diesel is getting expensive

[Eli]

Trucks are kinda like boots, you have a pair to work in that get torn up, and a pair you take good care of so you can go anywhere without being ashamed to be seen in them. 

John

There was a time I probably would have agreed with you, I had two trucks in Cali myself, an F350 crew 4x diesel, and an Isuzu Rodeo. Now I'm having a really hard time justifying a second vehicle for the family here! After all, we can walk to school, the market, and the train line (which is not perfect, but covers a lot of ground here in Melbourne).

Sure it's inconvenient to walk, but it's loads cheaper in both short and long term costs. I like to think of the operation costs of a vehicle here as more 'real'. Gas is AU$1.50 a litre right now here (that's about USD$5.30/gal with all the conversions), and everything I'm reading says crude will be $200 a barrel in the next 7-10 years. That will probably work out to $8-9/gal (or more!). The road costs are about 15% higher here, registration reflects the part of road liability that the gov't covers and then you need add'l insurance on top of that. I'll most likely be getting a trailer for materials, all the Gray boxes fit in the CRV with room to spare.

You'll really be able to keep that F150 spotless when it doesn't go anywhere at all anymore, let alone anywhere dirty. 

Sorry, I know that's a wet blanket rant, I'm not trying to specifically persecute you, but at some point we do need to be a bit less flip about cars. They aren't much like boots at all. The results are in, we need to change or we'll be forced to change. Party's almost over.  :-[

 

[joraft]

Sorry, I know that's a wet blanket rant, I'm not trying to specifically persecute you, but at some point we do need to be a bit less flip about cars. They aren't much like boots at all.

Not being flip, Eli. I do understand the issues. And I'm sure you understand the challenges of getting around in Los Angeles.

Don't forget that I can only drive one truck at a time, and that's usually the one that gets the best mileage. The other one can pull a house down and gets only 8 mpg, but its carbon footprint is zero when it sits, which is most of the time. And, my wife's car is a hybrid, which gets driven the most of all. So, our average mileage for the household is probably better than most.

And I'm sorry too, but to me my trucks are just like my boots (of which I can also only use one pair at a time).  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

John

 

[dirtydeeds]

yes eli's got it originally it meant range rovers now its any large luxury 4x4

chelsea is one of the most expensive areas in london

its always a second car used primarily for getting kids to school by mums and they have never seen mud in their lives

tractor = a vastly expensive vehicle thats too large, overpowered and cant manover on urban roads (for cant manouver read a mum who would be safer driving a toyota yaris)

chelsea tractor is also a metaphor for gas guzzler

 

[dirtydeeds]

graphex i missed your mud slinging comment first time round

but not the second time  ;D

 

[Eli]

Sorry, I know that's a wet blanket rant, I'm not trying to specifically persecute you, but at some point we do need to be a bit less flip about cars. They aren't much like boots at all.

Not being flip, Eli. I do understand the issues. And I'm sure you understand the challenges of getting around in Los Angeles.

Don't forget that I can only drive one truck at a time, and that's usually the one that gets the best mileage. The other one can pull a house down and gets only 8 mpg, but its carbon footprint is zero when it sits, which is most of the time. And, my wife's car is a hybrid, which gets driven the most of all. So, our average mileage for the household is probably better than most.

And I'm sorry too, but to me my trucks are just like my boots (of which I can also only use one pair at a time).  That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

John

Points accepted. 

 

[Forrest Anderson]

yes eli's got it originally it meant range rovers now its any large luxury 4x4

chelsea is one of the most expensive areas in london

its always a second car used primarily for getting kids to school by mums and they have never seen mud in their lives

tractor = a vastly expensive vehicle thats too large, overpowered and cant manover on urban roads (for cant manouver read a mum who would be safer driving a toyota yaris)

chelsea tractor is also a metaphor for gas guzzler

Since we seem to be on the subject of derogatory terms for certain categories of motorists in the UK, I'll add another - White Van Man.

