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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you take the bus or pay for parking?

42 replies

Springhun · 22/04/2018 11:47

Please tell me what you would do.

Imagine you Work about 15 miles away. Your options are either:

A) half hour drive, leaving at 8:15. You spend about £65 a month on petrol and £110 a month on parking. You’d get home around 6:15 or so

B) taking the bus to work. This takes around an hour, leaving at 7:30 and getting home at around 6:40. During the school holidays it is quiet but during term it is packed with school kids. This costs £90 a month.

I like you go for B to save around £90 a month?

OP posts:
PookieDo · 22/04/2018 11:50

I really am bad at getting up in the mornings so I think the answer for me would be option 1 with the car, although I know I should choose option 2 to save money

I would try to find some cheaper parking alternative! I like to have the car so I can stop and get shopping etc

Also you already pay for car insurance etc, would getting the bus still not be factoring in you still pay for a car you don’t use?

champagneplanet · 22/04/2018 11:51

Time is precious for me in the morning as I have to get DCs to school/childcare and collect as well so option B wouldn't exist for me.

If you don't mind the bus and can relax and read/listen to music then great but our bus service is terrible and they aren't the nicest so I think even I would go for A even if I didn't have the DCs to sort out.

That's still a fairly hefty chunk of your wages to go on commuting though.

champagneplanet · 22/04/2018 11:53

Could you drive part way and then park somewhere cheaper and then bus/walk the rest of the way? Car share maybe?

milkjetmum · 22/04/2018 11:55

Yes agree investigate parking options, there may be a private driveway you can rent 5 mins walk away. Or my council allows you to buy monthly car park passes which work out cheaper than daily rates.

flowerslemonade · 22/04/2018 11:55

The car

And yes, look on google maps or elsewhere to see if you can find free, unlimited parking, even if it was a bit of a walk etc.

SilverHairedCat · 22/04/2018 11:55

Option A, because I hate being tied to schedules and love the freedom of my own transportation.

But I'd be looking for alternative parking options including parking further away.

PotteringAlong · 22/04/2018 11:57

I’d go for a because of the flexibility.

Aprilmightbemynewname · 22/04/2018 11:57

Car.
Last time I took a bus after dropping car at garage (and return journey Envynot envy) I seriously had travel sickness for the rest of the week!! Never again.
Seriously the company must have recruited drivers from Formula 1.

maskingtape · 22/04/2018 11:59

Option C - month doing A, month doing B alternated.

ThePants999 · 22/04/2018 11:59

So if you just look at the time saved, never mind any other factors, you're losing nearly 30 hours a month of your free time to save £90. Would I pay £3 an hour for extra free time? Hell yes.

EthelHornsby · 22/04/2018 12:00

Get a bike?

Oliversmumsarmy · 22/04/2018 12:04

Either find cheaper parking or find even cheaper parking a few miles out and get a bike rack and bike the rest of the way

ScattyCharly · 22/04/2018 12:04

You lose 1 hour 10 mins per day by taking the bus.

So essentially would you pay £85 extra (difference between car and bus) to:

A) Gain an hour and ten mins every day (priceless if you have kids)
B) Travel in comfort, silence and privacy

Absolutely I would pay the £85. And if that meant going without other “luxuries” such as a takeaway or some posh makeup etc then I’d go without them.

Ariela · 22/04/2018 12:08

I would either
c) Cycle. This wouldn't take much less time than the bus, but might not be possible due to the route also is there anywhere to change /shower/wash at work?
or d) go by motorcycle (I know this might not be an option for everybody) as the parking is always a lot cheaper/free and the fuel far less

TeenTimesTwo · 22/04/2018 12:10

Drive in term time and bus in school holidays?

Somtamthai · 22/04/2018 12:14

Car.

Your own space, music, and smell.

I hate the bus because of the rudeness of other people.

Busses can be full, late or cancelled.

Car all the way. Also my time is worth more than £3 an hour.

notenoughbottletonight · 22/04/2018 12:15

Definitely car! All that wasted time sat on a bus, no thanks!

DontTouchTheMoustache · 22/04/2018 12:15

Parkpedia is great for finding cheaper parking, I recently was able to reduce mine by £55 per month by adding a ten min wallk each way

daffodildelight · 22/04/2018 12:20

It would depend on my finances.

MereDintofPandiculation · 22/04/2018 12:25

The answers to this thread really explain why we have such a traffic and pollution problem in our cities!

KurriKurri · 22/04/2018 12:34

I'd get the bus - hate driving at that time of day. I'd take my kindle have a nice read on the bus and arrive at work feeling unhassled and relaxed.

Depends if you have kids and what age they are though.

KurriKurri · 22/04/2018 12:37

I agree with you MereDint

Bizarrely I got told off yesterday by my neighbour for 'underusing' my car - by which he meant he'd seen me walking into town (it's a mile away- 15 mins walk tops !!)

bobstersmum · 22/04/2018 12:38

Drive everytime.

Lostin3dspace · 22/04/2018 12:40

C) Buy electric bike. This way, you don't arrive at work drenched in sweat

Flutist · 22/04/2018 12:50

I'd take the car. It's worth £90 to save an hour a day and have the convenience and flexibility of a car. Plus you'd have the car to use at weekends too. Some of the things I've seen on buses are awful (people fighting, urinating on seats, etc) and they can be late or cancelled, not to mention the stinky or otherwise unpleasant people you often have to sit beside.