Driving my car

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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jezer
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Driving my car

Post by jezer »

It's strange these days that when I'm driving I suffer more aggression from other motorists than when I'm cycling. Why can that be? It has been stated that more than 80% of adult cyclists in the UK also own cars. That means they pay tax to be on the road, as I do.
Power to the pedals
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Driving my car

Post by [XAP]Bob »

So do pedestrians - it's called council tax.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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Mick F
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Mick F »

We have two cars: a Clio and a Fiat500.

Funny, but we get pushed around, tailgated and bossed about when we're in the Fiat, but treated normally when in the Clio.
I noticed it almost straight away when we bought the Fiat last year, whereas we've had the Clio for 14years.

Maybe people in small cars get treated with disdain by people in big cars. Sort of bullying tactics aimed at the little guy.
Mick F. Cornwall
robing
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Re: Driving my car

Post by robing »

[XAP]Bob wrote:So do pedestrians - it's called council tax.


It's all down to emissions. Pedestrians and cyclists - no emissions - no road tax.

Certain cars are also road tax exempt (and VW's lol!)
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Driving my car

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Nope, road tax doesn't exist - hasn't done since Churchill abolished it.

Vehicle excise duty is levied on vehicles (duh) and is a source of general taxation. As zero emissions vehicles we pay the same as many others - £0. We also don't charge for a paper disc (although at least that has now stopped). I need an MOT disc now, to remind me when things are due...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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Si
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Si »

I too find driving a lot more stressful than cycling. Probably because you spend so much of your time in queues around here.
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Mick F
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Mick F »

Having just taxed the Fiat500 only this week, I went into the local post office and proffered my DVLA form with a nice cross against the 12 months box. I handed it over, the lady scanned the bar code, she gave me a receipt, and I left with a cheery "Thank you!"

No charge, but I got a receipt for zero. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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al_yrpal
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Re: Driving my car

Post by al_yrpal »

Mick F wrote:Having just taxed the Fiat500 only this week, I went into the local post office and proffered my DVLA form with a nice cross against the 12 months box. I handed it over, the lady scanned the bar code, she gave me a receipt, and I left with a cheery "Thank you!"

No charge, but I got a receipt for zero. :D


I do mine on-line. Stag is £0 too. Historic Vehicle but 25mpg and it always stinks of petrol like all old motors. :)

The vast majority of motorists are fine IME its just a few idiots are aggressive which is the same with lorries, vans, motorbikes, cycles and even those electric wheelchairs. I do live in a rural area, aggressions probably worse in overcrowded towns and cities as the result of frustration.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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Mick F
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Mick F »

al_yrpal wrote:I do mine on-line.
Can I just say, that your local post office NEEDS transactions however small, or even zero.

They get paid per transaction. If you use your local PO, it will stay there. If we all do our stuff on line, the PO will close.
Support your local PO. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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al_yrpal
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Re: Driving my car

Post by al_yrpal »

Mick F wrote:
al_yrpal wrote:I do mine on-line.
Can I just say, that your local post office NEEDS transactions however small, or even zero.

They get paid per transaction. If you use your local PO, it will stay there. If we all do our stuff on line, the PO will close.
Support your local PO. :D


When they closed the village NatWest 18 months ago they said we could now do all our banking transactions at the village post office (its in a One Stop owned by Tesco). I just went round there with a cheque to pay it in, they wouldn't do it. "You will have to go to a bigger Post Office Sir". Thats in Reading or Henley and there are NatWest branches in both too. So, just at the moment I am looking where to move my bank account. If I have to go to a town to do banking might as well go where can I get the best deal? Halifax I think... Our Post Office does pretty well, you can use all its functions from 6am to 10pm.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Driving my car

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Mick F wrote:
al_yrpal wrote:I do mine on-line.
Can I just say, that your local post office NEEDS transactions however small, or even zero.

They get paid per transaction. If you use your local PO, it will stay there. If we all do our stuff on line, the PO will close.
Support your local PO. :D

I'm not spending that much time to go to a PO and queue for ages to do something that takes 2 minutes online.

If the PO can't survive then what do I miss? I don't recall the last time I went to one...
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Tonyf33
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Tonyf33 »

I don't find driving more stressful than cycling, not even close. I don't have fear of not being given enough space, I don't feel the need nor actually need to to drive in a manner that 'empowers' me to be able to hold that space. I don't need to constantly have to overthink every junction that has a vehicle waiting to exit, I don't have in the back of my mind of being struck from behind on 50/60/70mph roads, at pinch points. I don't need to worry about being able to freely move around road defects without being closely passed or struck, frankly the list is endless as to why it is often far more stressful cycling than driving.
YMMV
Fogey
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Fogey »

Mick F wrote:We have two cars: a Clio and a Fiat500.

Funny, but we get pushed around, tailgated and bossed about when we're in the Fiat, but treated normally when in the Clio.
I noticed it almost straight away when we bought the Fiat last year, whereas we've had the Clio for 14years.

Maybe people in small cars get treated with disdain by people in big cars. Sort of bullying tactics aimed at the little guy.

I completely agree with this, and have nicknamed it "The Small Citröen Effect." This is because for a few years I commuted nearly 200 miles a day and bought a C3 HDi - at the time the most economical car on the market. (It was actually a bloody good car - once averaged 74mpg for a 500 mile round trip with five 6ft tall men, two crates of beer, and our weekend bags on board.)

Over the years I've owned a range of hot hatches and now a Chelsea Tractor, but something happened when men in big cars saw me in that little Citröen - it was as if my presence in front of them was a public insult about the size of their willy.
Samuel D
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Re: Driving my car

Post by Samuel D »

I get the same treatment in my Citröen C1. For example, it is often treated as an invitation to join my lane six inches in front of me, whether there’s space or not.

I can cope with it though.

Driving in a big city is stressful. So is cycling. On balance, I am less stressed while riding but more worried about personal safety.
reohn2
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Re: Driving my car

Post by reohn2 »

Mick F wrote:We have two cars: a Clio and a Fiat500.

Funny, but we get pushed around, tailgated and bossed about when we're in the Fiat, but treated normally when in the Clio.
I noticed it almost straight away when we bought the Fiat last year, whereas we've had the Clio for 14years.

Maybe people in small cars get treated with disdain by people in big cars. Sort of bullying tactics aimed at the little guy.


I used to have a Ford Mondeo estate and Mrs R2 had Nissan Micra,whenever I drove the Micra I had exactly the same problem,initially I thought it was my perception but,MrsR2 agreed as before the Micra when she a Vauxhall Omega she never had any problems.
It's the bullying class system IMO,being played out on the roads.
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