My man maths isn't working

[bungle]

matthias73 said:

Can I ask what car it is? Some cars are worth the extra money to drive, others aren't.

lol, nail on head there really....! Currently we've got a mk5 Golf GTi and an Audi TT 225, had both for years. Part of the reason for wanting to talk myself into driving is that if I'm doing a lot more miles (driving to work) then i can "justify" increasing the fleet to 3 cars (sell 1, buy 2 more). Been looking at a few options recently (Subaru Legacy Spec B, M3 CS, various Porsche), but as long as I'm either not using (or leaving at the station) 1 of the cars most of the week it is difficult to rationalise the need for more cars than we've already got. And everyone knows more cars are best...

Liquid Knight said:

500 a year for extra cleaning due to trains always having damp seats after pensioners have been on board.

A commuter's worst nightware, the wet (but didn't look it before you sat down) seat. Shudder...

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

bungle said:

Parking and petrol alone is about 1500 more than the train...

That's 1500 a year right? Not a month?

Blimey, no, a year!

Nursing a hemi said:

And the flowers you feel obliged to buy the OH after spending all the train journey staring at that hot young thing in the fitted shirt:

errr...

[Fastdruid]

Depends how long it takes, I can justify driving because the train would take an extra 2h+/day so I could spend those extra hours working and leave/get home at the same times with extra money in my pocket. Or save that time and spend it with my family.

As it stands I'm ~800 / year worse off in petrol (let alone the other costs) but I have an extra 19 days (or 470 hours) a year to spend with my family and that is worth every single penny.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

bungle said:

Blimey, no, a year!

I did think so, but you never know, there are some hardcore nutters out there

Ok, so we need some more info. Where are you commuting to and from where? What are the roads like?

For example: I live 75 miles away from London, near the South Coast.

I have had a few jobs in London.

Two jobs were nights, two were days.

Nights = no brainer, drive every time. Leave house circa 19:45 for a 21:00 start in the city. Fairly easy journey, up the M3 no probs, into London proper, can be a bit galling even at this time of night, due to 'people who can't fking drive' and cause you the usual stress from things like vague lane changing without looking or indicating, stop-start progression and brake dabbing for no reason, general horrendous lane discipline (I'll sit in the right hand lane of this dual carriageway, even though there are no cars in the left lane).

And my pet hate - slow getaways from traffic lights turning green.

For some people in London it's like this - lights go green, they do nothing, then it's almost like they're surprised and stunned by the lights actually going green...'blimey, despite watching lights change from red to green a million times before, on this particular occasion I didn't actually expect that, hmm, better look at the green lights for another 5 seconds just to make sure...yep, as I thought they're definitely green...ok, what do I do now...oh yeah, engage 1st gear, release handbrake, and what was it...ah right, I remember, slowly release left pedal while applying gentle pressure to right pedal...'

Then as they finally crawl over the white line, the fking lights go red again and you have to stop dead for a second time

Anyway I digress, despite the bad level of driving, still the best for commuting into London on nights. Then pretty much the same at 06:00 - providing I got away on time at 6, was a pleasant journey home. Delays were bad news though, as it seemed for each 15 minutes that I was late leaving work in the morning, the level of traffic seemed to double. If I was over an hour late leaving, it cost me 90 minutes in increased journey time.


Driving into London on days = tried it, bloody forget it mate. Makes building and sending the first spacecraft to the moon and back seem like a simple task accomplished without any problem.

The motorway basically stopped dead halfway up. So after maybe 35 miles of the 70 odd, you were parked, doing stop-start 1st gear stuff. Then once you got anywhere near London itself - it was the same, only at a speed that makes walking pace look fast.

Add to the mix suicidal pedestrians, especially tourists, who keep trying to throw themselves to their death under the front of your car.

Additional annoyances include Pie-Key types who try to wash your windscreen or sell you flowers at every set of lights.

Then worse, other cars, buses, taxi's, despatch riders and those silly rickshaws who all seem hell bent on inflicting as much damage, dents and busted wing mirrors to your car as possible.

