Transportation alternatives

[The Quadfather]

With the horrible prices of gas these days I was just wondering what kind of things people are doing out there for alternatives in your commuting? Obviously there is the bus, but sometimes people have some creative things up their sleave. My co-worker (who is 42) is riding what is called a (Longboard skateboard) from his home, to the bus and then busses the remaining way to work. But he actually has to ride the skateboard for about 1/2 hour before he picks up a bus.

Like everyone else I"m just sick of state of affairs at the the pump. I am looking at a few things, I'm really interested in maybe getting a scooter. 90% of them are still gas, there are very few electric models that I see. Yeah,, I know,,,, safety. I plan on being on neighborhood streets not highways. And unfortunately the electrics are very tiny and only go about 20 mph, or 25 miles on a charge. I figure even a gas model is quoted at 80-100 mpg. I am also wondering about these motor kits that you can buy which attach to you standard bicycle. Does anybody have any experience with this. I am most interested in this option. I have about a 35 mile roundtrip commute.
Something is about to give and not sure which direction to go in. I have even gone to dropping one day off my work schedual. Of course this is for more time to fish and other things,, but heck I figure it will even save me on the gas of just getting there one day less.
Do you guys have any interesting ideas..... pogo stick, unicycle??

[dilbert]

I vanpool... been doing it for about 3 years now. I get a morning nap, an afternoon nap, and it costs me $50 a month. I love it. I also work a 9/80 schedule . I work 9 hours a day and have every other Friday off.

[Gisteppo]

West siders need to take advantage of the various bus/light rail/public transport options available to them. Yes it still burns fuel, but it is by far the most economical way to do it. You may have to take a stop and switch buses downtown, but it is worth it. This spring I enjoyed taking the bus from SeaTac to downtown, then the light rail to the south end of the lake to see the Center for Wooden Boats (highly recommended trip).

It is a bike-friendly town, but long commutes on the bike in the city are very dependent on where you have to ride.

If it isn't a function of economics, but rather to send a big F and a big U to the oil companies, you can buy kits to convert various cars to electric, such as a VW rabbit/golf, A Geo metro, and the one Id like to tackle, a 70's Porsche 914. All electric will cut your daily costs to about $2 per trip or less, pollute nothing, gives no money to the oil industry, and entitles you to tax breaks and better parking spots...

E

[Gringo Pescador]

Luckily my wife and I work in the same place, so we carpool. I also work a 4X10 schedule with Fridays off. My wife works on Fridays, but from home (telecommute). We are talking about trying to convince our bosses to let us work another day from home now. Don't know if they will go for it though. We taken to walking and bicycling more for shorter errands too. Outside of that I will be riding my motorcycle more and more as the weather gets better.

Just got back from Mexico City - gas is only about $2.00 a gallon there.

[bassmasterderek]

I have always have the hobby of mountain biking. As long as it's good weather I ride to work four miles on saturday's and sunday's. I would definately ride to work more if I owned a street bicycle and didn't have such a large hill to climb. Living so close to work I don't really save much on gas but I enjoy the ride.

[shawn]

The ol' lady just picked up one of those trailer things you put behind the bike and pull the kids.It might just converted over for my float tube to get towed to the lake behind the bike.Don't worry we have no kids so no one will be missing out anything.Since it's only 2.2 miles to the lake I usauly fish shouldn't be to bad.She picked up at the goodwill on the day they mark things down so she picked it up for $1.29.Yes a dollar twentynine.It's for two kids so just maybe with a few tweeks and modifacations.When I get a pontoon I can make it fit.We will see.

[A9]

Currently I'm without a car and it is nice to not be filling up with gas. But that's gonna end shortly cause I will have to have one this summer...I'm gonna try and get a midsize sedan with the smallest engine that is available. Several years ago when I started driving I wanted to get the biggest engine in whatever car I bought. I'm glad I didn't get anything more then an I-4 (150hp) in my first car. Saves on gas and is tougher to speed and thus reducing the chances of getting a ticket and having my insurance go way up.

I need to buy a new bike. Not a motor bike. I used to do a ton of mountain biking but I grew outta my last bike (got too big), and I never got a new one. I do have a longboard though, but I live in a hilly neighborhood and a skateboard does no good for going up hills and it's dangerous to go down steep roads...

Another idea to save on gas is downsize your boat. I know Gisteppo has mentioned before that he prefers boats with under 50-60hp, and that is completely reasonable...If one needs a boat to get out on the salt, something like what Dave has (16-17' Hewes with a >100hp motor) will get you around with a buddy or two on almost every day out in the salt. Sure, a nice 22' cuddy cabin Grady would be SWEET in the nasty chop of the sound, but you need a 250 to push that thing, and you usually don't have a boat full of people. That would be a real gas guzzler. I ran my 15hp Yamaha ALL Memorial Day weekend and I used maybe 3 gallons of gas. I ran that boat around 25 miles or so....

[bel83]

Personally I don't own a car. My Fiance does but she is a teacher...she has to take way to many things back and forth from work to home each day for anything else to be useful. luckily we only live a short distance from her school (12-15 minute drive) and are moving this weekend to south seattle which will put her in the 2-4 minute range. as for me I work in south lake union and for the past year or more (well since I got this job) I have biked or biked/bused to work. I ride an average of 20+ miles a day (its 17.4 miles one way) and often ride almost 40 miles a day. The area is very bike friendly around Seattle and once you know the routes and traffic in downtown it is not bad at all. Luckily the move to south seattle will knock about 3 miles each way off of my commute as well so that is nice. The great thing about bike commuting is that I get my workout in at the same time that I do my commute so I don't get home from a long bus commute and then just get changed and head to the gym. not only that but it takes me the same amount of time or even less time to go from home to work and vic a versa than on the bus alone.

