Fuel costs

the black fox

the black fox

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Jeff
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Anyone else like me ,especially birders cut back on there travelling due to rising fuel costs . I find myself seeking out local hot spots more frequently these days rather than going a distance on a chance of a rarity . Even more so now diesel has hit the £2.00 a litre barrier
 
Not what you often here about it, but I am quite lucky to live in Basildon.

We have multiple country parks, RSPB & EWT sites, the Thames, Victorian forts all within a 25 mile radius. Train into London is only 30 minutes as well.
Plenty of coastline and wetlands around the county as well.

A little further afield, the Abberton Reservoir has had a resident Osprey for most of the summer.

Loads of photogenic towns as well Southend being one of my favourites, even above the quaint villages further north.

My local park has had Kingfishers this year, first time for a while. Still trying to get a good picture of the b****r, but I will persevere.

I work 2 days a week and my wife 3, so I can easily pop out for a few hours on the extra day she works and find somewhere local to go.

Yesterday we went on a fact finding tour further north, scouting out potential new living area. One thing I did notice, although it got the coast,
It also had less of the things I mentioned above.

https://flic.kr/p/2sDGKrd
View: https://flic.kr/p/2sDGKrd
 
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People may cut back for a very short time, but it doesn't take long for them to revert. We heard all about how people were doing to stop travelling when fuel hit £1 a litre. (actually I can remember them saying that at £1 gallon, and who stopped drinking at £1 a pint like they said))

For the short term it's probably a good thing that people will be checking out their locality, looking at the areas we often tend to take for granted and dismiss.
 
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I mostly go to local places anyway with 2 or 3 longer trips a year, things like the butterflies down south
We have an economical petrol car anyway , a Yaris so its not affecting what we do
 
I have to ask Mrs D as I don't have a license anymore
We have an EV thankfully, I don't expect the current price for diesel will reduce .
The full impact on diesel hasn't been felt yet,, I was reading somewhere that it could double!!!
Thanks to Chump
 
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We are investigating these electric-assisted Tricycles for getting around locally instead of using our (diesel) cars. We have a great network of cycle paths and greenways around us, giving access to beaches and nature reserves, so it seems the wise and clever thing to do. At least for joggings. Not sure the dogs would agree though!!

A farmer friend up the road has recently bought a trotting pony to put in front of a trap, to drive around locally as he's expecting to lose his car licence soon.
 
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artyman said:
Drive an electric car only costs me about £6 to do 300 miles :) it's better for the environment as well
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Only if you have a home charge option - we looked at electric for my daughter (who is in rented student accommodation, electric is included, but with a high per-unit charge if they exceed the 'bundled' units) - public charging would have put the price on par with petrol.
 
lindsay said:
We are investigating these electric-assisted Tricycles for getting around locally instead of using our (diesel) cars. We have a great network of cycle paths and greenways around us, giving access to beaches and nature reserves, so it seems the wise and clever thing to do. At least for joggings. Not sure the dogs would agree though!!

A farmer friend up the road has recently bought a trotting pony to put in front of a trap, to drive around locally as he's expecting to lose his car licence soon.
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Adopt and adapt adeptly! (y)
 
hmmm lots of valid points so far , trouble is you can't tow a caravan with a small electric car, but the way things are that could be going unless things change ... yes a electric or hybrid could then be a option and as I have a family contact at Toyota it may well be what's next .. didn't really want to buy another car though due to my age
 
the black fox said:
hmmm lots of valid points so far , trouble is you can't tow a caravan with a small electric car, but the way things are that could be going unless things change ... yes a electric or hybrid could then be a option and as I have a family contact at Toyota it may well be what's next .. didn't really want to buy another car though due to my age
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A caravan Jeff, soon to be taxed as second home :)
 
Get your motorcycle licence for the 125cc then you can also ride the Honda cub 90cc. Much smaller vehicles as well !. Luggage panniers and small backpack and tent, can carry quite a bit.
 
