Bad non-cycling day..

[David Martin]

Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.

It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per
mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).

Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal
transport options..

...d

[davek]

David Martin wrote:
> Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
> bike..

Don't... you're scaring me. My car is due for its big service right now
and I'm dreading it.

d.

[Dave Larrington]

davek wrote:
> David Martin wrote:
>> Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
>> bike..
>
> Don't... you're scaring me. My car is due for its big service right
> now and I'm dreading it.

<AOL>
Mine's going in tomorrow...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Better hide the pork scratchings...

[Simon Mason]

"David Martin" > wrote in message
...
> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>
> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny
> new
> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount
> per
> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).


Mine was 560 for service/MOT/Tax, but I won our works draw of 600 quid the
same day meaning I stayed 40 quid up :-)

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

[Rich]

"David Martin" > wrote in message
...
> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>
> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny
> new
> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount
> per
> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
>
> Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current
> personal
> transport options..
>
I used to have a car, then met the same problem as you. Did the sums,
discovered that it was cheaper to hire a car or use a taxi rather than own
one for the amount I used it. It is also worth checking out whether you
have access to a car club. If you don't, consider setting up an informal
one with your neighbours. You'll all save money, still have the
convenience, and you'll all be thinking more about how you travel, and the
effects of that travel, if only on your wallet.
> ..d
>

[Sandy Morton]

In article >, Simon Mason
> wrote:
> Mine was 560 for service/MOT/Tax, but I won our works draw of 600
> quid the same day meaning I stayed 40 quid up :-)

Ours - I pay the bills and SWAMBO uses it - cost £139-00 for a full
service and MOT. It is a Toyota and has only done 107,000 miles

--
A T (Sandy) Morton
on the Bicycle Island
In the Global Village
http://www.millport.net

[Nick Kew]

David Martin wrote:
> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>
> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per
> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).

On the premise that the car probably isn't direct usually direct
competition to the bike, that's a lot of bus, train, taxi or
car hire fares.

Last time I drove was when I hired a white van to move house,
two months ago. Let the hire company manage the three-figure
bills: it's their business, not mine.

--
Nick Kew

[Stan Cox]

David Martin wrote:
> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>
> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per
> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
>
> Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal
> transport options..
>
> ..d
>
Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for
the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its
going to cost me between £390 & £600 :( Its a shame that my contract
states that I MUST have a car available for work.

Stan Cox

[David Martin]

On 17/5/05 6:47 pm, in article , "Simon
Mason" > wrote:

>
> "David Martin" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
>> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>>
>> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny
>> new
>> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
>> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount
>> per
>> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
>
>
> Mine was 560 for service/MOT/Tax, but I won our works draw of 600 quid the
> same day meaning I stayed 40 quid up :-)

Mine was/is 800 before adding VED. It is always a bit diconcerting to walk
past the garage on your way into work and see most of your car on the ramps
and people at the rest of it with big hammers..

I hear the Dark Side calling. It's saying "Byeeee!"

But on the good side, I have an extra day for York as I don't have to be
back home till Monday afternoon.

...d

[David Martin]

On 18/5/05 7:11 am, in article ,
"Stan Cox" > wrote:

> David Martin wrote:
>> Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
>> mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>>
>> It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
>> bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
>> and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per
>> mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
>>
>> Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal
>> transport options..
>>
>> ..d
>>
> Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for
> the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its
> going to cost me between £390 & £600 :( Its a shame that my contract
> states that I MUST have a car available for work.

How often do you use it for work? Can you have an arrangement with a hire
place?

I know it would be cheaper to do away with the car and use bus/taxi/etc.,
hiring a car for when we need one. The main factor is the immediate
convenience. In the face of annual runnning costs of about 1600, that makes
about 40p per mile.. but the marginal cost per mile is much less. Fixed
costs this year excluding depreciation are about 1300 GBP.

I still end up doign more mileage on the bikes, especially Igor which has
replaced a significant proportion of car journeys.

...d

[Stan Cox]

David Martin wrote:
> On 18/5/05 7:11 am, in article ,
> "Stan Cox" > wrote:
>
>
>>David Martin wrote:
>>
>>>Today I didn't ride to work. This always leaves me in a less than ideal
>>>mood. The reason: the MOT for the car.
>>>
>>>It got worse.. Using Francis' method of accounting I am minus one shiny new
>>>bike.. Bah! Front brakes, suspension, cat converter, and a few other odds
>>>and sods. 800 quid.. that is startign to add up to a significant amount per
>>>mile (annual mileage is about 4K, about the same as the bike).
>>>
>>>Time to start looking again at serious alternatives to the current personal
>>>transport options..
>>>
>>>..d
>>>
>>
>>Took mine in for a service & MOT last week. They charged me £220 for
>>the service & then failed the MOT. Have to go back on Friday & its
>>going to cost me between £390 & £600 :( Its a shame that my contract
>>states that I MUST have a car available for work.
>
>
> How often do you use it for work? Can you have an arrangement with a hire
> place?
>
> I know it would be cheaper to do away with the car and use bus/taxi/etc.,
> hiring a car for when we need one. The main factor is the immediate
> convenience. In the face of annual runnning costs of about 1600, that makes
> about 40p per mile.. but the marginal cost per mile is much less. Fixed
> costs this year excluding depreciation are about 1300 GBP.
>
> I still end up doign more mileage on the bikes, especially Igor which has
> replaced a significant proportion of car journeys.
>
> ..d
>
Unfortunately this is not possible for me. I work technical support
for schools and can be required to visit a school on any day at short
notice. Work does have pool cars that I should theoretically be able
to use but you need to book them two weeks in advance. I sometimes
park the car near work on Monday & then cycle back & forth. On the up
side I do get 40p a mile so work mileage pretty much covers most of
the costs.

Stan Cox

P.s. On a couple of occasions I have had to cycle to schools to fix
problems which was not only fun but the most Ive ever been paid to
ride the bike. We had to check in advance that the schools in question
didnt mind a fat bloke in lycra turning up :)