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Wikipedia entry:
"White van man" is a stereotype, a usually pejorative term used in the United Kingdom to describe aggressive, thoughtless drivers of light commercial vehicles. Such vehicles are almost always painted white at the factory - in order to facilitate easy sign-writing on the panelled sides - and as such, the colour is very popular among van buyers. Drivers of un-lettered white vans are often thought of as having poor road manners, cutting off other road users and generally failing to drive safely. The term is therefore used to refer generally to aggressive van driving, extremely fast driving speeds and is not usually specific in its target.

The stereotypical "white van man" is often thought to be a self-employed or small businessman, often a builder, carpenter or a plumber. His vehicle of choice is the popular Ford Transit light panel van.
---------

Chelsea Tractors, White Van Man - where would we be without stereotypes, huh?   :

Forrest

 

[dirtydeeds]

being a self employed carpenter i drive MY transit with dark glasses  8)      so nobody recognises me  ;D  ;D

another stereotype british driver. the flat cap driver..    clearly he wears a flat cap and always has driving gloves

hes rich enough to buy a lambourgini or ferrari outright, then drives the damm thing at 35mph on outside lane of the motorway

highway code in england. motorway driving, MINIMUM speed limit 30 mph, maximum legal  :  is 70  and what is termed undertaking is illegal (using the middle or inside lane)

so when you undertake flat cap man you get you done for dangerous driving IE get you banned

white transits are driven at a mimimum of 90 mph          ;D ;D
sprinters do over 120mph.................... what else do you expect from a mercedes van 

 

[dirtydeeds]

correction

transits (should be) driven flat out............................... 90 mph is the minimum speed

 

[JJ Wavra]

being a self employed carpenter i drive MY transit with dark glasses  8)       so nobody recognises me  ;D  ;D

another stereotype british driver. the flat cap driver..    clearly he wears a flat cap and always has driving gloves

hes rich enough to buy a lambourgini or ferrari outright, then drives the damm thing at 35mph on outside lane of the motorway

highway code in england. motorway driving, MINIMUM speed limit 30 mph, maximum legal  :  is 70  and what is termed undertaking is illegal (using the middle or inside lane)

so when you undertake flat cap man you get you done for dangerous driving IE get you banned

white transits are driven at a mimimum of 90 mph          ;D ;D
sprinters do over 120mph.................... what else do you expect from a mercedes van 

That is the same by where I live. There is some rather afluent areas around me and so you will see some ferraris and lambos.  Of all the time I have been driving I think that only one or two of those cars actually passed me.  As a side note, I don't drive fast but those high performance machines are driven even slower.

My brother and I call the big suvs kiddy cruisers, because undoubtly a mom is driving her kids some where while tailgating you and then rolling the stops signs.  God forbid the kids are late soccer practice.

JJ

 

[dirtydeeds]

jj youve got it  "kiddy cruisers"

that's a really good definition for chelsea tractors /  toorak tractors

its not too,,,,,,,,, rude                    but it is abusive enaugh not to be a compliment

as for being late for football practice........................... well said that man

 

[kmhphoto]

that's a really good definition for chelsea tractors /  toorak tractors

I drive a Chelsea Tractor - Range Rover - and every time I fill it up at ?120 -$240 - I think of all the help I'm giving to the illegal immigrants that are coming through the Channel Tunnel. Excuse me if that's not a politically correct statement.

 

[dirtydeeds]

if illegal immigrants get in your vehicle, make sure YOU are not driving

the law as it stands here is there is a 10,000 pound fine for EACH illegal immigrant

(about 20,000 dollars american) is levied on the DRIVER, not the owner of the vehicle

 

[kmhphoto]

if illegal immigrants get in your vehicle, make sure YOU are not driving

the law as it stands here is there is a 10,000 pound fine for EACH illegal immigrant

(about 20,000 dollars american) is levied on the DRIVER, not the owner of the vehicle

I did suggest to the Immigration Department that this a totally unfair practice and that if they really wanted to stop immigrants arriving in the back of lorries then they should insist that all exhaust pipes terminate in the trailer - they never replied  ;D

 

[dirtydeeds]

there is a problem with this strategy

flowers from holland wilt on the way over