What it costs to drive...

[SomeGuy]

Just thinking about this, here's a list of all the things we pay for the "privilege" of driving.

- The Vehicle & Depreciation
- Gasoline
- Regular Repairs/Maintenance (Oil Changes, Washer Fluid, Tires, Brakes, etc)
- Insurance
- Taxes (provincial/federal, to pay for our shitty roads, etc)
- Drivers License Fees
- License Plate and Yearly Plate Stickers
- Parking
- Bullshit Tickets (Parking, Speeding, etc)
- Washing/Cleaning

And most of them are total rip offs and money grabs...driving these days is an essential aspect of life and it should not be so god damn expensive. Why does the world have to have such a hate on for the car? It's seriously time the people stand up against the government and start to fix things!!!

[Takumi616]

yea your right about all those costs to owning a car, but without my car I can't bring home the bacon. So I guess it's well worth it! :)

[Hoodzy]

As much as I have a love for the car. I think cities need to push for better public transit. I would honestly prefer to be able to ride my bike to work or hop on a train and be to work in 10min then have to worry about parking and the rush hour.

As for you guys in Ontario.. you need to stop the butt hurt from your overpriced car insurance. Alberta was really really bad years ago and finally the government stepped in to stop them from being too greedy.
As well all over Canada with this war on speed. SUCH BS
Registration and licensing is a money grab that's for sure.

[ElectroJay]

As much as I have a love for the car. I think cities need to push for better public transit. I would honestly prefer to be able to ride my bike to work or hop on a train and be to work in 10min then have to worry about parking and the rush hour.

As for you guys in Ontario.. you need to stop the butt hurt from your overpriced car insurance. Alberta was really really bad years ago and finally the government stepped in to stop them from being too greedy.
As well all over Canada with this war on speed. SUCH BS
Registration and licensing is a money grab that's for sure.

I've been taking public transit to my current job for almost a year and a half. If public transit was more efficient, I wouldn`t have had my "I've had enough of this 2 hrs to get to work bs!" moment. Thus, I may not have purchased a car last week.

[Pillbox2010]

I've been taking public transit to my current job for almost a year and a half. If public transit was more efficient, I wouldn`t have had my "I've had enough of this 2 hrs to get to work bs!" moment. Thus, I may not have purchased a car last week.

Funny you say that, because I remember hearing on TV or in the paper that a study done on public transit states that it takes twice as long than driving through rush hour traffic, which is why most people drive.
Its a catch 22, the roads will lighten up if more people take transit, but people wont take transit until its quicker than it is now.

Anyways, I think the cost of driving is ridiculous but just think of how many More people would be on the roads if it was cheaper. Some people just don't deserve to drive, and the high costs help filter those out.

Lastly, I think most of the costs the Op listed are valid except for the licence plate sticker. Seriously, I cant think of one valid reason why I have to buy an $85 sticker to go on my license every year other than the provincial government wanting another slice of my pie.

[Fuyuzora]

Ostensibly, the validation sticker helps the MTO to keep tabs on drivers so there aren't "phantom plates" drifting around which are still valid despite being owned by someone long dead. Or so I would imagine.

EDIT: Woo, hit full member status! :D

[ElectroJay]

Funny you say that, because I remember hearing on TV or in the paper that a study done on public transit states that it takes twice as long than driving through rush hour traffic, which is why most people drive.
Its a catch 22, the roads will lighten up if more people take transit, but people wont take transit until its quicker than it is now.


You're right. Driving to work takes about 35-40 minutes on a reasonable day, traffic-wise. Compare that to a 1.25 hour TTC commute on a good day and up to 2 hours on a bad day. :S

When I first read your, "I remember hearing on TV or in the paper," intro, I thought you were going to mention the recently announced TTC service cuts. Even more delays and longer wait times to come? No thanks!

[SomeGuy]

See, the thing is I wouldn't mind paying more if the driving experience was better...ie we weren't hunted like animals trying to rip us off at every opportunity possible. Rather than making speeding such a crime, I'll pay $1000 extra a year to be able to drive however the **** I want (which is very responsible but above posted speed limits). Or hell, give me toll roads, I love the 407 because it's wide open almost all the time and just take away all the stupid restrictions on them ... there are reasons I would have no problem paying more to drive if it actually made driving less painful. Unfortunately most of the costs associated with driving do absolutely nothing at all to benefit the driver and do everything to make it painful.

