0 A reply to the post below

From rec.bicycles.tech Usenet newsgroup :

An interesting but very incomplete analysis of the true costs of
commuting by bike.

Take the average commuter that lives 20 miles from work. To make an
8-4 work schedule that commuter will have to get up at 4:00 to begin
riding at 5:00 to arrive at work by 8:00. The commuter then does the
same in reverse and arrives home at 7:00 The times assume he is able
to find a lot of flat and downhill both ways with few traffic and
stoplights.

Incremental cost: New bike every year plus repairs $2,000; Medical
expenses from road injuries $2,000

When it snows, or rains the commuter is either off work and not paid
because he cant make it in, or he is forced to get a hotel room close
to work because he can't ride home in inclement weather.

Incremental cost: Lost wages $5,000; Hotel rooms $1,000

Tiring of those exceedingly long riding days and days missed with no
pay the commuter decides to shorten his commute by moving closer.
After some research he determines that to reduce his commuting distance
by half he will have to pay twice as much for the same house because he
is much closer to the big city now.

Incremental Cost: $200,000

The commuter works in sales and he is asked to make a presentation to
two potential clients, one located 90 miles south on the coast and the
other 45 miles west in the mountains. The commuter presents his boss
with the proposed 6 day ride to cover both potential customers and is
promptly fired.

Incremental cost: Annual salary $100,000

Before the commuter has a chance to shorten his ride, his wife sues for
divorce because he is gone so long from home that she became lonely and
had an affair with the cable tv repairman.

Incremental cost: Alimony and child support for the next 20 years.

My reply to this post (I was partly out of my mind but well, the majority of the people were against this guy, so I did too. I mean, my opinion is that this guy is nuts!)

John S. wrote:
> An interesting but very incomplete analysis of the true costs of
> commuting by bike.

Not as flawed as yours.

> Take the average commuter that lives 20 miles from work. To make an
> 8-4 work schedule that commuter will have to get up at 4:00 to begin
> riding at 5:00 to arrive at work by 8:00. The commuter then does the
> same in reverse and arrives home at 7:00 The times assume he is able
> to find a lot of flat and downhill both ways with few traffic and
> stoplights.

3 hours on your bike for 20 frikkin miles? Thats a speed of 6 miles per
hour!!! Tell you what? You'd do better on foot!

> Incremental cost: New bike every year plus repairs $2,000; Medical
> expenses from road injuries $2,000

What are you Lance Armstrong? Im not harrassing you because of your
speed, but given the fact that you said you take 3 frikkin hours to do
20 miles, and on top of that, you want a new bike every year,...thats
inexcusable!!! Expenses from road injuries?? 2000 dollars worth of
road injuried for 6mph??? What are you, a toddler or something???

> When it snows, or rains the commuter is either off work and not paid
> because he cant make it in, or he is forced to get a hotel room close
> to work because he can't ride home in inclement weather.

Thats when you need a car. Hope you drive faster than you ride a bike!
And jesus, get some clothing man! Now you want to get a hotel room too?
No wonder your wife bonked someone else.

> Incremental cost: Lost wages $5,000; Hotel rooms $1,000

> Tiring of those exceedingly long riding days and days missed with no
> pay the commuter decides to shorten his commute by moving closer.
> After some research he determines that to reduce his commuting distance
> by half he will have to pay twice as much for the same house because he
> is much closer to the big city now.

> Incremental Cost: $200,000

I will pay twice more in INCREMENTAL EXPENSES to get your brain fixed.

> The commuter works in sales and he is asked to make a presentation to
> two potential clients, one located 90 miles south on the coast and the
> other 45 miles west in the mountains. The commuter presents his boss
> with the proposed 6 day ride to cover both potential customers and is
> promptly fired.

> Incremental cost: Annual salary $100,000

If I were your boss, I would fire you...ofcourse....with my rifle!

> Before the commuter has a chance to shorten his ride, his wife sues for
> divorce because he is gone so long from home that she became lonely and
> had an affair with the cable tv repairman.

> Incremental cost: Alimony and child support for the next 20 years.

Hopefully the cable tv repairman has more brains than you. Besides,
having your nuts on your saddle for the '6 hours every day' as you
mentioned for god how many months, coupled with all the 2000$ worth of
injuries, I wonder how you pieced youself together to bonk your wife
and get this 'child'.
Being a nice guy, I have forgiven you for your wild fantasies. You need
to work for cartoons.