Better fill those tanks -Fuel protests are coming back!

[DAIR]

Problem with public transport is it continues to use the hub and spoke mentality in an age of suburbs and business parks that means that "local" workers have orbital commutes.

For example when I worked at Marconi and had a 10 minute drive into work. To do that on PT would have taken a bus ride into Liverpool town centre and another ride out again at a slightly different angle, taking over an hour.

Of course the people who still work in the city centre (eg. council and bus company staff) are well served by PT, and Londoners are adequately served by the tube*, so PT must be suitable for everyone, right?

*Though they still moan about it

I live and Work in London.

I must be one of the Lucky ones as I catch ONE bus to and from work. This journey takes about an hour. If I'm running light I may drive (Id have to be running really late as I HATE driving in London).... Failing that I'll take the Tube.

The Tube is the most stressful form of transportation. People will gouge out eye balls, push, stop, shout, give orders (tell people to move up) on the Tube. It isnt a nice experience during peak hours. However, I guess we should be greatful as no other city (apart from London) has this much access to public transport!

 

[DAIR]

Do you know how many business ventures we get offered a month, obviously not, but its probably 10.

Out of that 7 are absolute ****ers. 2 might with the grace of god work but we dont fancy. 1 is probably ok but we dont like the people. Then 1 every year comes along that got a chance.

Business's that are obliterated are ****ed for a reason, im telling you the days of the free dinner are over.

Im not telling lies years ago you could buy into a business, run it into the ground, cash up the assets and walk away with 70k for a few months work, them days are gone. If you aint got a worlds first idea or a way of doing something successful cheap its just not happening now.

Then I'm prepared to roll up my sleeves lol.

The way I see it we can either complain about things or TRY and do something about it.

 

[DM]

London is still the place to crack it if you are going to, god bless London.

 

[DM]

Then I'm prepared to roll up my sleeves lol.

The way I see it we can either complain about things or TRY and do something about it.

Thats why i said you got my full admiration, good on you for trying, i genuinely mean that.

 

[Lum]

Rush hour on the tube:

Oh no! my train is full to bursting point and I can't get on! I have to wait 3 minutes for the next one that may also be full. If not I'll probably have to stand next to a fat smelly person and a teenager listening to Jay Z on his mobile's speakerphone.
When I have to change I will have to wait up to 5 minutes for another equally unpleasant train.

Rush hour on any other city's PT:

Oh no! my bus is full to bursting point and I can't get on! I have to wait 30 minutes for the next one that may also be full. If not I'll probably have to stand next to a fat smelly person and a teenager listening to Jay Z on his mobile's speakerphone.
When I have to change I will have to wait 10-45 minutes for another equally unpleasant bus.

 

[[TW]Fox]

So what do you suggest they do? Relocate to an area they cant afford to live?

Bad situation all round really.

For some, yes.

For many, 'can't afford' to relocate is actually 'do not want' or 'can't afford without giving up the luxury holidays, cool gadgets and nice car'. Which is totally understandable, who would want to give up a nice lifestyle, but what I am saying is that sooner or late there won't be a choice - long commutes are unsustainable and basing your life on them is not going to work out.

 

[DM]

For some, yes.

For many, 'can't afford' to relocate is actually 'do not want' or 'can't afford without giving up the luxury holidays, cool gadgets and nice car'. Which is totally understandable, who would want to give up a nice lifestyle, but what I am saying is that sooner or late there won't be a choice - long commutes are unsustainable and basing your life on them is not going to work out.

Go and take a road trip to the valleys next time your bored with the GF and have a look.

Then come back here and tell everyone how many households you found full of cool gadgets and taking holidays.

 

[DAIR]

Rush hour on the tube:

Oh no! my train is full to bursting point and I can't get on! I have to wait 3 minutes for the next one that may also be full. If not I'll probably have to stand next to a fat smelly person and a teenager listening to Jay Z on his mobile's speakerphone.
When I have to change I will have to wait up to 5 minutes for another equally unpleasant train.

Rush hour on any other city's PT:

Oh no! my bus is full to bursting point and I can't get on! I have to wait 30 minutes for the next one that may also be full. If not I'll probably have to stand next to a fat smelly person and a teenager listening to Jay Z on his mobile's speakerphone.
When I have to change I will have to wait 10-45 minutes for another equally unpleasant bus.

Dont think so lol This x10

I took a trip to Bangor a few months back and it was great. Nice and laid back. Nothing like London!

 

[Biohazard]

So what do you suggest they do? Relocate to an area they cant afford to live?

Bad situation all round really.

+1

Iv got 2 houses in pontypridd that i would ALMOST consider selling buy one get one free, its just not as simple as that in that area.

I'd do it quick, if it keeps going this way these places may turn into a ghost town..

 

[Lum]

Go and take a road trip to the valleys next time your bored with the GF and have a look.

Then come back here and tell everyone how many households you found full of cool gadgets and taking holidays.

Fox would probably enjoy a trip to the valleys. There's some great driving roads around here that see barely any traffic. I'm sure his BMW would be lovely to drive on those roads.

Maybe I and a couple of other locals should organise an OcUK meet up and run through mid Wales while people can still afford recreational fuel at all?