[peterm15]

I assume you got a ticket.

Where as most people could handle a speed limit to 120 there are alot of people who cant. Imagine those idiots going 70 in a 120 zone instead of 100.

As well I just can't afford to pay an extra 1000 bucks a year to drive. I'm gouged enough.

[taz4432]

I assume you got a ticket.

Where as most people could handle a speed limit to 120 there are alot of people who cant. Imagine those idiots going 70 in a 120 zone instead of 100.

As well I just can't afford to pay an extra 1000 bucks a year to drive. I'm gouged enough.

If they can't and/or don't feel comfortable enough to drive the speed limit (at the very least) on the highway, they should be taking other routes to get to their destinations. I know plenty of people who get queasy at the thought of being behind the wheel on the highway and just don't do it. I admire people like this because they are keeping themselves and everyone else out of danger.
If the speed limits were changed (as unlikely as that is, unfortunately), then it is up to the drivers to decide if they are capable of being a safe part of traffic flow on the highway, and if they misjudge, hopefully the cops will do the right thing and get them off.

[joedemarco]

the problem isnt the ones that go fast, its the ones that are scared and drive too slow!!! If everyone drove in the appropriate lane for their speed and left the passing lanes for...ummmmm...passing, like they do in Europe then driving would be fantastic here!!! But there is always THAT GUY in a beige corrolla that has to do 101km/hr in the left lane...then when you come up on his ass at 120 and have to grab the brakes bc he doesnt want to move, thats the kind of actions that causes accidents.

The other problem is that cops are NEVER and I dont even want to hear an argument because your lying if you do (shhhhhhhh) NEVER does a cop pull over that idiot doing 90 on the hwy....EVER he gets the speeders...pisses me right ******* off.

rant complete, thank you

[loki]

:ttiwwp

[boyracer]

The automobile is if not the biggest money maker for all forms of government. Those bastards!

[SomeGuy]

I assume you got a ticket.

Where as most people could handle a speed limit to 120 there are alot of people who cant. Imagine those idiots going 70 in a 120 zone instead of 100.

As well I just can't afford to pay an extra 1000 bucks a year to drive. I'm gouged enough.

I did a month or so ago and it was a bullshit one that was undeserved (I was driving very reasonable and the speed limit dropped from 70 down to 50, and he pegged me there) but it's bothered me for a while that drivers (true drivers) are treated so poorly.

[chris.joh]

Just thinking about this, here's a list of all the things we pay for the "privilege" of driving.

- The Vehicle & Depreciation
- Gasoline
- Regular Repairs/Maintenance (Oil Changes, Washer Fluid, Tires, Brakes, etc)
- Insurance
- Taxes (provincial/federal, to pay for our shitty roads, etc)
- Drivers License Fees
- License Plate and Yearly Plate Stickers
- Parking
- Bullshit Tickets (Parking, Speeding, etc)
- Washing/Cleaning

And most of them are total rip offs and money grabs...driving these days is an essential aspect of life and it should not be so god damn expensive. Why does the world have to have such a hate on for the car? It's seriously time the people stand up against the government and start to fix things!!!


Forgot to add a category

-407!
-soon to be tolls in Toronto

[Mr Wilson]

-soon to be tolls in Toronto

Only for those pesky 905'ers who drive on our roads.

[zmz3]

You're right. Driving to work takes about 35-40 minutes on a reasonable day, traffic-wise. Compare that to a 1.25 hour TTC commute on a good day and up to 2 hours on a bad day. :S

When I first read your, "I remember hearing on TV or in the paper," intro, I thought you were going to mention the recently announced TTC service cuts. Even more delays and longer wait times to come? No thanks!

You are right. Taking transit does take a long time, I guess the way they look at this is, you are paying insurance/gas/monthly payments/taxes/fee/maintainence etc to arrive to work about 30min to 1hour early. Time is money :)

Transit does definately suck which is why i have xoomxoom, but it does save you money.

