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Post by peterba on Oct 25, 2023 13:51:03 GMT
Actually having public transport would help. Out here in the sticks a car is pretty much a necessity.
That's a real problem, Dave... I sympathise. Until a few years ago, we too, were in an out-of-the way village. There was a bus service on just one day a week, to the nearest town.  So, if we wanted to go into town by bus, it was advisable not to miss the return bus, or we'd have a week to wait!
Then we moved, and in our new location, we now have a fairly decent service. (Not that this information will be of any use to you, of course.  ) |
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Post by nickr on Oct 25, 2023 15:29:20 GMT
Last Friday when I had to go to Dorchester hospital the car journey took me under 30 mins, to get there by bus I would have had to take one bus away from Dorchester to Bridport, then get a second bus from Bridport to Dorchester. I'm not sure whether the X51 actually goes anywhere near the hospital. Likewise here to Salisbury. Our bus service is every two hours, so a trip to Odstock hospital will invariably be a six hour round trip. The RUH at Bath would be worse as it requires two changes. Id love to use public transport, it's not the cost but the viability of getting anywhere that's the issue. Odstock's not the easiest place to get to, is it? Was a real pain when my stepfather-in-law was in there a few years back, and taking my mother-in-law for eye appointments and an op - bad enough by car, ridiculous by bus. Mind you, my father-in-law and his wife had bigger issues in Cornwall - no public transport from St Buryan (far side of Penzance, 5m from Land's End) to Treliske Hospital in Truro, and a 10 hour round trip by non-emergency ambulance. |
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Post by don on Nov 13, 2023 11:54:46 GMT
I’m in a wheelchair 🦼 and we have an adapted car 🚙 a VW Caddie, if I had to rely on public transport I would have a great deal of difficulty. I find it hard enough getting in and out of the car.
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Post by pixelpuffin on Nov 16, 2023 12:58:30 GMT
Luckily I have zero inclination to go to London - thank god!!
But what I don’t understand is that older vehicles were fitted with catalytic converter’s- just for this very reason??
My partner wfh, I walk to work
We have 2 old cars, newest is 22yrs old !! Lol
We only keep them to keep our car insurance going
At any one time one is always parked on the drive.
Neither of us gives a damn about cars, just not important. So no desire to buy a new one - sorry!!
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Post by andy on Nov 16, 2023 14:23:02 GMT
Seems to be quite a few people still protesting the expansion of the London ULEZ. The cameras on the mobile vans are about 8 feet off the ground so folk stand with placards on poles to block their view....or wear one of those inflatable dinosaur suits which are apparently just the right height to block the cameras.
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Post by nickr on Nov 16, 2023 15:47:39 GMT
Luckily I have zero inclination to go to London - thank god!! But what I don’t understand is that older vehicles were fitted with catalytic converter’s- just for this very reason?? My partner wfh, I walk to work We have 2 old cars, newest is 22yrs old !! Lol We only keep them to keep our car insurance going At any one time one is always parked on the drive. Neither of us gives a damn about cars, just not important. So no desire to buy a new one - sorry!! Cats were never the best solution. They only work when the car is running up to normal working temperature, which means they often don't really work on shorter journeys. Several car companies were actively campaigning at the time to push lean burn technology instead, as well as legislation to reduce pollutants in fuel, especially sulphur in diesel. Big Oil successfully lobbied against the latter, whereas optical politics destroyed the chances of the former - politicians were concerned that if they didn't legislate for something tangible like cats, they wouldn't appear to be doing anything. So they went for what was probably a worse solution in terms of the planet, but one that gave them a better chance of re-election. Obviously technology has moved on since then, and current standards are much cleaner than those in force when cars were introduced. The idea that cats were ever the final answer is, well, a tad optimistic.  |
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Post by zou on Nov 16, 2023 15:59:59 GMT
Luckily I have zero inclination to go to London - thank god!! But what I don’t understand is that older vehicles were fitted with catalytic converter’s- just for this very reason?? My partner wfh, I walk to work We have 2 old cars, newest is 22yrs old !! Lol We only keep them to keep our car insurance going At any one time one is always parked on the drive. Neither of us gives a damn about cars, just not important. So no desire to buy a new one - sorry!! Cats were never the best solution. ... The idea that cats were ever the final answer is, well, a tad optimistic. This one feels differently!  |
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Post by pixelpuffin on Nov 16, 2023 21:33:15 GMT
Cheers for the replies Re-cars It dawned on me years ago that the vast majority of cars probably standstill for 23hrs a day, some probably more if averaged out. Since then, I just cannot get even remotely interested in them, Expensive to buy Expensive to run Expensive to service Appalling depreciation I see no joy whatsoever in driving these days, constant traffic, roadworks, parking issues, speed cameras, impatient motorists etc etc Or is it just me….probably me |
