commuting options

[bonj2]

mopeds are always breaking down and getting nicked and becoming embroiled in mass seaside riots. Take the van with bike in back and cycle home then in the next day etc.

22 miles would take me around 1hr 15m. But forget it if they don't have showers.

now that's a good idea... potentially. Only disadvantage is it means I have to commit to cycling in the next day which is bad if it's raining, but could either just hope the weather forecast's right or get up a bit earlier and use public transport if it's not.

probably true, really, about mopeds...... I reckon it'd probably take me about an hour and a half to an hour and three-quarters to start with but would probably soon see that fall to nearer and hour and a quarter the more I did it.

Why not? It's not really practical is it? If it's only to transport your bike.

I've come to the conclusion that your advice in this thread is silly.

 

[bonj2]

It's not that much smaller than my current van, if any - so probably wouldn't be much less economical. Anyhow if I were to sell my current van I wouldn't get as much for it as it's worth to me, because I've spent money on it on jobs that increase its longevity a lot more than its resale value.
If I were to sell my current van and get that suzuki, I might get a grand for my current van, that one costs two grand. That's an extra grand I've got to find, then it might need jobs doing on it which might be an extra 500. That's £1,500 - it's going to take a long time to make that back in fuel costs - if it even is any better on fuel!
And the other thing to remember is that vans are generally lower geared than cars, which means they're easier to drive and have (relatively) better economy round town, but suffer on motorways more relative to cars. (Probably with the exception of the newer 6-speed vitos/sprinters and the like.)

 

[bonj2]

"sold as seen" never strikes that much confidence, and why is its reg T...50 APY if it's described as 52-reg?

 

[bonj2]

I was merely giving an example (as you asked for suggestions) of a smaller, more economical vehicle which may be better suited to your needs. That one was the first that Google came up with. You can get them for well under a grand.

Hmm... well, I don't think it would be more economical though, that's the thing - because if it's got a 1.3 engine it's going to be revving its tits off at motorway speeds. But thanks for looking anyway, I appreciate the suggestion.

What Nissan van do you have then? If it's not the one that's the same as the Kangoo then it'll be a fair bit bigger than this little baby.

S'your choice though, innit?

nissan vanette - not the one with the raised roof though, mine's similar to this one

 

[Tetedelacourse]

a-ha.

 

[bonj2]

a-ha.

You've pasted my avatar all over my van. OK. So what's that meant to symbolise, then?
It induces a similar feeling of affectionate confusion to what Alan Partridge feels when he sees that Sonia has manufactured a mug with his head on one side and a cat on the other. And plans to sell them down the covered market.

 

[domd1979]

I make the journey to be 1hr - 1hr10ish... Sheffield - Alfreton by train, changing for a Trent Bus outside the station to Sutton.

that is the more direct route. The (potential) job's in sutton-in-ashfield. The nearest town is mansfield. It's an hour and a half to mansfield. God knows why - public transport in this country is shite.

 

[bonj2]

that train is £7.20 a day return - that's £36 a week. That's at least as much as it would cost my van in fuel, a lot more expensive than an economical car. Then there's the bus, if I'm using that to get from alfreton - I could cycle, but then again I could just cycle all the way - it wouldn't take that much longer if any, and from alfreton to sutton's down the A38 all the way which is a fast dual carriageway for most of it.
That's the problem with public transport these days - they say they want to get more people on it, but they're not so keen to do it they're prepared to say goodbye to their fat margins are they, oh no..
It comes back to the age-old problem, of why should people pay more for less convenience? Surely there should be a trade off - pay less but have less convenience, or pay more for more convenience. Not pay more for less convenience!

 

[Tetedelacourse]

You've pasted my avatar all over my van. OK. So what's that meant to symbolise, then?
It induces a similar feeling of affectionate confusion to what Alan Partridge feels when he sees that Sonia has manufactured a mug with his head on one side and a cat on the other. And plans to sell them down the covered market.

Affectionate confusion? I'll settle for that.