Car running costs

[Maggot]

I think we need to segregate our towns, with car free areas with excellent public transport, a mix of goods and services within the neighbourhoods, good bicycle infrastructure but absolutely no private cars allowed in at any time.

The other part of town can have no parking controls, no public transport, zonal development with residential areas, office and big box retail areas with plenty of parking. It would have lots of traffic, wide roads, lots of parked cars, big box retail rather than high street and local retail. Everything the car lobby calls for.

Then people can choose which one to live in.

Areas with no public transport, what a great idea.

 

[London_Calling]

Indeed, there's just not enough segregation these days.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

The thing is with a car club membership it would also come out about evens, and with a quality folding bicycle you could get top work much more quickly than with a car, so you'd get to stay in bed a bit longer in the mornings.

.

IIRC Spanglechick is a teacher- do you have any idea how much stuff they have to carry

 

[gaijingirl]

I actually agree with Rory on pretty much all he is saying (although he doesn't seem to realise it) - and indeed that's how I have lived for some time. I'd really like to live in a car free area (especially if I could get my family/work/friends) to do so too.

However where I differ is that I do also think that nothing is black or white and there may be periods in one's life where ownership of a car becomes much more needed (again, there have been several periods in my life where I've owned a car/van for a period of time) even if the financial cost may, on the surface, be greater than alternatives.

I also think that a more measured/integrated approach is more likely to reap longterm benefits in terms of changing general public opinion towards sustainable transport. Appearing too dogmatic about it puts people off (much in the way I'm put off cars by real anti-cycling petrolheads). I think many people can be coaxed out of cars and on to bikes gently - and it's addictive. I know plenty of people who have developed serious bike habits (myself included) after dipping their toes in.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

I

However where I differ is that I do also think that nothing is black or white and there may be periods in one's life where ownership of a car becomes much more needed

Exactly, which is something I think Roryer needs to realise.

As, of course, does Cobbles (who I'm afraid I accused of trolling when he claimed to own a Bentley)

 

[Roadkill]

I also think that a more measured/integrated approach is more likely to reap longterm benefits in terms of changing general public opinion towards sustainable transport. Appearing too dogmatic about it puts people off (much in the way I'm put off cars by real anti-cycling petrolheads). I think many people can be coaxed out of cars and on to bikes gently - and it's addictive. I know plenty of people who have developed serious bike habits (myself included) after dipping their toes in.

Agree strongly with this.

Cars are a nuisance in towns, principally because they're very inefficient of space, and making provision for them often degrades the urban environment by creating large unoccupied spaces - the areas under flyovers, car parking around housing developments - that can be rather desolate and occasionally threatening, and major new roads do tend to cut off parts of city centres. And it doesn't really work, since traffic just grows to fill the available space. What was done to Birmingham city centre in the 50s and 60s is a good example.

Meanwhile, I used to commute by bike and very much enjoyed doing so. I'd still do it now, had I anywhere to keep a bike. Cycling in cities is cheaper and frequently quicker than public transport, never mind driving.

However, cars are extremely useful for some city dwellers, and essential for many living outside major settlements. With the best will in the world, in many areas it will never be viable to run a comprehensive public transport service, and there the car comes into its own. It's also brilliant if you've a family and luggage or work goods to move around. Cars have their downsides, of course, but I've no patience at all with hardline anti-car types: they and the Jeremy Clarkson types deserve one another.

What's IMO important is to reduce car use overall, especially in built up areas, through better public transport provision and congestion charging, and to encourage people to use the most appropriate means of transport for each journey rather than always reaching for the car keys.

 

[Pingu]

530d BMW

insurance £360 pa
road fund £215
servicing £300 pa approx
fuel ~ £120 -£150 pcm

so thats about 2 1/2 grand a year

when i worked out the cost of using public transport to get to the places i had to got to in the past year it was nearly double that and would have taken much longer to get there


eta and there is no fucking way i am even considering cycling 200 miles + each way once a month

 

[London_Calling]

However where I differ is that I do also think that nothing is black or white and there may be periods in one's life where ownership of a car becomes much more needed (again, there have been several periods in my life where I've owned a car/van for a period of time) even if the financial cost may, on the surface, be greater than alternatives.

Even looking at the suburbs, you can see that many people are, as individuals, cyclists or public transport users - Dad to the station, the kids to school, Mum pottering, etc - but as a family together they travel in a car. So, at different times of the day, they are both.

 

[moose]

Insurance: £220
Tax: £190
Petrol: £800 - £1000
Servicing/parts/consumables approx £500 per year

And no depreciation - it's actually going up in value (although not yet to the level of our other vehicle that we bought for £1700 and is now valued at £11,000)

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Insurance £0
Finance £0
Petrol £0
Maintenance, MOT etc £0
Parking £40. Hmmm - might have to start getting my employer to pay for this too.

 

[Pingu]

and when it rains i dont get soaked
when its hot i just sit there at 19 degrees

 

[Looby]

Insurance £0
Finance £0
Petrol £0
Maintenance, MOT etc £0
Parking £40. Hmmm - might have to start getting my employer to pay for this too.

Surely if it's a company car then you pay tax on it so not entirely free of charge?

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Surely if it's a company car then you pay tax on it so not entirely free of charge?

True but I'm not sure on how much that is.

I'll check it out and report back.