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Post by dreampolice on Nov 16, 2023 21:37:54 GMT
Cheers for the replies Re-cars It dawned on me years ago that the vast majority of cars probably standstill for 23hrs a day, some probably more if averaged out. Since then, I just cannot get even remotely interested in them, Expensive to buy Expensive to run Expensive to service Appalling depreciation I see no joy whatsoever in driving these days, constant traffic, roadworks, parking issues, speed cameras, impatient motorists etc etc Or is it just me….probably me Horses for courses. I enjoy driving (and certainly when we do our drives through Europe) and I like having a nice car. |
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Post by pixelpuffin on Nov 16, 2023 21:38:16 GMT
I know many people think the zone is intended as a revenue generator but the cost of installing, maintaining and operating it must be astronomical, especially given the rate at which cameras are being destroyed. Additionally only a relatively small percentage of vehicles aren’t compliant. Clearly the technology isn’t as good as it needs to be, adding to the cost. One has to wonder what the scheme is achieving? Irritating the public? If they wanted to create revenue, they should recruit poop officers ride round on scooters handing out £60 fines to dog owners fouling the pavements. Now that would create revenue!! |
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Post by pixelpuffin on Nov 16, 2023 21:43:14 GMT
Cheers for the replies Re-cars It dawned on me years ago that the vast majority of cars probably standstill for 23hrs a day, some probably more if averaged out. Since then, I just cannot get even remotely interested in them, Expensive to buy Expensive to run Expensive to service Appalling depreciation I see no joy whatsoever in driving these days, constant traffic, roadworks, parking issues, speed cameras, impatient motorists etc etc Or is it just me….probably me Horses for courses. I enjoy driving (and certainly when we do our drives through Europe) and I like having a nice car. But that’s Europe, hardly the same really. Roads here in my city are appalling, utilities constantly digging up and patching (badly) has ruined the roads. We holidayed in Spain and Portugal this summer, we both commentated on the roads been far better. But it’s no secret these days, Britain in 2023 is a S**thole. Excuse my language, but I think it’s justified |
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Post by spinno on Nov 16, 2023 21:47:55 GMT
Horses for courses. I enjoy driving (and certainly when we do our drives through Europe) and I like having a nice car. But that’s Europe, hardly the same really. Roads here in my city are appalling, utilities constantly digging up and patching (badly) has ruined the roads. We holidayed in Spain and Portugal this summer, we both commentated on the roads been far better. But it’s no secret these days, Britain in 2023 is a S**thole. Excuse my language, but I think it’s justified I'm in Cornwall at the moment...roadworks aplenty, potholes aplenty |
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Post by geoffr on Nov 16, 2023 22:05:49 GMT
If they wanted to create revenue, they should recruit poop officers ride round on scooters handing out £60 fines to dog owners fouling the pavements. Now that would create revenue!! I hope it isn’t the dog owners fouling the pavements! |
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Post by dreampolice on Nov 16, 2023 22:08:00 GMT
Horses for courses. I enjoy driving (and certainly when we do our drives through Europe) and I like having a nice car. But that’s Europe, hardly the same really. Roads here in my city are appalling, utilities constantly digging up and patching (badly) has ruined the roads. We holidayed in Spain and Portugal this summer, we both commentated on the roads been far better. But it’s no secret these days, Britain in 2023 is a S**thole. Excuse my language, but I think it’s justified I enjoy driving in a lot of the UK too. Yeah, there are plenty of bad roads, potholes, roadworks etc, but I enjoy it (not the popping to the shops type of drive). When I do the car club member drives, I take them on some great routes through Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and Cheshire. I have done a few around North Yorkshire too. Great drives. But each to their own. If you think our roads are bad, try Italy! Dreadful and that includes motorways. |
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Post by zou on Nov 16, 2023 22:15:44 GMT
But that’s Europe, hardly the same really. Roads here in my city are appalling, utilities constantly digging up and patching (badly) has ruined the roads. We holidayed in Spain and Portugal this summer, we both commentated on the roads been far better. But it’s no secret these days, Britain in 2023 is a S**thole. Excuse my language, but I think it’s justified I enjoy driving in a lot of the UK too. Yeah, there are plenty of bad roads, potholes, roadworks etc, but I enjoy it (not the popping to the shops type of drive). When I do the car club member drives, I take them on some great routes through Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and Cheshire. I have done a few around North Yorkshire too. Great drives. But each to their own. If you think our roads are bad, try Italy! Dreadful and that includes motorways. Bella casino, innit. |
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So, if we wanted to go into town by bus, it was advisable not to miss the return bus, or we'd have a week to wait!
)
