modernjess

The cost of gas has never been a motivating factor for me to ride and admit I am kind of thankful for that. I can afford gas, but I choose to ride.

BarracksSi

3-4 years ago, when gas jumped over $4/gal for the first time, also saw a jump in bike commuters around here. Good thing: more people on bikes; bad thing: more friggin' noobs who had no idea what to do on a bike since the last time they rode was when they were 15.

whitefiretiger

Lmao that's what I was afraid of when I agreed to help my friend rebuild his old bike but surprisingly enough he can still ride rather well.

The only bad I've found in helping him is I'm stuck working on a huffy stalker that's been setting under a tree on a farm for 10 years. I tried to talk him into a better bike but he loves this thing and the size is perfect fit for him.

The good is he's riding and making his son ride to school (riding with him) then he's going on a little ride after the kid is at school and rides a bit more each week.

Digital_Cowboy

I agree, plus too many of them see riding more than a mile or two round trip as being a "long" trip and wonder how we do it. But once they get into the habit they'll see that a bike ride of just about any length is not only doable, but enjoyable to boot. And then there's the health aspect of riding. Just imagine their reaction when their doctors start cutting back or taking them off of some of their meds.

Grim

This is as planned.

From the wall street journal in 2008 from Obama's Energy Secretary to be Steven Chu

https://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB...307499791.html

2/23/2009 Gas was $1.86 a gallon. As you pointed out fuel prices going up effects everything you buy. Farmers use fuel to run the machines needed to plant and harvest the food on your table. it gets to your store by a truck...the end user pays for that in the price of the product.
I remeber as a kid hearing my dad pitching a fit for the better part of an hour after filling the tank while out on a family vacation because it was over 50 cents a gallon. My family can no longer afford the fuel needed to go camping like I did as a kid. I make more now then my Dad ever did. Unfortunately I have half to show for it because everything cost triple what it did back then.

Spatchka

Recently changed jobs, so now I work downtown. I asked if there was a good place to store my bike when I commute in to work, that would be safe for both my bike and the other employees.
They said no one had asked about bikes, just where they could park their motorcycles and cars.
They asked what was needed and have followed through. I was pleasantly surprised at the response.
Maybe some more will join in on the fun.

Mark Stone

That is great! I wish everyone had employers like that. For me it's easy - - I am the employer!

nhluhr

Microsoft provides all their Puget Sound region employees with incentives to reduce commute trips. These incentives include free rides on their own Connector bus, free Orca Cards (multi-mode transit pass), showers in every Microsoft facility, etc.

Spatchka

So far, the higher ups have taken to the idea of commuting and plans are in the works for health insurance incentives.
As for the other employees, seems interest is growing. Get asked a lot of questions. ( hard sometimes since I'm a noob at it too! )
Think it helps when they see the bike ( older Trek 4900 converted ), ridden by the 'old grey haired' guy in normal looking clothes.

Underground

With the increasing gas prices, and the fact that much of my travels are rather close by, I just ride.

I still drive to work for now, but I only work 7 days every two weeks. If all I do is drive to work, that is one tank every two weeks, not too bad. I may work up and try riding one weekend to work. I would still need to get a few more items for my bicycle before I undertake that endeavor.

Bent Bill

Same here I ride for health and fun 5/6 days a week
If Im not in the mood or theres lots of snow like now
then I drive my gas guzzlin 15 m.p.g. V8 4x4 400 h.p. truck and I enjoy it also

sci_femme

Oh, Really?

Not to derail this thread into P&R - mods, please, accept my apology upfront - current administration gives me creeps.

I started commuting to keep middle age spread at bay - that was my CHOICE. I started commuting to flip my finger (metaphorically) at people flying occupied aircraft into occupied buildings - that was my CHOICE. Now government is trying to force my hand further and does it so crudely (lack of refinement also annoys me here)!

There is a difference between choices we have and choices we have to make.

Grim

I think you mistook my meaning.
Gas prices being higher is what I commented on being "planned". Chu is this administration secretary of energy. He did make that comment before the administration took over and fuel prices are more then double now since he made that comment.

If your good with higher prices for everything you buy as a result of this....fine. I'm not. I burn next to no fuel compared to avg American and it has had a huge effect in my cost of living and supporting my family.

Digital_Cowboy

I'm not and that is because in large part we Disabled Vets haven't had a cost of living increase in I don't know how many years. Yet, as I am sure we all know the cost of living keeps going up year-after-year.

boro

Thanks for this. I guess it depends mostly on what your work is and what you would be doing in your extra time. A friend of mine has a reasonably long commute (by car) but also works substantial overtime. Obviously he would never be able to recover any savings via cycling.

I, on the other hand, get exercise that I would otherwise not (lazy!), and don't have to pay for expensive parking. I only spend 40 minutes a day on the bike--driving would save me maybe 15-20 minutes in total, so even if I did use that time for exercise it wouldn't be worth it.

dynodonn 

I can afford gasoline too, but it's just the thought of our local oil cartel charging 30 cents a gallon over other communities that are just couple of hours in driving away that gives me more motivation to ride.

jsdavis

So what did you ask for and what was the result?

jsdavis

Same for me. For a commute of 3 mi, to me, it doesn't make any sense to drive since I'm there in 20 minutes either way. In certain sections of my commute, I am faster than cars even though I take a detour into MUPs that add about 1/2 mi to the trip and I travel slower on the MUP.

whitefiretiger

id say i have saved greatly. i went from a 10mpg 350+hp street car i built when gas was cheap to a 70+mpg moped to a bike. i still use the moped once in a while for fun and to keep the engine going but 90% of the time i ride a bike and 9.9% i walk.
sence getting rid of my car ive only spent around $50 on gas and thats in over a year.
most people i know spend $50 a week (or two) in gas.

i wish more business and emploiers would be more willing to accomidate bicycles but a last they are not.

on a funny note i do sometimes pay a parking garage to lock my bike to there rack thats both video servalence and the booth worker can see the racks. i only do this if im on a bike ive spent more on and have to run down town for some reason.

dedhed

+1 The ½ gallon a day going to & from work isn't going to break me. The exercise for a 50+ guy is much more important to me. I do find my self driving less when I ride regularly as I'll aften run small errands on the way home and the car may not move for days.

This also gives me a bit more motivation as a few of us at work have a team. It has gone national this year if anyone is interested.

https://www.endomondo.com/campaign/national/

sci_femme

Not at all, I think I miscommunicated before. I am soooo not fine with higher prices of fuel and everything else. I am irritated at current administration for making choices for me, for twisting my arm at which car I need to buy, for general attitude that government knows best.

I ride because I want to, not because I have to. And I do not want to be forced to ride because I have to choose between dinner or tank of gas in the bright future our government "planned" for us. Every forced choice strips away a bit of my dignity. Especially when my government "planned" for this.

Side note: I also have very little patience for tree-huggers babbling about "carbon footprint". By the nature of my professional training I do my part to save Mother Earth for a living, at my desk, 9 to 5, year-round.

As far as Dr. Chu is concerned, the timing of his statement is largely irrelevant. His impressive credentials notwithstanding, his mindset meshes perfectly with current Oval Office occupant's agenda. And rather heavy hand with which this agenda is administered, shoved down our throats, really.

Spatchka

Jsdavis, I didn't really ask for much, they asked some questions, and we went from there.
We now have a storage room for bikes. They added some old lockers for us to store jackets, tubes, pumps, etc. so you didn't have to haul that stuff up to your personal lockers. As stated, they wanted to know what was needed and seem to be going that extra step.
Right now, only two of us use it, but hope the trend grows. ( one of the reasons I'm glad I made the move to this company.)