Public vs Personal Transport

[Barmi]

Public Transport, only because you can get nearly everywhere for half the price. Especially when you're travelling long distances, just get the plane... My trip to Edin would've costed like ALOT of petrol money if I drove from Devon, but 40 quid on the plane ^_^

Whoa, lucky you. At home, public transport costs are pretty much the same as petrol costs. If you have anyone with you, that's another £2 for them by bus, or an extra nothing by car. Heck, if five members of my family were to go out by bus, it would cost up to £10 there and £10 back! By car, it would be between £2-5 all day. Add in the fact that the main bus service at home takes 50 minutes to get to a town which is 15 minutes away by car...

Heck, the freedom of driving is somewhat liberating. You don't have to run to the irregular/late bus times, and you don't need to sit on a bus of grannies, chavs, and smelly/dirty people.

As for trains; they are by and large a joke. Getting around the south by train is cheap... but as soon as you want to come from the north, you're going to get charged ridiculous amounts which are usually on par with petrol costs. It is totally unnecessary and ridiculous that rail companies set prices like this, given that when you have (for example) a family traveling, car would be so much cheaper.

Learn to drive sooner rather than later. You don't have to start driving as soon as you pass your test, but for the sake of convenience learn asap.

Right on! :eusa_clap

[Zak]

PERSONAL.

You can go any where you want any time you want? No waiting?

Personally I love driving my car, best thing I ever did.

[Virgin Mary]

driving is so much more convenient and you aren't surrounded by tramps who stink or freaks playing **** on their phones

[Barmi]

driving is so much more convenient and you aren't surrounded by tramps who stink or freaks playing **** on their phones

Quoted for truth. And they play it through the friggin' speakerphone.

[tm]

The simple answer would be to work out the costs for both solutions then take into account other factors.

I go to work 4-6 times a week which is a 15 mile round-trip which costs me approx. £12 a week in fuel. Add in £1 a day insurance and £1 a day to cover tax and adding in other costs it would work out around £16 a week or £2.50 a day. The bus fare from my house to work is £6 return but is £15 for a weekly rover. Therfore it would be cheaper for me to get the bus. However, factor in other problems such as the bus running only once PER HOUR and never arriving at a consistent time, it starts to become less viable.

I also drive all over the country and sometimes out of the country which wouldn't be possible if I didn't have personal transport. I also travel from work late at night ie. 2am when buses don't run.

In conclusion, if your public transport network is reliabable and works out to a similar cost, and you're only going to one place and back, that'd be a cheaper option. In all other cases though, you'd be much better off with a car, even factoring in the cost of learning to drive.

Driving is also an important life-skill and you'll no doubt have to learn at some point for getting to and from work.

[leah]

I usually walk everywhere or if its in a different town get a lift with my dad or if its relly far get the train.
I do enjoy catching the train but its expensive and yeh...

[Jin]

hey guys,
I was thinking of getting driving lessons but it would be pointless if i wasnt going to drive, i just wanted to see do you guys think using your own transport is a waste of money or do you think Public transport is the best way to go?


Thanks,
Richie.

Its worth getting your own form of personal transport imo, though now I am living in london to be closer to work and uni I try and use public transport where possible.

But during the summer when I work outside the office its more economical for me to drive with 3 other mates rather than paying £30 each in train tickets.

It really depends on how much you travel and whether you can afford to upkeep of a car, insurance, MOT, tax, service, repairs they all add up in cost.

[Nixt]

I genuinely wouldn't be able to live without my car now. So there is your answer.

[VelvetClover]

I can't drive and I don't own a car so I use buses to get everywhere. I'd love to have my own car but it's the cost mainly, like, petrol, insurance and whatever else.
Buses etc are cheaper and better for the environment and you don't have to worry about parking but it is nicer to travel in your own car

[tdi]

driving all the way, public transport is horrible. itt's dirty, smelly and usually full of chavs. f*ck the environment!