Life Immobile

[That title makes it sound like I'm disabled or unable to move. It's actually neither. I just thought it would make an interesting header]

Back in July, I lost Rowdy. That's the name for the Peugeot 306 that my niece kindly gave to me before she started her travels back last year. I took Rowdy to the garage for the yearly MOT. They told me Rowdy was very sick. Would probably not survive. That is not without a large injection of cash - were talking about £500+ (and my garage always underestimates to a quite alarming degree). So, with much heartache, I had to put Rowdy down. Or at least cancel the tax/insurance and make sure I left him in a place that would safely be considered "off-road" for legal purposes. Currently outside Stu's flat in Rumney. And just when I want some lout to nick it, no bastard would. You just can't rely on the youth of today, eh?

But I made the most of old Rowdy - he got us safely down to my nephew's wedding party in Hampshire at the end of the month and back (his last big trip) no problem. And I do miss him. Little money trap that he was.

So what now? Well, I've embraced public transport. And I have to be honest, it's pretty good.  Cardiff Bus offer a particularly good deal where you can get a weekly ticket for Fourteen of my hard earned Pounds and it gets me unlimited travel around Cardiff for seven days. AND to Newport (where I work) and back as well! How good is that!!

But what about trips to the family home in Abingdon I hear you ask? Well, I have to rely on Great Western Rail for that, which is pretty pricey. Not so bad if I travel after six o'clock. And to be honest, it's quite nice just to sit back and watch the countryside roll by instead of having to focus on an infinite piece of tarmac. I can enjoy a glass of wine and everything! How cool is that!! There's a lot to be said for this public transport lark, I must say.

Inevitably though I will succumb and get myself yet another vehicle at some point. I have been through four different cars since 2003. It's the MOT that kills them off. Why can't we just run cars until they fall apart on the road??

As a somewhat ironic footnote to this, I have to attend a 'Speed Awareness Course' in a week's time. I was caught doing 35 in a 30mph zone on Newport Road into Cardiff a couple of months back and now have the choice of attending the course or having three points on my licence. The irony is that I no longer have a car. Ha!