Vroom Vroom Or Not That Is The Question

Today is when our machine, The Flying Shed, is undergoing its annual service and MOT. It is when a man has to do what a man has to do.

This means getting up early and going off to the garage to face up to the man with the frown who sucks his teeth loudly saying, “Is it that old?”

At one time this would have meant a 1930’s car still running in the 1950 or 60’s. Now it means something over five years old with hopelessly outdated locking and microchip control systems.
Then, later in the day there is the dreaded call, very polite and in counselling mode. “We’ve found one or two things that need doing”. He gives me the figures.

In my mind a number of hoped for outings are promptly cancelled.

There is a deep irony in this. We have the car so we can get out more. But the cost of the car means that we cannot go out so much.

The garage has let me have a courtesy car for the day, one of their new models.

It is a lovely, easy and comfortable car to be in and to drive.

The problem is that the cash cost would be more than my first ten years income.

And if we bought it we could not afford to go out in it.

I understand that over a million people have given up their cars in the last year.