Murdo Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Well done Sarah I think maybe I will have lessons again. I don't need a car for work, but it would mean I wouldn't have to depend on friends to take me to the garden centre. I can manage shopping ok, but it's not easy getting garden tools home in a shopping trolley Don't do it ! Take a taxi to the garden centre. What an extravagance ! But work it out ... Say £300 insurance, £100+ road tax, £200 depreciation (let's buy a wreck). £100 MOT and servicing. Run on fresh air and you've still spent £700. Per year. Taxi to garden centre - £20 each way ? Just my $0.02 (Not that we manage without one - for transporting children long distances regularly I prefer to be able to have them chained down.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I always try to ignore all that Murdo when people tell me it is cheaper to use public transport I spend abot £35 a week on fuel but the bus is £6.50 return but when you add on the rest of it - oh and my car is a wreck so each MOT is at least another £500 before depreciation and insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanne Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 this is an interesting topic, and I too belong to the non-drivers group. At 17 i was diagnosed with an eye condition/disease that means my sight is pretty poor, and had i started to drive then i would have had my licence revoked once my eyes deteriated further,( its one of those conditions which always gets worse, no hope of them getting better) so i decided not to start as it would be awful to then have to stop. so i've never driven, and take comfort in being environmentally friendly, and hopefully having a good healthy heart for all the walking I do. I also help the local economy by using buses and taxis! my OH drives, but not any more than he really has to, as he walks or cycles when possible. however, as he has been poorly for quite a few months now we've only filled the car up with petrol twice since november! not bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted April 6, 2005 Author Share Posted April 6, 2005 Sorry to hear about your eye condition and OH's illness, Leanne. I hope things are OK for you both at the moment. On the environmental side, it's hard not being able to raise my green banner on this one because I can't do without my car. Getting from A to B without it is impossible - I'm just an old crock in a young ( ) body! Where's that vet??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 I've borrowed him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Murdo I never really thought of the costs involved in running a car. I would use it so infrequently, it would actually be cheaper to get a taxi to the garden centre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 I keep trying to explain this to my Dad and SM but they like their bit of independence. My Dad doesn't drive and SM will only drive quarter of a mile to Safeways. They don't drive 7 miles to come over to us - we have to go and fetch them and take them back so that is two polluting trips! It would be cheaper to use taxis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 It is amazing the amount of people who will drive for a couple of minutes just to buy a newspaper. I suppose if you've spent a lot of money on a car, you feel you have to get the maximum benefit from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
