We’re quite lucky, Mrs NBT and I, in that we share the driving duties when we go out – I drive there, and she drives home. This is win-win as it means we can get there safely and without much fuss, then I can get drunk on two pints before being driven home without fear of a chat with the police. Oh, Mrs NBT doesn’t drink so it’s not like I’m having all the fun while she sits miserably looking at me and wishing me ill. Well, not for that reason anyway.

At the moment however we’re in a bit of a pickle, I’m doing all the driving as Mrs NBT is recovering from a broken arm and is not currently fit to drive. To date this hasn’t been a massive issue as we’ve only had one social occasion which has required us to travel and that was on a bus route from NBT towers to the pub in question (well, barring a short walk either end). This ten minute bus ride cost us £2.50 per person per trip – so £10 over all. The bus did have free wifi though so that makes it ok for a bus to be so expensive, doesn’t it? I rmember all bus journies being 10 when I were a nipper….

This weekend however we’ve been invited to an occasion which, while only 7 miles away (or a 7 mile ride along the canal – not currently an option with the injury Mrs NBT suffered), requires convoluted travelling where public transport is involved – either a bus then a walk then a train (journey time just over an hour), or two buses via the nearby major town (journey time approaching an hour and a half).

Given this I thought I might drive over, then take a taxi home at the end of the evening. I can get the car the next morning easily enough, as I said it’s only a few miles along the canal.

Now it’s been several years since I took a taxi, with the exception of fixed-rate taxis to the airport, so I’ve no idea how much they cost now. A quick check online throws up this site

http://yourtaximeter.com/

The site suggests that this taxi journey will cost me £18.25. That’s one way.

Is it me? That seems like it’s quite expensive. The site suggests that a taxi to the airport should cost £30 while the fixed rate taxis costs us £16 (I think), but that was a few years ago. Are they perhaps using generic rates which are higher than I might expect?

Or is it just me being northern and tight and I should either suck it up, or stay sober and drive?

That will be a metered cab, Mini cabs (advance booking) will be cheaper.

(in answer to your question) Yestderday. And will be again in 40 mins. Work is paying though 🙂

Or, drive there, get pissed, cab home, ride back next morning and drive home (assuming you are under the limit)

I dont really go out,

well maybe cinema, but seeing as this is london and tube runs till 12 and buses all night its not an issue

if we do out ‘large’ tube on the way in, cab back from central london to west london at 3amish is usually £40+/- for a 10mile trip

Just ring around a few local cab places.

The people we normally use to get home from Peterborough after a night on the sauce charge around £12. That’s about 8 miles. It has been as low as £10 and as high as £14 though. And heaven forbid you stay out until after midnight as the prices immediately double!!

If you get a cab in Cambridge, even a couple of miles costs you a tenner.

Marple & taxis are horrible prices – usually why i end up walking every time, plus i’m tight with money. Think they are used to ferrying around the drunk golf lot!

If all goes well i’ll be driving again this weekend – i do lifts 17.25 😈

Marple & taxis are horrible prices – usually why i end up walking every time, plus i’m tight with money. Think they are used to ferrying around the drunk golf lot!

If all goes well i’ll be driving again this weekend – i do lifts 17.25 😈

Hmmm, interesting website. I’ve booked a taxi for Saturday night, to get back to our B&B after a wedding. Going to cost us £15. The website suggests £12.65.
Given that the website doesn’t realise that one of the roads is closed due a landslip so there’s a longer diversion to follow, and also that its in the arse-end of nowhere which isn’t easy at midnight on a saturday, that’s a surprisingly reassuring quote.

Likewise, walking back to get the car the following morning. Not only a child-free boozy night, a night in a B&B not being woken up be children (hopefully with the added benefit that brings) but also a pleasant sunday morning walk in the countryside without having to play hide-and-seek or I-spy for ages, or bribe people to walk with the promise of sweets. Luxury. 🙂

Just get a cab home & pay what it costs, spend the time you waste thinking about it doing something better

Very rarely use a taxi either. Seem to recall rates were pretty eye watering in Edinburgh. Last time I used a taxi here in Elgin was to get my mum home (about a mile and half away) after I’d started the car whereupon the clutch cable promptly snapped.

That was IIRC about £4, Saturday early evening. So maybe £18.25 for a 7 mile ride is maybe not far off the mark.

Rickshaw?

A couple of weeks ago after a night out in that Manchester.

About £6.00 for three and a half, four miles?
I was a very nice Toyota though, and didn’t smell like anyone had thrown up in it for ages.

Last Saturday, and will again at the weekend. Not in that London, but in the South East.

3.5 miles at midnight = £8.80

Proper cost per mile of motoring including depreciation/tyres/insurance etc etc etc is over 50p a mile. And the driver deserves some dosh.

