![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sobriqueI've been doing sums just the other day. And I've found out that it costs me a rather shocking amount of money to run my car.
Of the order of £10 per day, and about 13p per mile (sounds small, unless you bear in mind that I've done 10000 miles in about 6 months). This is not to mention the several hundred spent learning.
I've had a few people lately, pondering getting rid of their cars. Now to me, this is an unthinkable suggestion. I mean, I know it costs a lot to run, maintain and own, but ... well surely it's just _necessary_. Then again, maybe they don't see it that way.
So here is why I love my car, and why I'm prepared to pay this insane amount of money.
It's fun. Have car, will travel. I'm not talking about the adrenaline rush of "goin' quick" although that is one aspect. No, what I'm talking about is the sheer joy of motion along the road. The pleasure of just driving along a country lane, and looking out the window.
The _real_ reason though, is my car is my freedom and mobility. It's the ability to just go and see friends in Nottingham, Andover, London (well, ok, on the outskirts thereof), York, Leamington, Birmingham, Bristol. No where in the UK is out of reach really. Ok, so the far ends might take some time, but I _could_ do a round trip to lands end in a weekend.
It's the ability to 'just pop' to the supermarket for a bottle of milk.
It's a 30 minute (ish) journey to work, rather than the hour+ it would take by public transport.
It's the choice to live _wherever_ I want, rather than being constrained by bus/train routes.
It's the ability to go and pick up a tent in a city 50 miles away.
It makes going to the out of town multiplex a snap decision. After all, I only need 30 mins warning and I can just go.
And most importantly of all, it's removing my dependancy on others to go places. I typically have no problems giving someone a lift about the place, especially if I'm in motion already, or it's needed. But I don't like to impose on others. Since I'm aware how much a car costs to run, is it really fair for me to use someone else as a free taxi? Nope.
And so this is my way of 'returning the favour' for those who have transported my places.
It's nice when one has managed to injure oneself, or has a car in the garage, or just has a car that won't start to be able to get a lift off a friend. But I don't like to impose upon other's goodwill. I'm also prepared to accept 'sorry, can't' as an answer in these situations. After all, expecting to be the top priority and have people at my beck and call is the height of arrogance. Thankfully, that situation rarely occurs.
So yes, a car is an expensive luxury. But when compared with innumerable others, I think it's worth the price. There are remarkably few things that give the same degree of freedom.
Of the order of £10 per day, and about 13p per mile (sounds small, unless you bear in mind that I've done 10000 miles in about 6 months). This is not to mention the several hundred spent learning.
I've had a few people lately, pondering getting rid of their cars. Now to me, this is an unthinkable suggestion. I mean, I know it costs a lot to run, maintain and own, but ... well surely it's just _necessary_. Then again, maybe they don't see it that way.
So here is why I love my car, and why I'm prepared to pay this insane amount of money.
It's fun. Have car, will travel. I'm not talking about the adrenaline rush of "goin' quick" although that is one aspect. No, what I'm talking about is the sheer joy of motion along the road. The pleasure of just driving along a country lane, and looking out the window.
The _real_ reason though, is my car is my freedom and mobility. It's the ability to just go and see friends in Nottingham, Andover, London (well, ok, on the outskirts thereof), York, Leamington, Birmingham, Bristol. No where in the UK is out of reach really. Ok, so the far ends might take some time, but I _could_ do a round trip to lands end in a weekend.
It's the ability to 'just pop' to the supermarket for a bottle of milk.
It's a 30 minute (ish) journey to work, rather than the hour+ it would take by public transport.
It's the choice to live _wherever_ I want, rather than being constrained by bus/train routes.
It's the ability to go and pick up a tent in a city 50 miles away.
It makes going to the out of town multiplex a snap decision. After all, I only need 30 mins warning and I can just go.
And most importantly of all, it's removing my dependancy on others to go places. I typically have no problems giving someone a lift about the place, especially if I'm in motion already, or it's needed. But I don't like to impose on others. Since I'm aware how much a car costs to run, is it really fair for me to use someone else as a free taxi? Nope.
And so this is my way of 'returning the favour' for those who have transported my places.
It's nice when one has managed to injure oneself, or has a car in the garage, or just has a car that won't start to be able to get a lift off a friend. But I don't like to impose upon other's goodwill. I'm also prepared to accept 'sorry, can't' as an answer in these situations. After all, expecting to be the top priority and have people at my beck and call is the height of arrogance. Thankfully, that situation rarely occurs.
So yes, a car is an expensive luxury. But when compared with innumerable others, I think it's worth the price. There are remarkably few things that give the same degree of freedom.
