"Why do you cycle?" - or Why do you DRIVE?

[Sheffield_Tiger]

£300 quote to get my car through the MOT

I started thinking about all the nice toys I could buy for the bike/s with that. It's an expensive lark this driving business. Why did I do it so much for so long?

Getting rid of the car is not an option though it often goes unused for days or weeks now I've rediscovered cycling...wonder how many people have a car just for having one's sake and waste all this money

 

[Debian]

£300 quote to get my car through the MOT

I started thinking about all the nice toys I could buy for the bike/s with that. It's an expensive lark this driving business. Why did I do it so much for so long?

Getting rid of the car is not an option though it often goes unused for days or weeks now I've rediscovered cycling...wonder how many people have a car just for having one's sake and waste all this money

Yes, the simplest of jobs on cars these days seems to cost an arm and a leg. I'm certainly doing much more cycling than I used to, prompted initially partly by the rising cost of motoring but now the more cycling I do the more I want to do. I too cannot live without a car altogether though, like you, mine often sits unused for weeks on end.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

The alarming thing is £300 is (though a maximum depending on parts prices) a cash deal with a friendly garage owner on the basis I leave the car there over a few days and they do the work "when they have a moment" between other "full price" jobs.

Works for me and its usually less than the "worst case" quote when I go to pick it up.

Dread to think what it would be at full rate!!

I've never really thought about it before because I fell into the trap for the past few years where "car=necessary, hang the expense"...I've only just realised how much they cost for daily use.

I used to run a petrol volvo and smoke 20+ a day...how on earth did I find the £££?

 

[hackbike 666]

Been lucky never had a car and have managed to survive without one for many years.

I reckon I'd probably love it if I had one now.

 

[Debian]

The alarming thing is £300 is (though a maximum depending on parts prices) a cash deal with a friendly garage owner on the basis I leave the car there over a few days and they do the work "when they have a moment" between other "full price" jobs.

Works for me and its usually less than the "worst case" quote when I go to pick it up.

Dread to think what it would be at full rate!!

I've never really thought about it before because I fell into the trap for the past few years where "car=necessary, hang the expense"...I've only just realised how much they cost for daily use.

I used to run a petrol volvo and smoke 20+ a day...how on earth did I find the £££?

Yes, it is frightening. Last time my car had an MOT it needed a new centre exhaust section and a few other minor sounding bits doing. The final bill came to well over £500

It'll need new tyres soon and they're over £100 each

 

[Plax]

I started cycling to keep fit after running started to disagree with my knees. Also added bonus it saved gym fees (could never be bothered going after work, and usually only evern went on the running machine anyway, one of which I now have), and saves petrol.

I drive as I live in a rural area and would be seriously inconvienienced without a car - buses come about every hour and take you round all the little villages and cost too much (and the last time I was on a bus I got squashed against the window by a fat, urine smelling old lady whilst a spotty youth had a walkman blaring. Kind of put me off public transport for life that day).

 

[skudupnorth]

We have two cars at the moment from a previous past of requiring them but since i moved nearer to work one of them is now sorned whilst the other is used very little but is a must for trucking a family of five around.One main reason why i cycle in all weathers risking life and limb is time and of course cost of running a car for a short six mile commute hence one car will go soon ( i hope ! )
I must admit to playing,enjoying and spending loads on cars in the past,some good memories have come about from motoring....i would never have met my wonderful wife for one and driving across Europe many times were wonderful experiences.
To top it all,cycling rules for me but not all my family.

 

[HJ]

When I was younger I couldn't understand how anyone could possible live without a car. Then I went to Uni as a mature student and decided that I would have to do with out for four years, but I would get another one as soon as I graduated. In order to get around I bought a bike. By the time I graduated the thought of buying a car and loosing the freedom of just having a bike filled me with dread.

Owning a car is just so much hassle, it is a money pit I can do without. If I really have to have a car to get somewhere I rent one, but most of the time I just don't need it, and there are some much better things to spend money on, like two ski holidays a year...

