Gas Price Check...

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

3.46 and rising.

[CanadianChris 0]

Part of that, and it's something the site didn't take into account, is that I live in a place where the weather is unbearable seven months of the year. I would walk in CanadianChris' extreme colds any day after three summers here and heading into my fourth.

That's interesting, because I've been to Vegas on really hot days and never minded it all that much. I've always maintained that I'd rather walk in really hot temperatures than really cold. Mind you, we regularly hit in the high 90s-low 100s on the humidex here in the summer, so we get the worst of things whether it's summer or winter.

 

Oh, and $1.207/L here, which works out to about $4.60 a gallon.

[Guest blame that goot.]

And Jingus, there are definitely recumbant trikes and even four wheelers with pedals that anyone can use without any chance of falling over.

Eric, not even Jingus would allow his primary mode of transit to be a recumbent tricycle. Holy fuck.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I got an 88 walk score. Seems pretty accurate--I'm 2 blocks from a metro, a mile from my preferred grocery store, four blocks from another, and have tons of restaurants and specialty stores within a mile or two. I still use my car plenty, though, simply for convenience's sake. Metroing or walking to a given restaurant takes 20 minutes, but sometimes I just want or need to get there in 5.

 

So what's the answer to "you should use a bike" in the winter, or when it's raining, etc.? Is there a solution as goofy as a recumbent tricycle?

[NoCalMike 0]

$3.72 for the cheap stuff.

[EricMM 0]

Ain't nothing wrong with a recumbant bike or trike or quad-ke...

 

Its more respectable than driving when you don't have to.

 

So what's the answer to "you should use a bike" in the winter, or when it's raining, etc.? Is there a solution as goofy as a recumbent tricycle?

The answer? In the winter: a scarf or mask, I guess a warm jacket (but not too warm), earmuffs, gloves. That's all you need. I've been out in 20ºF weather. Stay off the snow and watch out for ice. Fenders.

 

Rain? shorts you can change out of, maybe a coat with a hood, FENDERS.

 

Fenders make the biggest difference in inclimate weather.

 

You're very rarely cold on a bike, except maybe your fingers or face.

[treble 0]

I can't think of too many self-respecting adults who'd be willing to putter around in a glorified Big Wheel.

[EricMM 0]

But its not a big wheel.

[Guest blame that goot.]

No, Eric.

[treble 0]

Look, I'm all for people biking if it's possible, but no one between the ages of 6 and 60 and who can count to 10 should ride a tricycle non-ironically.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

No, Eric.

 

This makes me think of this episode of the Simpsons, where the radical left-wing professor that Marge dates rides one of these things around doing tricks.

 

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Ain't nothing wrong with a recumbant bike or trike or quad-ke...

 

Its more respectable than driving when you don't have to.

 

So what's the answer to "you should use a bike" in the winter, or when it's raining, etc.? Is there a solution as goofy as a recumbent tricycle?

The answer? In the winter: a scarf or mask, I guess a warm jacket (but not too warm), earmuffs, gloves. That's all you need. I've been out in 20ºF weather. Stay off the snow and watch out for ice. Fenders.

 

Rain? shorts you can change out of, maybe a coat with a hood, FENDERS.

 

Fenders make the biggest difference in inclimate weather.

 

You're very rarely cold on a bike, except maybe your fingers or face.

Got it. I'll stick with the car for that.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Well then, you really lose the right to complain about gas prices. The argument Eric and I are making is that it's not ALWAYS absolutely necessary, as the ends to all means, to use a car. And furthermore, when there really are no other options, it's not a fault of the road user so much as the city planner for making things the way they are.

 

And maybe recumbents aren't that common where you guys live, but I see PLENTY of people using them here in Portland. But that just makes us radical left-wing nutjobs for giving a shit about climate change and doing something about the increasing cost of gas, amirite?

 

I mean, I know this is pretty much a futile battle to convince car-crazy Americans that there are other transportation alternatives when not necessary- hell, I know Edwin for a fact uses the metro to commute to work, as he's mentioned it elsewhere- but they still choose to go to a restaurant or grocery store, just because they feel like getting there faster. Hey, that's your choice. Just don't complain about gas prices when the lifestyle you choose is directly affecting that, meanwhile guys like Eric and myself positively contribute to gas prices dropping. Less demand = more supply = lower prices. It's not that difficult to grasp, guys.

[Firestarter 0]

Less demand = more supply = lower prices. It's not that difficult to grasp, guys.

You might have a case if the oil market actually was regulated by supply and demand laws and not a cartel of Mohammedan states. As it is, you don't.

[bob_barron 0]

Saying that we can't complain is a pretty dumb argument. As pointed out, many of us live or work in areas that require a car, and you could not live day to day on just a bike.

 

And maybe recumbents aren't that common where you guys live, but I see PLENTY of people using them here in Portland. But that just makes us radical left-wing nutjobs for giving a shit about climate change and doing something about the increasing cost of gas, amirite?

 

No, it just makes you look ridiculous

 

[Dandy 0]

Saying that we can't complain is a pretty dumb argument. As pointed out, many of us live or work in areas that require a car, and you could not live day to day on just a bike.

 

And maybe recumbents aren't that common where you guys live, but I see PLENTY of people using them here in Portland. But that just makes us radical left-wing nutjobs for giving a shit about climate change and doing something about the increasing cost of gas, amirite?

