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Original poster

Learn to drive or taxi?

51 replies

NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 19:10

I am absolutely sick of buses I can’t take them anymore, they are ridiculously crowded everyone pushes in front and people are so so rude on them. I need to learn to drive but I cannot afford it, people tell me it cost them £400/£500 a month to drive or more which I just can’t afford. Is getting taxis everywhere better? Can anyone else not afford to drive? Does anyone rely solely on taxis? Someone told it would be cheaper? Just done with public transport

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OneMoreMyWay · 12/12/2023 19:16

No, and we couldn't! It costs me £32 to get home from one of DD's activities. So 4-6 times that a week, plus 2 lots of £20 for her other activity. And that's just one DC. Then any time I'd need the shop 25-35. We can't afford to run the car, we use bikes, buses and trains instead. That's us though. You need to work out where you go regularly and how much it costs, keep an allowance for out of the ordinary trips e.g. doctors etc

Changingplace · 12/12/2023 19:18

It costs me no where near that much per month to drive but then I drive an old car that’s not on finance, that’s cheap on insurance and to run.

I think you should at least learn to drive, it’s a life skill that’s useful to have.

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 19:37

I would love to but no point learning to drive if I can't afford to run a car. A few people have given me a break down of costs and it's around £500 a month and as a new driver I've been told my insurance cost will be high.for that reason.

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Driving & parking
theduchessofspork · 12/12/2023 19:42

Do some proper research - it would be good to learn to drive some time.

If it’s not affordable now, keep taking the bus and save up. Taking taxis isn’t going to be affordable either and it’s not a long term solution

FrancineBox · 12/12/2023 19:45

Try to walk more or take trains in feasible, avoid rush hours if possible.
I think taxis will add up quickly. Headphones really help mask a part of the unpleasantness of public transport.

Cupcakekiller · 12/12/2023 20:09

How old are you? I passed at 37 and my insurance wasn't that high but my 17 year old son had just passed and the amount's being quoted (even with a black box) were eye watering, even with a little noddy car.

Redglitter · 12/12/2023 20:11

It needn't cost anything like that to run a car. You could buy a cheap runaround for a start. I've never paid anything like £500 a month

Neriah · 12/12/2023 20:16

I'm a (disabled) driver. I needed a taxi a few weeks ago when my car was off the road. 9 miles each way. My employer has an account for such things, with lower rates ( which they pay). £70. For 18 miles round trip, during the day. Being an inexperienced driver is something you can get over. Paying taxis for life isn't.

It's public transport or learn to drive.

parietal · 12/12/2023 20:23

Where do you live? Can you bike to local places? Can you do a combination of modes of transport- bike on sunny days, bus for some journeys, taxi for some. Mix it up.

Nomagicflute · 12/12/2023 20:24

It depends on where you live and your lifestyle. I don't drive but DH does. If we need to go somewhere at the weekend often he drives. I do most of my shopping online. DS and I cycle to his one weekly activity which is local. I chose to rule out others that aren't local.

School is a short walk.

So really for me driving is optional. I know other mums in the same position. I think it gets harder as kids get older unless you live in a city then they can get the bus.

IcouldbutIdontwantto · 12/12/2023 20:34

£500 a month?? I've just done some rough calculations (where I've overestimated on the costs as I can't remember how much our insurance is and added in extra for repairs), and for 2 cars it comes to less than £200 a month total - we've both got a few years no claims under our belt though, don't commute by car though so don't top up regularly (they're mainly for weekend/nursery runs) and neither are on finance.

Best thing to do would be to look at a few cars and work out the costs, then compare them with taxis. You'll need to factor in the cost of learning too.

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 21:07

We live in London so driving has never been a necessity it's just the crazy people on buses I can't stand anymore. Cycling isn't an option as I have children. People were giving me a break down of the cost.this Will be automatic don't know if that makes a difference

OP posts:
Cupcakekiller · 12/12/2023 21:36

Why automatic?

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 21:37

Just preference

OP posts:
Smartiepants79 · 12/12/2023 21:40

Neriah · 12/12/2023 20:16

I'm a (disabled) driver. I needed a taxi a few weeks ago when my car was off the road. 9 miles each way. My employer has an account for such things, with lower rates ( which they pay). £70. For 18 miles round trip, during the day. Being an inexperienced driver is something you can get over. Paying taxis for life isn't.

It's public transport or learn to drive.

£70!! What?
I did a similar length trip at 11:30 at night last week and it cost me £30. Where do you live? Do you need a specific type of car? That’s extortionate.

QueSyrahSyrah · 12/12/2023 21:43

A preference for automatic will cost you more as it will reduce the cars available to you. If you learn and pass in a manual you can then buy any car.

I've been driving 20 years and have never paid anything like £500 a month, but I'd certainly run that amount up pretty fast if I swapped all my journeys to taxis.

