Could you/will you/have you cut your car use ?
Discussion
With all the talk of fuel prices, I kind of see my car as a bit of a luxury, I am lucky as I can work from home, cycle to the office and generally not use it much, appreciate that not everyone is as lucky and are stuck with a big commute which is getting more expensive.
However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
I have never needed a car. Always had one since 17, always used solely for trips to do the weekly shop and for driving holidays/ hooning. Not much has changed with that. Work has always been nearby, or in central London, so I never drove to that.
However, I am currently away working in Singapore, so the car hasn't had any use in a while (though I'm still paying for it to sit there via tax and insurance. Ho hum.)
But yes, I agree that walking short distances is better, and hopefully more people will follow suit soon. People here in Singapore are shocked that I would rather walk 15 minutes than take a taxi or the tube!
However, I am currently away working in Singapore, so the car hasn't had any use in a while (though I'm still paying for it to sit there via tax and insurance. Ho hum.)
But yes, I agree that walking short distances is better, and hopefully more people will follow suit soon. People here in Singapore are shocked that I would rather walk 15 minutes than take a taxi or the tube!
J4CKO said:
With all the talk of fuel prices, I kind of see my car as a bit of a luxury, I am lucky as I can work from home, cycle to the office and generally not use it much, appreciate that not everyone is as lucky and are stuck with a big commute which is getting more expensive.
However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
Was the cia safehouse open? (shoe shop)However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
I'm thinking about getting my bike out for summer and start cycling to work.
I also get free bus travel and I already use the bus every so often but it's getting more and more tempting to use it every day for work. Only thing that's stopping me is that on a night when I finish work the busses aren't very often and I need to get 2 of them. Quick 10min journey to the city centre and then a half hour journey home but with a possible half hour wait.
I also get free bus travel and I already use the bus every so often but it's getting more and more tempting to use it every day for work. Only thing that's stopping me is that on a night when I finish work the busses aren't very often and I need to get 2 of them. Quick 10min journey to the city centre and then a half hour journey home but with a possible half hour wait.
j4ckos mate said:
J4CKO said:
With all the talk of fuel prices, I kind of see my car as a bit of a luxury, I am lucky as I can work from home, cycle to the office and generally not use it much, appreciate that not everyone is as lucky and are stuck with a big commute which is getting more expensive.
However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
Was the cia safehouse open? (shoe shop)However, do you make journeys that you don't need to, i.e. drive when you could walk or cycle ? not including public transport for the most part as it is generally more expensive than using your car if you have already paid for it and have it sat there.
I told two of my kids to walk yesterday, lazy little sods, always wanting lifts for journeys I will do on foot, 3/4 mile into a busy town centre in a car is a waste if you are not carrying anything and are fit to do so, especially on a nice day, so eldest got told to walk, middle boy wanted picking up from his mates, so, start up a 21 year old 3.0 Porsche for a 1 mile round trip to pick the lazy get up, said no so he cadged a lift with his mates mum who was allegedly going out anyway.
I walked to get a haircut yesterday, nipped to the car spares shop and the butchers and walked home, our local shopping street is bedlam on Saturday morning, cars mount the pavement to get through as its not wide enough for two cars to pass with another parked at the side of the road, it becomes jammed, it is a situation where the car is more trouble than it is worth but I see my neighbours getting all stressed driving through and then trying to find a parking space, all to get a paper or some milk.
What I don't get is people moaning about the cost but defiantly saying they will always use their cars, and then moan about the cost, that just seems daft as they don't care, it will never go down significantly, best we can hope for is slower rises and it hasn't risen that much over the last year until the last few weeks.
- sick of commuting and would rather spend money on petrol to enjoy driving rather than to sit in a traffic jam on the way to work.
I work from home almost all the time. Most of my car use is to go to the shops, the gym, fishing or just for fun. I could cut down by accepting a poorer quality of life.
My wife commutes. I suspect that if her employer had a more enlightened attitude to home working, she could cut that down by 20%-40%. If the government is serious about cutting unwanted car use, it should be looking at incentivising employers to do this.
My wife commutes. I suspect that if her employer had a more enlightened attitude to home working, she could cut that down by 20%-40%. If the government is serious about cutting unwanted car use, it should be looking at incentivising employers to do this.
If you live in central London then driving a car could be deemed pointless. If you live in a rural town or village, without a car you're effectively marooned.
We've spent about 40 years breaking down local infrastructure in rural towns, with large, out of town shopping centres etc and less n less public transport (with greater prices). Not to mention a large percentage that have to commute by car for many miles for a reasonably priced job.
Fuel prices keep going up but so does the cost of public transport (often greater than fuel prices). It's naive and ridiculous to think that people can be priced out of their cars but with no affordable alternatives.
We've spent about 40 years breaking down local infrastructure in rural towns, with large, out of town shopping centres etc and less n less public transport (with greater prices). Not to mention a large percentage that have to commute by car for many miles for a reasonably priced job.
Fuel prices keep going up but so does the cost of public transport (often greater than fuel prices). It's naive and ridiculous to think that people can be priced out of their cars but with no affordable alternatives.
Increased fuel prices have not effected my hooning and enjoyment of the car. They have however prevented me from longer drives home to see friends etc.
So far it seems that as fuel prices increase I have to make sacrifices to drive, luckily for my car I always choose to sacrifice something else before it!
So far it seems that as fuel prices increase I have to make sacrifices to drive, luckily for my car I always choose to sacrifice something else before it!
My daily commute is a 90 mile round trip so can't really cut back.
I can't help that feel the workshy lout option would have been much easier than getting up at 1.30 each morning to drive to work, busting my balls all day and then not even daring to think about how much I pay each month in fuel duty, income tax etc.
I can't help that feel the workshy lout option would have been much easier than getting up at 1.30 each morning to drive to work, busting my balls all day and then not even daring to think about how much I pay each month in fuel duty, income tax etc.
I need my car to get to work and back. I could get the train but that would only save me £2 a day but I'd have to share my journey with sweatys.
My wife has started to car share 2/3 times a week which saves her upto £30 a week. Her journey is so bad for stop/start she can use £10 a day doing 24 miles!!
My wife has started to car share 2/3 times a week which saves her upto £30 a week. Her journey is so bad for stop/start she can use £10 a day doing 24 miles!!
no cant i carry my tools for job in car ,it was off the road last week and relying on lifts and trying to take everything you think you need for job was hard work.also it wont get used as much as the missus bought her own car,so in theory the use would have been cut,as weekend shoping and "can i have the car to pop over my mothers" wont happen no more.
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