http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Reasons it's 'essential' to take the car en Sun, 31 May 2026 23:11:19 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-197116 Thu, 27 Aug 2015 07:45:14 +0000 Baldcyclist 197116@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Seems weird to me in this day and age, that folks are still carting round boxes of files. That's what Dropbox / one drive etc is for. The trees man, the trees.... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-197112 Thu, 27 Aug 2015 02:31:43 +0000 Tulyar 197112@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well depending on how you're fixed for getting to the station in Edinburgh, it would be get to station with cargo, train to Dundee, electric car Dundee-Brechin-Dundee (as yet no e-cars in Arbroath) - give you comfortable hour on train vice hour's driving.</p> <p>Other option is using traintaxi online sort taxi to/from nearest station </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-197077 Wed, 26 Aug 2015 16:21:06 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 197077@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When you have to go to your head office in Brechin for 9am, taking with you files that would require a bakfiets to transport. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196744 Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:31:47 +0000 wingpig 196744@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><blockquote><em>"...and maybe 30 minutes having breakfast"</em></blockquote></p> <p>This time can of course be combined with car-in-use driving-time, provided you're having cereal and can balance the bowl on your knees. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196742 Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:22:15 +0000 fimm 196742@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>As someone who does the Car Hire + City Car Club thing; having a partner who is self-employed and works from home is very handy for car hire pick ups; owning a Brompton is also useful (cycle to car hire place, put Brompton in boot, drive off). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196740 Mon, 24 Aug 2015 14:04:28 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 196740@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not that surprising a statistic really. If the average person works 9-5 (8 hours), sleeps for 7 hours, spends an hour making and having dinner, and maybe 30 minutes having breakfast, half an hour getting showered and ready, and a couple of hours in front of the telly, that's 19 hours, or 79% of the day when driving isn't actually possible. So the other way if putting it is that a car is used for half the amount of free time when it's possible to use it...</p> <p>Or put another way, each of my bikes probably sits idle for longer lengths of time averaged out over the year (I haven't touched the cross bike since the last race...).</p> <p>I guess the point is the bike doesn't 'really' cost me anything (over and above the initial outlay) while sitting idle, while I still pay for insurance and tax on the car - not fuel, given it's sitting idle, that's only a case of paying for what's needed).</p> <p>Have sometimes wondered about the car club instead, and that 24/7 availability, and car hire 'is' convenient, but altogether less convenient than the car sitting on my driveway, without a bus ride away, form filling, and trying to make sure I can match the amount of fuel that was in it when I got it (did a lot of car hiring in April and it really started to get my goat when it's a regular thing).</p> <p>Of course, none of that shows my car is 'essential', just that I want to have it... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196736 Mon, 24 Aug 2015 13:40:58 +0000 Tulyar 196736@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The choice now available, in place like Edinburgh for 24/7 access, and the late opening hours for many car hire operations, means that I can get a big or small car at will and pay only for what I need.</p> <p>The RAC Foundation annual survey reveals that most cars are sitting idle over 90% of the time. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196604 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 21:13:43 +0000 Stickman 196604@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>To sleep in (although we have a campervan, not a car) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196602 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 21:08:11 +0000 gembo 196602@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have had a few cars in the family, (aged pArents, multiple sprogs etc). The Toyota seven seater being the first one I have ever owned as opposed to the finance company )had a previous one die just after the last payment).</p> <p>My partner is the driver. Five people on mercy dashes to visit the dying etc cheaper in a motor etc. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196569 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:55:16 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 196569@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>In fairness on my lack of checking the bulbs - given it was going for its MOT if I'd found a bulb out I'd have mentioned that and got them to replace it as part of the MOT anyway, rather than sorting it out myself (given it's only a couple of quid). Genuinely trust this garage (Lochrin Autos) to do the right thing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325&page=2#post-196566 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:41:33 +0000 PS 196566@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>the reason it's 'essential' to take the car is because you own a car.</em></p> <p>Spot on. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196556 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:11:41 +0000 Arellcat 196556@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've been doing a lot of cost-benefit analysis for a sometime-blog post, and came to the general conclusion that the reason it's 'essential' to take the car is because you own a car.