Comments on: Ride a bike or take a walk – save your house? http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/ a blog for SCV nerds by SCV nerds. Blogging Santa Clarita daily since 2006 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:42:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jeff http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8571 Jeff Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:46:16 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8571 "There are also hidden costs and subsidies to our car culture. The costs of air and water pollution, road maintenance and construction, and the like, are not part of the cost per gallon, but are embedded in tax laws (and therefore in many unrelated products you buy) such as income and sales taxes which feed general fund accounts at eh local, state, and federal level." Obesity is a big one! And with obesity comes diabetes, heart disease etc. A walking/biking community is a healthy community and a healthy community saves everyone money. “There are also hidden costs and subsidies to our car culture. The costs of air and water pollution, road maintenance and construction, and the like, are not part of the cost per gallon, but are embedded in tax laws (and therefore in many unrelated products you buy) such as income and sales taxes which feed general fund accounts at eh local, state, and federal level.”

Obesity is a big one! And with obesity comes diabetes, heart disease etc. A walking/biking community is a healthy community and a healthy community saves everyone money.

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]]> By: Need for Involved Citizenry http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8569 Need for Involved Citizenry Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:18:56 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8569 Many, many jobs are needed here before we think about higher density housing. Otherwise, we are just sending more vehicles over the already conjested Newhall Pass. OVOV doesn't cope with that too well. That is why it is taking so long to get the EIR done for OVOV. I'm sure they are struggling with the carbon footprint analysis that is required. Trains and bikes can solve the problem. Many, many jobs are needed here before we think about higher density housing. Otherwise, we are just sending more vehicles over the already conjested Newhall Pass. OVOV doesn’t cope with that too well. That is why it is taking so long to get the EIR done for OVOV. I’m sure they are struggling with the carbon footprint analysis that is required. Trains and bikes can solve the problem.

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]]> By: Spineflower2 http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8565 Spineflower2 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:31:24 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8565 sigh... I need my google toolbar with spell checker... it got uninstalled and I'm a-hurtin'! sigh… I need my google toolbar with spell checker… it got uninstalled and I’m a-hurtin’!

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]]> By: Spineflower2 http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8564 Spineflower2 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:30:20 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8564 There are also hidden costs and subsidies to our car culture. The costs of air and water pollution, road maintenance and construction, and the like, are not part of the cost per gallon, but are embedded in tax laws (and therefore in many unrelated products you buy) such as income and sales taxes which feed general fund accounts at eh local, state, and federal level. If we paid the TRUE cost on a per mile basis, the cost woudl be far higher than today. But the industry lobbies wont ever let that happen. And an arguyment is mad that the communal benefits of mobility are also s ahred benefit, that goes along with the shared costs. I agree China will become the new mass consimers shortly, and we have to prepare for that era with solar and ven nuclear electric plants, feeding electric cars. Biking in a suit in the rain or 100 degree heat is just not realistic. And our public transportatin network always fails in the "last mile" at either end. Again, cheaply-powered electric buses or mini-buses could solve that, but at great cost. Pay one way or another, transportation is not cheap! We have been fooled into thinking it is cheap through decades of subsidizing in ways beyond the gallon cost. There are also hidden costs and subsidies to our car culture. The costs of air and water pollution, road maintenance and construction, and the like, are not part of the cost per gallon, but are embedded in tax laws (and therefore in many unrelated products you buy) such as income and sales taxes which feed general fund accounts at eh local, state, and federal level.

If we paid the TRUE cost on a per mile basis, the cost woudl be far higher than today. But the industry lobbies wont ever let that happen. And an arguyment is mad that the communal benefits of mobility are also s ahred benefit, that goes along with the shared costs.

I agree China will become the new mass consimers shortly, and we have to prepare for that era with solar and ven nuclear electric plants, feeding electric cars.

Biking in a suit in the rain or 100 degree heat is just not realistic. And our public transportatin network always fails in the “last mile” at either end. Again, cheaply-powered electric buses or mini-buses could solve that, but at great cost.

Pay one way or another, transportation is not cheap! We have been fooled into thinking it is cheap through decades of subsidizing in ways beyond the gallon cost.

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]]> By: Walker :) http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8536 Walker :) Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:20:59 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8536 "We can coexist, you and I, douche and non-douche" *snort* I think I'll make this my new motto. Maybe a bumper sticker for the car? I'm shocked the transportation costs are as low as they are! I've either underestimated the number of SUV driving over extended $600 car payment Claritans or or underestimated the income of my fellow Claritan LOL. Our numbers work out to about 15%. That's for one (small) car payment, maintenance and insurance for two, and gas for one commuter car and one mom mobile (though it's a tiny one!) that rarely leaves my little 'zone'. “We can coexist, you and I, douche and non-douche”

*snort* I think I’ll make this my new motto. Maybe a bumper sticker for the car?

I’m shocked the transportation costs are as low as they are! I’ve either underestimated the number of SUV driving over extended $600 car payment Claritans or or underestimated the income of my fellow Claritan LOL.

Our numbers work out to about 15%. That’s for one (small) car payment, maintenance and insurance for two, and gas for one commuter car and one mom mobile (though it’s a tiny one!) that rarely leaves my little ‘zone’.

