160 replies to this topic

[M44K TS]

as for all the suggestions that we scrap road tax and put even more on fuel- does anybody really think they will save anything??
you just know we'll all get stitched up even more.

There's a remote possibility I might see a reduction in running costs with the Range Rover as I only do about 5k a year in it, the rest of the time, I'm in my work van, still though, scrapping the £245 I pay for 12 months tax and having it put on the fuel may just about break even, I doubt it though as it would more than likely cost even more considering it last cost £110 to fill the tank

[Jacko-lah]

when i first owned my mini is was £10 to fill the tank

5.5 gallons x 90p a gallon for me !!!

[and90cooper]

as for all the suggestions that we scrap road tax and put even more on fuel- does anybody really think they will save anything??
you just know we'll all get stitched up even more.

There's a remote possibility I might see a reduction in running costs with the Range Rover as I only do about 5k a year in it, the rest of the time, I'm in my work van, still though, scrapping the £245 I pay for 12 months tax and having it put on the fuel may just about break even, I doubt it though as it would more than likely cost even more considering it last cost £110 to fill the tank

£110 quid !!! how far will that get you?

[M44K TS]

400 miles give or take

[AVV IT]

The demand for fuel would be allot lower if people stopped driving their kids 1 mile to school every day.

Sorry but I just can't stand the "I blame the school run" mentality.

Have you ever tried getting young children up, fed, washed, dressed, out of the house & into school in time for 0900 hrs every morning? If you haven't, then let me assure you that it requires organisation on an epic scale & that's when using a car to get there! The prospect of having to go through an even greater rigmarole & leave home even earlier in order to walk there, is even less favorable!

A mile is a very long way to walk when you have rather small legs due to only being five years old, especially in the middle of winter & when its raining or snowing! Then there are the younger siblings to consider, because as a parent you have to take them with you on the school run (strangely you are not allowed to leave them at home unsupervised, whilst you take your older kids to school!). They certainly can't walk a mile there (& back again afterwards) twice a day, so they will have to go in a buggy, which you will have to get out each day unfold, (put the rain cover on if its raining) and fold away again after use. Now because they wont be moving around to keep warm whilst sat in the buggy, you will have to wrap them in many extra layers in order to prevent hypothermia! (during changeable weather in late autumn & early spring they may well then over heat too & then you have the worry of a febrile convulsion to contend with as well!) Then you have to take your life in your hands (& theirs), crossing roads in the half light with small children in tow, whilst idiots on their way to work are paying zero attention to the road, whilst doing their make up in the mirror or arranging the days meetings on their mobile phones whilst driving (being a pedestrian in rush hour is dangerous enough, let alone when you have a small children & a buggy with you).

In short I have had to do the school run on foot on a number of occasions, it's highly impractical & it really isn't much fun! I would far rather cycle to work, or take the bus to the supermarket, than not take the car on the school run! I therefore make no apology for using the car to take my kids to & from school!

Unlike commuting, the school run is actually a far more efficient use of fuel than the most, simply because it involves more than one person being transported in a car! How many people could far more easily stop driving the short distances to & from work each day & walk or cycle instead? Now I can only apologise if you are actually the parent of young school age children, but it seems to me that it is generally only those that don't actually do the school run, that seem to find the need to criticise it!

[and90cooper]

400 miles give or take

thats not bad considering its weight/size

[maggies_minder]

The demand for fuel would be allot lower if people stopped driving their kids 1 mile to school every day.

Sorry but I just can't stand the "I blame the school run" mentality.

Have you ever tried getting young children up, fed, washed, dressed, out of the house & into school in time for 0900 hrs every morning? If you haven't, then let me assure you that it requires organisation on an epic scale & that's when using a car to get there! The prospect of having to go through an even greater rigmarole & leave home even earlier in order to walk there, is even less favorable!