Fiendishly complicated rules on bus lanes and box junctions that only a rocket scientist can work out as they drive past them - but one wrong move and it's a 60 fine for you, my son.

Same for 'no right turns' and 'one way systems.'

And while I think of it - same for Red Routes and even parking - woe betide you if like one centimetre of the front of your car hangs outside the marked bay - yep, ker-ching, 60!

Then not forgetting the last bit of excitement - the congestion charge. Another 10 for the priviledge of sitting in traffic. And get home after a long day and forget to go online and pay? Another 60 fine for you. Oh yes.


So...the train into London on days compared to driving? Easy (expensive, crowded, smelly) life!

[blearyeyedboy]

Don't forget the iPhone (500) and laptop computer (1000) you didn't leave on the train by accident. Bargain.

[johnpeat]

blearyeyedboy said:

Don't forget the iPhone (500) and laptop computer (1000) you didn't leave on the train by accident. Bargain.

If you're spending 1000 on a laptop you're really REALLY doing it wrong.

[blearyeyedboy]

johnpeat said:

If you're spending 1000 on a laptop you're really REALLY doing it wrong.

If you're spending any less, the figures won't work to make a car worthwhile.

(Mine cost a lot less than 1000)

[AJS-]

Go to the pub every time you take the train. A couple of pints after work every night adds up, and taking the car becomes the healthy choice too.

[matthias73]

Tartan Pixie said:

Lack of proper man maths in this thread, so far it reads: Life not working how I want it to + not being able to drive a car = bks.

That's not man maths it's failure maths.

There's a simple rule to life, the good bits are out there for the taking and you only live once. Look hard and you will find a big red hammer marked 'in case of failure to enjoy life please smash your former existence and understand that our currency allows us to work but a few months a year and spend the rest of the time sipping margaritas in an African paradise'.

These threads make me cry, useless fkers who see there entire existence as a comparison with debt riddled UK audi drivers.

Pathetic.


Edit- that was a bit strong, no offense meant, just trying to say that there's another world out there for those who wish to live it

Edited by Tartan Pixie on Saturday 17th March 03:14

The idea of man maths is that you justify something that on the surface makes no financial sense, but could in the long run leave you feeling better off. Furthermore, a lot of the stuff here, probably including the OP, isn't taking this completely seriously. Furthermore, even if his life isn't working out how imagined, its not your business, so I suggest you come back when you have nice things to say.

Back on topic-How do train tickets work? Is it a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly ticket that you buy? This might lead us to some form of compromise, or give you the chance to try it for a week or month and see if it doesn't change your mind. Commuting certainly takes the fun out of driving, for the most part..

I can certainly see why you want to drive to work. Private space, music, comfort, less hassle ect.

[Liquid Knight]

Get insured with my guys at Green Insurance they will offset the carbon your car produces with a load of trees and are therefore more environmentally sound because we all know trains run on baby seal blood and o-zone.

Give me a PM for my post code and you get a referral discount as well.

[Liquid Knight]

bungle said:

Liquid Knight said:

500 a year for extra cleaning due to trains always having damp seats after pensioners have been on board.

A commuter's worst nightware, the wet (but didn't look it before you sat down) seat. Shudder...

500 a year for hand wipes if you check to find a wet seat and you can't wash your hands because the cue for the toilet starts on a platform two stations away.

[blearyeyedboy]

blearyeyedboy said:

johnpeat said:

If you're spending 1000 on a laptop you're really REALLY doing it wrong.

If you're spending any less, the figures won't work to make a car worthwhile.

(Mine cost a lot less than 1000)

Actually, I had a thought about this this morning. My man maths doesn't work unless you have a very pricy laptop.

Ergo, the OP will now have to go out and buy the most expensive laptop he can. It'll save him money in the long run; it really will...

[Tartan Pixie]

matthias73 said:

Furthermore, even if his life isn't working out how imagined, its not your business, so I suggest you come back when you have nice things to say.

Appologies, drunkpost removed

[Nursing a hemi]

fozzymandeus said:

So you should have written "900 + 300 x 1 = 1200". Also, commas aren't any good any more since the french think they are decimal points.

