How much do you believe car travel costs you per mile?

[A380]

I probably wouldn't own a car if i lived in inner london.

Changed to my view…

If I lived in zone 1 to 3 I wouldn’t think of owning a car. But I would sign up to one or more car clubs. Living in gods waiting room a car is more necessary. Although I’m always amazed at quite how good the local busses are. I will use the train to Norwich if I’m on my own but it’s almost always two of us and then it’s not such good value and the inconvenience is much greater.

 

[A380]

Circa £600.00 pa for insurance and servicing…

Interesting, and what are the costs for running your car?

 

[Saul Goodman]

Ummmmm... your MC tyre wear suggests otherwise.

Track days, old bean... track days
(and I did say 'drive', not 'ride' )

 

[8ball]

I am fully aware, of course, that cost is not the only factor in people's decisions, especially for journeys which for whatever reason, they consider more convenient or faster by car.

Over Christmas I was in a discussion with someone who was quoting the cost of driving (by himself) from the north of Scotland to Cambridge and back. He said it had cost him £140 in petrol. I had mentioned the cost of my return train ticket which was about £200 for a similar journey (London instead of Cambridge). That was less than he'd expected but he was saying it was still more expensive than the car. Then someone else (not me, believe it or not) questioned that, saying that to understand the real cost he should use a figure of about 50p per mile. For the 1000 mile round trip, that would make the real car cost about £500. It then looks a lot more than alternatives (which include flying as well as the train). And even if there were two people travelling together the car doesn't look to be the cheap option.

He was very resistant to the idea that he should be thinking about anything other than petrol costs though. Like his brain could not compute. £140 was what it had cost him and that was that.

I’m not sure the driver is getting Living Wage in this scenario.

 

[HeatherG]

Interesting - I don't drive either - and if 45p a mile is accurate, that makes my train commute seem like pretty decent value.

I do think a lot of drivers really don't take into account the full costs - depreciation, insurance, repairs, etc when comparing transport modes. For a lot of people (living in urban / decently connected areas) public transport and regular taxis would probably work out cheaper.

I watch Police Interceptors on Channel 5 and, believe me, it’s a real eye opener.
I don’t drive and even if I could, I wouldn’t. There are far, far too many irresponsible and Testosterone-led young men driving cars they’ve stolen, old bangers not fit to be MOT’d.

There are sooooooo many young men out there, driving up and down, usually speeding. Usually under the influence of drink and drugs (together sometimes!). More often than not, they’re driving with no insurance, no vehicle M.O.T., no Road Tax and, believe it or not - not even a full driving licence! If they have a provisional licence, they’ll be driving ALONE WITHOUT a fully qualified and insured driver next to them (more often than not!). In too many cases, they’ll be driving WITHOUT having ANY driving licence. Again, in many, many cases, they are disqualified drivers who’ve had their licence taken away because of just that - speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, driving stolen vehicles, etc.
I really don’t know what it is with men. Is it so shameful to be seen waiting for a bus at a bus stop, riding a legitimately bought and owned, moped or motorbike (taxed and insured) or just plain cycling? Are they really too superior for that? Is it sooooo macho and manly to be seen driving? Is THAT why they continue driving even if they’re disqualified?
When the Interceptors chase them, they don’t want to stop and will do anything to get away from being stopped and arrested by the police. They’ll even use their car as a weapon to ram the police car to put it out of action. All because they have no licence to drive and are uninsured! Incredible.
They really are quite pathetic! To think there’s a shortage of British Army and Navy recruits. They’re so weak, cowardly and utterly spineless, we can’t rely on any of them to defend this country - they’d do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to avoid being big, brave and oh so macho but like to claim that they are! They aren’t as they used to be in the good ol’ days of yesteryear.

 

[8ball]

I watch Police Interceptors on Channel 5 and, believe me, it’s a real eye opener.
I don’t drive and even if I could, I wouldn’t. There are far, far too many irresponsible and Testosterone-led young men driving cars they’ve stolen, old bangers not fit to be MOT’d.

There are sooooooo many young men out there, driving up and down, usually speeding. Usually under the influence of drink and drugs (together sometimes!). More often than not, they’re driving with no insurance, no vehicle M.O.T., no Road Tax and, believe it or not - not even a full driving licence! If they have a provisional licence, they’ll be driving ALONE WITHOUT a fully qualified and insured driver next to them (more often than not!). In too many cases, they’ll be driving WITHOUT having ANY driving licence. Again, in many, many cases, they are disqualified drivers who’ve had their licence taken away because of just that - speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, driving stolen vehicles, etc.
I really don’t know what it is with men. Is it so shameful to be seen waiting for a bus at a bus stop, riding a legitimately bought and owned, moped or motorbike (taxed and insured) or just plain cycling? Are they really too superior for that? Is it sooooo macho and manly to be seen driving? Is THAT why they continue driving even if they’re disqualified?
When the Interceptors chase them, they don’t want to stop and will do anything to get away from being stopped and arrested by the police. They’ll even use their car as a weapon to ram the police car to put it out of action. All because they have no licence to drive and are uninsured! Incredible.
They really are quite pathetic! To think there’s a shortage of British Army and Navy recruits. They’re so weak, cowardly and utterly spineless, we can’t rely on any of them to defend this country - they’d do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to avoid being big, brave and oh so macho but like to claim that they are! They aren’t as they used to be in the good ol’ days of yesteryear.

Flogging’s too good for ‘em.

 

[A380]

I watch Police Interceptors on Channel 5 and, believe me, it’s a real eye opener.
I don’t drive and even if I could, I wouldn’t. There are far, far too many irresponsible and Testosterone-led young men driving cars they’ve stolen, old bangers not fit to be MOT’d.

