no sweat

There's a million and one good reasons to cycle. Saving gas money is pixie dust at the margin.

Walter S

Oh, thanks for setting me straight on my lack of understanding!

Dudelsack 

I once calculate how much money I would save by commuting to work on my bike when gas was $4 a gallon. No matter how you slice it, it would never have saved enough money to make one trip to the ER worth it. Until cycling infrastructure is safer, I just won't be doing any utility cycling.

Recreational cycling for me is not affected by the price of gas. My impression was it was a bit safer when gas was $4/gallon, but that was only an impression.

Gerryattrick

Converting UK prices/measures for fuel to US equivalent, our cost is around $6.60 per US gallon. And we are so used to the historically high fuel tax that we regard current prices as cheap!!!

When I drive in the US I can never quite get over how little driving costs.

I never got into cycling to save money, and I would probably ride as much if fuel was half the price, or twice the price, but this thread has made me do some calculations and I estimate that for non-recreational rides, which are only a small portion of my riding, I save around $100+ each year. Not a lot, but covers the cost of tyres/brake blocks etc. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

It makes me wish I had got back into cycling when I worked for years in the City centre. I would have saved a a lot of money commuting, and gym fees, and would have been a lot fitter.

I-Like-To-Bike

Another possibility is that many/most people don't give a darn about riding a bicycle for transportation, especially over any distance/terrain/weather condition or traffic situation that is not simple, short and easy, and won't do it no matter what the price of gasoline.

wphamilton

Part of the reason I leased a nicer car last year was I expected the price of gas to drop. My beater was a guzzler, but that didn't matter because we seldom used it. So my logic was more reliable and cheaper to operate, and less time spent keeping the beater running, mostly keyed to the lower price of gas. So yes I drove more and cycled less for utility and errands.

At $2 per gallon I don't know that fuel for the car is any less than the cost of my typical calorie burn. Close enough to not matter either way. So I have no financial incentive now to ride instead of drive.

That's mitigated by the fact that I commute by bike anyway, regardless of the price of gas. So it makes a difference, but not a lot of difference. I don't believe that I'm in any way unique among cyclists in this respect.

Nightshade

I don't know that new Suburbans SUV's are selling well but I do know that used Suburbans/Yukon's are selling VERY well in the used market.

As an example.......ebay used to have 300>400 Suburbans for sale everyday. Now that number is often less than 200 per day in the older (1993>2004) year range that runs less than $10,000. Folks are buying these bargains up or those who own them now are keeping them longer!

ModeratedUser150120149

While the affected economies are still on the cusp now might be a good time for the most frugal to start storing fuel. If you have a long commute, or other high fuel consumption use it might be worth it to store a few hundred gallons before prices go back up.

jyl

I don't think gas prices have much effect on bike commuting, except marginally and likely due to psychology.

Consider: to spend $50/week on gasoline at $4/gal, you're consuming 12.5 gal/week. If your car gets 15 mpg, you're driving 188 miles/week. If all of that is commuting 5 days/week, that is 38 miles/day or a 19 mile trip each way. 19 miles is beyond tolerable bike commute range for anyone who isn't a serious, committed bike rider, and those few people are riding for reasons other than gas savings.

bruce19

So true.

StanSeven

SUV sales are pretty steady. What has dropped are the larger "truck style" SUVs. The smaller "station wagon" or "mini van" style are up. These are the people that need station wagons or vans but don't like seeing themselves in one so they buy crossovers or SUVs built on car frames with all wheel drive.

rydabent

Simply put cheaper gas equals more money the the pocket of the average citizen to spend on other things they need. This improves the economy since it put people to work making and selling other products.

stevemtbr

When gas hit $1.99 at my local station this was pretty much my response. Just replace 69.9 with 1.99.

no sweat

I loved Bloom County.

ModeratedUser150120149

According to the inflation index in many areas gas today is cheaper than it was in 1974. In 1974 price was $.50/gallon in many area. Inflation adjusted that is $2.40/gallon in 2014.

Plus, the gas today is a much more refined and better product than back then. All in all, gas today is a bargain.

OldsCOOL

Our pump prices in town are down to 2.09 this morning. I'm wondering if grocery prices will ease up as well.

no sweat

Idly, I wonder why it is so hard to get people to understand that inflation is theft.

OldsCOOL

Simple greed. Taking advantage of the consumer at opportune moments.

no sweat

No, I think you misunderstand. Prices are set by markets (you can see that happening right now, with some vigor, in gasoline).

Systemic price increases driven by an intentional increase of the money supply are altogether different, operate on longer time scales and are engineered to benefit those who get their paws on the newly created money first.

OldsCOOL

It's still greed.

I-Like-To-Bike

Bought gas yesterday for $1.86. First time I drove in the last 2 weeks, price of gas had nothing to do with it. Visited my son and DIL and my newborn firstgrandson on his first day and drove 180 miles R/T to do it. Somehow I am not going to get all worked up about driving when it is the best available choice.

OldsCOOL

Congrats on the new grandson!

I-Like-To-Bike

Thank You!

Monoborracho

Do you know anyone who isn't greedy?

qcpmsame 

+1 on the congratulations, you must feel pretty special right now, that is a fantastic reason to get out no matter what you rode/drove!

Bill