Getting rid of the car?

madmix
madmix Posts: 65
edited July 2008 in Commuting chat
Has anyone else got rid of their car in favour of their bike?

I have used mine about three times since the start of the month. I seem to be throwing money at something that just sits there.

I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of it. I'd still have access to Mrs Madmix' car. The only time it would cause problems is getting away at weekends for sportives/rides etc but even then there is train and/or hire car.

Just wondered if anyone else had got rid of their car and how they coped?

Comments

  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    I don't have a car, get along fine, although the commute is killing me, 60mile round trip. It is so much cheaper. My worry though is with moving flats next week, but ho hum!
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    I actually did the reverse. Always cycled, but decided to get a car when I was made redundant and got a whole heap of money. The idea was that I would give it a year or so to find out how much I used it. In the end I found I wasn't using it enough (the odd supermarket trip and nights out in places like Brighton) to justify having it.

    It does depend on your situation though. I am a single guy with no kids. I work in London, so my week is spent commuting on the train or bike. The "opportunity" to use a car is limited, and to be honest, I really don't enjoy driving. I also live close enough to most shops that I can walk to them, cycle, or use public transport.

    If you are still going to have another car available, I can't see the problem. There might be the odd occasion where the other car is unavailable, but given the amount you will be saving you could probably use a cab and still come out better off.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    I don't have a car, my wife does though (very little choice with a 60mile commute and 0 public transport) I also have a motorcycle, which is gathering dust in the garage due to lack of use, and the fact that my heart beats erratically when I fill ip up with Petrol :?

    The Moto has never been a fair weather toy, however it is ironic, that it now only really gets used when the weather is $#!te :?
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • tomfoolery
    tomfoolery Posts: 56
    I've got an old Focus which has done 100,000miles. When that finally dies I'm going to look at joining a car club. Most of the time I don't use the car, and it's costing money for no benefit. Ideally I'd just book a car out of the pool for the time I need it.

    Not sure how well it would work in real use with ad-hoc journeys etc.
    I've forgotten my PIN for the pain barrier.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Car Club?

    Do you mean some sort of community car scheme, sounds like a neat idea, if it could be made to work.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • ris
    ris Posts: 392
    i got the bike for commuting, with the outside thought that i might get rid of my car in the future. when the head gasket went a few months later it was an easy decision!

    i'd hardly used it since getting the bike and we had the missus' car to cover us for shopping, longer journeys or emergencies. every so often we need to be in 2 different places and the bike can usually do the job for me to get where i need to be.

    i think that if you feel you can manage it then give it a go! it's certainly cheaper not paying all that tax, mot, servicing, insurance...
  • tomfoolery
    tomfoolery Posts: 56
    Dirk Van Gently wrote:
    Car Club?

    Do you mean some sort of community car scheme, sounds like a neat idea, if it could be made to work.

    Yeah. A company has been pushing fliers through doors around me. It's no community scheme, it's a business venture, and I know nothing about them (but I know there are others), but it's made me decide to do some serious maths when the car is no more: http://www.whizzgo.co.uk/
    I've forgotten my PIN for the pain barrier.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Wouldn't last very long without our two cars.

    1) Couldn't tow the boat.
    2) Couldn't get to the beach to surf.
    3) Couldn't see friends/relatives.
    4) Couldn't do the shopping.
    5) Couldn't get to business meetings - most important.

    Public transport down this way should be re-named "invisible transport."
  • urban-commuter
    urban-commuter Posts: 111
    The cost of fuel is going one-way, from here on in.

    I've generally found that bicycle is quickest at peak hours, car is quicker than bus, train is quicker than car.

    In London it really works no probs without a car, if you need one occasionally, the streetcar(.co.uk) is an option, dotted around all over the place. Even out in Cambridge, Guilford and Brighton too.
    ******************
    http://cycling-london.blogspot.com/ - Urban Commuting by Bike Blog
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    Fuel just dropped in price today at supermarkets :shock: :shock:
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Dirk Van Gently wrote:
    Car Club?

    Do you mean some sort of community car scheme, sounds like a neat idea, if it could be made to work.
    here's another Car Club

    http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/

    It costs around £4 per hour including fuel. they are currently in 7 uk cities and are expanding. They have a parking bay at the end of my street. I am seriously thinking of getting rid of my gas guzzler (17mpg :oops: ). I only "need" the car about 4 times a month.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    17mpg?! What the feck is it?

    Even my old 3.2 litre V6 Golf (R32) did mid 20s to the gallon!
  • Suerdusty
    Suerdusty Posts: 20
    If you think you can do without the car, get shot of it, I worked out I was doing about 30 miles a month, got rid of it 3 years ago, if I need a car I'll hire one ( about twice a year) always get a nice shiny new one and if anything goes wrong its down to someone else to sort it out
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    17mpg?! What the feck is it?

    Even my old 3.2 litre V6 Golf (R32) did mid 20s to the gallon!
    It's an Alfa GTV V6 - neither fuel consumption nor practicality were in the design brief. I love it though, it is stupid but I have a great attachment to it! On the plus side I did once get 19mpg on a run up north!
  • Belv
    Belv Posts: 866
    I got rid of my motorbike just over 2 years ago. My wife still has her car and, while it can take some planning at weekends, it is very rare that either of us (or the kids) miss out on something.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    alfablue wrote:
    Surf-Matt wrote:
    17mpg?! What the feck is it?

    Even my old 3.2 litre V6 Golf (R32) did mid 20s to the gallon!
    It's an Alfa GTV V6 - neither fuel consumption nor practicality were in the design brief. I love it though, it is stupid but I have a great attachment to it! On the plus side I did once get 19mpg on a run up north!

    Blimey that's thirsty! I'd expect that from a big V8 but from a 3.0 V6 that's a lot!

    I tested an Evo FQ360 a while back and was regularly dipping under 10mpg when pushing it hard :shock: :lol:

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