[Slade]

the problem isnt the ones that go fast, its the ones that are scared and drive too slow!!! If everyone drove in the appropriate lane for their speed and left the passing lanes for...ummmmm...passing, like they do in Europe then driving would be fantastic here!!! But there is always THAT GUY in a beige corrolla that has to do 101km/hr in the left lane...then when you come up on his ass at 120 and have to grab the brakes bc he doesnt want to move, thats the kind of actions that causes accidents.

The other problem is that cops are NEVER and I dont even want to hear an argument because your lying if you do (shhhhhhhh) NEVER does a cop pull over that idiot doing 90 on the hwy....EVER he gets the speeders...pisses me right ******* off.

rant complete, thank you

It's because that idiot doing 90 on the hwy is not over the speed LIMIT....There is hardly any highways in Ontario that I have seen a MINIMUM speed sign posted.

[5_Alive]

Ostensibly, the validation sticker helps the MTO to keep tabs on drivers so there aren't "phantom plates" drifting around which are still valid despite being owned by someone long dead. Or so I would imagine.

EDIT: Woo, hit full member status! :D

I'd love to agree with you, but they have kiosks where you can renew your plates, so them charging $74/year is retarded, period. You don't talk to no one or anything. Punch in some info, pay the fee and walk away with a sticker that dispenses automatically.
The government just wants to keep taking from the cookie jar. They need to be stopped.

[joedemarco]

It's because that idiot doing 90 on the hwy is not over the speed LIMIT....There is hardly any highways in Ontario that I have seen a MINIMUM speed sign posted.

I know what you mean, but they go through all this trouble to teach you to stay with the flow of traffic, at 90 in a 100km/hr zone your an obstruction to traffic...do these same people drive 30 in a 50....no they do 50 because they are scared of the high speeds or whatever there excuse is.

The hwy has a higher speed limit so that it can keep a higher pace of flow to help reduce traffic, for the most part, when someone is doing below the posted it pisses people off because it is an obstruction to traffic (anything out of the far right lane, which I still believe should be up to pace) people with road rage and this occurance is where accidents happen, if they would stay off the hwy and out of peoples way then everything would be smoother and we wouldnt have to deal with the BS.

my $0.02

[Hyperion]

Only for those pesky 905'ers who drive on our roads.
Lol. What?
Anyone know about this?

[turtle]

I'd love to agree with you, but they have kiosks where you can renew your plates, so them charging $74/year is retarded, period. You don't talk to no one or anything. Punch in some info, pay the fee and walk away with a sticker that dispenses automatically.
The government just wants to keep taking from the cookie jar. They need to be stopped.

this. knock the price down a bit, its ridiculous.

[Mr Wilson]

Lol. What? Anyone know about this?

Only idle talk. Up until I believe it's 2013, Regions (York, Peel, Halton) surrounding Toronto have paid a charge (called GTA Pooling). It was thought since many of these areas use ammenities + Provincial downloading of social programs, etc to CoT that these Regions should help foot the bill.

After 2013 there's a big hole in funding and as an election issue (past and I'm sure future) road tolls to Torontonians are a big no-no, so why not threaten/suggest to charge 905'ers who make use of CoT's infrastructure while not inputting into the City's coffers.

[ZeroChalk]

i think they should toll all the highways and use the money towards better public transportation. It'll be an incentive to take drivers off the road, reduce congestion, and improve public transportation. If you cannot afford it, take the bus or find a better / closer job. Win, win for everyone.

[Fuyuzora]

I'd love to agree with you, but they have kiosks where you can renew your plates, so them charging $74/year is retarded, period. You don't talk to no one or anything. Punch in some info, pay the fee and walk away with a sticker that dispenses automatically.
The government just wants to keep taking from the cookie jar. They need to be stopped.

Good point. Totally forgot about those kiosks. :S

- Sent from my Android smartphone using Tapatalk

[n00bMeiSter]

Don't forget the cost of road side assistance. and if you don't have it, the ridiculous cost of towing

[ElectroJay]

You are right. Taking transit does take a long time, I guess the way they look at this is, you are paying insurance/gas/monthly payments/taxes/fee/maintainence etc to arrive to work about 30min to 1hour early. Time is money :)

Transit does definately suck which is why i have xoomxoom, but it does save you money.