What has two thumbs and doesn't give a crap?



Nice to meet you.

[Devil2575]

bungle said:

lol, nail on head there really....! Currently we've got a mk5 Golf GTi and an Audi TT 225, had both for years. Part of the reason for wanting to talk myself into driving is that if I'm doing a lot more miles (driving to work) then i can "justify" increasing the fleet to 3 cars (sell 1, buy 2 more). Been looking at a few options recently (Subaru Legacy Spec B, M3 CS, various Porsche), but as long as I'm either not using (or leaving at the station) 1 of the cars most of the week it is difficult to rationalise the need for more cars than we've already got. And everyone knows more cars are best...

Hmmmm, I think you need to adjust your perspective here and do some proper man maths.

Getting the train to work is good for the following reasons:

1) You can go for a drink afterowrk anytime you want and not have to worry about driving (very manly)
2) You aren't doing a lot of miles in your car so it will retain more of it's value and not sustain uneccessary wear and tear.
3) MPG doesn't matter as you aint doing a lot of miles commuting.
4) To a lesser extent neither does comfort and the ability to deal woth lots of stop start traffic all the time.
5) Unless you live in the Cotswolds, North Wales, North Yorkshire or the Scottish Highlands most commuting is dire. If you could avoid it and not subject your car to it why not?

Forget three cars, more is not always best. Rather than buying two cars get one much better car that can be a purely weekend toy, with just enough practicality to cope with a commute if the trains are on strike. You can get more car, keep it much nicer and keep your milage down so retaining more of it's value. 993 Turbo? After all with all that money you are saving by getting the train you deserve a treat

[0000]

bungle said:

Parking and petrol alone is about 1500 more than the train

A year? 1500 a year not to have to sit on and smell a train that probably won't make it to your destination anyway? That's a bargain whichever way you do your maths!

[simoid]

The point of this ManMaths was to justify driving to work.

Take your public transport nonsense elsewhere

[Devil2575]

simoid said:

The point of this ManMaths was to justify driving to work.

Take your public transport nonsense elsewhere

You need to learn to think outside of the box. The OP has obviously failed to see the possibilities that taking the train gives him

[bungle]

Brilliant stuff again everyone, even more food for thought! You are all man-maths experts

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

Ok, so we need some more info. Where are you commuting to and from where? What are the roads like?

Into Birmingham. Some decent A/B roads to start with, then motorway into Bham. 25ish miles overall.

matthias73 said:

Furthermore, a lot of the stuff here, probably including the OP, isn't taking this completely seriously.

Back on topic-How do train tickets work? Is it a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly ticket that you buy? This might lead us to some form of compromise, or give you the chance to try it for a week or month and see if it doesn't change your mind. Commuting certainly takes the fun out of driving, for the most part..

I can certainly see why you want to drive to work. Private space, music, comfort, less hassle ect.

It was meant to be tongue in cheek to an extent (all man maths is isn't it? ), and I certainly don't take any offence to what anyone on here says! (post what you like Tartan Pixie, drunk posts are often the most assuming, post on.... ). It is a genuine question (that I'd like to "justify" driving), but one to which there is never going be a rational/financially-sound answer

Pay monthly for the train. But I can't really chop and change every month, as I get a parking allowance at work (where they will pay my parking up to a certain amount each year, not taxable), but I just take it as extra salary each month at the moment (taxable). Payroll have told me I can't change what I want to do each month. And yes, I have factored in the tax saving into my man maths already of receiving it tax-free if it's against parking and not as salary.

Devil2575 said:

Hmmmm, I think you need to adjust your perspective here and do some proper man maths.

993 Turbo? After all with all that money you are saving by getting the train you deserve a treat

Now there's a perspective. If I keep getting the train, I can afford a 993 Turbo, now you're talking I love man maths, even if that conclusion (don't drive, take the train, is the opposite to what I was trying to talk myself into!).

Am I any nearer a decision? No. But it's fun just thinking about all the justifications, many of which are just genius