Bye bye car!
Richie G
Posts: 283
Well, after sitting down and weighing up the pros and cons, me and Mrs G are becoming a one car family. I'd looked back through my diary and worked out i'd driven to work twice since september - once the day after a half marathon and once when i was ill and got sent home anyway! We've traded in both our cars and bought a four year old Seat Ibiza that Kirsty can use to work. So i'm now totally reliant on my bikes to get about - and hopefully with a bit more spare cash to spend on......bike stuff! 
Now what's the odds we get the wettest spring/summer on record!? Has anyone else taken the plunge?
Rich
Now what's the odds we get the wettest spring/summer on record!? Has anyone else taken the plunge?Rich
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Mrs EMD and I have zero cars. I find it's cheaper to hire a car when I need one. My local hire company does cars for £30 for the weekend, unlimited mileage and it includes the insurance.0
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yep no car here either. not for last 8 months or so, bought a trailer for my hack bike to do my shopping etc. means more spare calories for beer sampling 0
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no car for me for about three years.
it's loads better0 -
we just bought a new car. for the girl primarily but its there in case I need it. It is only a mini and old one like we used to have. First car we've owned in 4 years and it cost less than my bike! crazy really. A set of fat alloys with tyres for the mini is approx. one third the cost of the wheels without tyres for my bike!
:shock:
Gats0 -
Car insurance @ £70pm
Petrol @ £160pm
mersey tunnel @ £52pm
and all the extras MOT/TAX
I stopped driving on saturday.. Its going to be a bit of a shock to the system - luckilly i live right near an asda otherwise the missus would have cut my nads off.. I cant justify spending all that cash to pollute the earth and get no excercise..
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Car insurance @ £70pm
That's expensive! What were you driving? Mind you, now i'm an old codger over 30 insurance isn't too bad!
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I was driving a Primera GT with only 2 years no claims -0
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Congratulations :!:
We are currently a one car family. We share a VW golf that also gets used for the farm (grapes, oranges & potatoes). This is a minor inconvenience as sometimes I have to wait to deliver more than 2 bikes. Sometimes I even deliver bikes using the local bus service.
But I suppose as business picks up I may be forced to buy a bigger vehicle. I'm 30 and never owned a car by the way. I'm looking at something like an Opel Zafira, but I'll hold it off as long as possible. I only just got my Spanish license, and at least now hiring a car is definitely also an option on the days that I need something bigger. Prior to that, my partner did all the driving.
Sometimes I wish my clients were a bit more understanding though. Everyone just assumes we have a great big gas-guzzling van. *sigh*0 -
Despite the fact that I do less than 4,000 miles a year in my car and it can cost thousands to keep it in top running condition, there's no way I'd part with it - it's a part of me...0
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My MD's son has a Golf R32. He's in his early 20's and his insurance is around £7000 a year!!!!!! And yes, that is seven thousand pounds!!!!
:shock: :shock: :shock:
If your MD's paying for that you should be asking for a pay rise!0 -
I have one. :roll: :oops:
it cost me £500.
insurance is about £200 a year
i have just taxed it for another 6 months (£99 ooyah!)Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.
H.G. Wells.0 -
Took my knackered old Mazda to the scrapyard over a year ago now (and got £65 for it - thanks Harry Buckland, Bamfurlong Lane, Cheltenham - no apologies for the plug!). I had my bike in the back to get home and it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders as I cycled away.
My wife does still have her car for work and carting the kids around, while I take my daughter to nursery in the bike seat most mornings. It helps that my bike commute is only 5mins by the shortest route though!
My insurance was cheap-ish and miles fairly low before, but I still reckon I'm saving about £1k a year all told. Its already been spent on the bike mind... :roll:0 -
no car by force of £££ soon as poss i'll be back on 4 wheels too0
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seriously thinking about becoming a one car family.We are born with the dead:
See, they return, and bring us with them.0 -
Sell my Mk II MR2? You are kidding! Mind you, living in the countryside with £1.10 for a one-way bus trip of just over 2 miles makes non car ownership an impossibility0
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I would love to ditch my car and am currentky trying not to use it at weekends. Problem is when you have kids it not that easy.
