Giving up the car completely?

[StaffCycler]

Has anyone done this?

Although my car is modest and paid for I do often wonder whether I should just stick to bikes. I work from home, live two miles from the town centre and get most of my stuff delivered by Amazon. It feels daunting when I think of the freedom the car gives me, but considering that I don't travel much the savings in time and money to maintain and run the car seem like something I could give up.

Cycling those longer journeys would require a little more planning, but the financial and health benefits would surely outweigh that.

But, if I wanted to travel further out are bikes generally accepted on trains? (I've not been on a train in nearly a decade so I don't know if this is a thing. What about planes?

 

[Nibor]

Can't take your car on a plane either so that is a slightly unrelated issue, but most airlines allow you to have sporting equipment as part of your hold luggage but it doies vary from one to another so best to research on a case by case basis.

 

[KneesUp]

If you don't use your car much, surely it doesn't cost much? Sure the insurance is per year, as it the tax, but fuel and repairs should be almost nill? Personally I'd keep the car if it's bought and paid for, so it's there if it's needed, but then (not elderly, but retired) parents live 40 miles away, and I have a child and A&E is 5 miles away.

I always get the impression that you can never absolutely rely on getting a bike on a train, but on the other hand, you could always hire a car if you wanted to - I hired one last week because for the first time in years my partner and I both needed a car on the same day (I didn't fancy cycling 90 miles in a funeral suit, and the little village church was quite tricky to get to on public transport) and they are pretty reasonably priced given that you get an almost brand new car and all you have to do it put fuel in it.

 

[TrishE]

I take my bike on the train, I've a hospital appointment tomorrow so will get the train to Lincoln then cycle to the hospital using quiet roads. I don't have a car and use a bike or bike and train instead. A folding bike would mean being able to use the bus too

 

[StaffCycler]

@Nibor: Good to know bikes on planes is doable. I'll look into this more. Not that it's a huge issue. As I say, I'm not much of a traveller, and I suppose I could always hire a bike if I do decide to go abroad for some cycling.

@KneesUp: It's a good point about hiring a car if needed. My car is getting a little older so it's likely going to need repairs even with driving it occasionally. Also, while I use it so frequently it does feel like a waste spending £600+ a year just to have it sitting out there on the drive. I'm lucky in that I don't have any dependents and my only family is 200+ miles away so in case of emergencies, it's probably just as quick for me to grab a train down south than it is to drive.

But, I've owned a car since I was 17 so although on one hand it seems to make a lot of sense to give it up, there is that nagging habitual thing in the back of my mind.

@TrishnBonnie: That looks very handy. I'm only 1.5 miles from the train station so this would definitely open up opportunities for getting around. How do you cope in the winter? Is it just a case of getting wet-weather gear and dealing with it?

 

[screenman]

Bit of a climb from the station, fun coming back.

 

[vickster]

There have been other similar threads, have a look through the commuting forum and the search function

I'd not give up my car, mainly as I won't ride in wet weather if avoidable, especially in winter. Also my place of work will likely be variable going forwards

Too many falls with long lasting/permanent injuries to risk slipping on wet metal etc! Each to their own however.

I can also afford the car without sacrifices

 

[TrishE]

Bit of a climb from the station, fun coming back.

I walked it with the dog yesterday to check out the route and that's what I thought!! Sounds like you're local then

 

[StaffCycler]

It might be odd for me to say this but the cost isn't an issue for me. I can easily afford it, but despite that I just get a sense that it's wasted for the amount of time I actually use the car. Of course, this is me thinking about this now in the middle of summer—it could be a very different proposition come the winter!

 

[screenman]

I walked it with the dog yesterday to check out the route and that's what I thought!! Sounds like you're local then

About 10 miles from the city, Bardney to be precise.

 

[screenman]

About 10 miles from the city, Bardney to be precise.

Much as I enjoy cycling, well to be honest the benefits it gives me rather than the ride itself I would hate to be car less.

The car got me to the swimming pool at early this morning, it got me around my customers this morning covering about 100 miles, it has now got me home where I will be in the office for a while before going out on the bike.

 

[annirak]

I've been without car for 4 years now. There are a few things that feel really limiting:

• Getting things home from DIY shops
• Picking something up via trade/sale forums, e.g. freecycle
• Taking rubbish to the tip
• Taking vacations anywhere requires renting a car
• Getting to a hospital in the middle of the night means taking a cab

 

[flake99please]

If you have a driveway, why not declare the car SORN? Give the idea of 'car less' a test run?

 

[Elybazza61]

Other half is about to get rid of her car(I don't own one);the last time it was used for any long trip was March.

We live in a small City within easy walking/cycling distance of 4 supermarkets and about an easy 10 minute walk to the centre;there is a mainline station with trains to London(about an 1hour and a quarter),Norwich,Ipswich and Peterborough plus links to the north via Peterborough and Birmingham.Oh and Manchester and Liverpool(long old journey though!).

Her car is a 53 plate Clio which she has owned from new and is payed for but it's going to need some work as the last MOT had a few advisories on it*.

The thing is she is at home all the time and I commute by train or bike so it just sits on the drive doing nothing just costing money in mot's,Insurance and likely repairs.

Might be a last tip run before it goes though



*The guy who did the MOT does tt's and co-owns the garage which happens to sponsor our club so we know it's kosher.

 

[bikingdad90]

Are you actually going to save money? The extra cost of train fares, buses, mates petrol money, higher maintenance costs on bike could add up to the same as your car costs over the course of a year.

In my case we had two cars and used one regularly while the other did nothing on the drive for 6 months as it was sorn. I cycle to work every day and have genuinelyour saved as we were not replacing one with another.