The collapse in print sales have already done that for me a while ago. I go when there is clients work nearby, i need to collect my water or something else. Audi a6 us also terribly uncomfortable
 
Car share as people do to get to work, sometimes it is nice to have company when sitting waiting for that shot of a life time:)
 
Get her to learn as well!
 
lindsay said:
We are investigating these electric-assisted Tricycles for getting around locally instead of using our (diesel) cars. We have a great network of cycle paths and greenways around us, giving access to beaches and nature reserves, so it seems the wise and clever thing to do. At least for joggings. Not sure the dogs would agree though!!

A farmer friend up the road has recently bought a trotting pony to put in front of a trap, to drive around locally as he's expecting to lose his car licence soon.
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:D

1790963034303.png
 
russellsnr said:
Car share as people do to get to work, sometimes it is nice to have company when sitting waiting for that shot of a life time:)
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Doesn't that make them late for work?
 
Doesn't bother me, I only ever put £30 in...

Sorry, it wouldn't be a conversation about fuel prices without someone getting the joke in. :cool:
 
the black fox said:
hmmm lots of valid points so far , trouble is you can't tow a caravan with a small electric car, but the way things are that could be going unless things change ... yes a electric or hybrid could then be a option and as I have a family contact at Toyota it may well be what's next .. didn't really want to buy another car though due to my age
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True you can't tow a caravan with a small electric car, but then you can't with a small petrol car either.
 
gman said:
:D

View attachment 494165
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I've been toying with seeing if I can get a cargo e-bike for a trial (there's been some schemes that offer them) because I'd really like to see if my dog would be up for travelling in it. I've cut down my car use about 90% since getting a pedal bike but I still need to use the car for taking the dog out for a proper walk, it would be great to be able to use a bike for that too.
 
Diesel in Boston is now £205.9p :eek:
 
JohnMcL7 said:
I've been toying with seeing if I can get a cargo e-bike for a trial (there's been some schemes that offer them) because I'd really like to see if my dog would be up for travelling in it. I've cut down my car use about 90% since getting a pedal bike but I still need to use the car for taking the dog out for a proper walk, it would be great to be able to use a bike for that too.
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I'm looking at my options as well, not so much from a fuel cost point of view but more that all the short journeys are not great for my car or the battery. I think I might just get an e-bike with some sort of cargo space/panniers.
 
gman said:
I'm looking at my options as well, not so much from a fuel cost point of view but more that all the short journeys are not great for my car or the battery. I think I might just get an e-bike with some sort of cargo space/panniers.
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That's exactly why I started cycling because I had a turbo diesel car with a DPF so I wanted to avoid short journeys. That car is long gone but cycling has been a great benefit to me and I still have the mindset to avoid short journeys, a cargo e-bike could reduce journeys further unless I have passengers :D
 
while a bike would seem a good option at nearly 81 and living on welsh hilltop going down hill sounds feasible the return hmmmmm
 
the black fox said:
while a bike would seem a good option at nearly 81 and living on welsh hilltop going down hill sounds feasible the return hmmmmm
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Always worth checking it out though. My Father-in-Law is 81 and he cycles everywhere, not just short journeys either. It's an e-bike, a regular one would probably be too much.
 
JohnMcL7 said:
That's exactly why I started cycling because I had a turbo diesel car with a DPF so I wanted to avoid short journeys. That car is long gone but cycling has been a great benefit to me and I still have the mindset to avoid short journeys, a cargo e-bike could reduce journeys further unless I have passengers :D
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I was cycling during summer, just a regular bike and as you say good for some cardio. But likewise, I think if it's to actually replace the car as a mode of transport rather than for excerice, then I've no problem making the journey easier with an e-bike.
 
I have a 400 mile journey round trip to do on Tuesday , My wallet is in panic mode :eek:
 
I was in Tampa last week, and it's the highest there that it's been ever; around about $4.35 per gallon; It didn't stop me picking a 5.7 Hemi Ram 1500 of course...full tank was about $90
 
F1.2 said:
I have a 400 mile journey round trip to do on Tuesday , My wallet is in panic mode :eek:
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I did a 490 mile round trip last week and thanks to endless roadworks and a huge amount of people sitting in the outside lane, I must have been averaging about 50mph because I was getting the best mpg I've ever seen in my car! lol
 
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