Hooray, My Car Goes this Week!

[-Lsqnot Respond]

It makes sense.

A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month. In the last 5 years I have driven
under 15K miles - and that includes a lot of paid for business miles. Two pounds a mile can't be far
off the cost of a chauffeur!

I've held on to cars in order to calm my wife's worry that I might need a one for 'emergencies'. As
I won't be able to drive for a while I've siezed the initiative and it's going.

Of course, I won't be cycling much either so the lucky beneficiaries from my misfortune will be the
taxi firms and the bus company.

I've not been on a bus for some years so it'll be quite an interesting experience. I've been playing
with www.internet.xephos.com (bloody amazing PT journey planner) and am quite impressed at the
daytime bus services.

 

[Sandy Morton]

In article <[email protected]>, [Not
Responding] <[email protected]> wrote:
> I've not been on a bus for some years so it'll be quite an interesting experience. I've been
> playing with www.internet.xephos.com (bloody amazing PT journey planner) and am quite impressed at
> the daytime bus services.

And once you are over 60 the bus travel is free - and the ferry if you live on the island! A friend
of mine went from Fenwick to Oban by bus - had a pint - and came home! He was dischuffed at having
to pay for the pint

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global Village http://www.sandymillport.fsnet.co.uk

 

[Just Zis Guy]

Congratulations! And with the money you save you can invest wisely for the
future: http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk

--
Guy
===

WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

 

[Lee]

"[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It makes sense.
>
> A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month. In the last 5 years I have
> driven under 15K miles - and that includes a lot of paid for business miles. Two pounds a mile
> can't be far off the cost of a chauffeur!
>
> I've held on to cars in order to calm my wife's worry that I might need a one for 'emergencies'.
> As I won't be able to drive for a while I've siezed the initiative and it's going.
>
> Of course, I won't be cycling much either so the lucky beneficiaries from my misfortune will be
> the taxi firms and the bus company.
>
> I've not been on a bus for some years so it'll be quite an interesting experience. I've been
> playing with www.internet.xephos.com (bloody amazing PT journey planner) and am quite impressed at
> the daytime bus services.

Well done!

I have to say I havent missed my car ONCE in the few months Ive not had it! to be fair, the
reduction in stress from not having a car is worth getting rid of it alone!!

 

[Zog The Undenia]

[Not Responding] wrote:
> It makes sense.
>
> A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month.

What is it, a Ferrari?

My last car was bought new and up until the time I sold it, it cost me (taps calculator) £198 per
month including depreciation/interest/fuel/insurance/road tax/servicing.

Still horrendous, but £500 should be a pretty impressive motor!

 

[-Lsqnot Respond]

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:02:43 +0000, Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]>
wrote:

>[Not Responding] wrote:
>> It makes sense.
>>
>> A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month.
>
>What is it, a Ferrari?

Not quite but it is a nice car - if you like that sort of thing.

>My last car was bought new and up until the time I sold it, it cost me (taps calculator) £198 per
>month including depreciation/interest/fuel/insurance/road tax/servicing.
>
>Still horrendous, but £500 should be a pretty impressive motor!

Cars are a ridiculously expensive way of getting around.

Having re-read my original post I feel the need to clarify: while I may be a car-free *person* as of
Wednesday, we will not be a car-free family. My wife, despite having been introduced to the concept
of bicycles and having proved herself as a proficient stoker over distances up to and including 98.7
miles, will never be car free. She mutters things like "school" (distance from home = 0.5 miles),
"gym" (distance from home <= 0.75 miles) and "shopping".

 

[Bikingbill]

"[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:02:43 +0000, Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>[Not Responding] wrote:
>>> It makes sense.
>>>
>>> A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month.
>>
>>What is it, a Ferrari?
>
> Not quite but it is a nice car - if you like that sort of thing.
>
>>My last car was bought new and up until the time I sold it, it cost me (taps calculator) £198 per
>>month including depreciation/interest/fuel/insurance/road tax/servicing.
>>
>>Still horrendous, but £500 should be a pretty impressive motor!
>
> Cars are a ridiculously expensive way of getting around.
>
> Having re-read my original post I feel the need to clarify: while I may be a car-free *person* as
> of Wednesday, we will not be a car-free family. My wife, despite having been introduced to the
> concept of bicycles and having proved herself as a proficient stoker over distances up to and
> including 98.7 miles, will never be car free. She mutters things like "school" (distance from home
> = 0.5 miles), "gym" (distance from home <= 0.75 miles) and "shopping".
>

