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Automotive News & Views Are gas prices fueling your pain? 
10042 messages, Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM
You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires
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Replying to: kernick (Jun 12, 2008 11:23 am) Anyway, it might seem a little intimidating at first if you're not used to cars and trucks passing within a few feet of your elbow. I've found that after I established a pattern where I'm usually on the same road at the same time each day the "regulars" see me as a commuter who isn't just out exercising and tend to give me plenty of room. I always give a thank you nod and wave to anyone who appears to go out of their way to yield to my bike. You might do like I did when I first established my route. Get a detailed local map and see what parallel side roads are available that could take you off the main thoroughfare without adding a lot of extra miles. In some cases the side streets I take are even shorter than the main road but not something most people in their cars would take. On the bridge, I have to pedal across one that is part of a state highway and absolutely no shoulder. I have to travel around 1 mile on this particular road but there's no other way across. It's three lanes each direction. No driver has ever given me any trouble for being on that road. I've ridden to work 5 days and 152 miles so far this week. At 22 mpg in my car I've saved around $27. I don't ride for the fuel economy. I do it because I enjoy it and it's a great way to stay in shape while only taking an extra 20-25 minutes each way to work than it already does in my car. The leg and other body parts aches will get better if you stick with it. I remember how awful I felt the first 2-3 weeks when I started riding to work many years ago. RUG is $3.87 today at the local stations. I'm also in the "little to no pain" index. 
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Replying to: tedebear (Jun 12, 2008 2:21 pm) Hey, watch it there !!! I ride an ELECTRIC ASSIST bike. It will not assist unless I am pedaling. My legs get sore and I have lost 15 pounds because it is GOOD EXERCISE. The reason I ride an electric assist bike instead of a normal bike is that I live in Phoenix, and at age 45, I have CHOSEN not to pummel myself in the heat and end up a completely sweaty pig at both ends of my ride. I do sometimes take showers after my afternoon ride, just to cool off. But if I were riding a non-assisted bike, I would need a shower at the end of both the morning and afternoon rides in the hottest part of the summer, when sometimes morning temps at 5:00 A.M. are 90+ degrees.
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Replying to: bergyone (Jun 12, 2008 4:44 am) the tests are worth doing though. |
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Replying to: steve_ (Jun 11, 2008 6:10 pm) That's what you get for using the metric system. 
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Replying to: larsb (Jun 12, 2008 2:27 pm) LOL - sorry. I guess I was picturing some electric two-wheeled vehicle that all you have to do is twist a hand grip and sit on it. I did notice that you said you lost 15 lbs so far. Keep up the good effort. I mentioned it before but I've had a taste of riding through the Phoenix area heat one July in 1998. It wasn't something I'd want to do again if I didn't have to. I'm old enough to join AARP and it was 92F degrees here today. We do have showers available at work. |
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Replying to: 1stpik (Jun 12, 2008 9:46 am) Another thing to consider is that tax breaks are dissapearing on many hybrids. Another thing to consider is the time value of money. Money saved in the future is worth less than money is now. So if the premium on a hybrid is $3K you need to save more than $3K over several years to break even. That being said it would take me over 5 years to break even since the monthly payment on the premium of the Civic hybrid (I and most others would be financing that difference) is more than what my monthly gas savings is. Now if you really want to be saving money you can by a Smart and for the price difference by about 100K miles worth of gas.
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Replying to: british_rover (Jun 12, 2008 12:16 pm) The CVT is at least 98% as efficient as a manual, so buyers have no economic reason to choose a stick shift. Also, producing only one transmission cuts unit costs greatly, so Honda has a big economic reason to simplify production.
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Replying to: avalon02wh (Jun 12, 2008 11:24 am) I am just under 4%. One question? Do I get credit for not having any car payments?
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Replying to: 1stpik (Jun 12, 2008 2:42 pm) |
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the other day i put over $91 gas in the explorer. i told my daughter, this is the last time i am putting in gas. you are working and you can put your own in from now on. ok, i'm mr tough guy. then i said, we're going on vacation in less than 3 weeks. i will be paying for that gas. the message was sent. can you milk this tank until then?
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