View Full Version : americans r genuses
DirtyDog
10-04-2005, 01:53 PM
"We have stopped spending on things that aren't necessities, and we've been forced to halve our grocery bill. The kids no longer get fresh fruit or vegetables and no longer get turkey sandwiches. Now we buy only canned goods and the cheapest lunch meat possible. With the price of gas up, everything else is up... except for our wages."
From cnn.com
Rather than finding transportation alternatives, these people have chosen to shovel crap into their bodies.
Am I the only one whos day to day life isn't affected by high gas prices? I have always chosen to live close to work. Commuting has never been an option. It's really not that complicated.
Westy
10-04-2005, 02:01 PM
I live close to work and so do most of the people I work with, I guess that is just part of living in a smaller town. When I am out in LA on business it boggles my mind when I ask people how far from work they live. I constantly hear things like "not too far only about 70 miles". :help:
McGRP01
10-04-2005, 02:13 PM
Some people don't have the luxury of having a position in their chosen field in their back yard.
Some people don't have the luxury of having a position in their chosen field in their back yard.
It's actually not a coincidence that I live near where I work...
Damn True
10-04-2005, 02:25 PM
Well in places such as the Bay Area there are many folks who simply cannot afford to live close to work. During boom cycles (another one is not far off, there are times when the demand for homes far outstrips the supply. There simply is little or no room left to build in this valley so people have to go further and further away to find any home, let alone one they can afford.
Commute times in this area in excess of an hour are not at all uncommon.
MTB_Rob_NC
10-04-2005, 02:28 PM
Am I the only one whos day to day life isn't affected by high gas prices? I have always chosen to live close to work. Commuting has never been an option. It's really not that complicated.
You are one of the very few. Most Americans commute, I think the avg is 15 miles each way.
DirtyDog
10-04-2005, 02:45 PM
You are one of the very few. Most Americans commute, I think the avg is 15 miles each way.
I could have made that choice too.
If they must commute, I would think they would explore things like car pooling and public transportation before cutting nutrients out of their diet.
tonyhawk
10-04-2005, 02:49 PM
I can't afford to live near where I work. The owner of the company is wealthy and chose an area near his home to open the office. My commute takes me over Avon Mountain, which is heavily traveled and does not have a bike lane, so biking to work is out. Mass transit going away from Hartford in the AM and toward Hartford in the PM is nearly non-existent. After vacationing in DC the other week, I wish we had an option like the Metro here - I'd definitely use it.
I'm looking to buy a house right now, and the closest I can afford is about a half-hour commute by car.
I've started looking for a new job, though, and location will be more of a factor than it was when I started here (six years ago). I've also asked my current employer to consider letting me work from home a couple days per week.
Well in places such as the Bay Area there are many folks who simply cannot afford to live close to work. During boom cycles (another one is not far off, there are times when the demand for homes far outstrips the supply. There simply is little or no room left to build in this valley so people have to go further and further away to find any home, let alone one they can afford.
Commute times in this area in excess of an hour are not at all uncommon.
This is made worse if you have a kid and your work is in the Dead-Zone as far as public schools. We moved over an hour away from Oakland for a chance to buy a home in a decent school district. The job may move eventually too. (I miss bike commuting!!)
Reactor
10-04-2005, 03:34 PM
"Rather than finding transportation alternatives, these people have chosen to shovel crap into their bodies.
Am I the only one whos day to day life isn't affected by high gas prices? I have always chosen to live close to work. Commuting has never been an option. It's really not that complicated.
Choosing a place that was fairly close to work was a major requirement of mine when we(wife and I) bought a house. We could have had a much nicer house farther out, I didn't want a hour commute. We ended up 20 miles from my work and I can bike commute several times a week.
What kills me is that the federal government finds money for 2 billion dollar stealth bombers, presidential libraries, and huge highway projects to encourage single user vehicles, but spends almost nothing on bike lanes, alternate fuels, and efficient mass transit.
At one point I took the bus to work, at the time 14 miles. My choice was an hour ride with a 15 minute lay over in south Phoenix, or an hour and 45 ride with a long transfer. No one is going to use mas transit that takes five times longer than driving.
Toshi
10-04-2005, 03:54 PM
until people start moving to the midwest i have no sympathy. it's a CHOICE to live in the bay area, so no whining.
kidwoo
10-04-2005, 04:02 PM
until people start moving to the midwest i have no sympathy. it's a CHOICE to live in the bay area, so no whining.
I wish they'd choose to stay there when it snows. Like most cities, I could see living in the city proper but anywhere else in the east bay......yuk. Seattle is no different these days unfortunately.
golgiaparatus
10-04-2005, 04:53 PM
Some people don't have the luxury of having a position in their chosen field in their back yard.
