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Old 11-02-12 | 11:28 AM
  #47  
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Steely Dan
born again cyclist
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
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From: Chicago

Bikes: I have five of brikes

Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
The benefits of cycling have little to do with how much money one saves.
that is a sweeping generalization. perhaps it's true IN YOUR SITUATION, but not everyone shares your situation.



for me, my bike-centric lifestyle allows me to forgo the costs of car ownership altogether. were i to own a car and use it to commute, i would:

A) Need to acquire one. let's say i find a used car for $5,000, so let's say ~$415/month spread out over the first year of ownership.

B) Register it with city and state. that breaks down to $15/month

C) Insure myself as a driver, liability only (state law). we can estimate that at about $100/month

D) Obtain a parking spot in my condo building. that goes for $250/month

E) Obtain a parking spot at my office. that goes for $80/month

F) Purchase gasoline for 30 miles/day of commuting, 20 days/month. that comes to about $85/month (600 miles/25mpg = 24 gallons x $3.50 = ~$85)


that comes to $945/month for my first year of hypothetical car commuting, and $530/month for subsequent years, provided that the car never requires any maintenance (for a used car, LOL!). maybe you're stupid loaded, but $945/month is not chump change to me, that's real money. hell, $530/month is very real money to me too.

so for some situations, the benefits of cycling can have something to do with how much money one saves.

Last edited by Steely Dan; 11-02-12 at 11:43 AM.
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