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]]> By: OccassionalPoster http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8528 OccassionalPoster Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:14:21 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8528 I believe the point is being missed. Yes, you have a choice to drive as much as you desire. What the ever-increasing cost of gas will do is to effect the feasibility of living far from work. While those leisure trips to Orange County can be curtailed, what do people do when they can't afford to drive to work. At $2.90 a gallon, those discretionary trips are not a problem. But when America starts seeing $5 and $6 a gallon, which is within this decade, realistically driving long distances to work may not be as feasible for large swaths of the work force. Some people may be able to afford gas at this price, but others won't and they will be forced to move closer to their jobs. And believe me gas will spike again not once the American economy recovers, but when the world economy recovers. India and China, about 2.2 billion people, or one third of the world's population, is developing some of the same living and commuting patterns that we associate with the U.S. Not trying to infringe on freedoms, but this type of freedom is expensive. I believe the point is being missed. Yes, you have a choice to drive as much as you desire. What the ever-increasing cost of gas will do is to effect the feasibility of living far from work. While those leisure trips to Orange County can be curtailed, what do people do when they can’t afford to drive to work. At $2.90 a gallon, those discretionary trips are not a problem. But when America starts seeing $5 and $6 a gallon, which is within this decade, realistically driving long distances to work may not be as feasible for large swaths of the work force. Some people may be able to afford gas at this price, but others won’t and they will be forced to move closer to their jobs.
And believe me gas will spike again not once the American economy recovers, but when the world economy recovers. India and China, about 2.2 billion people, or one third of the world’s population, is developing some of the same living and commuting patterns that we associate with the U.S. Not trying to infringe on freedoms, but this type of freedom is expensive.

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]]> By: mike http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8526 mike Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:45:25 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8526 Jeff, he's not a hater of the players, he's more like a coach. Or an owner. I mean, have you seen his roll of hundreds?? That's just 4.56% of gross, right there. Jeff, he’s not a hater of the players, he’s more like a coach. Or an owner. I mean, have you seen his roll of hundreds?? That’s just 4.56% of gross, right there.

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]]> By: Todd http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8519 Todd Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:46:50 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8519 Commuting vs discretionary leisure travel? Thats a rather large distinction that needs to be clarified. My commute from Via Princessa and Sierra to Burbank costs me about 1.6 gallons of gas round trip. So whats that at today's prices... $5.00 for 87 in the 2010 Focus (28.x MPG average per my Fuelly account)? My wife gets 25.5 MPG in her 4cyl Rav4 (pre-recall, thanks for your concern) and her commute to Sherman Oaks is 41, so thats about the same 1.6 gallons. All told, our daily expense (today's prices) is $10.00 for gas for commuting. That being said, I have significant weekend travel for leisure. Since the new year, I've been on a mountain cruise up Azusa Canyon, been down to Orange County 3 times to see friends, and traveled back and forth to Downtown LA twice, West LA twice, and Lancaster once for dinners or other evening entertainment. Like I said, these trips are discretionary, and when the gas climbs toward $5.00/gal we curtail them significantly. All told, our montly gas card charges (on the American Express card... gets 3% rebate and we pay it off every month so no interest paid!) runs about $300-$400. When we add in our two car payments, and our four cars worth of insurance (looking to sell a 2001 Toyota Celica if anyone is interested...) the total expense still doesn't come anywhere near 10%... 8.5% to be exact. Commuting vs discretionary leisure travel? Thats a rather large distinction that needs to be clarified.

My commute from Via Princessa and Sierra to Burbank costs me about 1.6 gallons of gas round trip. So whats that at today’s prices… $5.00 for 87 in the 2010 Focus (28.x MPG average per my Fuelly account)?

My wife gets 25.5 MPG in her 4cyl Rav4 (pre-recall, thanks for your concern) and her commute to Sherman Oaks is 41, so thats about the same 1.6 gallons.

All told, our daily expense (today’s prices) is $10.00 for gas for commuting.

That being said, I have significant weekend travel for leisure. Since the new year, I’ve been on a mountain cruise up Azusa Canyon, been down to Orange County 3 times to see friends, and traveled back and forth to Downtown LA twice, West LA twice, and Lancaster once for dinners or other evening entertainment. Like I said, these trips are discretionary, and when the gas climbs toward $5.00/gal we curtail them significantly.

All told, our montly gas card charges (on the American Express card… gets 3% rebate and we pay it off every month so no interest paid!) runs about $300-$400.

When we add in our two car payments, and our four cars worth of insurance (looking to sell a 2001 Toyota Celica if anyone is interested…) the total expense still doesn’t come anywhere near 10%… 8.5% to be exact.

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]]> By: Kelly http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8514 Kelly Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:03:33 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8514 I telecommute and really happy about that. I also like to walk and bike to run my errands if possible and enjoy our paseos. I telecommute and really happy about that. I also like to walk and bike to run my errands if possible and enjoy our paseos.

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]]> By: Drive66 http://scvtalk.com/2010/02/01/ride-a-bike-or-take-a-walk-save-your-house/comment-page-1/#comment-8511 Drive66 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:51:54 +0000 http://scvtalk.com/?p=1816#comment-8511 Jeff, I don't exactly know what you mean by "Don’t hate the player, hate the game" but I can say this, I love driving my car and I have a problem with the "cars are evil, ride a bike" agenda. If it we're up to you, we would all be taking the shame train or pedaling everywhere and that's just not how I want to live my life. It's called freedom of choice. Live and let live, P-) Jeff,

I don’t exactly know what you mean by “Don’t hate the player, hate the game” but I can say this, I love driving my car and I have a problem with the “cars are evil, ride a bike” agenda. If it we’re up to you, we would all be taking the shame train or pedaling everywhere and that’s just not how I want to live my life. It’s called freedom of choice.

Live and let live,

P-)

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