I understand the point. $20 gas would kill us. I'd rather be fat than dead. Easier to look for more food that way.
gas at $20/gallon
- Thread starter Toshi
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Not when you could make your own bio, or purchase it for less than unleaded. The point you are missing is the idea of alternatives.
Here is what I am doing as an example:
I sold my gas truck and ride my motorcycle. I went from 18mpg to 45mpg.
I am buying a truck the runs on diesel so I can purchase B25 for $2.30 a gallon rather than $3.25, or make my own B100 at an average cost of $.75 a gallon.
I ride the bus to work 3 days a week at $3.50 round trip vs. $5 the truck cost in gas.
So am I starving yet? Not in the least. Does the $.25 jump in gas price since yesterday freak me out? A little, but the bike is still cheaper.
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So if $20 a gallon kills off the sh!theads that don't pay attention, then I am all for it.
I can't ride all the way just yet, but I will start to ride one leg of my commute next month. I change buses about half way and it's 9 miles from there to the office.
9 miles doesn't seem like much, but I am back to commuting on the DH bike this year.
Sure, cuz you exist in a vacuum, and we all know hypermilers are immortal.
I get the idea of alternatives. They will inevitably take the place of oil. There will just as inevitably be large and unforseen issues with each of them. I still see no need to manufacture a pre-emptive crisis.
Long-term vision pays more than short term.
A large portion of our country needs restricted living licenses. Society shouldn't have to pay for the accidents of myopic simpletons who can't find their driving glasses.
If I'm reading you correctly, I'd argue creating chaos to accelerate the inevitable could also be seen as shortsighted. We're going to get there one way or another, why go out of our way to make it as painful as possible in the short term?
And again, if I'm reading you correctly, gfy. :biggrin:
If not, my apologies - I'm not the always the sharpest marble in the shed.
Or maybe just a soul. See, try as I might, I can't seem to give that much of a damn about the future of the planet. Luckily all the smartest people on the internet want to help me get my priorities in order through the liberal use of condescension. Sometimes when I get annoyed with the self-righteous folks that always cluster around fuel threads, for a couple days I commute in my 'burban. Sure, it costs a couple extra $$, but it's perversely satisfying. Your uppity 'tudes just wasted some precious resources.
That's a rockin' rant there!Or maybe just a soul. See, try as I might, I can't seem to give that much of a damn about the future of the planet. Luckily all the smartest people on the internet want to help me get my priorities in order through the liberal use of condescension. Sometimes when I get annoyed with the self-righteous folks that always cluster around fuel threads, for a couple days I commute in my 'burban. Sure, it costs a couple extra $$, but it's perversely satisfying. Your uppity 'tudes just wasted some precious resources.
I love your vanity license plate on your 'burban:Or maybe just a soul. See, try as I might, I can't seem to give that much of a damn about the future of the planet. Luckily all the smartest people on the internet want to help me get my priorities in order through the liberal use of condescension. Sometimes when I get annoyed with the self-righteous folks that always cluster around fuel threads, for a couple days I commute in my 'burban. Sure, it costs a couple extra $$, but it's perversely satisfying. Your uppity 'tudes just wasted some precious resources.
GLBL WRMG
Oil closed at $100.74 a barrel. Two days in a row in triple digits. With many more to come.
For those of us unwilling to even consider an alternative to automotive transportation, well, twenty bucks a gallon in the near future is gonna be a reality and not just an interesting hypothetical exercise.
For those of us unwilling to even consider an alternative to automotive transportation, well, twenty bucks a gallon in the near future is gonna be a reality and not just an interesting hypothetical exercise.
Hogwash. $20/gal will not be a "near" future thing. Unless your definition of "near" is 100 years.
Gas is around $7.50-8 USD/gallon in Europe right now depending on country. I don't think $20 will come very soon but its still going to go up.
Quit hogging all the grass fat ass:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
Quit hogging all the grass fat ass:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
I said 'near future.' Take it as you will.
Tell me, though: when does anyone think gas prices will significantly DROP?
Tell me, though: when does anyone think gas prices will significantly DROP?
While I agree that it'll be a long time for it to get to $20/gal... those numbers start to look exponential over the last five years.
Commodities never go down in price, so that's not really a valid line of thought.
It's like asking when the price of milk will go down.
I won some bacon last time it did...
Hmm. So I guess all those people yelling at the Board of Trade downtown are violently discussing, I don't know, Oscar predictions?
Care to elaborate? Link to whatever it is?
