You don't have to live in the deepest countryside to need a car!

piratefairy

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But, if you didn't drive, you'd volunteer at different Guide groups or even with different youth groups. Much of this thread has been about making choices.

I guess a decision was made on the basis of having enough thought for others not to let them down.
I would have to pay taxis there and back if I didn't drive, which I imagine would be expensive for a rural 40mile round trip.
And then there is the matter of safety, when it comes to travelling / walking / cycling home at late times.

piratefairy

TooDee wrote: »

If people just moan about bus services but don't do anything about it then they will never get any better.

How can people do anything about the bus service? Did you mean the public? Or the councils, who have proven, in our area at least, to be cutting public transport budgets, sadly not the other way around.

nickyhutch

TooDee wrote: »

You are the one who started being so judgemental! I already said I know some people NEED cars but there are plenty that don't.

I felt the need to defend as its balls that buses are constantly late where you are, maybe, dangerous etc! I've got buses in 6 different counties for work and never felt at risk. If the buses round by you are late and the drivers are dangerous then complain. Someone complained about a driver round here and he got the sack. If you don't get the bus then how do you know what they are like!? Because my son and his friends do. Because the bus stop is outside my house, and he sits and waits, and waits, and waits for one to arrive, and it doesn't. Because I sit and watch little old ladies stand waiting for a good hour before one turns up. Because, on the odd occasion where I have got one, it's been late.

If people just moan about bus services but don't do anything about it then they will never get any better.

.......................................

Loz01

I live in a village with crap buses and it costs £5 to get into town!! Five flipping quid. Its 15 mins in the car.

And I deffo need a car for where I work, there's no bus link whatsoever. None. Nadda.

tooldle

£ 5 sounds fairly good to me. I think that sometimes people compare the bus fare to the cost of the fuel to travel an equivalent distance and forget to factor in the cost of the vehicle, interest charges if it is a loan, MOT, servicing, insurance, tax and of course parking.
Around here you can get a weekly ticket for £18 which works out at less than £1000 per year. As I said on an earlier post my employer will offer the same at £380 per year. Even £1000 a year equates to the cost of less than one tank of diesel per month for me, its a no brainer. Plenty of spare left over for taxis etc.
Others have mentioned the high cost of taxis. I was under the impression that the fares are set by councils. I am not sure if these rules apply to minicabs though.
I am going on holiday soon and looked at costs for bus tickets in the holiday area. A family of four in that area can purchase a weekly unlimited travel ticket for £44. Now that is a real bargain and I will be buying one.

TooDee

Nicky hutch - Because my son and his friends do. Because the bus stop is outside my house, and he sits and waits, and waits, and waits for one to arrive, and it doesn't. Because I sit and watch little old ladies stand waiting for a good hour before one turns up. Because, on the odd occasion where I have got one, it's been late.

How often does that happen then? Something is seriously wrong if its a regular occurance. The councils subsidise most bus routes so if the current provider is not up to it then they need to be told. If its occationally, has there been an accident? Normal traffic build up? If its a problem you would have been stuck in with a car then thats irrelevant.

Its just under £5 for a day return for me or £60 for a pass.

brighthair

onlyroz wrote: »

4 miles is easily cycle-able.

not at 3am it isn't

rozmister

tooldle wrote: »

Around here you can get a weekly ticket for £18 which works out at less than £1000 per year. As I said on an earlier post my employer will offer the same at £380 per year.

I pay £142 for a 90 day pass where I live which works at £1.60 a day for unlimited travel. It takes me all around Bournemouth & Poole (where I live) providing I use a specific bus company. I use it to get to both my jobs and back every day, to use night buses on the weekend to get home from town, to go over to my friends house (or part of the way and walk if there isn't a route). It's such good value and much much cheaper than a car!

nickyhutch

TooDee wrote: »

Nicky hutch - Because my son and his friends do. Because the bus stop is outside my house, and he sits and waits, and waits, and waits for one to arrive, and it doesn't. Because I sit and watch little old ladies stand waiting for a good hour before one turns up. Because, on the odd occasion where I have got one, it's been late.

How often does that happen then? Something is seriously wrong if its a regular occurance. The councils subsidise most bus routes so if the current provider is not up to it then they need to be told. If its occationally, has there been an accident? Normal traffic build up? If its a problem you would have been stuck in with a car then thats irrelevant.

Its just under £5 for a day return for me or £60 for a pass.

How often does it happen? All the bl00dy time. I haven't done a scientific study though, nor have I trotted down the road to see what the cause is. Yes something's seriously wrong, as you say. I'm not about to take up the issue, though.

jennyfive

There are other reasons to need a car than location. I'm a musician (keyboards, drums), it's just not practical to haul a keyboard, stand, case with cables/pedals and possibly amp to a venue/rehearsal. If I move to the centre of the city (which will be more expensive to live in) it might become a little more viable, but coming home from a gig that finishes at midnight I might as well have a neon sign above me saying "mug me!" as I struggle down the street.

I suppose it's more of a unique situation, but I suspect there's other jobs that simply need a car.

I wish the fuel prices would go down though, it's getting insane at £1.27 a litre where I live.