast he could go in a trailer without breaking down without thinking.

imagine throughout all of this giving the kids rides at the most legal speed ever bc he just cares way too much, taking only the safest shortcuts, and then one day they see him driving when he's alone and realise that he is NOT a safe driver at all he's just protective of them specifically. imagine him being able to drive as fast as he wants with eddie or robin in the car bc neither of them care.

imagine hopper knowing the entire time and giving the most violent shovel talk ever the first time he had el in his car before he realised that Steve would rather die than endanger any of the kids and realising that Steve being safe around himself is the problem.

finally, imagine Steve driving slower the more he spends time with ppl who care bc he finally has ppl who would notice if he fucked up and crashed, imagine him driving safely bc of the kids until he starts doing it for himself too. imagine him finally starting to care about his own safety bc of his found family and just- ughgggggghhhhhh he makes me ill