What Do You and Your Spouse Drive?

[MrsCat 6]

Perhaps a question asked for this thread should also have been:

What do you pay for parking?

Cause for me, its not about the cost of gas to drive to work. I take the bus and train because I could not fathom paying for parking downtown near my office.

2 blocks from work it is - $195/month

Adjacent to work - $245/month

I am just too cheap to pay that for a gravel pad to park my car on for 8 hours a day.

Cost of Bus/Train Pass - $60.00

As for biking - its just not my thing. I understand that people do it, that's great for them, but no matter the price of gasoline I would never trade my car for a bike. Maybe a motorcycle, but not a bike.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Parking is free for me. Both at home and at work.

If I were to work in NYC or Hoboken (mass transit accessible), I'd have to pay $95/month to park at the station and that's after I waited 30 months to get a parking permit. In the meanwhile, I'd have to park on the street in one of New Brunswick's many lovely (*cough*) residential neighborhoods.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

I have been utterly amazed at the number of people who have a 10 mile or less commute, yet DRIVE to work! I would give almost anything to be able to work that close to home. Then I'd be able to ride my bike and I'd have a gas budget of $0 per week. If you live less than 5 miles from work and still drive....then you should be ashamed of yourself. (Unless you have a disability, of course)

Push power is for students on campus. Also, sweaty dampened hair and smelly pits just wouldn't match a suit around a boardroom. I think my coworkers would ask me to go home, shower and DRIVE back.

And that is the general consensus about bikes in America, which is why we will never be free of the oil #######. Luckily, there ARE places where people don't think of bikes as kid toys or college student transportation. Holland, for instance. Seattle, too. Seattle is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the US. Many businesses have employee showers so they can clean up after riding to work. If not, wet wipes work great. Keep clothes at your office or bring them in a backpack. Millions of people do it every day, so it isn't as impossible as some people seem to think it is.

it should be noted bike paths are programmed into the road planning in the netherlands. and btw, holland is a province, not a country - it's the netherlands

[DanielParul 50]

Musta got that cheap, as most people have now realized that giant gas hogs like that are useless unless you live on a farm, own a construction business, or have 8 kids....

The local GM dealer here has full size Chevy trucks for up to $10,000 off of sticker price because no one is buying them. SUVs are shunned now (which I wished for a decade ago), so I've seen them listed for almost half of sticker price.

True, actually did get a great deal, got to pay the GTO off and he feels better knowing that I drive a big SUV (safer and higher for a 4'11" petite girl )

[DanielParul 50]

Oh BTW, though its a 2008... its a used car and not brand new. Both of us believe that buying brand new cars is not worth it

[~krakatoa~ 27]

I have been utterly amazed at the number of people who have a 10 mile or less commute, yet DRIVE to work! I would give almost anything to be able to work that close to home. Then I'd be able to ride my bike and I'd have a gas budget of $0 per week. If you live less than 5 miles from work and still drive....then you should be ashamed of yourself. (Unless you have a disability, of course)

Riding a bike in my area would be suicide. The main road going to my work and Luz's work is dangerous enough in a car. Some areas don't have sidewalks so walking is not even an option. The bus would turn a 10 minute drive into a 1 hour commute and since I work second shift the bus isn't running when I get off work. Driving is the only option.

Same here!

[Amby 490]

no sidewalks here to walk or bike anywhere. I'd rather spend money on gas than wake up early to ride a bike somewhere anyways

[Welshcookie 17]

no sidewalks here to walk or bike anywhere. I'd rather spend money on gas than wake up early to ride a bike somewhere anyways

I was quite shocked at the lack of pavements when I visited the US...in the summer months I used to walk 4 miles to work on a pavement the whole time

[Amby 490]

no sidewalks here to walk or bike anywhere. I'd rather spend money on gas than wake up early to ride a bike somewhere anyways

I was quite shocked at the lack of pavements when I visited the US...in the summer months I used to walk 4 miles to work on a pavement the whole time

my husand is the same way. he's been here for over a year and gets really excited when he sees a sidewalk, he shouts something like "fu(k me there's a sidewalk!"

[David-and-Mae 15]

David

Make: Chevrolet

Model: Tahoe

Year: 2007

Color: Black

Length of daily commute: it depends but the day to day trip like going to church or something is less than 40 miles

Average gas cost per week: $75

Do you carpool? Nope, retired...

Any plans to buy a more fuel efficient transportation? In the future, Hybrid ones maybe.

..................................................................

Mae

Make: Honda

Make: Accord

Year: 2008

Color: Black (with dark bluish wax as finish)

Length of daily commute: N/A (using it for practice driving)

Average gas cost per week: not sure... maybe $60 a month so, $15 per week

Do you carpool? Yes, with my husband's SUV going to church and groceries, etc.

Any plans to buy a more fuel efficient transportation? In the future.

[shadtov 0]

I like this thread. It's interesting to know what people actually drive all over the country.

Me

Make: Subaru

Model: Forrester

Year: 2002

Color: silver

Length of daily commute: 50 mi.

Average gas cost per week: $80-$120 (including work-related travel)

Do you carpool? No, I have to make home visits once I get to work, but I get paid .50 a mile.

Any plans to buy a more fuel efficient transportation? Yes. We can't afford a hybrid, but we plan to park the Subaru and buy a scion xd.

Marcos

Make: Seattle's bus system

Model: some hybrids

Length of daily commute: 6 mi. roundtrip to school and 4 mi. roundtrip to work.

Average gas cost per week: free bus pass 'til November then $1.50 each way

We've been a one car family for a few months. We sold our 2000 Saturn b/c we found we never used it now that we live by a bus line.

Anyone use the zip cars?

I think that would be a great way for a city person to not have to buy a car. You could use the zip car a few times a month for much cheaper.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

I like this thread. It's interesting to know what people actually drive all over the country.

maybe an idea to start a poll to get an average mpg too.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

And that is the general consensus about bikes in America, which is why we will never be free of the oil #######. Luckily, there ARE places where people don't think of bikes as kid toys or college student transportation. Holland, for instance. Seattle, too. Seattle is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the US. Many businesses have employee showers so they can clean up after riding to work. If not, wet wipes work great. Keep clothes at your office or bring them in a backpack. Millions of people do it every day, so it isn't as impossible as some people seem to think it is.

In theory I agree with you. In practice, I have to ride though neighbourhoods that aren't really the greatest to work where murders and armed robbers have been known to be found hiding in the woods directly behind our office park. That is no lie or exaggeration, unfortunately. While I may think nothing of riding a bike in Germany, here I certainly hesitate because of crime and unpredictable outbreaks of severe weather. Neither were a serious problem in any of the places I lived in Germany.

[stuck_in_manila 0]

The Hubby

Make: Nissan

Make: I dont know

Year: 2003

Color: White, at least that's what I can remember

Length of daily commute: 20 miles

Average gas cost per week: $40

Do you carpool? No

Any plans to buy a more fuel efficient transportation? Not in the immediate future.

-------

Moi

Make: Honda

Model: Civic

Year: 2004

Color: Emerald Green

Length of daily commute: Recently quit my job, so I dont commute daily... used to be 30 kms

Average gas cost per week: Now, it depends on where i'm going, used to be P1,500 per week

Do you carpool? No

Any plans to buy a more fuel efficient transportation? Make that any type of car - yes, or at least i'm hoping the hubby will buy one for me when i'm finally in the states The mom-in-law is encouraging me to take the bus though! Ha ha ha

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I also thought that there are far more bike only lanes in Germany and the Netherlands along major roads. Here in Indy there basically is no such designation. I think they would laugh you out of the building to suggest it.