# $368 a month on gas = 3 gallons a day! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 6, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965 "2011-05-06T14:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/61 "2011-05-06T18:45:58Z")
> [@bump](#): > > People also change jobs independent of layoffs more too. I mean, if I was going to look for a new job, I wouldn’t be expecting to move to be closer to it. If it was too far away (say, Fort Worth), I’d just not take it. > I think the public transit advocates must all live in NY, San Francisco, Boston or other dense cities with well-developed public transit. I live about half a mile from a cross-town bus route that drops off directly across the street from my office. Sounds good, right? Not so fast. Since it has 9 miles to traverse, there are a LOT of stops. Enough such that the scheduled time between stops is 44 minutes. It picks up at 6:11, and drops off at 6:55. So I’d have to start walking around 6 am to be there on time. > > By comparison, I can leave my house at 6:45 and be there by 7 if I drive. It’s about twice as expensive for gas as for taking the bus, but my time’s worth it. I got all confused until I realized that **bup** and **bump** are not the same posters. That one little “m.” ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/62 "2011-05-06T18:48:38Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > I live 31 miles from work. I burn 2 gallons a day commuting to work. To conserve gas, I try to drive in the 60 to 65 mph range on the interstate. I can sleep as late as 6:45 am and still get to work on time. I am almost always home by 6:00 pm, and usually home before 5:45 pm. > > I could take trains and buses to get to work. It would, however, take about 2.5 hours one way, assuming I don’t miss any of my connections. That means I would have to get out of bed at 5:45 a.m. to shower, get dressed and get to the bus stop. This will get me to work at 8:45 a.m. I will have to brownbag my lunch every day or go hungry, as there are no eating places within easy walking distance. If I have to leave work for some family emergency, I am out of luck. A doctor’s appointment will take all day instead of a morning or afternoon, as the mass transit logistics just don’t work out. In the evening, I will get home about 7:30 p.m., assuming I don’t miss any of my connections. Experience tells me the connections will often be missed, in which case I might not get home until 9:00 p.m. or even 10:00 p.m. If I don’t miss a connection, I have about two hours in the evening to eat a little something, watch TV, surf the net, or do a little reading before going to bed. If I miss a connection, I will have to go to bed almost as soon as I get home. > > I could move closer to work, but I want to live in a neighborhood where I don’t have to carry a firearm to feel safe. I’ve already lived in such neighborhoods for far too many years. Inasmuch as the cost of moving would probably be between $1500 to $2000, it’s a moot point anyway. > > I use about 45 gallons of gas a month driving about 1400 miles, of which 1240 are used commuting to and from work. > > French kiss my ass, Bup. Change a few details, and this is me. I live 28 miles from my job and it takes me an hour each way to get there. Last month it cost me more than 25% of my take-home pay to get to work and back. Of course a lot gets taken out for health benefits, retirement fund, taxes, etc., but actual spendable cash, it’s like having a part-time job to get to my full-time job. It took me a full year to find this job, and I’d work closer to home if I could. There is no reasonable way I can take public transportation; my work day is 11 hours long as it is and it would be 14 hours long if I took a bus. I’d like my husband and dogs to recognize me. ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/63 "2011-05-06T18:49:10Z")
I use about 3 gallons per day on my 50-mile-each-way commute. It’s not ideal, but my wife and I balanced the numerous variables when deciding where to live/work and made this choice. If the economics of the situation (or other factors) change dramatically, we might choose to change something to reduce my fuel consumption but for now we’re sticking with it as the best overall compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/64 "2011-05-06T18:51:09Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > If you think it’s trolling to maintain one’s original position in the face of contrary arguments No, that’s the definition of insanity. And it’s not what OP did. What OP did is trolling. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/65 "2011-05-06T18:51:44Z")
> [@bup](#): > > You’re all very special. None of you can use public transportation, or use a vehicle that gets better mileage, or do anything to reduce your consumption below 3 gallons a day, including weekends. This really depends on where you are. As i said above, my wife and probably average about 1 gallon a day, maybe a little more, but we’re lucky enough that we don’t need to commute five days a week, and when we do we can do it together. For this reason, and the fact that we have no kids, we only have one car, and most of the time that’s all we need. We could, in theory, take public transportation to work. Here’s how the trip would look: Walk 50 feet to bus stop. **16 minute** bus ride. Get off bus, wait for connecting bus. **17 minute** bus ride. Get off bus, wait for train. **1 hour 1 minute** train ride. Get off train, wait for train. **43 minute** train ride. Get off train; walk one mile uphill to work. Total cost per person for the return trip: $16.00 So, assuming absolutely no waiting between buses and trains, and leaving aside the walk at the end, this trip would take 2 hours and 17 minutes each way, assuming everything went perfectly. Getting to work by car takes 35-40 minutes, and eats about 1 gallon of gas, for a total of about $9.00 for the return trip. We try to reduce our fuel consumption by doing more than one thing at a time. For example, on the way home from work the other evening we stopped off to do some shopping at the Asian supermarket. Doing this on the way home not only saves times, but means that we only add about a mile to our commute, rather than making a separate 10-mile journey for groceries. While i agree that there are plenty of people who could probably reduce their fuel consumption if they were a bit more thoughtful, as others have noted, many of the decisions that contribute to our reliance on gasoline were made a long time ago, and are difficult for individuals to offset simply by changing their habits. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/66 "2011-05-06T18:53:37Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Oil dropped to under 100 a barrel yesterday. The pump price stayed the same. If it goes up, the price changes instantly. Weird isn’t it? Actually, in my experience, pump prices lag a few days behind oil prices on the way up AND on the way down. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/67 "2011-05-06T18:54:08Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > If you think it’s trolling to maintain one’s original position in the face of contrary arguments, well, you must run across a lot of trolls. God help you if you ever wander into GD… Sorry, I hadn’t seen this before I posted the above, apologies for double-post (if someone else doesn’t slip in, in the meantime.) Here’s what we have so far: OP: A is bad! Everyone should B, or at least C! Chorus: We’d love to B, but we can’t even C, for reasons D, E, F, and G, so we’re stuck with A for now. OP: D, E, F and G are all irrelevant. B NOW! B NOW! Chorus: Um… D? Also, E? Don’t forget F and G, please. OP: B NOW! B NOW! What some call “contrary arguments,” others call “legitimate reasons.” The OP is welcome to come on down to Texas, where it gets to be 105 F _without the heat index_ and go on, go ahead, bike to work. See how presentable you are once you get there. Best case scenario: unpresentable sweaty mess. Worst case scenario: unpresentable smeary mess on someone’s bumper. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/68 "2011-05-06T19:01:15Z")
My round trip commute is 22 miles, and me and my lead foot average about 25mpg in my Outback. My fiancee’s commute is maybe 10 miles round trip. She drives an (automatic) Corolla and does mostly city driving, so let’s say she gets about 30mpg. I do most of the driving evenings and weekends. I put 12 gallons or so in about every 10 days, and she fills up once a month. So we’re at about 1.25 gallons/day. It’s not that hard, folks. Then again, we chose to move to a slowly gentrifying urban neighborhood with plenty of entertainment and shopping options within walking distance. The supermarket is two miles away. We’re buying a house in essentially the same area, and there’s a public Montessori elementary school a block in one direction and a public pool/playground a block in the other. I’m sure the crime rate is higher than the burbs, but I’ve managed to live my entire adult life in the city (including living a couple of blocks away from the race riots we had awhile back) without ever feeling the need to pack a gun. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/69 "2011-05-06T19:05:08Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Sorry, I hadn’t seen this before I posted the above, apologies for double-post (if someone else doesn’t slip in, in the meantime.) > > Here’s what we have so far: > > OP: A is bad! Everyone should B, or at least C! > Chorus: We’d love to B, but we can’t even C, for reasons D, E, F, and G, so we’re stuck with A for now. > OP: D, E, F and G are all irrelevant. B NOW! B NOW! > Chorus: Um… D? Also, E? Don’t forget F and G, please. > OP: B NOW! B NOW! > > What some call “contrary arguments,” others call “legitimate reasons.” This makes a case for why **bup** is not making a very good argument (and here I completely agree with you), but I still don’t see anything that indicates trolling. I think it’s perfectly possible for someone to believe that the members of society are responsible for its macroscopic effects, even if any given member has little or no control over them. For example, if the members of a village upriver from yours are dumping enormous amounts of feces into the water, you may still be pissed at them even after you learn that they laid out their buildings such that the pollution is unavoidable. One could of course argue that yelling at people for simply going to the bathroom is not very effective, but effectiveness and trolling are totally different things, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/70 "2011-05-06T19:19:39Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Here’s what we have so far: > > OP: A is bad! Everyone should B, or at least C! > Chorus: We’d love to B, but we can’t even C, for reasons D, E, F, and G, so we’re stuck with A for now. > OP: D, E, F and G are all irrelevant. B NOW! B NOW! > Chorus: Um… D? Also, E? Don’t forget F and G, please. > OP: B NOW! B NOW! > > What some call “contrary arguments,” others call “legitimate reasons.” People like change, but nobody wants _to_ change. When gas is $7 or $8 a gallon, you’ll B or C, even though you claim it’s impossible now. Also, you have my voice entirely wrong. **rachelellogram** , I just want you to know I glide to work effortlessly on the backs of naked flying nymphs. I think everyone should do exactly what I do, especially because I don’t inconvenience myself at all to save gas. > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > > [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > > > I live 31 miles from work. I burn 2 gallons a day commuting to work. To conserve gas, I try to drive in the 60 to 65 mph range on the interstate. I can sleep as late as 6:45 am and still get to work on time. I am almost always home by 6:00 pm, and usually home before 5:45 pm > > … > > > > French kiss my ass, Bup. > > Change a few details, and this is me. What’s your ass look like? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/71 "2011-05-06T19:22:35Z")