This sounds awfully familiar. Round here the bus services are excellent and taxis are cheap
(compared to running a car). Only problem with buses is getting to know the routes and timetables;
buses are not generally very user-friendly for the newcomer but are fine once you suss them out. The
bus is now my second choice form of transport. But I still can't prise my wife from the car :-(

Our car is too small for all the family, so over Christmas I was despatched by bike/bus/train on
visits to assorted relatives. Guess what? Six journeys out of six I arrived first and considerably
more relaxed! And I was able to accept a small 'refreshment' when offered. Even after that she won't
give up the car :-((

Bill
--
Cyclists are always well-balanced.

 

[Al]

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:40:42 +0000, "[Not Responding]"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Having re-read my original post I feel the need to clarify: while I may be a car-free *person* as
>of Wednesday, we will not be a car-free family. My wife, despite having been introduced to the
>concept of bicycles and having proved herself as a proficient stoker over distances up to and
>including 98.7 miles, will never be car free. She mutters things like "school" (distance from home
>= 0.5 miles), "gym" (distance from home <= 0.75 miles) and "shopping".

Sounds familiar. Have bought Mrs C-F a new bike, but this seems only to be for leisure and
recreation. Can't quite work out the logic of a thirty mile round trip for a game of
badminton myself.

 

[Nathaniel Porte]

"bikingbill" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 18:02:43 +0000, Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>[Not Responding] wrote:
> >>> It makes sense.
> >>>
> >>> A rough estimate puts cost of ownership at over 500UKP per month.
> >>
> >>What is it, a Ferrari?
> >
> > Not quite but it is a nice car - if you like that sort of thing.
> >
> >>My last car was bought new and up until the time I sold it, it cost me (taps calculator) £198
> >>per month including depreciation/interest/fuel/insurance/road tax/servicing.
> >>
> >>Still horrendous, but £500 should be a pretty impressive motor!
> >
> > Cars are a ridiculously expensive way of getting around.
> >
> > Having re-read my original post I feel the need to clarify: while I may be a car-free *person*
> > as of Wednesday, we will not be a car-free family. My wife, despite having been introduced to
> > the concept of bicycles and having proved herself as a proficient stoker over distances up to
> > and including 98.7 miles, will never be car free. She mutters things like "school" (distance
> > from home = 0.5 miles), "gym" (distance from home <= 0.75 miles) and "shopping".
> >
>
> This sounds awfully familiar. Round here the bus services are excellent and taxis are cheap
> (compared to running a car). Only problem with buses is getting to know the routes and
> timetables; buses are not generally very user-friendly for the newcomer but are fine once you
> suss them out. The bus is now my second choice form of transport. But I still can't prise my wife
> from the car :-(
>
> Our car is too small for all the family, so over Christmas I was despatched by bike/bus/train on
> visits to assorted relatives. Guess what? Six journeys out of six I arrived first and considerably
> more relaxed! And I was able to accept a small 'refreshment' when offered. Even after that she
> won't give up the car :-((
>
> Bill
>

Don't want to sound to controversial or anything, but maybe she likes driving?

 

[Iarocu]

"[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>... snipped
> I've not been on a bus for some years so it'll be quite an interesting experience. I've been
> playing with www.internet.xephos.com (bloody amazing PT journey planner) and am quite impressed at
> the daytime bus services.

Don,t get too excited about the bus services. Our local bus services are not too bad off peak but
during peak hours get delayed in traffic and frequently arrive 20 mins late. Last week I waited at
the stop for 25 minutes around 5.30 pm for a service that is supposed at that time to be at 15 min
intervals. Returning that night I knew the timetable but the 11.25 bus didn,t appear resulting in a
35 minute wait. Doing the same journey by bike is about 25 mins. Which is what I do when not
travelling with non-cycling partner. My next bike may indeed be a tandem. Iain