There are sooooooo many young men out there, driving up and down, usually speeding. Usually under the influence of drink and drugs (together sometimes!). More often than not, they’re driving with no insurance, no vehicle M.O.T., no Road Tax and, believe it or not - not even a full driving licence! If they have a provisional licence, they’ll be driving ALONE WITHOUT a fully qualified and insured driver next to them (more often than not!). In too many cases, they’ll be driving WITHOUT having ANY driving licence. Again, in many, many cases, they are disqualified drivers who’ve had their licence taken away because of just that - speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, driving stolen vehicles, etc.
I really don’t know what it is with men. Is it so shameful to be seen waiting for a bus at a bus stop, riding a legitimately bought and owned, moped or motorbike (taxed and insured) or just plain cycling? Are they really too superior for that? Is it sooooo macho and manly to be seen driving? Is THAT why they continue driving even if they’re disqualified?
When the Interceptors chase them, they don’t want to stop and will do anything to get away from being stopped and arrested by the police. They’ll even use their car as a weapon to ram the police car to put it out of action. All because they have no licence to drive and are uninsured! Incredible.
They really are quite pathetic! To think there’s a shortage of British Army and Navy recruits. They’re so weak, cowardly and utterly spineless, we can’t rely on any of them to defend this country - they’d do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to avoid being big, brave and oh so macho but like to claim that they are! They aren’t as they used to be in the good ol’ days of yesteryear.

You were going just about OK for the first 30% or so. 3/10 mostly for effort…

 

[moochedit]

I am fully aware, of course, that cost is not the only factor in people's decisions, especially for journeys which for whatever reason, they consider more convenient or faster by car.

Over Christmas I was in a discussion with someone who was quoting the cost of driving (by himself) from the north of Scotland to Cambridge and back. He said it had cost him £140 in petrol. I had mentioned the cost of my return train ticket which was about £200 for a similar journey (London instead of Cambridge). That was less than he'd expected but he was saying it was still more expensive than the car. Then someone else (not me, believe it or not) questioned that, saying that to understand the real cost he should use a figure of about 50p per mile. For the 1000 mile round trip, that would make the real car cost about £500. It then looks a lot more than alternatives (which include flying as well as the train). And even if there were two people travelling together the car doesn't look to be the cheap option.

He was very resistant to the idea that he should be thinking about anything other than petrol costs though. Like his brain could not compute. £140 was what it had cost him and that was that.

If i had to do a long journey like that, i would probably consider going by train. More to do with the fact that i hate long distance driving than the cost though.

 

[Saul Goodman]

I watch Police Interceptors on Channel 5 and, believe me, it’s a real eye opener.
I don’t drive and even if I could, I wouldn’t. There are far, far too many irresponsible and Testosterone-led young men driving cars they’ve stolen, old bangers not fit to be MOT’d.

There are sooooooo many young men out there, driving up and down, usually speeding. Usually under the influence of drink and drugs (together sometimes!). More often than not, they’re driving with no insurance, no vehicle M.O.T., no Road Tax and, believe it or not - not even a full driving licence! If they have a provisional licence, they’ll be driving ALONE WITHOUT a fully qualified and insured driver next to them (more often than not!). In too many cases, they’ll be driving WITHOUT having ANY driving licence. Again, in many, many cases, they are disqualified drivers who’ve had their licence taken away because of just that - speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving, driving stolen vehicles, etc.
I really don’t know what it is with men. Is it so shameful to be seen waiting for a bus at a bus stop, riding a legitimately bought and owned, moped or motorbike (taxed and insured) or just plain cycling? Are they really too superior for that? Is it sooooo macho and manly to be seen driving? Is THAT why they continue driving even if they’re disqualified?
When the Interceptors chase them, they don’t want to stop and will do anything to get away from being stopped and arrested by the police. They’ll even use their car as a weapon to ram the police car to put it out of action. All because they have no licence to drive and are uninsured! Incredible.
They really are quite pathetic! To think there’s a shortage of British Army and Navy recruits. They’re so weak, cowardly and utterly spineless, we can’t rely on any of them to defend this country - they’d do ANYTHING, absolutely ANYTHING to avoid being big, brave and oh so macho but like to claim that they are! They aren’t as they used to be in the good ol’ days of yesteryear.

Are you one of those bots that escaped from facebook?

 

[weltweit]

..
Try taking three others on a train journey and see the costs mount up!

Indeed take a train fair from Cardiff to Waterloo.
Multiply by 4 people, what do you have?

Take a car journey along the M4 from Cardiff to London.
The car can already take 4 people, perhaps add 5% for extra weight.
What do you have?

 

[Winot]

It's really boring how often threads about driving turn into people defensively arguing that some journeys aren't practical to do by public transport and are better driven. Um, we know.

It's like talking to my mum (who lives in North Norfolk) about LTNs in Brixton.

WELL IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY IMPRACTICAL TO CLOSE OFF THE ROUTE TO LITTLE SNORING THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD DO THAT WITHOUT A CAR

Yes Mum, I know, that's why no one's suggesting that

 

[ska invita]

The most important factor for me is that I can go wherever I want, whenever I want.
My mother lives ~30 miles away. If she were to fall or anything were to happen to her, I'm a phone call and half an hour away. There are no alternatives to a car in this situation, so apart from petrol, the cost per mile isn't a figure I'd even contemplate. It's just part of owning a car, and it's absolutely immaterial... to me. One trip would be worth all of the annual costs combined.

Taxi?

I don't drive much for personal use. I sometimes wonder if it would be cheaper to just get a taxi everywhere than all the running costs, as a theoretical exercise (it's impractical in reality of course)