Exactly. The TTC travel times that I quoted include my 5 minute walk to the subway station. I can't imagine if I had to take a bus to the subway station lol

[n00bMeiSter]

Exactly. The TTC travel times that I quoted include my 5 minute walk to the subway station. I can't imagine if I had to take a bus to the subway station lol

I can, and it ****ing sucks. VIVA/YRT/GO. just to get to the TTC. Plus a 5-10 minute walk just to get to the crappy viva/yrt. 15 mins for a go bus.
Takes forever.

Hence why I bought a car. Plus I do a lot of driving around town too.

[ElectroJay]

I can, and it ****ing sucks. VIVA/YRT/GO. just to get to the TTC. Plus a 5-10 minute walk just to get to the crappy viva/yrt. 15 mins for a go bus.
Takes forever.

Hence why I bought a car. Plus I do a lot of driving around town too.

wow, your scenario is more hurting than mine haha. Driving FTW!

[Pillbox2010]

Let me tell you though, I used to bus everywhere and it SUCKED. Takes forever, have to wait in the extreme heat or cold, and you get loud/obnoxious/rude/smelly people near you that you just want to punch in the face.

I just drive now instead and I'll pay the high costs, deal with construction, traffic, idiot drivers, large trucks...It's still 100x better than busing every day.

[n00bMeiSter]

wow, your scenario is more hurting than mine haha. Driving FTW!

Yeah, working having to get up at 4am to be downtown for 7 is ****ing terrible, and then being stuck downtown until almost midnight blows. Thank god I don't have to do that anymore.




Let me tell you though, I used to bus everywhere and it SUCKED. Takes forever, have to wait in the extreme heat or cold, and you get loud/obnoxious/rude/smelly people near you that you just want to punch in the face.

Yup.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjTZvk2j6m0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjTZvk2j6m0

[ElectroJay]

Yeah, working having to get up at 4am to be downtown for 7 is ****ing terrible, and then being stuck downtown until almost midnight blows. Thank god I don't have to do that anymore.


You've trumped me on this one. Taking public transit, I would get up at 6am to get to work by 8 :S

[Mr Wilson]

Can't even think of how to get to work from Runnymede station to Green Lane and Woodbine by transit.....

[ElectroJay]

Can't even think of how to get to work from Runnymede station to Green Lane and Woodbine by transit.....

I must be missing something because I only see Green Lane run from Bayview to Leslie :S

[Mr Wilson]

Green Lane at the top end of the 404, go a block east is Woodbine.

[ElectroJay]

Green Lane at the top end of the 404, go a block east is Woodbine.

ohhhh.... lol. At the top end of the 404. I was scrolling so far up and up that I thought I'd end up in Nunavut :P

[n00bMeiSter]

Can't even think of how to get to work from Runnymede station to Green Lane and Woodbine by transit.....

Yeah, you'd be screwed royally lol.

I can't believe you do that drive every day, that's brutal.

[Mr Wilson]

At least it's against traffic. From Hwy 9 and the 400 south even at 7 am it's bumper to bumper south to T.O.

[Slade]

I think it all depends on the scenario and if what is more efficient.

Ie; I live in Burlington, when I go downtown to the city for Jays game or a concert, I would much rather spend the $16 for a GO pass then drive there and pay $20+ for parking, + the $20 or $30 I would spend in gas, and I can drink and what not and not have to worry about getting home, I just have to make the 3-4km walk from the go station to my place.

I live under 9km from from my work, and I can drive back and forth for under $30 a week(if just going to work and back), it would probably cost me more than that for transit, and a lot more time and frustration, and I would probably get lost lol.

Depending on where and what you are going to do, driving can be cheaper for "right now" cost, and save a lot of time.

I also know people who don't have their license or a car and do just find taking public transit everywhere.

Another point to add is I grew up in a small town with no public transit, and nothing to do in the town, and the closest town was 20min drive, and the closes "city" was 30-40mins to drive, so when I was old enough to get my license I did, or else I would be riding a bike for a couple hours to get anywhere.