 

[DM]

I'd do it quick, if it keeps going this way these places may turn into a ghost town..

1 more year then back in the auction they will go.

Im that tight that i begrudge leaving them without tenants so im just waiting for both the tenancy agreements to expire at a similar time, then its good night nurse for both of them.

 

[Biohazard]

For some, yes.

For many, 'can't afford' to relocate is actually 'do not want' or 'can't afford without giving up the luxury holidays, cool gadgets and nice car'.

Totally dissagree.

It might be for some on here, but these ignored communities overall suffer not through their own misgivings or keeping up with the Joneses but through economic disadvantage.

London average house price = £430,000?

North of England = £153,000?

That is a lot of frivolous spending you are accusing people of here Fox...



There are thousands of communities drastically short of employment opportunity, this is the problem. Not those people.

Which is totally understandable, who would want to give up a nice lifestyle, but what I am saying is that sooner or late there won't be a choice - long commutes are unsustainable and basing your life on them is not going to work out.

So we need real investment in our communities outside of the main financial centres then.

 

[Lum]

Dont think so lol This x10

I took a trip to Bangor a few months back and it was great. Nice and laid back. Nothing like London!

Ok, so Bangor is technically a city. But I was thinking more of proper cities like Glasgow or Liverpool.

 

[DM]

Fox would probably enjoy a trip to the valleys. There's some great driving roads around here that see barely any traffic. I'm sure his BMW would be lovely to drive on those roads.

Maybe I and a couple of other locals should organise an OcUK meet up and run through mid Wales while people can still afford recreational fuel at all?

With the utmost respect to Fox, and believe me i mean that, he hasnt got a clue how some people actually live, because he has had a sheltered and easy life.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Go and take a road trip to the valleys next time your bored with the GF and have a look.

Then come back here and tell everyone how many households you found full of cool gadgets and taking holidays.

I think you are missing my point - I'm talking mostly about long commutes in general not specifically the population of the valleys.

There are numerous people on here alone driving hundreds and hundreds of miles a week just to and from work.

In 10 years time, I bet they are not doing the same thing.

With the utmost respect to Fox, and believe me i mean that, he hasnt got a clue how some people actually live, because he has had a sheltered and easy life.

I was wondering how long that would take. It's irrelevent - fuel prices are going up long term irrespective of my personal circumstances. It doesnt change what I am saying. I don't expect people to want to agree with me, but I bet if we look back on this thread in 10 years time I'll be proved right.

Long commutes are unsustainable. They will be the exception not the norm and the preserve of the wealthy only in the future.

Our way of life will be different in the future and people are going to have to find a way around doing long commutes whether they want to or not. It might mean living somewhere they'd rather not. It might mean doing a job they'd rather not, but it will mean not doing 100 miles a day to go to work.

Infact your point about my circumstances would have only made sense if my opinion was the opposite - if I was saying 'pah fuel isnt expensive!'. I'm not, I'm specifically saying that it's going to be unaffordable. That's not something I'd say purely because apparently I have a sheltered life

 

[Biohazard]

Fox would probably enjoy a trip to the valleys. There's some great driving roads around here that see barely any traffic. I'm sure his BMW would be lovely to drive on those roads.

Maybe I and a couple of other locals should organise an OcUK meet up and run through mid Wales while people can still afford recreational fuel at all?

I want to go to that evo(?) triangle!

I'll do my bit to help the Welsh economy!

 

[Biohazard]

I think you are missing my point - I'm talking mostly about long commutes in general not specifically the population of the valleys.

Ah, that does my above in then

There are numerous people on here alone driving hundreds and hundreds of miles a week just to and from work.

In 10 years time, I bet they are not doing the same thing.

Probably not.

 

[Lum]

1 more year then back in the auction they will go.

Im that tight that i begrudge leaving them without tenants so im just waiting for both the tenancy agreements to expire at a similar time, then its good night nurse for both of them.

If my Mrs still had that job in Abercynon that brought us to the valleys in the first place, and it looked like we'd both actually managed to find stable employment, I'd be asking you how much for one of them.

As it is, it's a good job we're renting.

 

[Lum]

I was wondering how long that would take. It's irrelevent - fuel prices are going up long term irrespective of my personal circumstances. It doesnt change what I am saying. I don't expect people to want to agree with me, but I bet if we look back on this thread in 10 years time I'll be proved right.

Yeah, they'll either be on the dole, or trying to get a Chinese company to sponsor them for a work permit. Possibly both.

I want to go to that evo(?) triangle!

I'll do my bit to help the Welsh economy!

That's North Wales. Have to get someone else to organise that. I was thinking more Brecon, Builth Wells, that sort of way.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Yeah, they'll either be on the dole, or trying to get a Chinese company to sponsor them for a work permit. Possibly both.

So anything we can do in the short term future to head this off from a personal point of view in the long term is surely a good idea. Think about the next job you apply for - do you really want to work long term somewhere thats 100 miles from home? Think about the next house you buy. You might drive now but just how far is it from the train station? How far is it from major employment centres..

Changing your habits before its too late will avoid you ending up in a spiral you cannot escape from.