As I finished up college, I was asked by a few people when am I going to get a car?  When am I gonna retire the bicycle I’ve been using?  When am I gonna get if I do get a car?  So on and so forth.

My personal opinion on this is that, I’m not concern about it.  With how gas and car prices are, by the time I get my things in line for this, gas prices are going to be pushing five bucks and car prices pushing $25,000 to $30,000.

After doing some light research I’m still in no hurry to get a car.  The average price of a car is $28,400, the average car insurance is $150 bucks an month.  As of July 6, 2011; the gas prices for a gallon of unleaded gasoline stands at $$3.569 with the average car tank holding upwards of 16 gallons.

Doing the numbers that’s an estimated 2573.771 a month.  Taking 28,400 and divided by 12, (even though techinally your not spending 2,300-some on number a month to pay off a vechile), as well as mulitplying $3.569 (gas prices) by 16 and adding those two with $150 for insurance.

For an average, brand-new, bicycle, its $385.  Your “spending” $32.08 an month on a bicycle.  And the cost of fixing your bicycle is no higher than double-figures while its easily three-to-four digits to fix something on your car of choice.

Consider this.

The average driver drives 38.3 miles a day.  Depending on your vehicle, your wasting upwards for two to three gallons a day just on traveling alone.

Now if you would’ve biked instead, you would saved an estimated 35 cents for soap, seven cents for gas, and you’ll save an overall all 41 cents a day compare to spending 42 cents driving.

For me, just because people ask me to drive doesn’t mean I necessarily need to drive everywhere.  I would rather take the 38 miles on a bike and get my excerise in than driving a car and stopping at McDonald’s on a daily basis. I’ll keep on using my bike until I believe it is time for me to waste the money for a vehicle.

sources:

Buying A New Car. April 24, 2009.  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut11.shtm.  July 6, 2011.

Facts About Bicycling as a Communting Option. n.d.  http://www.californiabikecommunte.com/FACTS.pdf.  July 6, 2011.

How Many Gallons does the average gas tank told?  htpp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071220211509AAQnule. July 6, 2011.

National Average Price. July 6, 2011.  http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirecto=http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/index.asp