- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Of course it's a complete coincidence that a large number of people are about to drive home from their holidays.
Just sold the car
- Thread starter lulubel
- Start date
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Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
I guess it all depends what you do in life, your committments, money, expectations and how you wish to use your time. Some people are just skin flints. For instance Cav drives an Audi R8. Just because he is a pro cyclist, the best sprinter in the world, riding tens of thousands of miles each year, does he have to eschew driving or having a nice car? No.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Prices are rising as everyone is going on holiday using their cars. Schools are out and the Olympics have finished. It's simple supply and demand.
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
Our ancient Honda doesn't normally cost us much, but the MOT last week cost nearly as much as a Triban 3.
mattsr
Senior Member
- Location
- Chichester, West Sussex
That's what I thought- until I took the plunge and flogged it. Now I wonder why on earth I thought I was so reliant on it.
For one I live rural, for two I like to see a lot of different places and time restrictions means the car is the quickest and most efficient way for me to do so.
Today we have just decided to pop to Doncaster, no buses running back to the village this evening prevents us getting back from the station 12 miles away. The return bus ticket would be £5 each if there was one, the train ticket £17++ each return. Fuel in car £14 park and ride in from outside the town £2.50 each. £19 against £39 a no brainer really.
I know there are other costs in running a car but my business is built around a mobile service so that carries those, of which I pay a percentage of tax on for personal use.
I also do a lot of work on buses for my customers, you would be suprised how many have major flea infestations and the smell on some of them, no thanks the cay will stay.
Today we have just decided to pop to Doncaster, no buses running back to the village this evening prevents us getting back from the station 12 miles away. The return bus ticket would be £5 each if there was one, the train ticket £17++ each return. Fuel in car £14 park and ride in from outside the town £2.50 each. £19 against £39 a no brainer really.
I know there are other costs in running a car but my business is built around a mobile service so that carries those, of which I pay a percentage of tax on for personal use.
I also do a lot of work on buses for my customers, you would be suprised how many have major flea infestations and the smell on some of them, no thanks the cay will stay.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I'm loving it. I'm no longer entitled to spend my money on car tax, insurance etc, money better spent of beer and bikes. It's just a car after all - a 4 wheeled fridge. White goods. A tool, no more than that.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
My neighbour was arriving home from a week away in Great Yarmouth last night, as i was coming home. He told me that it'd taken 6 hours(Yarmouth to Accrington), and it'd cost 70 quids worth of petrol to get home. You could fly to Portugal in a lesser time, and for less than 70 quid!Of course it's a complete coincidence that a large number of people are about to drive home from their holidays.
OP
OP
lulubel
Über Member
- Location
- Malaga, Spain
What Cav does is up to him. He's got the money, so he's entitled to spend it how he likes. As you are entitled to spend your money how you like.
However, implying that people who choose not to waste money on running a car that they don't want and don't need are skin flints is ridiculous. You have no idea how much or little money I have or how I spend it (apart from when I comment about buying cycling related products on here), so you have no idea how careful or otherwise I am with money. And there are some people - even in the UK - who can't actually afford to buy or run a car. Are they skin flints because they can't find the money somewhere?
I used to consider driving a hobby, when it was affordable (lower fuel prices) and fun (less other vehicles on the road) - I'm a qualified driving instructor and hold a PCV licence, so I must have enjoyed it once - but at some point it stopped being affordable and it stopped being fun. Now it's just a chore, and I refuse to spend money on chores that I don't have to do. I'm not sure why you feel the need to criticise me for that.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I'm not suggesting people should not have nice cars. I just personally can't get a trouser tent over a car, would rather spend my money on something nice than something that can lawfully travel no faster than a Ford Fiesta anyway.
If someone wants an Audi R8, be my guest. Just don't expect me to get a moist gusset over it.
If someone wants an Audi R8, be my guest. Just don't expect me to get a moist gusset over it.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Your previous post,
I get the impression that your reasons for not using, selling your car are purely financial?
The disadvantages in not owning a car in a rural area are not financial they are that you become more limited in your opportunities and as you have suggested some journeys become almost like a military operation where as if you have a car you can just jump in it and go. Cars, bicycles, public transport all have their place, but as good as cycling is, a car is a pretty quick and painless way to travel. Some people have no option but to drive.
OP
OP
lulubel
Über Member
- Location
- Malaga, Spain
No, our reasons for selling our car were that we didn't need to use it and neither of us could be bothered to drive it for the sake of it. Hence, it spent over 6 months before we sold it sat in the garage with a flat battery. I don't see any advantage in paying out for insurance, tax and maintenance to keep a car in the garage with a flat battery. We'd much rather spend our money on other things that we get pleasure out of, like bikes, computers and clothes.
In an ideal world, where I had unlimited money, and could have anything I wanted, I'm still not sure that I'd bother with owning a car. Having more money wouldn't make me more likely to want to use it, and there would still be the hassle of having to organise insurance, tax and maintenance for a lump of metal that spent its life sat in the garage with a flat battery.
There are no financial disadvantages in not owning a car, so I can't argue with that point. However, having grown up in a rural area (3 miles outside a tiny village in North Devon that had a bus to the nearest town - 8 miles away - once a week), I can see how a car is more convenient, but I'd definitely dispute your argument that some people have "no option" but to drive. If I went back to live there now, I certainly wouldn't buy a car. Tesco deliver, after all.
I also never suggested that some journeys become almost like a military operation. I think I mentioned that I'll probably put a Rixen Kaul fitting on my road bike so I can just clip a bag on and go if I want to get any shopping. I'm not sure how clipping a bag on the bike is a military operation.
Honestly, if you want to spend your money on owning and running a car in preference to other things, that's your choice, and it's totally fine by me. But stop trying to force your choice onto other people by claiming there aren't any alternatives.
Peowpeowpeowlasers
Well-Known Member
Brilliant, I shop at Waitrose and didn't know this. I'll be sure to ask as it's a 7 mile drive vs a 4 mile cycle.
