jps
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:14 PM |
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Cheapest transport option (with conditions...)
Interested in getting some alternative perspectives on this with, as always, the emphasis on 'locost'...!
I have a transport conundrum. One day a week I have to take my son to nursery, which comprises a 4 mile trip each way. Initially I used public
transport (buses) to do this but thanks to their inability to stick to a timetable/enable me to make a connection I typically found the journey was
taking roughly an hour each way and I was having to walk about half of the distance.
Last autumn I bought a car (S reg 1.7 Ford Puma), not fancying the prospect of walking a couple of miles in winter weather with toddler in pushchair.
But the car is only needed for this journey. Hence, since I bought the car I've only put fuel in it twice, it must be close to 6 months since I
bought it!!
The car cost me 1k (which i didnt mind as it's a rare 'no rust' one and has done under 70k). I've had to spend a couple of
hundred quid on it since (new starter, new tyre) but it seems to run OK as far as I can tell, although who knows what the next MOT may throw up...
But I am paying out a good couple of hundred quid on insurance and the same again on tax.
Convenience is great, the journey is now about 10-15 mins each way, depending on traffic. But pound for mile the cost seems fairly crazy.
What would you do in this situation?
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austin man
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:22 PM |
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Buy a cheap classic car and get it on a classic policy, potentially zero to tax it and less than £200 to insure
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
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ste
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:27 PM |
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Taxi
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Agriv8
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:38 PM |
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Bike with kidi carrier on back depending how busy roads are terain.
Taxi when weather not good
Cheep abs keeps you fit.
Taller than your average Guy !
Management is like a tree of monkeys. - Those at the top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. BUT Those at the bottom look up and see a
tree full of a*seholes .............
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SteveWalker
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:40 PM |
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For the convenience, I'd probably stick with the car. If I needed to save money, I'd consider a bike with a child seat - although with
three children in my case, that'd be a bit impractical 
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loggyboy
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:44 PM |
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Stick with it. Sometimes convenience is costly, but necessary.
Mistral Motorsport
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perksy
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:57 PM |
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Cheaper to run car ?
Bus ?
Pushbike ?
Taxi ? But that might be expensive depending on where you are...
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 08:59 PM |
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Bike with a kid carrier every time unless you live out on massive main roads (even large main roads are OK when there's heavy traffic).
Other than that - walk? It's only 4 miles - less than an hour each way?
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SteveWalker
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
Bike with a kid carrier every time unless you live out on massive main roads (even large main roads are OK when there's heavy traffic).
Other than that - walk? It's only 4 miles - less than an hour each way?
With a young child, considerably more than an hour! Even at an hour, that's 4 hours a day just walking back and forth twice in the day, I
don't think I'd fancy that myself.
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HowardB
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:04 PM |
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can you lift share?
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again  and goes zoom)
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Slimy38
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:19 PM |
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Motorbike and sidecar? Might need a bit of setup costs if you've not got a licence, but insurance, tax, mot etc are a fraction of a car. Even my
600cc bike is £50 insurance and £50 tax a year.
Put something together on a 2 stroke engine and you get 100+mpg, you'll be filling it up once a year!
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jps
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:22 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
For the convenience, I'd probably stick with the car. If I needed to save money, I'd consider a bike with a child seat - although with
three children in my case, that'd be a bit impractical
I did consider one of these, realistically its a proper all weather option in which to transport the boy (I cycle to work every other day so
don't mind the rain, etc myself): http://www.dutchbike.co.uk/family1.htm not cheap though!
But from a cost point of view a 'simple child seat on bike / taxi when it's pissing down' arrangement feels like the most
sensible...
Although my heart says 'get a classic' my head says "it would end up a money pit"...
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jps
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:25 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
Motorbike and sidecar? Might need a bit of setup costs if you've not got a licence, but insurance, tax, mot etc are a fraction of a car. Even my
600cc bike is £50 insurance and £50 tax a year.
Put something together on a 2 stroke engine and you get 100+mpg, you'll be filling it up once a year!
Ooh! I've got a full licence but on an automatic (did my test on a 125 twist and go Vespa, which they were good enough to believe qualified as a
powerful enough bike to grant me a proper licence)... I'll sell it to the missus on a Wallace and Gromit slant..!
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steve m
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 09:40 PM |
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Sort out a closer Nursery ?
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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Simon
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 10:01 PM |
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or sell the kid
I bet the cost of the bus wasn't much cheaper than what you pay annually for pleasure of car ownership, plus you can use it for other things
too, and at the end of the day it has a resale value.
ATB
Simon
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Norfolkluegojnr
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| posted on 9/3/15 at 10:26 PM |
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Car all the way. Safety first, bikes ( push or motor) are asking for trouble with little people.
I have a 3 year old and know how you feel. Is the insurance tpft? Maybe sell up and buy something at the bottom of its value?
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 07:31 AM |
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I don't think a tax-free classic is the way to go. ou may find one at sub 1k that could be reliable and not need fettling, but most require
regular care. However, insurance is usually sub £100, so running costs would reduce. And depreciation would be negligible, or even increase in value.
Fuel cost may increase slightly. BUT the reliability factor is the big one.
Car share/regular lift would be ideal. I wouldn't want to be using buses etc as I hate waiting........
Taxi is similar cost I expect to running the car, but the car is so convenient. Bike? no chance. I sometimes fear for my own life. Let alone having a
child with me.
Of course, the best solution may be to use the Kit............
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Ivan
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 07:44 AM |
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Reliant Robin or Bond Bug - just don't corner too hard!
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coyoteboy
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 08:21 AM |
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quote:
Safety first, bikes ( push or motor) are asking for trouble with little people.
Yep, you can expect to die once in 29 million miles of cycling according to the latest stats. Tough odds to deal with!
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Staple balls
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 08:40 AM |
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Pushbike + sprog seat, Flog the puma, dump funds into kit, get excuse to go out for a drive at least once a week
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whitestu
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 08:44 AM |
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[quote/]
Yep, you can expect to die once in 29 million miles of cycling according to the latest stats. Tough odds to deal with!
I should be safe for a few more years then!
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geoff shep
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 09:07 AM |
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Have you looked at more specialist insurers who might do limited mileage cover?
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Norfolkluegojnr
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 09:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Safety first, bikes ( push or motor) are asking for trouble with little people.
Yep, you can expect to die once in 29 million miles of cycling according to the latest stats. Tough odds to deal with!
I think its generally accepted you can expect to die once in general.
Each to their own, but personally i've seen three serious bike accidents (one fatal), and two people knocked off push bikes in my 11 years of
driving. And yes, I have a push bike and a bike license (rode for 10 years before having kids), but i don't think its where children belong.
Why take the risk?
Anyway, its too bl**dy cold at the moment for cycling
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Irony
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 09:15 AM |
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I briefly considered building a electric motorbike/car with very limited mileage. I live 16 miles from work and I reckon my boss could be persuaded
to let me charge it at work. I would only need a 32 mile range. Depending on where you live and the speed limits of the route you could buy a used
milk float!
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coozer
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| posted on 10/3/15 at 11:17 AM |
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Cheap small car, old 106 or Saxo?
Or, moving the nursery closer or the base closer to the nursery?
Its all about convenience, dragging a toddler around is no fun. They don't understand transport just want to get there with as little hassle.
Our grand bairn, lively 3 year old goes to the work nursery where her parents work. Now the rub is access, as non government workers we are not
allowed through the gate never mind anywhere near the crech! That means only mammy and daddy are allowed to drop her off and pick her up.
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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