Did anyone else give up there car for a bike?

[Ellis456]

I did, just read here fuel is going up again!




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eks--oil-giants-announce-billions-profit.html




I was sick of insurance, tax and fuel always going up, I may get a car again in future if my job is far afield but will probably be a diesel or hybrid type thing.




So did you give your car up?.

 

[Brandane]

Not yet; but hopefully I will be in a position to do so sooner rather than later. I have applied for, and been interviewed for a part time job at my local supermarket (2 minutes walk away), which would mean no requirement for a car any more . I have had my fun; I used to really enjoy going out for a drive, but now it is just a pain. Congested pot-holed roads, incompetent selfish drivers, and the expense of car ownership have taken the pleasure away.

I look forward to the day when I am not being held to ransom by insurance companies, the DVLA, oil companies, and most of all HM Treasury. I used to work full time but realised that I was working the first 1.5 hours every day just to pay for the petrol for the commute! I will take a drop in income, but then I will feel better about donating far less to the Government who have pushed me into this situation .

 

[billy1561]

Yes I sold mine at Easter for the same reasons as the op, but also to get fit and lose some lard. Haven't looked back since.

 

[abo]

No; definately need the family car with the three kids. As for my little knockabout; I work from home and the only regular trip it makes is with the kids to my mum's house on a Tuesday evening. Any other trips it makes are few and far between but it is handy for runs to the tip, filling with building or gardening materials, or sticking my bike in if I don't want to 'ride it to where I want to ride it' if you see what I mean. Luckily the road tax is in a low bracket and doesn't cost much to insure.

Spotted this in the comments of that article: 'Actually if we assume that fuel is 50p a litre then the tax is 275% to make it 137.5p a litre. Add to that the 45% income tax (20% tax, 12% employees NI, 12% employers NI). To buy £1.00 of actual fuel you need to earn £6.20 to pay all the tax'. Mental when you think of it like that...

 

[calibanzwei]

32 and have never been licensed to drive or taken any lessons. Doesn't mean that the mechanics of doing so escape me

EDIT: Lol, I re-read that; I'm not a lawbreaking carjacker - just one who has never had the money or inclination to learned to drive!

 

[abo]

I used to really enjoy going out for a drive, but now it is just a pain

Tell me about it... I used to love just going out for a hoon around on a sunny evening, no destination in mind, just for the sake and enjoyment of the driving. Not any more, every time I take the car out it is to get somewhere or do something specific.

Mind you, I've got the bike now for random riding instead

 

[Davidc]

Because of the theft of our railways in the 1960s/70s I haven't been able to.

I'd love to do so - expensive and boring things.

Sadly I'm likely to need one of the things for some time yet in order to work. All I can do is to use the bike as much as is practical. More enjoyable, better for the body, and doesn't have a tank which costs me £80 to fill. (Though I do fill the bike with fuel at good restaurants sometimes which can come close).

Just have to foot the bills for the car, and make sure I have enough in the bank every 15 years or so to buy a new one.

 

[tyred]

I love my car just as much as I love my bikes.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

I've been seriously considering the prospect of selling my car until the coalition reign of tyranny is over.

 

[monkeypony]

I've given up my car altogether. After a year if it sitting there unused, uninsured and SORN, I finally sold it a couple of weeks ago.

I have kept the motorbike though.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I did, just read here fuel is going up again!




http://www.dailymail...ons-profit.html




I was sick of insurance, tax and fuel always going up, I may get a car again in future if my job is far afield but will probably be a diesel or hybrid type thing.




So did you give your car up?.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I did, just read here fuel is going up again!




http://www.dailymail...ons-profit.html




I was sick of insurance, tax and fuel always going up, I may get a car again in future if my job is far afield but will probably be a diesel or hybrid type thing.




So did you give your car up?.

I did! 2 years ago.

 

[BSRU]

I given up using the car for commuting, in fact I gave it to my better half for passing her driving test in March.

Still use it as a shopping trolley and delivery vehicle, don't fancy trying to carry 30kg parcels home on my bike.

 

[Ellis456]

I actually dont miss driving my car tbh, how strange as I used to love it going for random drives, then fuel etc went up, traffic increased, stuck in jams and not getting anywhere and it used to get me stressed out thinking im paying all this money to get stressed.




I finally realised it wasnt worth the money I was paying for it just to sit outside and the amount I use it. Sure I miss being able to go on far journeys or collect big objects but the cost it wasnt worth it.




I cycle past the traffic jams now and think that was me, sitting there all stressed out not getting anywhere, now im not, filtering past and stress free and actually keeping my self healthy and fit.




I may get a motorbike actually, I love how you can go through all the traffic jams with them!.

 

[Brandane]

I may get a motorbike actually, I love how you can go through all the traffic jams with them!.

That's part of my plan too! I sold my motorbike in April as I decided I couldn't afford both a car and a motorbike, and figured that the car was the more sensible option to keep. However if I get this local job then the position might be reversed, and the car can be replaced by a motorbike. Still has to be taxed of course (but about £60 instead of £200) and insured (£100 instead of £300) and fuelled (60 mpg instead of 40). Mostly though, just so much more FUN .