fuel prices

[Mrs H]

Car sharing is the obvious way to combat the rise in fuel prices - but when you manage to fill the car with members of your own family you don't actually end up saving any money (The opposite in fact as you've ended up shelling out entry fees and probably wilf's as well)

We have definitely become far more selective about what we go to - but that is as much to do with available time as the cost - it's got to be a bit special to tempt us but we don't mind splashing out if it is. Fortunately there is plenty of local orienteering to keep us going (within an hour's drive).

[DM]

Eddie touched on a point about economy of cars. One way to extend the range of a tankful is simply slow down a bit, it's amazing how many extra miles you get, drop by 5 mph and I reckon another 100 miles from the tank, that's several local events worth.

I just got 58 mpg coming back up the M6 by sticking to 70. And I didn't get leg cramps or bum ache either.

[DavidJ]

I just got 58 mpg coming back up the M6 by sticking to 70. And I didn't get leg cramps or bum ache either.

But I thought 70 was the speed limit - so you normally break it then? I hope not many traffic cops are on this site

[DM]

I just got 58 mpg coming back up the M6 by sticking to 70. And I didn't get leg cramps or bum ache either.

But I thought 70 was the speed limit - so you normally break it then? I hope not many traffic cops are on this site

David J, please read my post very carefully. It says I was sticking to 70 and made no mention of past or future driving habits.

The fact is that about 75% of the cars and vans on the road were overtaking me.

[Adventure Racer]

I just got 58 mpg coming back up the M6 by sticking to 70. And I didn't get leg cramps or bum ache either.

But I thought 70 was the speed limit - so you normally break it then? I hope not many traffic cops are on this site

I don't suppose any traffic cops would be at all interested even in the 75mph he alluded to - even the stupid yellow boxes on sticks tend to ignore that sort of reckless criminal behaviour.

I hope you used to do your archery practice on a Sunday rather than sloping off to orienteering events.

[SeanC]

Pondering your replies, the effect on regional events could be negative unless we make them more of a pull - maybe more weekend events, more team competitions, more bells and whistles etc, but there is perhaps an opportunity in that orienteers who are prepared to pay more for transport are perhaps more receptive to paying higher fees for regional events to ensure quality.

I am more concerned about the effect on newcomers and the non addicts. Up until now in Kent we can tell our newcomers that maybe 70% of weekends there is an event within 1 hours drive (say 40 miles). Currently this is affordable for most, and not too exhausting to drive. If the cost of that 40 mile drive is going to double from £10 to £20 (see earlier example) then will this deter them? Providing an event within half an hours drive most weekends could be a real challenge. Alternatively the existing local events could have more bells and whistles, but that would move away from the low cost, low organisational effort model. I suspect car sharing for new orienteers who aren't already a group is less likely as many would not feel comfortable sharing a lift with someone they didn't know. Any easy answers?

Neil, looks like we're entering a team on the A course, so we'll need a people carrier

[geomorph]

I am more concerned about the effect on newcomers and the non addicts. Up until now in Kent we can tell our newcomers that maybe 70% of weekends there is an event within 1 hours drive (say 40 miles). Currently this is affordable for most, and not too exhausting to drive. If the cost of that 40 mile drive is going to double from £10 to £20 (see earlier example) then will this deter them?

Ah but if you drive like DM (nice one ?son?) then an 80 mile round trip is only £7 rising over the next couple of years to £14 (or just under £3 each for 5 sore bums).

However, wrt the future of orienteering ('more people'), at what fuel price will people seriously curtail their non-essential journeys? To what extent is opporunity to partake in sport/recreation driven by cost? When you take the whole cost of 'district/regional' level orienteering is it significantly greater than other sport/recreation? Are only those sports where energy/fuel costs are tiny compared to the whole cost going to survive?

[LostOldTimer]

Car Sharing is indeed an obvious solution, and helps everybodies pockets; however having offered to give lifts, no-one wants to take me up on it!
Anyone in need of lifts from South Yorkshire to most Major events, plus local regional events please contact.

[SeanC]

DM wouldn't get 58mpg on rural Kent roads, or the congested streets of South East London. However it's possible to freewheel from junction 2 of the M20 to well beyond junction 3

High fuel prices could be an opportunity for the sport, at least in the south. Outdoor types who will be priced out of weekend trips to the north/west of the UK or to Europe could be offered an alternative.

"Too expensive to get to the Welsh/Scottish/Northern mountains? Don't sit at home and sulk. Go orienteering at Addington Hills on 6th July blah blah."

My feeling is that car sharing isn't popular because it's inconvienient. Orienteers want to go when they want and return when they want. Structural changes within the sport could encourage car sharing (such as more mass start events or perhaps all of the event fees collected as a car park fee).

[King Penguin]

Structural changes within the sport could encourage car sharing (such as more mass start events or perhaps all of the event fees collected as a car park fee).

.. or pre-entry events ensuring that those from the same club have similar start times. Maybe a common approach of start block based on distance from event - closest start first on 1-day (or day 1 of 2-day) events and last on day 2 of 2-day events ?