By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Oh Hawaii isn't that big, plus its broken down into many smaller pieces (islands) so they can ride bikes everywhere. Heck I have driven the road to Hana a bike might just be faster.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Oh and $5.18 for diesel doesn't impress me. Up here in my area I saw diesel for $5.34 yesterday.
The '03 Accord has a 5-speed automatic, and I think both 4th and 5th gear are pretty tall. I wonder if at 55 mph, the engine just isn't revving enough in top gear to have much power, so it might downshift more often, in situations like when you come to a hill, have to pass a slower moving car, etc? At 65, it might rev just high enough that it can do most of its highway driving in 5th gear.
Also, the faster you drive, the further you can coast when you take your foot off the gas, so that will partially negate the increased fuel burned getting up to those higher speeds.
It never ceases to amaze me that Hawaii has "interstate" highways.
The biggest problem I see in Hawaii is the electricity. They produce most with oil. They are used to high gas prices. In April I paid less for RUG in Hilo than in San Diego. They do not have designer gas and probably take whatever the oil companies send them. Shell is almost always the least expensive there. Not the case in CA where it is one of the highest priced.
I bought diesel for my tractor yesterday at $5.19 per gallon. Regular was $4.69 at my local Shell station. I would have to drive 15 mies to get diesel at $4.79 per gallon. I only use about 5 gallons every 6-8 months. Costco was at $4.33 on Tuesday.
Plan on $0.50 per gallon increases in fuel every year from now until we can generate huge massive quantities of alternate fuels. I actually think this 'number' is conservative. A 10-15% increase annually might be more accurate. National Avg of course, specific states may be well higher.
2006 .. $2.35 Avg --> Done
2007 .. $2.85 Avg --> Done
2008 .. $3.35 Avg --> Assured now
2009 .. $3.85 Avg
2010 .. $4.35 Avg
2011 .. $5.00 Avg
2012
2013 .. $6.00 Avg
2014
2015 .. $7.00 Avg
2016
2017 .. $8.00 Avg
2018
2019 .. $9.00 Avg
2020
2021 .. $10.00 Avg
$0.50 / gal increases don't seem like much at all but as you can see they add up
So what do you think happens next? I would guess either a) the truckers go back to work and make what they can, or b) they stay "stopped", the companies and stores don't get their products and they are forced to pay the truckers more.
Sometimes this is the way the market works - it is a form of negotiating. If American truckers stop en masse and for long enough then they would force higher rates also. Either the companies absorb the cost, or they pass it on to the consumer if they can.
The airlines are passing along their higher fuel costs in various ways also.
This demonstrates how a strong president can deal with those who only care about power and profits.
How about it, W?
Pretty different situation - iron ore was mined here, refined here, turned into steel products here. Oil and gas are global, we're paying the same as Europe, etc, don't see how an angry comment from anybody changes that.
Oh the price of Gas
My budget stretches too far
Only half a tank
***************************
Four dollars my gosh
I cannot afford this gas
Can't we just all walk?
***************************
One gallon four bucks
Are five and six coming soon?
How I love my bike
***************************
Anyone care to add a few?
I do think that demand will drop a lot when gas hits $6-7/gallon, people just aren't ready for that. In that same timeframe I expect that lots of developing countries that currently subsidize oil for their constituents will be forced by economic pressures to stop doing so, which will decrease demand a lot worldwide. However, in the same period, oil production will continue to drop.
The net effect? I think we will see sharp rises in the prices for another 3 or 4 years along the lines of what we are already seeing now, then they might plateau for a while.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Why are tax dollars being used to encourage people to drive, or fly then drive more? I know - because each state is looking out for its best interest, rather than the country as a whole. Is this local-selfishness good?
Why does the government sit idly by and let new homes be constructed with oil-heat if we want to wean ourselves off oil?
There needs to be some coordination between these government agencies as it looks like many people are at opposites on setting a goal, and how to get there.
If gas is $1 higher next year, that break-even time will be down another 20% - the Prius is under battery pack warranty for 7 years at those mileages in the computation, so that's 4.5 years of half-price gas as payback on a Prius purchase as of next summer...
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The Honda Civic Hybrid costs $3,000 more than the regular Civic EX. But the chart shows a $3,600 difference on top of the tax credit. You guys can check the msrp on each car for yourselves.
After I bought my Civic Hybrid last year for $22,000 plus TT&L, I got a $2,100 check from the IRS. That takes the payback down to about 2 years ..... even less if you drive more than 15,000 miles per year like I do.
Those tax credits are smaller this year (or gone, in the case of the Prius), but they still count for something.
BTW, I love that 99 year payback on the Lexus LS600H!
As for my driving, I'm down to maybe 5,000 per year these days so from a purely economic standpoint, I guess none of the hybrids would ever make sense for me. Unless they start getting to the point that the technology just doesn't boost the price of the car very much.