I drive 60,000 miles a year with my job and have serious envy for people who can cycle to work."BEER" Proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy0 -
no car by force of £££ soon as poss i'll be back on 4 wheels too
Are you sure you are on the right forum? Maybe Top Gear have a forum that would be of more interest??Sell my Mk II MR2? You are kidding! Mind you, living in the countryside with £1.10 for a one-way bus trip of just over 2 miles makes non car ownership an impossibility
Must be another slip of the keyboard, but while you're here, why not try cycling the 2 miles? You might even enjoy it.0 -
Wonder how much the petrol alone costs for driving that distance?"With just a little luck
A little cold blue steel
I'll cut the night like a razor blade
Till I feel the way I wanna feel"
[Cheap Trick]0 -
'tis possible to enjoy both 4 engine propelled wheels and 2 self propelled one's...0
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I've been car free for the best part of 6 years, I had to sell my then car so I could go on a stag weekend, and never replaced it.
Wifey, who does have a car, was speaking to someone recently who just could not get her head round the fact we only have 1 car. She said it was impossible to get this woman to understand that we don't need a car each.0 -
wastelander wrote:Sell my Mk II MR2? You are kidding! Mind you, living in the countryside with £1.10 for a one-way bus trip of just over 2 miles makes non car ownership an impossibility
That's what I sold to go on a stag weekend.0 -
Oh you poor man! I'd consider selling my guitars off before the MR2 went anywhere.0
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At the time I was driving it 9 miles across the Sussex coast, 5 days a week, to be at work just after school started.
It took 45 mins to occasionally well over an hour, every day. I doubt I ever put it into top gear, and I think it was 'killing' both of us!.
When I was left with just my mates bike (and a hang-over ) it would take 25 mins and my favourite game was to total the cost of the cars I'm overtaking.
Never looked back.0 -
Given the circumstances, you are forgiven! If we were city bound then perhaps just the smart cat would suit g/f and I but living in a rural area with suspect public transport it's not a viable option.
The Scenic is a hang-up to playing in band and was used week in week out carrying amps/cabs/lights etc, then everyday on a 60mile each way commute. We work in opposite directions from home and although I mostly commute to my now much more local job by bike (except when injured) there are times where we both have things to do after work so need to have independent means of transport. I suppose in reality the MR2 and GSX600 are really just toys and maybe selling the toys and the Scenic to get something like a Volvo T5 (fast sensible toy!) might be a good plan? (<- good grief, I must be getting old :shock: )0 -
I'm on two wheels have been for about 15-20 years now but I do borrow my old man's car when needed.
Spent over a grand on a bike but wouldn't dream of spending anything like that on a car.Justice for the 960 -
i'm on two wheels without a usable car and there are times when it's quite annoying,
how do i transport a keyboard, bass guitar and amp on a bike?
yes i do need to do this regularlyMy signature was stolen by a moose
that will be all
trying to get GT James banned since tuesday0 -
got rid of my car 4 years ago use bike with panniers for shopping or let them deliver have got a 200cc scoot for work when on late shifts cost bugger all to run 70mpg . and normally hire a car for any big trips . Once you get use to it you will wonder why you didnt do it years ago + you have all this extra cash 0
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Richie G wrote:Well, after sitting down and weighing up the pros and cons, me and Mrs G are becoming a one car family. I'd looked back through my diary and worked out i'd driven to work twice since september - once the day after a half marathon and once when i was ill and got sent home anyway! We've traded in both our cars and bought a four year old Seat Ibiza that Kirsty can use to work. So i'm now totally reliant on my bikes to get about - and hopefully with a bit more spare cash to spend on......bike stuff! Now what's the odds we get the wettest spring/summer on record!? Has anyone else taken the plunge?
Rich
We did this back in December, traded 2 Estate cars for 1 Citroen C8 bus (we have 2 teenagers and an 8 y/o and pick-up 2 other children as part of a school-run car-share). So far been a great decision, OK buying a new bus ain't cheap but it has been great utility so far. Me and Mrs FF work near each other and within a 30 minute walk, so we have options of walking and cycling to work. and one of us does daily, and occasionaly we both bike Even doing all of the "Dad's Taxi" stuff, we've managed to avoid any issues to date with a bit more thought and planning.
We um'd and Ah'd for about 9 months before biting the bullet. Absolutely worth it.0