Flat. It spends too damn much time in the car. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/72 "2011-05-06T19:23:30Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > This makes a case for why **bup** is not making a very good argument (and here I completely agree with you), but I still don’t see anything that indicates trolling. > > I think it’s perfectly possible for someone to believe that the members of society are responsible for its macroscopic effects, even if any given member has little or no control over them. Yes, there exist people for whom it is genuinely really hard to change their gas consumption. But the \*average \*American family is using 3 gallons a day. That means lots of assholes are using more. They’re not all poor, poor victims of bad infrastructure. Americans are fat, and use 3 gallons of gas a day, and it’s all somebody else’s fault and there’s nothing they can do to change it! Honest! ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/73 "2011-05-06T19:27:40Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > No, that’s the definition of insanity. And it’s not what OP did. What OP did is trolling. I think there are two problems the OP is addressing. The first is that, for most of the world, the way the majority of our country is spread out is beyond imagining, and since most of the major tourist destinations have some sort of acceptable public transit set up for many people who’ve been here they see that lots of cities in the US can successfully aim towards less gas usage. The second is that lots of people refuse to make small changes because they are comfortable the way they are and the OP seems to be complaining about that as well. People don’t want to carpool because they would rather be alone in the car so they can choose the radio station. They don’t want to write to their city council to tell them how important it is for the bus lines to be extended or for sidewalks to be added. They don’t want to move to be closer to a train or bus line. Heck, you yourself started a thread about how [you couldn’t afford your life](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=587344&highlight=move) and then systematically shot down every single option people gave you for saving more or spending less to bring your finances in order. People live the life they like, generally speaking, and will fight change to be able to maintain things exactly the way they are even if it is to their detriment. I think that is what the OP is mostly upset about, and while he is being more than a little aggressive about it I don’t think he is trolling. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/74 "2011-05-06T19:38:51Z")
If you bike how do you carry your laptop, briefcase, or anything else that might be bigger than a breadbox and doesn’t fit in those cute little baskets? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/75 "2011-05-06T19:45:13Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > If you bike how do you carry your laptop, briefcase, or anything else that might be bigger than a breadbox and doesn’t fit in those cute little baskets? I can’t speak for what other people carry to work, but i could easily fit my laptop, a couple of books, and other work-related papers into an over-the-shoulder satchel or backpack. There are plenty of purpose-made bags and carriers for cyclists. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/76 "2011-05-06T19:47:17Z")
The only thing about American gas consumption I don’t get is all this noise about driving kids to choir practice or baseball or ballet. Around here, parents seem to have the attitude “If I have to drive, you can’t go, _because it’s too far away_.” Activities for kids are limited to whatever they can get themselves to, usually. Then again, we have decent public transport. I can’t imagine living anywhere that doesn’t have a store, but I realize it’s not the average americans fault. I still think this (possibly mythical) “average american” has a pretty screwy lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/77 "2011-05-06T19:57:34Z")
> [@bup](#): > > **rachelellogram** , I just want you to know I glide to work effortlessly on the backs of naked flying nymphs. I think everyone should do exactly what I do, especially because I don’t inconvenience myself at all to save gas. Pics or shenanigans. Also if you could PM me the name of your nymph-dealer, I’d appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/78 "2011-05-06T20:16:57Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Yes, there exist people for whom it is genuinely really hard to change their gas consumption. But the \*average \*American family is using 3 gallons a day. That means lots of assholes are using more. They’re not all poor, poor victims of bad infrastructure. Americans are fat, and use 3 gallons of gas a day, and it’s all somebody else’s fault and there’s nothing they can do to change it! Honest! Okay, bup, as soon as you add in the fact that Americans are fat as though it’s somehow relevant to your main argument, you veer into trolling territory. (full disclosure: I AM in fact fat, but I will cheerfully admit that it’s my fault, and I AM doing something about it, and so are a lot of other Americans. And I think that smug sneer about my fellow Americans’ waistlines makes you sound like a flaming asshole. Whose fault is THAT, I wonder?) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/79 "2011-05-06T20:25:17Z")
FWIW I live in the suburbs and I work from home, as does my business partner and our other employee (all our own homes). If only we were in the business of producing gasoline, our company would be using NEGATIVE gas! You people who use public transportation to go out of your homes and work are chumps 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/80 "2011-05-06T20:29:45Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > If you bike how do you carry your laptop, briefcase, or anything else that might be bigger than a breadbox and doesn’t fit in those cute little baskets? Most people use over-the-shoulder ‘messenger’ bags, often specially designed for biking, but I prefer a backpack (with built-in laptop space). You can also fit quite a bit on the back carrier racks most bikes come with, and more on the racks you can buy separately rated up to 50 lbs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965.md?page=5)