No one who buys that car gives a darn about payback. Just like they don't give a darn about payback for their second and third vacation homes, or their 60' yacht, or their villa in the South of France.
It's the biggest, baddest, most expensive Lexus. About 1/2 the buyers probably buy it merely for THAT reason alone.
Also, these are the new, down-rated numbers...the same ones that would sink your DTS to 15/22, or your Park Ave to 17/26.
That 20/22 probably equated to around 22/24 under the old ratings, while the 16/24 was probably more like 18/27. Still, that's an awful lot of money for a car!
As far as I know the S-class (S400) hybrid diesel is still on the books for 2010 or so...but it will actually produce some mileage.
I guess that makes them feel even better about themselves. Too bad they're wasting so much fuel. No, it wasn't a hybrid.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
- I ride 75% of it on the sidewalk, though in some spots - across 1 small bridge there is no sidewalk or road, besides the 2 lanes; and in downtown the sidewalk is crowded and illegal for riding.
- My main concern is when I'm on the narrow road parts; I had a large dump-truck come with 1'-2' yesterday, of side-swiping me.
- A little rain or condensation makes the seat wet everyday. I live in an apt. complex now and its's a hassle trying to get the bike thru the security doors everynight, so outside it stays.
- Since I have no cup-holder, I don't take my coffee. I end up buying it at work. Also since I have to leave 15 min. earlier, I cut the coffee-making from my schedule. So that cuts into my savings.
So in summary: I estimate I saved $6 in gas, spent $2 of it on coffee, got some exercise, and spent about an extra 1/2 hr commuting per day. A mixed bag. If there was a pop-up thunderstorm late in the afternoon that trapped me here at work, I don't think it would be all that positive. Oh, and I have a few extra leg aches and pains. We'll see if they go away in time.
But since my car depreciates whether driven ($10/day), the insurance is the same ($2/day), and the other fees ($1/day) don't go away, I'm not really saving that much.
The first step is to take how much you spend in fuel per month and divide it by your net income per month after taxes. A person(s) making $3,000 a month and spending $150 on petrol would have a pain index of 0.05 or 5%.
So where do you fit in the pain index?
0 to 2.5% - Little or no pain, unless you are in debt up to your eyeballs.
2.5% to 5% - Minor irritation. Most folks should fall in this area. You are watching gasoline prices but the cost is manageable . Your next vehicle should probably be a bit more fuel efficient, however.
5% to 10% - Uncomfortable to very uncomfortable. You probably should be thinking about a more efficient car sooner rather than later.
10% to 15% - Severe pain. Unless you live with your mom or drive a company car you really should sit down and look at your options.
15% plus - This is kidney stone kind of pain. Immediate surgery is needed.
This pain index is just a rough estimate. A lot depends on how expensive it is where you live, your debt load, size of your family and so on. Adjustments would also be needed for people with very low incomes or very high incomes.
We fall in the 2.5% to 5% range so things are still not having a big impact.
Lucky for him. The paperwork would have been murder. :sick: Just kidding, I am glad you are safe. Navigating the roads with a bike is dangerous. It is one of the reasons I will not be taking my bike to work anytime soon. Things are just a wee bit too crazy for me out there on the asphalt jungle.
I would get an electric car before I'd do the bike thing in our town.
http://www.gemcar.com/
"Since I have no cup-holder, I don't take my coffee. "
They make thirst aid helmets, beer hats and booze belts just for that kind of situation. Just make sure it is non-alcoholic beer or booze.
It's Thursday and that means time again for the longest running chat here in CarSpace, the Subaru Crew! The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight for another enjoyable evening with members of the Crew!
See you there!
However, I am lucky in that I do a lot of discretionary driving. My initial response to escalating gas prices was to trade cars which saved me close to 50% in gas costs, and the gas hasn't doubled since then, although we are nearing that point. Bottom line is, I will be able to cut back driving if I find myself really needing to save gas money. I won't like it, but I can do it easily, thank goodness.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
That gets into that whole pain/pleasure thing. The moderators would probably toss us out if we talked about it too much. If you are happy with the arrangement that's all that matters.
1. Try to find a shortcut away from the skinny bridge. You might can go around a block or something a little extra to avoid it. Another option is to walk the bike across the bridge. Will take a little longer, but a guy walking a bike gets driver attention more easily than a rider, whom they tend to "phase out" usually.
2. You carry a briefcase or a backpack daily? If so, just keep a little hand towel or washcloth in there to dry off your seat in the morning. Could even keep the towel in a little "seat bag" on the bike which you could get at a bike shop.
3. There are cupholders made for bike handlebars. Visit a bike shop and get you one. Then get a little timer to start the coffee maker 15 minutes early or whatever and take your coffee with you.
