Another eight hours in bed but only five hours sleep. Another overcast day. I had a shower and washed my hair after breakfast. I think that's the first time since the stroke put me in hospital I've had the energy to shower as well as shave. Peter called from NG Motors to arrange the collection of the Polo with its JKK number plate. So sad to part with it, as it entails such a change of lifestyle for us. It's been happening piece by piece anyway with Clare using taxis when I've been unable to take her to an appointment that can't be reached easily by public transport or walking.
We've had the Polo for seven years, and paid only £1,600 for it. It'll be driveable until legislation or taxation make it unusable on public roads. Being 19 years old despite low mileage it's worth only its scrap value now, £50. At least I don't have to pay to get rid of it. We'll save £600+ a year on tax and insurance, between £500 and 1,000 on MOT, servicing and spares, £700 on fuel based on current usage, roughly £2,000 a year. It's been really cheap motoring with such a reliable car.
It'll be interesting to see how much we spend between us on taxis. I can't see myself returning to driving no matter how well my vision recovers. Even if I obtain a medical certificate that qualifies me to be a license holder after recovery, I don't see the need to drive if an affordable change of lifestyle is possible.
Peter arrived at lunchtime. I signed the Poko over to him and took a photos of the farewell moment when it was driven away. Then I cancelled the insurance policy. Nearly half of the insurance premium refunded will be refunded. I went to the DVLA website to report the sale of the car, but was required to submit to a lengthy procedure to set up a new secure account login to government sites. It took ages, and involved a face recognition scan to compare with a scan of my driving license. It was straightforward, thorough, step by step, but I was tired and already stressed out because my mobile phone reception is flaky, with the line dropping, or user i/d not displaying, phone ringing with no means to answer the call being displayed. This is a real problem when some of those calls may come from MSDEC medics or the GP surgery. I don't know what I can do about it. I don't know if it's my equipment or an EE network outage. Owain says this new secure login procedure is a precursor to a bigger digital i/d and card regime being implemented.
I didn't know what to do about the car tax and DVLA so I called Peter at NG Motors and then found his email and sent him a message. I had a helpful reassuring reply within the hour to say that his completion of ownership transfer on-line would complete the process and I'll get the car tax refunded.
No longer a car owner or user after fifty eight years is a unique experience. A whole set of responsibilities and material worries set aside, but wondering about how I'll adjust to a car free lifestyle. We won't be hiring or leasing at our age, having a driver's license is useful as a form of photo i/d, but visual impairment deters me from driving again, even if I did get through the new mandatory eye test. Clare's glaucoma puts a stop to her driving again.
Following the stroke, it's another significant milestone day in the journey through old age to life's end.
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