 

[stowie]

I have a company car which is supplied as I visit office sites, and clients around the country. Will try to justify the train where I can, especially as these days the traffic on motorways is generally terrible.

If I had an office based job, I would seriously consider not having a car, but using a car club car when I needed to - there are several around my area. Weekends, my car normally doesn't get used and my personal mileage is very low.

Driving is not only expensive, but it is unbelievably frustrating. If I need to be on the M4 corridor around 10am, I will get up at 5am to cross London, otherwise there is no guarantee I will get there on time. It is insane - I have spent 4 hours before now going from E London to Reading - a journey of around 70 miles. Frequently I get back from trips involving motorways (esp. M25) with average speeds on the trip computer of less than 30 mph.

 

[3tyretrackterry]

been without a car for 2 years now and i have never had so much cash correction the wife has never had so much cash the extra money at present is paying extra off the mortgage but i use home delivery a lot and should i need a car i can hire one for holidays etc. I also walk a bit more now than i used to espeially if just nipping to shops.I do have the use of my FIL car for emergencys or if i need to use it for jobs i just cant do without one but i try and avoid asking for it and only use it when necessary
this works for me and my family

 

[summerdays]

Friend of mine sold her car last year, and used the money to fund new bikes for her children complete with racks and ortlieb panniers. The family have agreed a car borrow for occasional use with their next door neighbour, and often use taxi and trains to go on holiday. And they sold the place to a small hire car company and have the option of hiring it back far cheaper than they were able to keep it on the road. I admire her but haven't quite had the courage to do it myself.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I'm still pondering why car-sharing doesn't take off more. For instance, I'm completely car free but (very) occasionally need a car (moving large things; doing a tour of various out of the way places for sightseeing). I think I've hired a car 3x in 3 years now. If there are cars which are not used often, like Sheffield's and Debian's, it's not good for the car either and the standing costs (MOT, insurance) are very high for the mileage.

Anyone know if there are legal barriers to 'informal' car sharing? I imagine insurance gets a bit tricky, and then of course there's the 'needing to behave like adults' regarding use of a shared resource; but other than that? [aside of course from the obvious problem of everyone wanting it on a weekend?]

But then again I can't fathom why people don't share lawnmowers either... the number of lawnmowers that must be stuck in a shed purely to mow a piece of front lawn 1m x 1m is quite astounding!

 

[fossyant]

Just had my insurance renewal - it's nearly doubled........ checked on comparison sites and most have jumped up massively.

Can't really change as I've got the car/claim outstanding from the witch that ran into the back of my car whilst 'doing' her makup.

Insurance is now costing me 8p per mile for my car over a year...FFS.... it only does 3500 max a year, and that's at weekend.

Expensive luxury ! Just glad I'm not using it for commuting - costs maybe £40 a month in fuel (assuming no trips out) down from about £300 per month at my last job...... crazy....

 

[BrumJim]

Property is theft. I don't see why anyone needs to own anything anyway. Just go to your local shop and hire it. Then give it back when you have finished.

I know it may seem like a stupid idea, but understanding why you don't like it is a key to understanding why people own cars and lawnmowers when they only use them rarely.

Me, I did a quick calc a couple of years ago, and realised that it was cheaper to hire a car than own one, as long as I used it only every other weekend. Went back to car owning as I needed it a lot more than that, and needed instant access to a car, which I couldn't get through car hire or car club.

 

[Cab]

£300 quote to get my car through the MOT

I started thinking about all the nice toys I could buy for the bike/s with that. It's an expensive lark this driving business. Why did I do it so much for so long?

Getting rid of the car is not an option though it often goes unused for days or weeks now I've rediscovered cycling...wonder how many people have a car just for having one's sake and waste all this money

Go and find out how much car hire would cost, then do a realistic calculation on how much the car is costing you. If its only used every few weeks its very, very easy for it to be cheaper to hire when you need one. And if you don't have a car, you'll find that you 'need' it less than you anticipated. Get a bike trailer, shop more locally, you manage.