4. Actually, your car does MINUTELY depreciate a little less when you don't drive it, because the miles do not accumulate quite at the same rate. All else equal, a used car with 44,000 miles sells for slightly more than the same car with 48,000 miles. And ask your car insurance people for a cut rate if you are no longer using the car for the daily commute - my company gave me a break when my car stopped being my commute vehicle.
5. As far as "being trapped in the rain" you could do what I did - buy some rain gear. I bought a top and bottom from a guy who had used it on his sailboat. Got the set on craigslist for $40. Keeps me dry as a bone on the rare RARE Phoenix wet rides. Monsoon season is coming up here quickly, so I will use the rain gear a lot more very soon !!!
6. The leg soreness will eventually go away. Mine held on for about 2 weeks, maybe a little longer. ( But my legs look "buff" these days, so it was building muscle. ) I've lost 15 pounds since I started commuting by bicycle, with no other changes in diet or habits. Blood pressure dropped too, and cholesterol numbers improved.
Anyway: good luck, good job, and keep it up !!!
Higher fuel prices haven't affected our standard of living. Even so, we're doing what we can to cut out unnecessary trips. Every dollar not spent at the pumps can be spent on something that we enjoy, like good food & wine.
Certainly someone spending 1 dollar of every 20 take-home is spending too much on gas, in my mind. I propose modifying the scale a bit: 2.5% is the top end of the comfort/slightly irritating range, 5% should be the severe pain, sit-down-and-figure-out-a-new-plan threshold.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I did a rough estimate, and figure I actually come in around the 5% mark. :sick: However, part of that is because of those old cars I have, that I have to exercise every once in awhile. If I relied solely on my Intrepid, I'd probably be down to around 3%.
However, my takehome pay is deceptively low, because I max out my 401k. Plus, I don't have a car payment, insurance is fairly low, and my mortgage is a pittance, by today's standards. So while having fuel run 5% of your takehome pay could be brutal for some people, I don't really notice it.
I did a rough estimate, and figure I actually come in around the 5% mark. :sick: However, part of that is because of those old cars I have, that I have to exercise every once in awhile. If I relied solely on my Intrepid, I'd probably be down to around 3%.
However, my takehome pay is deceptively low, because I max out my 401k. Plus, I don't have a car payment, insurance is fairly low, and my mortgage is a pittance, by today's standards. So while having fuel run 5% of your takehome pay could be brutal for some people, I don't really notice it.
2) I have a cushy seat with a nylon covering. Wouldn't dry out too well.
4) But I probably eat a little more which costs more, so it offsets the depreciation savings.
5) I have rain gear, but our rain usually involves a lot of lightning. No thanks to riding with wet-brakes (50% efficient?) and in the lightning.
6) There is one downside though to increasing your metabolism. Your cells only divide so many times - the faster your metabolism the quicker you age.
On the metabolism thing - Jack LaLanne seems to have done fine. I'd rather live healthy 85 years than in poor health for 95.......
I like you am hopeful that when the CRZ arrives, the hybrid version will offer a manual, but since it will supposedly use the same powertrain as the existing Civic hybrid, I am not holding my breath. :-(
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Anyway, it might seem a little intimidating at first if you're not used to cars and trucks passing within a few feet of your elbow. I've found that after I established a pattern where I'm usually on the same road at the same time each day the "regulars" see me as a commuter who isn't just out exercising and tend to give me plenty of room. I always give a thank you nod and wave to anyone who appears to go out of their way to yield to my bike.
You might do like I did when I first established my route. Get a detailed local map and see what parallel side roads are available that could take you off the main thoroughfare without adding a lot of extra miles. In some cases the side streets I take are even shorter than the main road but not something most people in their cars would take.
On the bridge, I have to pedal across one that is part of a state highway and absolutely no shoulder. I have to travel around 1 mile on this particular road but there's no other way across. It's three lanes each direction. No driver has ever given me any trouble for being on that road.
I've ridden to work 5 days and 152 miles so far this week. At 22 mpg in my car I've saved around $27. I don't ride for the fuel economy. I do it because I enjoy it and it's a great way to stay in shape while only taking an extra 20-25 minutes each way to work than it already does in my car.
The leg and other body parts aches will get better if you stick with it. I remember how awful I felt the first 2-3 weeks when I started riding to work many years ago.
RUG is $3.87 today at the local stations. I'm also in the "little to no pain" index.
Hey, watch it there !!!
I ride an ELECTRIC ASSIST bike. It will not assist unless I am pedaling. My legs get sore and I have lost 15 pounds because it is GOOD EXERCISE.
The reason I ride an electric assist bike instead of a normal bike is that I live in Phoenix, and at age 45, I have CHOSEN not to pummel myself in the heat and end up a completely sweaty pig at both ends of my ride.
I do sometimes take showers after my afternoon ride, just to cool off. But if I were riding a non-assisted bike, I would need a shower at the end of both the morning and afternoon rides in the hottest part of the summer, when sometimes morning temps at 5:00 A.M. are 90+ degrees.