Anyway if anyone wants some advice on biking in the seattle area PM me. I can help or point you to some good websites like the Cascade Bicycle club site.

[cavdad45]

I've been buying shares of Mobil/Exxon.

[Drewp]

I've learned how to bend over. :albino:

[EastsideRedneck]

I've learned how to bend over. :albino:

I never knew how bony my ankles were until this year... Actually, I have been using my motorcycles to offset my gas guzzling fleet and I am now going "people-powered" on the lakes in my fishing kayak.

[iPodrodder]

I got a Prius....I mean, well, that's if I could drive it (thats for you, Quad!). Is your longboard riding co-worker a fan of grunge by any chance?

What I've been doing is sitting by the Lake Sammamish boat launch laughing at the 60-or-more-car-plus-skiboat line. It piled out onto the road about 500 feet on that 90 degree day a few weeks back. All those cars waste a ton of fuel
a) driving there
b) sitting in line
c) driving the huge boat
d) driving back home

All in all it must be at least a $20 day for them.

[Gisteppo]

The last thing I want to do is support the &%&)* $&&*ing )%&&(* %&*(&*&* ^%**))@#ers that run the oil industry. Investing is perpetuation, and the dollar you make investing is borne from the backs of those without a choice but to buy gas as so much of our infrastructure is based on it.

I have to say that some of the best seagoing salt boats have less than 100hp. One just has to stop wanting to go more than 30mph. If you can tolerate taking an extra 30 minutes you can cut your horsepower requirements in your boat by half generally. Consider one of mine. I have 22 feet of boat, USCG allows me to seat 8, she will bob around with the best of them in seas up to about 6 feet, and 50 hp will take you to 26mph all day long. Did I mention it burns about 3gph?

Even better is stepping into a displacement boat. There is no more seaworthy fishing boat than one that doesn't get on a plane. Planing boats require horsepower in a different way, with a resulting J curve in their horsepower requirements for more speed. Putting at hull speed (6-12 mph depending on length) uses minuscule amounts of power. A 28 foot trawler with galley, head, sleeping room for 4, and 64 square foot fishing deck can run on 40hp.

E

[fishaholictaz]

With the horrible prices of gas these days I was just wondering what kind of things people are doing out there for alternatives in your commuting? Obviously there is the bus, but sometimes people have some creative things up their sleave. My co-worker (who is 42) is riding what is called a (Longboard skateboard) from his home, to the bus and then busses the remaining way to work. But he actually has to ride the skateboard for about 1/2 hour before he picks up a bus.

Like everyone else I"m just sick of state of affairs at the the pump. I am looking at a few things, I'm really interested in maybe getting a scooter. 90% of them are still gas, there are very few electric models that I see. Yeah,, I know,,,, safety. I plan on being on neighborhood streets not highways. And unfortunately the electrics are very tiny and only go about 20 mph, or 25 miles on a charge. I figure even a gas model is quoted at 80-100 mpg. I am also wondering about these motor kits that you can buy which attach to you standard bicycle. Does anybody have any experience with this. I am most interested in this option. I have about a 35 mile roundtrip commute.
Something is about to give and not sure which direction to go in. I have even gone to dropping one day off my work schedual. Of course this is for more time to fish and other things,, but heck I figure it will even save me on the gas of just getting there one day less.
Do you guys have any interesting ideas..... pogo stick, unicycle??

Just a fyi I have been looking into a moped and it would be great goes up to 40 mph gets great gas mileage and you don't need a lic/insurance to ride one

[kutthroatkilla]

Just a fyi I have been looking into a moped and it would be great goes up to 40 mph gets great gas mileage and you don't need a lic/insurance to ride one.

How are you going to haul the boat with the kids on that one??...I do suppose they make good moped hitches and maybe a mini moped trailer?! Crap, with gas prices near $4.25 a gallon, I'm just about to buy a moped! Certainly going float tube because a toon boat won't collapse on that moped...As such, gasoline prices will reach $5.00 per gallon and we will either fork it up or change our ways. When we buy more fuel, we're only making it worse. Changing our means of getting somewhere has no dramatically changed

...moped all the way


Check it out...I guess people really are driving LESS: Fuel Prices Changing Behavior:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/finance/fuelpriceimpacts

[gpc]

A couple years back we bought 2 mopeds for $100. To make a long story short, my buddy took both of them a part and made 1 that runs. I cant do 2 wheels, too scary for me . He rides that thing too and from work every day. On a 1/2 gallon tank he gets 45 miles.


My boss rides the train from Sumner to S. Seattle for $7.50 a day.


Me.... I am getting taken to the cleaners. I just put 23 gallons in my tank, when I gave the lady $100 she looked at me as if I were crazy. Well, I did have to go back in for my change, all $3 of it (and my tank is 26 gallons so over a $100 to fill). Ill be back doing the same thing next friday, if not sooner. This gas thing, is getting old.


Believe it or not we were only paying around $2.60 a gallon in November

[The Quadfather]

Well, they are dorky/ugly as can be.... but I am looking at these things.

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/index.htm

[fishaholictaz]

Well, they are dorky/ugly as can be.... but I am looking at these things.

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com/index.htm

Looks like a fancy trolling motor tied to a bike Perfect for a guy from this site:-$

LOL

[kutthroatkilla]

Hey Quad, if the bike fits, ride it! There are no dumb choices in innovative ways to get around. It's great.

[swifty]

I guess we have it made here in Pierce County...