Sorry. I was referring to commodities futures traders on the floor of the Board of Trade in Chicago.
My point (and, I think, of the OP) being that all markets are subject to fluctuations of supply and demand, but what makes this case so interesting is that we, in our demand for cars as the primary - and in many cases, only - form of transportation, act with utter disregard for the dwindling supply of oil on this planet.
My point (and, I think, of the OP) being that all markets are subject to fluctuations of supply and demand, but what makes this case so interesting is that we, in our demand for cars as the primary - and in many cases, only - form of transportation, act with utter disregard for the dwindling supply of oil on this planet.
I figured that's what you meant, but what are they "violently discussing"? Please don't say that they're negotiating prices cuz that's outside the scope of the issue with regards to prices and commodities.
And what do you do on your end to help the problem?
Since you're asking, for starters I don't own a car. I commute by bike, I use public transportation to get around the city, I drag a shopping cart to the grocery store. Nothing heroic, true, but I like to think I'm doing what I can.
Well... the cheapest reg unleaded I found this morning was $2.99/gal..
with super unleaded at $3.23.
with super unleaded at $3.23.
I will be riding next week. I have a few issues to work out at the shop on Saturday, then I will be good to go.
What issues?
I need to tension the wheels (they were machine built and not very even, but they are straight), I need to get a different seat, replace the medium fork springs with modified heavy springs (Marzocchi did not have '02 Monster T extra heavy springs, so I shortened a set of '03 heavy springs from 200mm to 175mm), and my X.0 shifter is sticking, not sure why just yet.
I went for a first ride last weekend and the DHi is sweet. I will likely replace the pedals at the shop, but the cheap GT ones I have now will work. I just don't want to tweak the new wheels with the tension all uneven and the fork is way too soft for a 10 mile commute. I don't have a wheel stand, so I will do it all at the shop on Saturday.
I also want to put it on the scale, but I know it's going to be at least 45# based on the current build. I wouldn't be surprised to see more like 48# though.
40+# bike for commuting? Also, I dislike any suspension for it, so I can see why you'd want to tighten it up.
I used to commute on my 8" travel stinky 6 with dual 24x3" tires and a monster T (circa 2002). that was a sucky 8 miles on the way in but fun as heck on the way home when i had time to play around.
i'd commute now but we don't have lockers here to leave my stuff in so it's kinda hard to carry a gun belt, shotgun, M4 + ammo and laptop in a courier sack
i'd commute now but we don't have lockers here to leave my stuff in so it's kinda hard to carry a gun belt, shotgun, M4 + ammo and laptop in a courier sack
It's currently my only bike. I might have another bike later on, but I put myself on a very tight budget this year. I am stiffening the suspension for the race season anyway, the stock springs are for a 180# rider and I will never be 180#.
In the past, I have had "commuter bikes" and find I tend to ride them more than my regular bike. If I get too used to a commuter, then my skillz on the race bike suffer. As bad as I tend to suck, I need all the help I can get for the 10 or so races I will attend this year.
I usually ride the bus and leave the motorcycle home, but on the mornings I have to take my daughter to school, if I ride the bus, I don't get to work until 10:00.
So for now, on the days I take my daughter to school (walk or by bicycle) I ride the motorcycle to work. On the days I can leave early, I will ride the bicycle/bus.
Make sense?
You don't have lockers at the police station?I used to commute on my 8" travel stinky 6 with dual 24x3" tires and a monster T (circa 2002). that was a sucky 8 miles on the way in but fun as heck on the way home when i had time to play around.
i'd commute now but we don't have lockers here to leave my stuff in so it's kinda hard to carry a gun belt, shotgun, M4 + ammo and laptop in a courier sack
I think he means "gun lockers". Not sure I would stick a 'gauge in a standard locker either.
Carter Holland (Black Market Bikes founder - former Marine/Cop) reminded me of you. There is a little bio in this month's Bike Mag "Carter Holland is Tougher than you" or something like that. He used to commute to his job as a police officer on his skateboard and said that he wasn't respected for that (or something like that). Here is another bio:I used to commute on my 8" travel stinky 6 with dual 24x3" tires and a monster T (circa 2002). that was a sucky 8 miles on the way in but fun as heck on the way home when i had time to play around.
i'd commute now but we don't have lockers here to leave my stuff in so it's kinda hard to carry a gun belt, shotgun, M4 + ammo and laptop in a courier sack
http://www.matchvideozine.com/carter.html