Commuting - It Just Makes Sense

I keep thinking that I will wake up and say, "Hmm. We (wife and I) should buy a second car so that I can drive to work instead of bicycle commuting."

Instead, I wake up and say, "Commuting makes even more sense than it did yesterday."

Ride on

I'm not as hard-core as you. We bought a second car, because bike commuting in the snow is not as rewarding or safe as bike commuting the rest of the time.

What's worth considering is buying a scooter or small motorcycle. Lower insurance, lower cost of operation, no sweat, and ability to keep up with traffic can actually make it safer than bicycling.

Oddly enough, I'm getting back on a bike because of the perceived extra safety the lower speeds of bicycling offer. (I just crashed my motorcycle in November and am still limping after destroying my right leg)

For my 56 mile commute, a scooter is a much better option than biking. But neither is as good as the train. ;)

Ride on

This has nothing to do with anything, but my LBS is called "Ride On" and is most awesome. Just thought I'd share. :)

If I was really buying a 2nd car just to winter commute, THEN I could really justify buying that Surly Pugsley for winter commuting. At only $2000 it'd be a bargain compared to buying a car.

We already have the second car. I keep hoping, that we can get rid of it one day. I doubt that will happen as long as our daughter is school age. (After that maybe we'll give it to her?)

But with both my wife and I cycling/busing to work everyday, those two cars should last us a very long time. We're probably saving 10,000 miles a year over how we used to drive to work. (And a bunch of money too!)

I've been commuting by bike to my present job for over 9 years now, and really can't imagine doing it any other way. So we have not gone in the "second car" direction, and don't plan to. Every time the subject comes up, I tell my wife our current car will be our last car. It will not be replaced. I don't think she believes me. I'm not even sure I believe me. But by saying it over and over I feel I'm bringing it closer to happening.

I've been commuting by bike to my present job for over 9 years now, and really can't imagine doing it any other way. So we have not gone in the "second car" direction, and don't plan to. Every time the subject comes up, I tell my wife our current car will be our last car. It will not be replaced. I don't think she believes me. I'm not even sure I believe me. But by saying it over and over I feel I'm bringing it closer to happening.

There's no way that 2 adult drivers + 1 kid = 4 cars and 4 bikes, but that's what I have right now.

1 car for my wife's daily runabout (works "from home," often on the road all day).
1 car for me to drive when it's too freakin nasty for my commute.
2 classic british cars (one mine and one hers, it's a hobby)
1 bike for my daughter
1 bike for my wife
1 bike for me to commute on (heavy, bristling with racks & lights, and durable)
1 bike for "fun rides" (light, aluminum and carbon fiber, minimalist)

Add in the 3 bikes I'm working on for friends, and our 2-car garage is gettin' crowded. :notamused:

I have 4 cars, 3 motorcycles and 2 bikes. 2 classic Chevy's I enjoy tinkering on. Motorcycles are fun any way you slice it and I just started enjoying the bike. It won't replace or cause me to get rid of a vehicle though. Maybe it will cut my gas bill

It does make sense. The only reason I still have my car (our second to my wife's newer Hinda Civic) is b/c it's 17 years old, insurance is next to $0, and besides an emergency replacement tire this summer, it's required nothing in the way of maintenance besides a now annual oil change over the last three of four years. First sign of major trouble, though (i.e., repair over a few hundred dollars), I think we'll be down to one car for us.

If I could get more than a couple hundred dollars for it, I'd seriously consider selling it and buying a touring bike to replace or complement what is currently my only bike - a hybrid. Between daily commuting, occasional grocery runs, and planned forays into the world of bike touring this summer, it's just the bike I want/need, and it'd probably be of much more utility in my life than my car is now.

There's no way that 2 adult drivers + 1 kid = 4 cars and 4 bikes, but that's what I have right now.

1 car for my wife's daily runabout (works "from home," often on the road all day).
1 car for me to drive when it's too freakin nasty for my commute.
2 classic british cars (one mine and one hers, it's a hobby)
1 bike for my daughter
1 bike for my wife
1 bike for me to commute on (heavy, bristling with racks & lights, and durable)
1 bike for "fun rides" (light, aluminum and carbon fiber, minimalist)

Add in the 3 bikes I'm working on for friends, and our 2-car garage is gettin' crowded. :notamused:

Ha! And my wife tells me I can't get another bicycle because we don't have room in the 2-car garage. I'd love to see your arrangement!