A mile is a very long way to walk when you have rather small legs due to only being five years old, especially in the middle of winter & when its raining or snowing! Then there are the younger siblings to consider, because as a parent you have to take them with you on the school run (strangely you are not allowed to leave them at home unsupervised, whilst you take your older kids to school!). They certainly can't walk a mile there (& back again afterwards) twice a day, so they will have to go in a buggy, which you will have to get out each day unfold, (put the rain cover on if its raining) and fold away again after use. Now because they wont be moving around to keep warm whilst sat in the buggy, you will have to wrap them in many extra layers in order to prevent hypothermia! (during changeable weather in late autumn & early spring they may well then over heat too & then you have the worry of a febrile convulsion to contend with as well!) Then you have to take your life in your hands (& theirs), crossing roads in the half light with small children in tow, whilst idiots on their way to work are paying zero attention to the road, whilst doing their make up in the mirror or arranging the days meetings on their mobile phones whilst driving (being a pedestrian in rush hour is dangerous enough, let alone when you have a small children & a buggy with you).

In short I have had to do the school run on foot on a number of occasions, it's highly impractical & it really isn't much fun! I would far rather cycle to work, or take the bus to the supermarket, than not take the car on the school run! I therefore make no apology for using the car to take my kids to & from school!

Unlike commuting, the school run is actually a far more efficient use of fuel than the most, simply because it involves more than one person being transported in a car! How many people could far more easily stop driving the short distances to & from work each day & walk or cycle instead? Now I can only apologise if you are actually the parent of young school age children, but it seems to me that it is generally only those that don't actually do the school run, that seem to find the need to criticise it!

this has nothing to do with the current topic but my mom managed single handedly literally every single thing above, when me, my brother and sister were young.
my mom would be the first person to tell you shes nothing special she just gets on with it because she had too. if we had to get up earlier then so be it.
she still manages now without a car and guess what even though me and my brother both drive shes the last to ask for a lift.

[l_jonez]

The demand for fuel would be allot lower if people stopped driving their kids 1 mile to school every day.

Sorry but I just can't stand the "I blame the school run" mentality.

Have you ever tried getting young children up, fed, washed, dressed, out of the house & into school in time for 0900 hrs every morning? If you haven't, then let me assure you that it requires organisation on an epic scale & that's when using a car to get there! The prospect of having to go through an even greater rigmarole & leave home even earlier in order to walk there, is even less favorable!

A mile is a very long way to walk when you have rather small legs due to only being five years old, especially in the middle of winter & when its raining or snowing! Then there are the younger siblings to consider, because as a parent you have to take them with you on the school run (strangely you are not allowed to leave them at home unsupervised, whilst you take your older kids to school!). They certainly can't walk a mile there (& back again afterwards) twice a day, so they will have to go in a buggy, which you will have to get out each day unfold, (put the rain cover on if its raining) and fold away again after use. Now because they wont be moving around to keep warm whilst sat in the buggy, you will have to wrap them in many extra layers in order to prevent hypothermia! (during changeable weather in late autumn & early spring they may well then over heat too & then you have the worry of a febrile convulsion to contend with as well!) Then you have to take your life in your hands (& theirs), crossing roads in the half light with small children in tow, whilst idiots on their way to work are paying zero attention to the road, whilst doing their make up in the mirror or arranging the days meetings on their mobile phones whilst driving (being a pedestrian in rush hour is dangerous enough, let alone when you have a small children & a buggy with you).

In short I have had to do the school run on foot on a number of occasions, it's highly impractical & it really isn't much fun! I would far rather cycle to work, or take the bus to the supermarket, than not take the car on the school run! I therefore make no apology for using the car to take my kids to & from school!

Unlike commuting, the school run is actually a far more efficient use of fuel than the most, simply because it involves more than one person being transported in a car! How many people could far more easily stop driving the short distances to & from work each day & walk or cycle instead? Now I can only apologise if you are actually the parent of young school age children, but it seems to me that it is generally only those that don't actually do the school run, that seem to find the need to criticise it!

this has nothing to do with the current topic but my mom managed single handedly literally every single thing above, when me, my brother and sister were young.
my mom would be the first person to tell you shes nothing special she just gets on with it because she had too. if we had to get up earlier then so be it.
she still manages now without a car and guess what even though me and my brother both drive shes the last to ask for a lift.

+1

none of the above is a hard task, it just takes longer, also a bit of exercise will do children some good!

i used to walk 3 miles to and from school (with my mother and little sister, so in fact my mother was making 2 trips thats walking 12miles a day ) every day until i was in secondary school when a bus was provided.

its only really the last 20-30 years that nearly every house has had a car, before then people walked

any way rant over back to the topic...

[Burnard]

I leave my house, the same time my neighbour does every day who drives her kids to the same school i go to.