 

No, it just makes you look ridiculous

Agreed.

 

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I only take the metro to work because driving in and around D.C. in the morning is nuts. At that point, the metro is infinitely more convenient. I guess that makes me still an asshole.

[Firestarter 0]

I only walk from my bed to my computer chair. And sometimes down the stairs. After that, I have a car. Also, I can order my driver to exceed speed limits, go on the shoulder, and use any HOV lanes available. And my office pays for my travel expenses so I don't really care how much oil costs.

 

And, like most sensible people, I stopped using bicycles for anything other than recreation the moment I grew up.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I'm getting a really good image of you awkwardly pushing a car into the living room, with extreme satisfaction.

[Guest Vitamin X]

"This baby gets me from the kitchen to the door in half the time it'll take me walking!"

[Firestarter 0]

I'm getting a really good image of you awkwardly pushing a car into the living room, with extreme satisfaction.

I can walk to my living room alone. With a cane.

 

"This baby gets me from the kitchen to the door in half the time it'll take me walking!"

Nah. I usually have a bulletproof Lincoln. Mine's a little slow to start up because you need the IR refractors to start up before the engine.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

My personal hope is that by the time my Yaris is paid off (2012ish) the Chevy Volt will be in its 2nd or 3rd Generation and much cheaper. Its supposed to use all electricity and no gas for trips less than 40 miles per day which would be plenty for me. Supposedly it'll be $30,000 when it comes out in 2010/11.

I think that Chevy has pretty much put everything on the line with the Volt, if it fails I think Chevy and GM will be doomed.

 

Also, Im curious what everyone thinks about the push to halt state/federal gas taxes? I know its been proposed in Maryland and Mccain had mentioned it was something he would do. The federal Tax is only 18 cents which really wont make a huge dent in the cost, and it would also take away money that is probably needed to fix roads and bridges. in fact Ive seen more than a few people who suggest that the federal gas tax should be raised in order to kick start Americans changing their driving habits, but that will never happen in a billion years, even though Clinton/Obama's cap and trade system on greenhouse gases would do the exact same thing, but they aren't coming right out and saying "we're gonna tax you $1 per gallon of gas". Under the cap and trade system, gas stations could have to pay up to $1 per gallon permit credit for the greenhouse gases that would be created by the gas they sell and you know that will get passed on to the consumer.

[EricMM 0]

Don't mistake me. As a slight bike snob, I am not in *favor* of recumbant bikes for most people. But you don't make fun of a handicapped person because they're using crutches or a cane or a walker. Jingus said he CANNOT use a traditional bike, so he would need something with more stability. Anyone who mocks him on that is a dick, plain and simple.

 

This whole "grow up" mindset is laughable, considering you all are the ones refusing to face the consequences of your choices. Car culture is not better, its not even even, it's worse than bikes. It makes you fat, lazy, and polluted.

 

As for living someplace where 20º is warm, I agree you cannot use a bike for that. So don't bike in the winter!!

[Firestarter 0]

Car culture is not better, its not even even, it's worse than bikes. It makes you fat, lazy, and polluted.

"Bike culture" makes you people sweaty, late, and rumpled. It also makes you look ridiculous. But then you can't really afford anything better - so you're just looking for justifications.

 

I'll stay fat at my current weight of 88 lbs, thank you.

[EricMM 0]

You know you're just so exceptional

 

You don't get as sweaty after you're used to it.

 

AND even in the summer you can find your away to a shower before work. Yes.

[Firestarter 0]

AND even in the summer you can find your away to a shower before work. Yes.

Are you out of your mind?

 

Now you want people to not only give up an hour or so just to bike to work instead of taking a car, like anyone with a brain would, but then also SET BACK THEIR SCHEDULES ANOTHER FUCKING HALF HOUR TO TAKE A SECOND SHOWER in order to save the fucking planet?

 

Seriously now, are you high?

[Guest Vitamin X]

Debating this with ignorant, stubborn, apathetic people like this is pointless, Eric. It's not worth the effort.

 

I do take issue with one point raised, however.

But then you can't really afford anything better - so you're just looking for justifications.

That's incredibly stupid logic. Why are you assuming that we can't "afford anything better"- making a choice to save money and stay in shape while reaping whatever other benefits we get from biking over driving is a conscious one, not one I or many other bike commuters are forced into by financial trouble.

 

Oh, and at 88 lbs., that's probably not really healthy for a 30+ year old woman at 5'8", but hey, it's your undoing, and we'd all reap the benefits from that as well.

[Firestarter 0]

Why are you assuming that we can't "afford anything better"- making a choice to save money and stay in shape while reaping whatever other benefits we get from biking over driving is a conscious one, not one I or many other bike commuters are forced into by financial trouble.

Eric has stated publicly that he makes $30k a year. That's not enough to have a driver and a car on call 24/7.

 

Oh, and at 88 lbs., that's probably not really healthy for a 30+ year old woman at 5'8", but hey, it's your undoing, and we'd all reap the benefits from that as well.

Possibly so. But since I also have several metastatic cancers as well as radiation sickness I believe my weight is the least of my worries.

[EricMM 0]

Why would you shower BEFORE biking if you knew it was going to make you sweaty. I'm not talking about a SECOND shower.

[Firestarter 0]

Point, although an irrelevant one.