petiot fuel prices...

[Gazza77]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Which is what Liz and I are doing. We've got rid off one motorbike and one of our cars has gone.

I now cycle to work which saves money. Liz has started using the Diesel car to get to work instead of the bike as even with the high cost of diesel its still saving us money each month.

We've been talking about Liz getting a job closer to home so that it cuts down the amount of commuting miles she does.

We've even taken to using the pusher to cycle into town to go and do shopping etc.

We're a nation of lazy b*ggers who live miles away from where we work, there are other forms of transport available, its just none are as convenient as the car is. If you want to save money you have to make sacrifices.

I watched the traffic the other day when I was cycling home. I beat most of the cars to my house and was going along the cycle lane adjacent to the road faster than the cars were. Also I dont have to stress about finding somehere to park when I get to work now either.

It took a huge culture change in me to do this and it wasnt an easy thing to do, but it can be done if you make some effort. Perhaps thats whats wrong with our society, we'd all rather moan about it, than do something constructive to change the way we live our lives...

I changed to getting the train to work a couple of years ago. Yes, it can take a bit longer and is occassionally late, but I gain exercise walking to and from the station and reduced stress from driving in rush hour traffic. I have also saved a fortune; £300pa on car insurance (now on a limited mileage policy), £20 per week in petrol (that's at 90p per litre as it was when I changed, would be around £26 now) and £30 per month in parking. That is offset against a current charge of £80 per month for a travel card, meaning I can travel anywhere within West Yorkshire on bus or train all week.

I'm actually in the process of going against current trends, and actually moving further away from where I work, due to buying with my girlfriend and her circumstances meaning she needs to stay local to her current location. Although my commute will be longer (around 1 1/2 hours each way), it will still be better than the alternative of trying to navigate the M62 at rush hour.

[Viney]

I hear you fizz and good on you. But lets face it, you still have 3 bikes, ok, you have one and liz 2

I think we do pretty well. Where we currently live we are blaessed with the fact that Verna can now get the tram to work, and i if it WAS cheaper, the train, but that will soon change! Yes we have 2 cars, and two bikes. But other than my bike getting used daily, both the cars sit there for most of the time. I have thought about getting rid of my car and vern her bike. Tesco is a 5 min walk and i only go once a month in the car due to the stuff we buy. Other than that, we'll happily walk there. We'll use the tram if needed to get to Croydon, but to go and see my mum it will take over an hour and a half to get there by transport and about 2 hours to get home thanks to transport 'slowing down' in the evenings!

I have thought about the cyle to work, but i just cant summon the motivation to do it.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Viney

I hear you fizz and good on you. But lets face it, you still have 3 bikes, ok, you have one and liz 2

Erh no I have one but Liz has 3, still we have some room in the garage now.. I could get another !!

Originally Posted by Viney

I have thought about the cyle to work, but i just cant summon the motivation to do it.

I know what you mean, I struggled with it for months before I got some fitness and it wasnt a case of struggling for breath at the first sign of any incline. But once you get over that first few weeks you'll start to enjoy it.

I only use fuel for pleasure purposes so I'm prepared to pay for that as its a hobby. I cycle or get public transport to work and on long journetys cos its just less stressfull and usually quicker, even than the bike if you factor in fuel stops, parking etc, but we have a very cheap bus service into London which is my usual destination if I'm going out. If / when the day comes I can't afford to run the bike I will be very sad, but then I will spend time making a bio-ethanol plant in my garage, of course, notifying the tax man first the age of cheap energy is over, and to be honest, that is probably a good thing as people will never stop consuming until they are forced to think about it and hit where it hurts - ie in their wallet. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else I might add.