CommuteCommando

I didn't address the last part of your question. I would rather be on the bike. My commute is 7 miles driven to a train station, 55 miles to Orange County, then five to work. Today the bike stayed in the car at the station and I took a bus 4 miles and walked a half mile because I had to take something into work that would have been difficult to carry on the bike.

I do occasionally ride the 7 miles to the train station in the morning, but that requires getting up earlier and wife resist my going to bed early enough for that.

So far this year I have driven the entire 65 mile commute twice, left the bike and did the bus/walk thing about two or three times. Freeway burnout is a big deal and I would hate this job if I had to do that drive every day. Cost isn't that big a factor since the Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix, i.e. Corolla Wagon clone) gets decent mileage. It is the inane morning radio BS trying too hard to be funny that makes me crazy. I would rather be reading or working on the laptop, which the train makes possible.