Priced off the road?

powned

My insurance expires in May and i have decided not to renew (been thinking about it for a few months), I will instead be selling my car and buying a decent bike. For long journeys I will use my local train station.

Petrol will only keep going up, VAT has increased all parts and labour, My insurance has doubled in the last few years despite never having claimed or committed any driving offences. Next year with extra taxes on insurance and the VAT increase my premium on a Ford KA is probably going to be more than the car is worth. Road tax isn't cheap and the roads are in such a state that i have already burst a tyre this year.

I just feel like the convenience of driving is no longer justified by the costs, not for my uses anyway. The money i save will easily pay for me to be able to actually go on holiday once a year and even visit the odd restaurant. I will also be fitter from cycling. I am also sick and tired of pumping money earned from my labour into skumbag oil companies, crooked insurance companies, not to mention refilling the empty public purse that the bankers plundered.

I am looking forward to not owning a car and not feeling like a stupid mug whos being fleeced by a bunch of greedy reptiles. Not driving will increase my quality of life. Anyone else going to be priced off the road this year?

hubert_cumberdale

if the roads are in such a state that you have burst a tire . then have fun on a bike

GEEGEE8

I was without a car last year for a while, and got the train everywhere and walked.. it was actually okay! even on the rubbish weather days it wasn't all that bad really.

Good luck with it! Save up the money you would have spent on the car and get a better car one day, because after a year or two you might get fed up with it..

powned

hubert_cumberdale wrote: »

if the roads are in such a state that you have burst a tire . then have fun on a bike

bikes tend to go a bit slower on account of not having an engine, hence potties are a little easier to avoid. :think:

funkycoldribena

Yeah,cos you wont pay any VAT on your holiday or restaurant bill.:think:

hubert_cumberdale

i totally mis understood thebike thing i thought you meant m/bike

it has been know for people to come off bikes on pot holes and fall under cars

theres a topic about solar powered bikes you could get one of those jokes

powned

funkycoldribena wrote: »

Yeah,cos you wont pay any VAT on your holiday or restaurant bill.:think:

i also dont have to tax or put petrol in my restaurant or holiday or buy new tyres for them or MOT them... you miss the point of my post in an epic way :wall:

marlot

My mother gave up her car 3 years ago. She's not the sort of person who takes taxis (brought up in a more frugal era), but I encouraged her to put the money which she would have spent on the car into a taxi fund. She's not wanted to go back to owning a car.

powned

marlot wrote: »

My mother gave up her car 3 years ago. She's not the sort of person who takes taxis (brought up in a more frugal era), but I encouraged her to put the money which she would have spent on the car into a taxi fund. She's not wanted to go back to owning a car.

i used to drive a taxi, a lot of the customers told me it worked out much cheaper paying for cabs than owning a car

funkycoldribena

powned wrote: »

i also dont have to tax or put petrol in my restaurant or holiday or buy new tyres for them or MOT them... you miss the point of my post in an epic way :wall:

Touchy.....

hubert_cumberdale

it doesnt cost much tho really

the last year will probably cost me £ 7 a day to run my old banger (providing nothing brakes)
£100 to buy it
£29 mot + £3.40 for brandnew headlamp of ebay
£200 tax ish
£230 insurance
£8 wheel bearing
£40 fuel a week


a taxi would be way more than this the last time i got a taxi to work it was £6.50 so thats £13 on taxis a day
i also go home at lunch as well so if i did that in a taxi that would be 26 a day

nearly 4 times the cost of driving my self


that is probably the same as if i got a bus and i wont catch swine flu in my car or have to take a 1 hour journey

mind you i have to triple this for my three taxed and insured cars but thats my fault