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 21:44

Im only considering auto

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Mum2jenny · 12/12/2023 21:47

Def go for a manual as then you can drive either. I’ve got an automatic car, but I def prefer manual.

UsingChangeofName · 12/12/2023 22:06

QueSyrahSyrah · 12/12/2023 21:43

A preference for automatic will cost you more as it will reduce the cars available to you. If you learn and pass in a manual you can then buy any car.

I've been driving 20 years and have never paid anything like £500 a month, but I'd certainly run that amount up pretty fast if I swapped all my journeys to taxis.

This.

I agree that insurance is costly when you first start - though there are major factors that influence this, like your age, your postcode, and the car you drive - but this WILL come down. So, after a couple of years, it will be a LOT less that when you start. Whereas taxis will just keep on going up.

I mean, if you are already 65 / 70, then maye it isn't worth it, but if you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, or even 60s, it will have to be cheaper over the rest of your lifetime to be able to drive than to go everywhere in a taxi.

If you were asking to compare learning to drive, and then driving, with getting about on public transport then that would be a different question, but going everywhere in a taxi when you have an alternative, is ridiculous.

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 22:23

I don't know if people are just trying to put me off it feels that way. I've had people tell me you get just as many crazy people whilst driving. I'm sure you do but it's obviously safer as you could just drive off or lock your doors.

OP posts:
morellamalessdrama · 13/12/2023 06:25

I also can't see why it would cost anywhere near £500 month to run a car, unless they are all leasing them or have big car loans?

Our (fairly old) car is owned outright and costs the following:

Insurance £300 a year (it's not a fancy car, a 12 year old Zafira)
Tax £160 a year
MOT and service £200 a year
Petrol £75 a month (£900 a year)
Replacing tyres, general repairs £300 a year (estimate, sometimes a bit more and sometimes less)
Total £1860 a year which is £155 a month.

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 13/12/2023 06:37

I guess living in London will mean your costs are considerably higher with all the zones and stuff going on. However, the things that annoy you on the buses is going to be the same on the roads. The pushing in front and rudeness still happen. They push in and act with no regard for the safety of those around them. It’s just more frightening and potentially fatal when people do it in cars! I see startlingly rude and potentially deadly driving every day. You have to just let it go to keep yourself safe. So maybe you just need to reframe your feelings towards this happening to you. I don’t think your experience will be improved otherwise.

Groupofone · 13/12/2023 06:56

NightTimeRain · 12/12/2023 22:23

I don't know if people are just trying to put me off it feels that way. I've had people tell me you get just as many crazy people whilst driving. I'm sure you do but it's obviously safer as you could just drive off or lock your doors.

Hi I also live in London. I drive a Fiat 500 automatic and now that it's paid off it costs about £50 a month. I worked out insurance, resident parking (was £20 a year, went up to £100 last year) tax and MOT and spread over the year. You do have to build up your no claims though.
The problem with driving in London is that parking is difficult to find and expensive.
So if I went to the gym at 9 am on a Saturday it would cost me £7.50 to park on the street for an hour.
Overall it's worth it but I do still take the bus quite often because of the parking.

Original poster
NightTimeRain · 13/12/2023 09:46

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 13/12/2023 06:37

I guess living in London will mean your costs are considerably higher with all the zones and stuff going on. However, the things that annoy you on the buses is going to be the same on the roads. The pushing in front and rudeness still happen. They push in and act with no regard for the safety of those around them. It’s just more frightening and potentially fatal when people do it in cars! I see startlingly rude and potentially deadly driving every day. You have to just let it go to keep yourself safe. So maybe you just need to reframe your feelings towards this happening to you. I don’t think your experience will be improved otherwise.

When I tell my friends who are drivers the incidents I have on buses they can’t actually believe it happens, I guess loads of people squashed into a small space is going to cause arguments. It’s a regular occurrence and I’m pretty sick of it now. My driver friends are horrified so whilst I’m sure it does happen in cars I doubt it’s as frequent. Especially in a rough part of London where people seem to go out spoiling for a fight

OP posts:
Original poster
NightTimeRain · 13/12/2023 09:47

Groupofone · 13/12/2023 06:56

Hi I also live in London. I drive a Fiat 500 automatic and now that it's paid off it costs about £50 a month. I worked out insurance, resident parking (was £20 a year, went up to £100 last year) tax and MOT and spread over the year. You do have to build up your no claims though.
The problem with driving in London is that parking is difficult to find and expensive.
So if I went to the gym at 9 am on a Saturday it would cost me £7.50 to park on the street for an hour.
Overall it's worth it but I do still take the bus quite often because of the parking.

Show quote history

The people I know who drive never get the bus. I remember my sister complaining how she had to park a mile from the station as there was no parking near by I suggested she could get the bus as it was only 3 stops on the bus and she said god no I wouldn’t be seen dead on the bus.

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