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Torn8oz t1_iu5s536 wrote

Reply to comment by sciencecw in Metro Exploring Short-Term Fare Hikes And Long-Term Fare Overhauls by Maxcactus

Yeah my commute is $7.50 a day on the metro, and when I estimate how much gas if I drive to work it comes out to about $3.50 a day. So, big difference actually. I take the metro most days though since it's much less stressful

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sciencecw t1_iu5shmn wrote

I might be the only person not having a car in the city, but that must have not taken into account the cost of a car. Also is parking free for you?

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Torn8oz t1_iu5tou3 wrote

Yes, parking is free at my work. And yeah, if I had bought a car to commute to work, it would be a lot more expensive, but I've had this car for several years (fully paid off) before I moved to the area

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Not_A_Hemsworth t1_iu60xlz wrote

Don’t forget yearly maintenance, unseen maintenance, insurance. You can’t just calculate gas. That’s ridiculous.

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Torn8oz t1_iu61pkf wrote

Well, I guess my logic is that I'd own the car whether or not I drove to work. I do agree that driving to work increases maintenance costs though, but it's hard to quantify. Would my $500 dollar fix to my engine last month have been necessary if I hadn't been driving to work two days a week like I was doing? Hard to say

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Not_A_Hemsworth t1_iu62s0f wrote

Fair. I was operating under the assumption that you wouldn’t need the car. I mean 90% of trips people take in cars are to work or home from work so.

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Torn8oz t1_iu64q12 wrote

Yeah I've been really toying with the idea of getting rid of my car for your reasons haha

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Not_A_Hemsworth t1_iu6ift7 wrote

Would recommend! I got rid of mine two years ago. About 4 months before the pandemic hit. I pay $50 every 4-6 months for new tubes and tires. I’m riding a bike from 1993 that’s a fucking beast that I got on Craigslist for $100 three years back. I have a milk crate strapped to the back for carriage. When biking I notice incredible things, I feel healthy, my commute to work is half biking half metro rail. Metro is honestly the most expensive part. Wish they’d get their shit together.

Honestly. You don’t think about, but biking also saves you a lot of cash outside of the vehicle. You’re mucch Less likely to spend too much cash on eating out when you have to bike to wherever you want to eat. Gotta be conscious of how much you buy anywhere cause you gotta bike it home. Impulse buying drops significantly. At least it did for me.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iu7ppkb wrote

Yeah, I got one bike in summer of 2020 ( when new ones that weren't expensive were scarce). And then got a folding bike a few months later.

Riding a bike has really changed my life. During the height of the Pandemic it was nice to not deal with the stress of being on a bus with crazy people. Not having to wait for the bus at all either. I just rode my bike just about wherever I wanted to go.

Then I started doing food delivery with my bike as well so being able to earn money with something I had already turned into an absolutely wonderful benefit to my life.

Think about it..buying a bicycle it's yours. There is no multi month payment on it. No insurance is necessary no gas just feed yourself and your good to go

I also love how it helps my stress levels as well. Before I had a bike I did a whole lot of walking but it makes getting groceries a lot easier as well as doing my laundry. All in all I am on my bicycle a whole lot and because I have two I can always choose which one I want to ride lol

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Not_A_Hemsworth t1_iu8ap9p wrote

That’s the life. I do want to upgrade and have a nicer newer bike and then my Beater. But we will see if that ever happens

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iu9ao5h wrote

That's cool. Just take your time and really research what's around so you can get what you really want.

Personally I would love an electric bicycle but my goodness the choices can make that a daunting task indeed.

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Dear_Art_5845 t1_iu8t0ko wrote

It’s worth noting that if one has children or elderly dependents, it’s not always an option to eliminate a multi-passenger vehicle for a variety of reasons.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iu9bg4t wrote

DUH!!!

I'm not talking about those people.

