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View Full Version : Slightly OT: Did my part to save a little gas today...



billb
09-01-2005, 05:59 AM
...biked to work! So what do I get for it? Let's see:

sweaty
dirty
almost run off the road by a cement truck
laughed at by kids on a school bus
an air-horn in the ear by a tractor-trailer (looked back and the driver was laughing his ass off)
did I mention sweaty?
saved $0.45, just about enough to go buy a coke to cool my hot ass off (22 miles/gallon x $3.30/gallon of premium x 3.0 miles)
my commute was 3.0 miles, and it took me 90 seconds longer to arrive by bike than by car

DanDombrowski
09-01-2005, 06:48 AM
Well I for one am appreciative of it, even if it does little to impact me directly. The mentality that you would sacrifice your comfort to change your necessity on gas is the only thing that will lower the necessity on gas without bieng forced.

I used to bike my ass to campus every day in my last semester of college and was upset I didn't start doing it sooner. I saved like $20 a week and got myself in a whole lot better shape.....ok mabye that last part is an exxageration, but still.

I on the other hand have a 35 mile drive to work, so at 10 mph average....yeah, I need to work something else out :)

Dave M
09-01-2005, 07:06 AM
I do a lot of road riding and do the 40km commute to work on occasion. The last logging truck driver that pissed me off and stared intently at me when we arrived at the next light was directed an 'air-kiss' from yours truely. Testosterone levels soared enough in the cab to require a lengthy air horn session and mid-finger salute. I found it humerous that a large, burly, gravel toting, hairy assed he-man would be offended by a kiss from a 160 lb, lycra clad cyclist.

When I did my time as a competitive racer for ten years I would ride more miles than I would drive (@20-30k/year) and if I had a nickel for all my encounters overs those years.........

Keep smilin and rollin,

Dave M

Gayle
09-01-2005, 07:28 AM
One of my friends had a system for cycling to work (25 miles).

One day he cycled to work, showered at the 24 hour fitness near the office, worked, and drove his truck home (which was left at the office the previous day).

The next day he would do the drive his truck back to work and at the end of the day cycled home.

Then on weekends, he and his wife would do a 50 mile ride together, then he would surf and she would run 6 miles on the beach. I always wanted to hear about it hoping it would inspire me to get off my lazy arse, but no luck.

I thought it was a cool system though for getting a lot of miles in for the fitness side of it.

brodee
09-01-2005, 10:41 AM
I work about 3/4 mile from home. I would love to ride my bike to work but can't for 2 reasons.

1 - it's too damn humid down here and by the time I got to work I'd need another shower.

2 - I live in the ghetto and would probably be shot at on my way just for the sake of target practice :D

infinity5
09-01-2005, 11:37 AM
yeah, blowing air kisses at people reallllly pushes buttons. it's the sure fire way to get someone bigger than you so angry they have no idea whats going on anymore.

tim s
09-01-2005, 11:45 AM
a client would call from 20 miles away with an emergency & i would have hurry home to get the car. i do not trust leaving my car a work over night.
tim s.

pundit
09-01-2005, 01:41 PM
I was going to save gas by farting in a jar... :D

dave b
09-01-2005, 09:12 PM
I was going to save gas by farting in a jar... :D

I actually did this when I was 13 years old. We put the jar in my friend's older sister's dorm fridge while she was home for the summer. The smell did not keep for several months...

stx133
09-01-2005, 09:27 PM
silent clap and a friendly wave can also be a nice reply.

billb
09-02-2005, 06:32 AM
4.4 miles instead of 3. So, at 22 mpg, that was 0.2 gallons ($0.66).

Of course, now I'm 1.4 more miles sweatier...