:stupid:
You are one of the very few. Most Americans commute, I think the avg is 15 miles each way.
Thats me right there
Add no bike safe way to pedal it and no public transpo.
until people start moving to the midwest i have no sympathy. it's a CHOICE to live in the bay area, so no whining.
It's not a choice, I am forced by common sense not to live in the sh8thole that lies between Yosemite and Niagra Falls.
:D
I Are Baboon
10-04-2005, 06:02 PM
Wifey and I work 90 minutes apart. We bought a house in the middle, but we don't complain about gas prices. Figuring I spend about $4,000 a year on gas at current rates, I would have a hard time finding a job that would pay me $4,000 less than I earn right now. I keep trying to talk the wife into either finding a new job or just quitting. :) I like my house and I like my job, so I'm not changing either.
blt2ride
10-04-2005, 06:13 PM
I live close to work and so do most of the people I work with, I guess that is just part of living in a smaller town. When I am out in LA on business it boggles my mind when I ask people how far from work they live. I constantly hear things like "not too far only about 70 miles". :help:
I work for a company who loves to move people from location to location. At one point, I worked 7 miles from home, and then I was moved to another location that was a 90 mile commute--one way!
You're very lucky if you can live close to where you work. For me, it wasn't so much the gas, as it was the time. When you're on the road 4 hours a day, work between 12-13 hours a day...well you get the picture.
Changleen
10-04-2005, 06:20 PM
Wow, giving up decent nutrition before gasoline is fairly dumb. Hopefully this is a decision that would only be made by a minority of people!
DirtyDog
10-04-2005, 06:40 PM
Wifey and I work 90 minutes apart. We bought a house in the middle, but we don't complain about gas prices. Figuring I spend about $4,000 a year on gas at current rates, I would have a hard time finding a job that would pay me $4,000 less than I earn right now. I keep trying to talk the wife into either finding a new job or just quitting. :) I like my house and I like my job, so I'm not changing either.
Right but you aren't in the income bracket that is cutting things out like food. I'd give up my truck before I gave up my health.
I'd give up my truck before I gave up my health.
Honestly, that's rare.
Unfortunately, this country is too big. It has allowed cities to grow out instead of up, and because that all occured while gas was cheap, there's no planning for a mass transit infrastructure.
We **** our bed and now we get to lie in it. How about a little personal responsibility?
Westy
10-04-2005, 07:32 PM
I work for a company who loves to move people from location to location. At one point, I worked 7 miles from home, and then I was moved to another location that was a 90 mile commute--one way!
You're very lucky if you can live close to where you work. For me, it wasn't so much the gas, as it was the time. When you're on the road 4 hours a day, work between 12-13 hours a day...well you get the picture.
If I had to live that far from work I would just quit. I would have to be in a serious financial pinch to give up several hours of my day in a car for money. My brother moved from a short commute to a long one to be in a more "fun" location. He now spends an extra 15 hours a week driving (15 ****ing hours!) to save one long round trip drive on the weekends.
narlus
10-04-2005, 08:07 PM
i've been lucky in that for the last 10 years or so i've lived within 9 or so miles of work. but, when we moved from boston to where i am currently, it was to be close to where i work, and i'm still there.
H8R brings up a solid point; if your work is in the city, and you have kids you either throw them to the mercy of the crappy school system or pay $$$ for private schooling. not much in between.
of course, this is a very non-family/kid oriented site, so i'd expect that the answer's not so obvious to everyone. :rolleyes:
Transcend
10-04-2005, 08:17 PM
The people choosing to give up food are also the same one who are probably riding around in big ass blinged out escalades and tahoes.
Toshi
10-04-2005, 11:06 PM
The people choosing to give up food are also the same one who are probably riding around in big ass blinged out escalades and tahoes.
or if only slumming it up with a f-150 i bet at least they have a big screen for the game. priorities, ya know :think:
.:Jeenyus:.
10-04-2005, 11:39 PM
I ride my bike to school everyday. It's sad that more people don't considering you can get from anywhere to anywhere else in this town in sub 15 min on a bike.
My padre has to commute 45miles each way to work every day though.....
Transcend
10-05-2005, 12:21 AM
or if only slumming it up with a f-150 i bet at least they have a big screen for the game. priorities, ya know :think:
exactly. I would give up all my fun **** (except my new powerbook) before i gave up nice food. Jesus, how expensive is it to make a decent stir fry every night? It only takes about 20 mins and youc an leave out the brocolli and or cauliflower and still have a nutritious meal with carotts, celery, onion, peppers etc.
Commuting 45 mins in a smart car or prius vs an escalade....big difference.
vBulletin® v3.7.1, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.