With the price of fuel now rising steeply are members going to cut down on mileage now to save a bob or two?
I think it's going to be a very tough time for many people over the next year or so, given everything contributing to significant inflationary pressures, epsecially items like fuel and food that, for the most part, we cannot reduce our consumption by that much or changes to what we use.
For those of us already doing a low annual mileage, using the car even less actually can make the overall situation worse because the battery can fail through a lack of use or the brakes can bind or warp, meaning both may have to be rapired or replaced far sooner than normally the case.
I would say, where possible, it is far better to do fewer but longer trips to aid the above. In colder times, I use my car once a week to drive about 13 miles each way along the local dual carriageway to a town to do my grocery shopping, then every 2 weeks as it gets warmer, then perhaps every 3 in the warmest months.
I avoid short trips as much as possible as it depletes the battery and the mpg is far lower. This means I do a lot of walking when doing local shopping - good for my health as well. Not always possible for the less ambulant, whose cars are a lifeline.
I feel most sorry for those who live in rural areas and/or who's job / life means they have to do a lot of driving, never mind that many of them are likely to live in older, less well insulated homes and thus the gas and electrc price rises are going to hit them harder. Especially those on low incomes.
Perhaps it all will encourage more of a community spitit and work camaraderie to share resources, each car-sharing, taking turns to do a neighbour's shopping, even being more thrifty in general and buying goods that last rather than purely for aesthic reasons and/or that are poor quality and don't last long. A lot of that was lost appears to have been lost over the years.
I suspect the current issues could push some business under that rely on in-person trade, such as furniture stores, because many, especially in more rural areas, are away from towns and cities to save on rent.
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