</p> <p>WC: why didn't you do a walk around your car pre-MOT to check all the lights? :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196554 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:47:34 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 196554@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>For the record, MOT passed with only a blown number plate bulb needing replaced. Now in the ground floor of the incredibly expensive NCP (where I also park the bike, for nothing - bike wins). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196551 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:41:02 +0000 The Boy 196551@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>When going for a meal, apparently. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196548 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:30:56 +0000 Cyclingmollie 196548@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I was going to say picking up loads of manure. But that may have been fixed *fingers crossed*. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196543 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:20:14 +0000 sallyhinch 196543@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh, and as I worked out this week, going to CentreParcs if you don't fancy cycling along the A66... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196542 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:19:39 +0000 sallyhinch 196542@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>taking your bike to the bike shop after the rear derailleur has committed suicide by flinging itself into your spokes. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196539 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:57:48 +0000 wingpig 196539@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Darkerside 9.6p over here. I'm going to claim for my recent service for the novelty value. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196535 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:40:11 +0000 Darkerside 196535@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm pretty sure the rate that I'm allowed to claim whilst Upholding The Justice System as a juror next month is something like 9.7p per mile cycled.</p> <p>Another to the list:</p> <p>Going almost anywhere overnight with a small child. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196528 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:13:16 +0000 Cyclingmollie 196528@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>According to HMRC, 40p/mile for car and 20p/mile for bike are allowable expenses.</em></p> <p>There's something that could be fixed: swap those allowances around. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196522 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:31:18 +0000 PS 196522@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>According to HMRC, 40p/mile for car and 20p/mile for bike are allowable expenses.</em></p> <p>That's as may be - where I work, we get 12p per mile for car. Hardly an incentive. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196521 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:28:38 +0000 Uberuce 196521@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Going to the Highlands to climb big hills. (?)"</p> <p>I'd edit that to 'putting your partner's brother's bike on your car so he can climb big hills on it' because that's what my sister's partner kindly did for me a fortnight ago.</p> <p>On the return journey I cycled to Fort William to get the train home, but my other sister did carry my luggage, so I can't say the holiday was car-free. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196509 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:38:50 +0000 chdot 196509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Who needs satire?!</p> <p>"<br /> It really is like something out of The Onion; there are some great lines in there.</p> <p>"</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9496#post-100436" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9496#post-100436</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196508 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:38:34 +0000 dougal 196508@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@amir Oh that's embarrassing, forget I said anything! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196505 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:31:24 +0000 amir 196505@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@dougal - sorry - I was trying to be satirical </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196501 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:24:22 +0000 chdot 196501@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Can't be both."</p> <p>Mmm</p> <p>So you use your new bike to cycle to work and your previous BTW bike <em>for</em> work?? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196499 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:16:47 +0000 paddyirish 196499@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@cyclingmollie</p> <p>"Your company is paying you 20p a mile to use it. "</p> <p>According to HMRC, 40p/mile for car and 20p/mile for bike are allowable expenses.</p> <p>For the bike it is either BTW scheme or 20p/mile on your own bike. Can't be both. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196498 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:13:05 +0000 chdot 196498@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>'Nuts </p> <p>We really have a thread for that</p> <p><a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9496" rel="nofollow">http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9496</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196496 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:09:03 +0000 dougal 196496@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@amir</p> <p>I've never been because frankly, I ain't going all that way for crappy doughnuts. But what advantage does having a car add? When the doughnut place first opened there were queues across the country which being on a bike you could surely bypass... though I guess it's different these days. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=15325#post-196494 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:07:23 +0000 Stickman 196494@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Transporting two excitable collies to/from relatives. </p>