Will high fuel prices change your game travelling habits?
martin :)
Not really.
I doubt that having the extra cost will effect my decisions to go to this or that show. Not being one to spend all day doing a game leaves shows with little apart from the trade stands and their reluctance to have "bargains" means all the costs of travel and admission overtakes the postage considerably. I think this may effect traders decision on if they will attend. How would you take this into account Martin?
As for going to gaming events would not be effected though. Still going to hit Weymouth/Poole and my local club pretty much at will.
Derek
Quote from: martin goddard on March 08, 2022, 06:00:28 PM
Will high fuel prices change your game travelling habits?
martin :)
Nope. I hardly get out to play anyway. I might just buy fewer figures to offset the cost of travel, though ;)
Simon
No, as I don't currently play away from home, but I did buy an electric car last year - and yes, I do expect electricity costs will rise too owing to gas fired power stations.
I doubt it. I don't much go to my local club anymore as it more or less folded during the lockdowns. The half dozen members left play at a gaming shop now which is a good 30 minute drive. I play a few games in town with a friend, my son and the rest is painting and solo games. Can't say as I will be travelling to many shows now either - enough figures to keep me going for a good few years.
would like a meet up at Antwerp though if that ever restarts.
I'm in much the same boat as Noggin in nowadays mostly painting and solo gaming with little in the way of travelling to shows (only by public transport anyway). I've enough figures to work on and be buried with me in due course like the terracotta army...
At present only gaming with foot armies and those mounted on horses. The stabling is a bit pricy!!
I see the prices levelling and then staying quite high.
This might well damage shows in terms of traders travelling a long way (which many do ) and smaller shows not being bothered with by visitors.
A real kick in the shins for local gaming shows.
martin :)
Quote from: martin goddard on March 08, 2022, 06:00:28 PM
Will high fuel prices change your game travelling habits?
martin :)
I think that might depend on how high the price goes. I had already factored in a 160p fuel price into the 2022 budget so currently the situation is manageable but I do, surprisingly for a Londoner, a 50 mile round trip for a game. This represents a significant cost.
The greater concern is how matters in the Ukraine develop. Our hobby means we are all aware of how wars develop and spread following a logic of their own. Evidently President Putin does not, failing to appreciate that what happens in a few small states in the Caucasus Mountains does not reflect what will happen in starting a war in Eastern Europe involving a major country. Presumably with pressure mounting on raw material costs as well as energy, the price of figures will be rising too!
Quote from: Leman (Andy) on March 09, 2022, 08:09:36 AM
No, as I don't currently play away from home, but I did buy an electric car last year - and yes, I do expect electricity costs will rise too owing to gas fired power stations.
As the Mayor of London is in the process of forcing all of Greater London to go electric I would be interested in learning more, such as which car!
https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-sets-out-london-wide-ulez-plans
I am thinking of buying a solar car.
12m of solar cells with a buggy undernerath.
3m wide and 4m long
I will only go out on nice sunny days.
Sorted.
martin ???
Mine is a Renault Twingo, currently unavailable in the UK as far as I am aware. It is a small runabout approximately the same sort of size as an Aygo and more room in the back than a Fiat 500. Charging has to be done at public charge points as I live in a flat, but this is not a problem in the Netherlands.
Running costs vary as the battery goes further in warmer weather. Cold winter weather approx 130Km on full charge. Middle of summer up to another 100Km. There is a useful low battery light on the dashboard that kicks in at 20%. Can get up to around 90% charged after about 50 minutes. Usually go for a walk with the dog, shopping or a coffee when it is charging.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51929783758_09f60bda17.jpg)
Longest journey so far has been a 180km round trip into Germany. Car was charged at the destination and again about 3/4 of the way back on a fast charger just to be on the safe side. Fast charger gave a half hour break for a coffee. There is an eco mode, which I always use, which means the car cannot go above 106kph.
Quote from: Leslie BT on March 09, 2022, 05:21:40 PM
At present only gaming with foot armies and those mounted on horses. The stabling is a bit pricy!!
Good point Les. I'm expecting to see more chariots on the streets - and maybe the odd elephant? - as petrol prices continue to rise.
Simon
Better high energy costs then my house bombed and cities destroyed
Stewart
I am a fan of electric cars as a concept but where is the electricity going to come from to charge them if we all buy one?
