Can you believe this? | Bike Commuters

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Can you believe this?

Jun 6th 2008

By: RL Policar

19 comments

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- Iron Man
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 13:13
  
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  I’m still getting a little physical therapy from my accident last month. While there I’m listening to folks giving their advice on how to save money right now. One guy was saying to save your cup at McDonald’s because they’ll refill it for 50 cents. All the PT techs were like “Oh that’s awesome. How smart.” I chimed in with “You could bike to work.” I got blank stares and cricket sounds.
- DrMekon
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 13:25
  
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  FWIW, in the UK, petrol is $8.71 a gallon (if I’ve done the conversions right).
  
  I haven’t even started my car for 6 weeks.
- Ben C
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 13:40
  
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  Gas prices are outrageous. But what is the consumer going to do to change their habits? At least we bike commuters can stand up and say that we are doing something about these exorbant fuel prices!!
  
  You know I had one of my neighbors tell me in the morning that “It is very brave of you to ride your bike.” Giving into the ‘fear’ will definitely increase the profits of these oil companies and investors.
  
  Ben C.
  
  Keep riding!!
- Ben C
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 13:42
  
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  And one more thing!! Is it really going to take $5 per gallon before many drivers view the bicycle as a form of transportation instead of recreation?
  
  Ok…I am done….for now.
  
  Ben C.
- Commuter Murali
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 13:56
  
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  I find all the talk about about “high” gas prices amusing.
  How spoiled this country is. Look at the other developed
  industrialized countries of the world. Almost all have
  much higher costs, like the Brit who wrote earlier. Many
  would be thankful for $5/gallon gas!
- Moe
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:16
  
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  I’ve come to the conclusion that the price of gas is the price we pay for being vain. I still see plenty of big SUVs, H2′s, and big trucks on the road. A lot of the still sport those heavy, efficiency robbing 21-22 inch wheels. Just the other day, a guy was interviewed on TV and he was mad as hell about gas prices, yet, he was driving a Ford Expedition.
  
  I think that the people who should complain about gas prices is us, the bike commuters that pay for other’s vanity in the form of higher prices at the market.
- Ghost Rider
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:23
  
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  Moe, it’s funny you mentioned this, because I spotted this article on CNN.com this morning:
  
  http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/06/06/SUV.owners/index.html
  
  We are totally spoiled here in the U.S. — our gas prices are still laughably cheap compared to our friends in Europe.
  
  It’s going to take a lot more than $5.00/gal gasoline to force people into accepting other forms of transportation — we’re still looked upon as the crazy “toy riders”, when WE’RE the ones with some sense (and savings!).
- Iron Man
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:31
  
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  Those guys in SUVs probably couldn’t unload the things now if they wanted to. Used four cylinder cars have shot up in value while dealers are turning away SUVs. That Expedition driver could be $10,000 in the hole if he tried to trade it in right now. It’s like what happened to muscle cars at the end of the 70′s.
- Zak
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:36
  
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  $4.45 in my area.
- Zak
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:37
  
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  Ironman thats true, I looked at a new Subaru Impreza and the trade in on my truck (Gulp) was $4000 short of where it should be.
- Mike Myers
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 14:42
  
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  I’m down to only driving three days a week. I commute by bike on Tuesday and Thursday, and don’t drive on the weekends(most weekends). I’d like to lose a driving day, but I drive 6 miles to the gym @5:45 AM and my schedule won’t allow me to ride to the gym, work out, and then ride 20 miles to work before 8:15. So I’m a wussy.
- BeachCrusier
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 17:12
  
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  OK, we still use the car and minivan for family commuting. However, I now have my wife driving my Ford Focus instead of her Nissan Quest and I have done 113 miles back and forth to work and running to the grocery store on my bicycle in the last 10 days.
  
  The sad part is that I still have 1 and 1/2 years to pay on the minivan, but there is no way that I could unload this thing right now for what I owe, and this thing is loaded (and I got a great supplier discount).
  
  -Dale
- Paul
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 17:38
  
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  I LOVE IT!!! Can’t wait till its $6 gallon!! All those whinny & FAT SUV/Truck drivers that live in suburban McMansions that are going to be worth less than their scrap metal excuses for vehicles!
- Beka
  
  June 6th, 2008 at 19:46
  
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  I hope gas prices go up higher. ONLY because more people will have to ride bikes and the roads would be full of cyclist. Then it will be at least a little safer to ride!
- Mike Myers
  
  June 7th, 2008 at 19:30
  
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  Paul, Beka—
  
  I agree with your sentiments, but when gas and diesel prices go up a lot higher, everything else will.
- 2whls3spds
  
  June 9th, 2008 at 03:07
  
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  High fuel prices are going to affect everyone. Someone wrote an op/ed piece on how the price of a gallon of milk mirrors the price of a gallon of gas. (can’t find the link) If people in the US, in particular, would just use some common sense and practice conservation we could reduce our usage by 1/3 pretty easily.
  
  Simple steps, like combining trips, CARPOOLING, using alternate transportation for shorter trips, buying local, etc.
  
  I use Amtrak to travel back and forth between my home and out of town job site. That was an instant savings of over 30 gallons…A WEEK! (I drive a heavy truck for work) It won’t work all the time or for everybody, but if everyone tries to save 5 gallons a week, time the millions of drivers out there it would be a start.
  
  IMHO gas prices in the US have been artificially low for a long time and now we are paying the penalty. Also I strongly suspect peak oil is starting to play into the picture.
  
  Aaron
- RL Policar
  
  June 9th, 2008 at 09:00
  
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  “High fuel prices are going to affect everyone. Someone wrote an op/ed piece on how the price of a gallon of milk mirrors the price of a gallon of gas.”
  
  Thank God someone realized that higher gas prices isn’t good for anyone.
  
  For Paul to say…”I LOVE IT!!! Can’t wait till its $6 gallon!! All those whinny & FAT SUV/Truck drivers that live in suburban McMansions that are going to be worth less than their scrap metal excuses for vehicles!”
  
  Dude, don’t you realize that cost of food and just about everything else is related to the cost of fuel? Anything from milk, produce, your kid’s school lunches to the clothes you wear will cost much more.
- Kelly
  
  June 20th, 2008 at 06:04
  
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  Not only that, but think about the people who live out in the country. Public transportation is not available, and they often live far from work and grocery store, daycare, etc.
  
  Let’s not also forget people who are disabled, like my mother, for whom bicycling is not an option due to only having one leg.
  
  People are hurting. It’s great that you can bike where you’re going, but not everyone can.
  
  I’m taking delivery of my first bike since childhood on Saturday, so I’m new to the biking world, reading this blog and others for tips and info. I hope I’m not being presumptuous, but I had to speak up.
  
  Be safe, everyone!
- Ghost Rider
  
  June 20th, 2008 at 06:42
  
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  Kelly — you’re not being presumptuous at all, and you’re right, of course: bike commuting isn’t the answer for everyone.
  
  Still, there are a lot of folks out there who could benefit from it — folks who drive short distances to work, errands, school, etc. A few trips here and there by bike make a huge difference!
  
  Good luck with your new bike, and be safe — oh, and thanks for your comments!
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