Saturday, January 19, 2008

Feeding the Beast

A commenter suggested I include bike related expenses in the context of analyzing my savings from minimizing my car use.

No.

Here’s why.

The MinusCar Project is not about saving money on transportation costs. This, isn’t about that.

I think car use is a waste. A waste of energy. A waste of money. Additionally, I think it’s probably a waste in more ways than I can imagine.

It’s easy for me to show that I’ve diverted between $4,000 and $6,000 over the last three years from the big gaping maw that is the black beast sitting in my driveway.

What if I spent $6,000 more on bicycle related expenses? Does that negate my argument that car use is a waste?

No.

If I spent $6,000 on bicycling I:

Gave $6,000 to a local business owned by my friend The Owner.

Gave $6,000 to the staff (and my friends) at The LBS.

Gave $6,000 to my health.

Gave $6,000 to a hobby.

If I give that to the beast – not so much.

15 comments:

SD_pedalpower said...

I concur.

The running email joke around work is when I send out lengthy emails explaining my point of views in fine detail as to why we should do something. When no one has anything to as provide for input they just reply I concur. I think they are just lazy.

That being said, I concur. :)

Sasquatch said...

Well said.

Frederick Ingram said...

You are not really saving money if you spend it on the bike, ergo your argument is specious.

mytzpyk said...

I may have called it saving money before (and lots of others call it that) but in this post and the other post in question I didn't call it saving.

I called it diverting. I said it wasn't about saving.

I disagree that my argument is ergo or specious.

Frederick Ingram said...

Diverting led to Katrina.

mytzpyk said...

Katrina was a hurricane.

Snakebite said...

I thought Katrina was a stripper from Chicago.

Frederick Ingram said...

Katrina the cocktail waitress, hurricane the drink. Maybe it was my flight that was diverted.

John Umland said...

I love this. Now I can justify buying Flevobike's Green Machine for 4 g's. I hope my wife will buy this argument too.
God is good
jpu

mytzpyk said...

Jpu - perhaps consider Fridrix warning about Katrina (assuming he meant the hurricane). Diverting funds from important things was part of the problem in New Orleans.

I in fact did not spend $6,000 on bicycling expenses.

Perhaps I spent the $6,000 pleasing The Wife.

Marrock said...

Can I borrow some of that six grand?

I have a new bike I need to get plus some needed gear, like a helmet that actually fits and a new backpack... duct tape only goes so far, and lights, I desperately need some lights.

mytzpyk said...

marrok - keep riding yer bike.

Lunatic Biker said...

Just don't give any money to Snakepants because that would be a waste.

Frederick Ingram said...

I think another blogger is blogging about your blog: http://alaskabikeblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/bargain-at-any-price.html

mytzpyk said...

I am glad that you have found a blog that makes you happy and shares your values.

I'll miss you, but I am happy because I know that you are happy.