Originally Posted by
Steely Dan
need and want are two different things. i commute by bike 14 miles each way to work everyday. i doubt there are many colleges in the country where a student can't find any affordable housing within a 14 mile radius of campus. many students may not WANT to ride a bike that distance to class everyday, but that hardly makes car ownership a NEED for most able-bodied college students.
and let's not forget about public transit/campus shuttles that exists to one degree or another in most college towns/cities.
This is very dependent on the land. In an urban environment, biking 14 miles each way can easily take 2 hours. Driving costs more, but it also means saving as much as 90 minutes each way. In my neck of the "woods," I'm running into a traffic light or stop sign at least every 500 ft.
When I have to do my 8 mi commute, that easily consumes 50 minutes each way. My 3 mi commute takes about 20 minutes each way.