I think my best was around £1000 for 10 days in Stockholm – thats what happens if you put me in a hotel miles from where I’m working with the only public transport options taking over 2 hours each way on top of working 12 hour days.

With my own money I can’t remember.

Last Sunday Lunchtime, but that was the first time for….. wow many many years, thinking about it.

The GF and I wanted to walk the section of Cotswold Way from Chipping Campden to Stanton. We drove to Stanton, parked the car and got in a pre-booked taxi to take us to Chipping Campden. Then walked back to the car.

It was a very rural (and leisurely) taxi drive of c.10miles and cost £18. Had to be done, though.

Minicab, pre booked for cheapness, or tow the patient up and down the canal in a kayak?

Have an alcohol free night.It really is possible to have a good time.
And you will save on the cab fee home.
Plus the added bonus of the car being at home the following day.

Last week, 3am, taxi journey of about 5 miles cost about £12. The buses cost about £4 to the same place but don’t run at that time in the morning. This was from the town to the next village.

June 2012 after a New Model Army gig in Bradford. Left the car at home, train in was aiming to get train home but they were still on stage when it was time to leave, so I stayed.

time before that? er. might have been before I could drive. I passed my test in ’91

big fuss about nothing ! phone a local cab company and ask doh !

stop showing off that you and your mrs have a social life…

We live 7/8 ish miles out of derby and when we go in its usually a taxi home. We both like a beer so see no ill in that, but its usually just short of 20 quid. Does piss me off but picks me up where I want and drops me at the door. Sometimes depending on level of steamingness we get the late bus which is 3 quid each. It drops us off just under a mile from home, we are always the last to get off and you can guarantee ill try and bribe the driver to take a detour as there are no more pick ups. I’ve walked that mile every time…

For bang on 7 miles it costs me £5, Perks of being a regular and friends with the owner of the local taxi firm.

I’m always amazed how much Taxis cost, but I know that the drivers earn a pittance for the hours they work. I had a lodger who was a minicab driver and he had to work very long days to make ends meet.

The taxman reckons a car costs about 45p a mile to run, so for your 7 miles (return trip for the taxi driver @14) just to cover his costs is £6.30. So that leaves about £12. How long will the journey take? Maybe half an hour? so an hour including his return, that’s £12 an hour, but we have not taken out the cost of paying the dispatcher/taxi company. Plus void period throughout the day. I cannot see taxi drivers making big money, thus £18.25 sounds pretty reasonaable..

toys, you forgot he has to buy the vehicle, maintain it, insure it, tax it.

Cars are really expensive things. People only ever factor in the cost of petrol not all the other associated costs. My wife an I sold one car on the basis we could spend £1000 on taxis in a year and it would still be cheaper than buying and running a second car.

£10 from poynton to my house on Saturday….that’s about 6 miles..

jonba, no I didn’t, the taxmans 45p a mile is the cost of ownership, complete..

last Saturday night, 2 miles 3 quid
Saturday before after midnight, 10 miles 12 quid

The social life, it is made up I think otherwise you wouldn’t be posting about it on here. same with all those who claim to actually ride a mountain bike.

More helpfully that is a bad quote even if you live in the south for that kind of journey. Edited due to misrread of op

Last time I was in a taxi, was last time I was pissed, probably. Might seem expensive but as an alternative to sleeping in a ditch there’s a lot going for it.

ah I forgot about the taxis to the airport and back!

that would be early July this year then, returning from holiday in Donegal & Dublin

Prices are set by the council for taxis and the rates can be found on your council website

http://www.mendip.gov.uk/article/2046/Hackney-Carriage-Vehicle—Taxi

I hate taxis. Got one to the station a couple of weeks ago. Rode my bike subsequently, much more fun.

4 times today either end of train journeys. Work is paying for it though.

It’s a little pricey but not miles off. Taxi’s are expensive.

Drive there and back, drink really fast when you get home.

Here’s what we do.

I drive wherever we’re going. We take it in turns to drive back. If it’s my turn I drive back. If it’s my wife’s turn she’ll either
a) Get a lash in her eye meaning she can’t drive so she might as well drink.
b) Realise it’s a special event and decide she would like to have a drink after all.

And when I say drink, I mean a tiny glass of beer which is enough for her to get completely bladdered on.

Samuri that is diabolical. No man would get away with such behavior.

social life? Who said social life, this is our one and only annual trip out

I have persuaded nbt that he can survive the night without a couple of ales and survive 🙂

Getting a Taxi 2 miles from home 😯 Walk the beer off a bit!

The last time I took a taxi was in on my stag do- and I ended up paying!

Cheers,
Jamie