Even when we are talking about elderly dependents you act like Metro Access doesn't exist or Uber or Lyft. It's not as if those elderly folks don't have a way to get where they are going and chances are they don't need to go there every single day either.

I would also say that it's not like those elderly folks don't have friends or other family members that can't possibly help out and take turns taking them where they need to go.

As far as children they make bicycles that can easily accommodate several children. I've seen them in DC myself and would love to see them more often.

https://yubabikes.com/carry-kiddos-as-cargo/

https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-electric-cargo-bikes/ There are ways around what may seem to be a major issue if one is willing to think outside the box.

Granted, I wouldn't recommend the bike when there is snow or ice on the ground. Having done it myself I know that really sucks.

Also, if it's raining I can see that being an issue as well mostly because people drive like retards in the rain as if they have never experienced it before.

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Dear_Art_5845 t1_iua9ole wrote

So “those people” are a lot of people, and a lot of “those people”, which clearly does not include an an ableist person such as yourself, can’t ride bikes for a range of reasons. Do they also not deserve affordable and far-reaching public transit? Isn’t that the point of this conversation? Have you ever tried to take a 12- and a 14- year old to a doctor appointment at children’s national from any other part of the city on a bike? Or on the Metro? Or walking? Do you want to tell them why they need to take the day off work because it’s gonna be a two hour trip on the bus each way? Would you like to explain to a person who makes $15/hr in that situation why the Uber they need to take from SEDC costs $25?

Widen your perspective a little, yo. Your remarks are showing your privilege.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iuavbyq wrote

I gave you transportation options that are outside of the box that people normally think about.

If they don't fit your particular circumstance for whatever reason then they simply don't and that's just fine.

Never did I say that EVERYONE can do them. But I venture to say that MOST probably could.

I don't know I only know a few places I'll be willing at one time

Again whoever is unable to do them then they would know that my post wasn't directed at them so you coming at me with snark is completely and totally uneccesary.

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Dear_Art_5845 t1_iub7fb0 wrote

You started your post with DUH, and I matched your energy in kind. I did not describe my own circumstances, merely thought about some that do exist and are regularly ignored. I’m merely pointing out that what you think is ‘out of the box’ is actually quite narrow and excludes a lot of people.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iubbnuc wrote

Duh because it's painfully obvious that there is no "one size fits all" as people have different circumstances.

It's not about being "ablest" either. Why do I say that? Because a number of people who I know that are elderly or disabled do the very things I mentioned. (Not bikes as they simply can't do it as much as they would like to).

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Dear_Art_5845 t1_iubzlmm wrote

The word is ableist.

My point is that you are clearly not considering the people you so obviously don't know in your nice bubble.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iuc8ra6 wrote

False. Folks that are disabled or elderly can use Metro Access. That's what that service is for. It's not like these people are left stranded with no way to get where they need to go at all.

I mentioned that in my first message to you. But for whatever reason you missed that completely.

Anyway I'm out of troll food so take care.

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iu7os6w wrote

Maintenance costs and stress for you. Plus you still pay for insurance and gas as well.

That $500 you spent on your engine would pay for one of my bicycles or be half of what I paid for both of them. They are MINE. Now, I might have to replace an inner tube or even a tire here and there with an inner tube being less than $10.00 (I would save money if I did it myself as well).

I'm just thinking about the costs that come with a car and for ME it's just not worth it.

I'd rather contribute to gas for friends and save money for trips than to have my own car

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CaptainObvious110 t1_iu7ok4d wrote

Yeah, forget all that. I'd rather ride my bicycle. Which covers the bulk of anything I'm likely to do each week anyway.

Other than that I can ride with a friend or family member, Uber, bus or train.

I just wouldn't have much of a reason to have a car at all.

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Gitopia t1_iua7sh5 wrote

Again, you have to account for those costs, even if they are already paid. Someone with a transit card that never purchased a car never spent any of that money, ever. If they needed to drive they would, right?

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