I ALWAYS get their first! ( I walk)


Its not just the school run it is also the going to the supermarket, driving to work etc.
I know a woman who will actually drive 30 seconds down the road to see her friend.


I personally walk everywhere i can, or cycle. I only ever drive when i have to.

Im 18, and student and apparently lazy, i have 2 cars at my disposal, but i don't HAVE to use them just because i am leaving the house.


Quick point, if the car is kept out side, you will STILL have to wrap them up for that short journy, the car heating will have bugger all effect in that short space of time.

[1984mini25]

The demand for fuel would be allot lower if people stopped driving their kids 1 mile to school every day.

Sorry but I just can't stand the "I blame the school run" mentality.

Have you ever tried getting young children up, fed, washed, dressed, out of the house & into school in time for 0900 hrs every morning? If you haven't, then let me assure you that it requires organisation on an epic scale & that's when using a car to get there! The prospect of having to go through an even greater rigmarole & leave home even earlier in order to walk there, is even less favorable!

A mile is a very long way to walk when you have rather small legs due to only being five years old, especially in the middle of winter & when its raining or snowing! Then there are the younger siblings to consider, because as a parent you have to take them with you on the school run

A mile is nothing; I used to walk just over a mile and a half to and from secondary school for 4 years in ALL weathers, only ever used to take about 20 to 25 minuets. It used to work out quicker in fact to walk as apposed to getting a lift in the car mostly due to the traffic.

Used to leave mine with my sister in the later years at half 8, walk across some fields by the shops to one of my mates, then someone’s else’s just down the road, past the sweet shop (could by a mixed bag of Penney sweets for 50p) though a few back alleys, meet up with a few more mates outside the gates and be in class ready for 9. Plus come the lunch hour I’d also walk with a group of mates just under a mile into and back from town just to get lunch and stuff.

[1984mini25]

I personally walk everywhere i can, or cycle. I only ever drive when i have to.

Im 18, and student and apparently lazy, i have 2 cars at my disposal, but i don't HAVE to use them just because i am leaving the house.

Sames most of the time although I am slightly older, but I’ll also chose to park and walk a bit further than most just to get a better, easier or sometimes free parking spot.

Don’t know if thats just me being active or just tight for not wanting to pay stupid parking charges for not using my legs.

[AVV IT]

A mile is nothing; I used to walk just over a mile and a half to and from secondary school for 4 years in ALL weathers, only ever used to take about 20 to 25 minuets. It used to work out quicker in fact to walk as apposed to getting a lift in the car mostly due to the traffic.

Very interesting..... the thing is I was referring to walking a mile with a FIVE year old... now correct me if I'm wrong but "from secondary school for 4 years" would be between the ages of 11 - 15 which is not quite the same thing is it??

[Ryan Hunt]

LOL, Women...

[l_jonez]

A mile is nothing; I used to walk just over a mile and a half to and from secondary school for 4 years in ALL weathers, only ever used to take about 20 to 25 minuets. It used to work out quicker in fact to walk as apposed to getting a lift in the car mostly due to the traffic.

Very interesting..... the thing is I was referring to walking a mile with a <you>FIVE</you> year old... now correct me if I'm wrong but "from secondary school for 4 years" would be between the ages of 11 - 15 which is not quite the same thing is it??

i walked 3 miles to school and 3 miles home from the age of 4/5 might have taken a while but we had no car so had to be done

[RobFox]

Companies don't pay VAT on things they use in providing goods or services to their customers. Well they do but they claim it back. So public transport companies already are excused the VAT on their fuel, and the VAT on the fuel duty they pay but in terms of taxation levels VAT is nothing compared to fuel duty. Fuel duty is a separate tax and is massive at something like 60p per litre, paid on fuel that costs about 48p per litre. It's interesting to note that we pay VAT on road fuels, as well as fuel duty and VAT on the fuel duty, but there is no VAT or duty on aviation jet fuel. Which is more of a luxury?

Ahh okay I see. I can see why the government has put such a high price on fuel generally ( cars have huge negative externalities ). However what is worrying at the moment is that such increase in costs could cripple small business yet larger business' will virtually be untouched.

Also as you said that there is no VAT on aviation jet fuel seems ridiculious. There may not be congestion up there in the skies but flying burns much more of the scarce resourse and as you said more of a luxury!