Question though Andy. How quick does the battery go down if driving at night in cold weather?
Derek
Hi guys,
As an alternative to petrol or diesel Hydrogen is very good. It's produced by the electrolysis or water which can be done using off peak electricity. Typical range is around 300 miles, refuelling time is the same as petrol or diesel. The drawbacks in the UK is the lack of filling stations and the government doesn't seem interested in backing Hydrogen.
The big mistake manufacturers have made with electric cars is you cannot swap the battery pack for one that has been charged off the vehicle. Just imagine driving into a service station, a technician opens a hatch in the car removes the depleted battery, slots in a fully charged one then you pay and go, in around 15 minutes. All that's required is for manufacturers to get together and agree on a small range of standard battery packs.
The rising fuel cost is going to affect my gaming opportunities, I can't afford to buy a more modern, hybrid,or electric car without making sacrifices elsewhere. So I doubt I'll be attending any shows this year and I'll reduce the frequency of my visits to the wargames club.
Best wishes,
Martin Buck
Quote from: Leman (Andy) on March 10, 2022, 11:14:29 AM
Mine is a Renault Twingo, currently unavailable in the UK as far as I am aware. It is a small runabout approximately the same sort of size as an Aygo and more room in the back than a Fiat 500. Charging has to be done at public charge points as I live in a flat, but this is not a problem in the Netherlands.
Running costs vary as the battery goes further in warmer weather. Cold winter weather approx 130Km on full charge. Middle of summer up to another 100Km. There is a useful low battery light on the dashboard that kicks in at 20%. Can get up to around 90% charged after about 50 minutes. Usually go for a walk with the dog, shopping or a coffee when it is charging.
Longest journey so far has been a 180km round trip into Germany. Car was charged at the destination and again about 3/4 of the way back on a fast charger just to be on the safe side. Fast charger gave a half hour break for a coffee. There is an eco mode, which I always use, which means the car cannot go above 106kph.
Many thanks. Very interesting; not available in the UK, as you said. Presumably we have BREXIT to thank for that as we are no longer in the market so they are required to service the UK. I have my eye on the Renault Zoe but am open to all information and ideas; we will be taking a hard look at the market next week. Minimum endurance for us is 200km in adverse weather.
In respect of speed limiting does that mean higher speeds require disproportionate power input so, as with fossil fuels, you get a lower mileage the faster you go? How big a hit is temperature variation?
Quote from: Moggy on March 10, 2022, 02:36:37 PM
I am a fan of electric cars as a concept but where is the electricity going to come from to charge them if we all buy one?
Question though Andy. How quick does the battery go down if driving at night in cold weather?
Derek
Less quickly if you drive carefully in B3 so that some energy is returned to the battery. I drove home from Groningen to Delfzijl with about 18% at 3a.m. on Christmas morning using B3. The distance was about 25km and I still had 4% when I got home. It was very, very cold. Bear in mind that where I live is polder country so very few inclines to contend with. In the UK I would have gone for a bigger car with a bigger battery (although I couldn't afford to drive there anyway - almost all my assets tied up in a too big, expensive house). PS I am now of the opinion that an Englishman's home is his millstone!
FWIW we have purchased a Kia e-Niro.
Good to hear someone else is joining the club. Re. Derek's statement about where is the electricity to come from? That is the response from a car centric society, which I no longer live in. A responsible government invests in all types of fuel. Hydrogen is taking off here, particularly in commercial vehicles, as well as the growth of electric vehicle use. Solar farms, wind farms and the number of houses with solar panels are all expanding. Cycling is massive here, so car owners use their cars less for short journeys and commutes. It all boils down to investment, which then encourages research and development, leading to more efficient batteries, better use of public transport, cycle lane networks and so on. After all 122 years ago the only flight was by balloon and airship, so maybe one day it will be possible to switch batteries in and out of cars, have less car ownership and more people using alternative, reliable, affordable forms of transport. We've already come a long way since milk floats.
I would consider buying an electric car if I could afford one. When I changed my car 18 months ago, I bought a light hybrid. If I had bought the electric version (or nearest equivalent) it would have cost me nearly double. If the government are serious about us driving green (which I doubt) then they need to offer financial incentives to buyers.
John