its always a tricky thing about how to share the fuel out when taken out your vehicle flying.
how do others share out there fuel do you split it buy exactly what you use?
or do you been the car owner driver pay less given the wear and tear?
or do you pay the biggest portion of the bill as its your car your using?
then what if you drive miles out the way for a xc pilot should that person persons be culpable for the extra mileage for them to pay only?
some thoughts as it can be unfair on those never flying xc who may share the cost on that they never have before as i have personally paid the extra even if it has not been me.
your thoughts gladly received as my vehicle on fuel alone costs on average £.22 per mile and on Saturday the van done 387miles a lot of wear and tear and if its a case of sharing mileage across the board simple if not we take the mileage to the site times that times 2 then any extra is charged to those that need retrieving?
I am always delighted to be in the van, good banter have a good laugh. and as you say Gary to get picked up after you have gone over the back and not have to worry about how you are going to get back is worth it’s weight in gold. Which ever one of the calculations you go for I am sure will be a fair one.
Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies, has lived. We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping us ...
I think fuel + 20% for wear and tear is still a bargain. Also if someone has volunteered to drive retrieve for me I'd take em for free.
As for the happy bus, in my opinion, everyone flying xc or trying to fly xc should share the cost. if you didn't fly very far and someone else did - tough - you should have flown further (or rather I should have flown further).
thanks for the input guys as as you know i am more than happy using my van and enjoy driving.
however i do often feel guilty asking for fuel money as don't and often ask for a lot less than it actually costs me in fuel.
so i think it is fair to say as it cost between 21-22p for mile people are happy to share this equally.
however if a person goes along and dedicates themselves as a retrieve driver on a definite xc day then they should go for free and be shared equally between the other pilots.
like chris says it is and incentive to fly further to save been sitting in the van so long but sometimes bombing early may actually put you in a more out the way place than the ones that flew further.
the XC metre will be on and may dedicate myself as receive drive from the 21st of june for a few weeks
I see your point Gary but what about on non Xc days in the past when everyone travels together you have always factored yourself in for a share of the costa and done all the driving, is that any different. It's my ability (or lack of it) that often makes me the retrieve driver, but I don't expect a free ride. Maybe we just need to be more realistic about petrol prices and running costs in this day and age. Any decisions on retrieve driver arrangement made on the day.
Just my view.
your right graeme sometimes just because you may end up doing the retrieve does not say you wont get in a good days flying.
even in Scotland i went there alone and then give others lift to the hill and then ended up doing a big 4 hour retrieve. however i thoroughly enjoyed doing it and can safely say the guys who i picked up also were very appreciative to my efforts.
take yesterday if say xc fell had been on then you could of flown the ridge for hours and then retrieved the guys when you had finished flying no extra miles and also a great day out.
the other thing is there will end up being days where one person does oOR so back at car others go xc and all fine.
the one thing i never expect unless it was agreed before going would be for someone to pack there kit away to pick me up if i bombed early.
A point I didn't mention was that I to often feel guilty about what to ask for and I'm often left out of pocket, just a soft shite I guess.
My car like yours Gary is a thirsty beast , maybe you have been under charging for way to long, time to get tough mate !!!
Just been looking up running cost, total cost based on 15k annual mileage and 40mpg gives an average of 40p per mile, which is about what the tax man let's you have on self-assessment, compared to doing mpg and mileage only and your down to 20p per mile area, don't sell your-self short. a day out for 10 15 or £20 is a cheap day out even more value for money when the sun shines
It's true it's really difficult and I think a clear set of rules makes it easy for everyone. The last problem I have is often I do several pick ups along the way. So sometimes there will be some that have been in the car 10 miles less and have had to travel 10 miles to get there.
I am happy to just split the fuel but I think it gets messy if it works out at middle numbers for change etc.
However this weekend looks like it will be a coastal weekend so little car sharring
Gary I have drove to westerhope in the past to hook up, do i get a refund?
Only joking, i think your over complicating matters gary if you try to work out peoples shares then it leaves room for people to think you've shared it unfairly. You know me im piss poor most of the time but i wouldnt have a problem in the slightest driving all the way up to westerhope to go to cross fell then paying an equal share. Seriously Gary I dont think you will offend anyone asking for a real share of the cost of a trip.
Just out of curiousity would it be 20p a mile in the GTR
I think you might at a push get to gliders in the boot and 1 in the back seat the problem is the retrieve driver would be retrieving you after joy riding for a few hundred miles first. its economy would be about .44p to 28p per mile and probably another couple of quid for wear and tear. problem is no one would fly and would end up going looking for imaginary pilots.
so put your names down if you want to be my personal retrieve driver in the GTR
You have reminded me something that all us jocks learn quickly. Our reputation of being tight arses was started by you lot. You are the ones with deep pockets and always last to the bar so as they say in Scotland .....hey tight arse it's your round, get your wallet out and pay your way.
As for me I was very happy to see Gary's happy bus yesterday retrieving me from Coldstream. And for only £8 I would definitely paid more. Gary you are selling yourself short. Thanks for the pick-up.
even more value for money when the sun shines 
