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Snow Brings Out the Worst in Seattleites

ducksnow.jpg
Photo by Tim Willis

Thanks, snow. You've got one guy pledging never to take the bus again, and another venting obscenities. Both on LiveJournal.

First, the new car convert:

In Dec I got a job in the South Lake Union area, close to REI. I live in Greenlake and was busing it into the city everyday ... Today I drove to work because of the weather and fear of bus delays...

My trip by car: $5.25 parking, 1/4 gal gas ($.75), 25 min round trip
My trip by bus: $3 bus fare (going up this Spring), 2 hours round trip

That means I pay an extra $3 a day (if you deduct the bus fare I would have to pay) to have an extra hour and a half to do whatever I want and I don't have to deal with the crazies downtown or bus delays.

Great job, snow. When the world gets too warm for you, you'll know who to blame.

And what about this poor soul on Queen Anne, who posted "Helpful Tips for Seattle Drivers." Look how mad you made him (edited for content):

1. When two vehicles on a hill meet, the vehicle going DOWNHILL -must yield- to the vehicle going UPHILL.

2. At a TRAFFIC CIRCLE, traffic currently transiting the circle has right of way. You must yield to this traffic.

3. If you start going up Warren Avenue and hit black ice, don't sit in front of my driveway for TWO F***ING HOURS with a cow-like expression on your face, while neighbors and other motorists pound on your doors and tell you to MOVE THE F*** OUT OF THE WAY and STOP BLOCKING TRAFFIC and my F***ING DRIVEWAY, you stupid, stupid, STUPID (worst word you can imagine--ed.)!

Thank you.

Yipes. Folks, it's time for summer.

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By Seth in on January 16, 2008 12:00 PM

Comments [rss]

  • polyrhythmic

    '84 BMW E30 318i, Over 1.5 years of ownership:



    Purchase price of car + tax: $660

    Improvements & Refurbishing: $1400

    Insurance @
    License & Registration: ~$100

    6000 miles @ 23mpg @ $3/gal: $780

    Total: $3300 / 550 days = $6 / day.



    ($25 - 40% taxes ) * .6 hours * x days - (($3 gas + $6/day cost) * x days) = $0



    Ok, assuming $25/hr. and expanding to include the total cost of the car, I break even every day I save 35 minutes. At saving 40 minutes per day (which I do on a regular basis), it will only take me 33 days to cover my carbon footprint for the year.



    Admittedly my car is a great deal since I'm a bit of a mechanic, but it would be just as cheap to maintain a moped, or another car (esp. one with better mpg) over a long period of time.



    Light rail light rail light rail! It makes no sense to me to take the bus just to get stuck in the same traffic. I love the way people trying to argue that the bus is more efficient never consider how much their time could be worth.



    While traveling and working across the US, I did not own a car for 3 years, and definitely expected not to own one in Seattle, either... but I can't afford not to anymore!



    Charles

  • MonkeyPilot

    Well, for most people, owning, maintaining, licensing, and insuring a car is a sunken cost. Since you've already paid for the car, the tabs, the and the monthly insurance just for starters, the gas to get from point A to B is marginal and the parking fee is relatively huge.



    Still, not owning a car is an immense savings. And griping about Seattle's mass transit notwithstanding, it is quite possible here. I did it for years.

  • eldan

    I love the way people trying to argue that driving is cheap never consider the cost of owning, maintaining and licencing the car, but just look at what they paid out of pocket, on a given day.

  • I'm sorry. $5.25 a day for parking?! Jesus that's cheap.

  • polyrhythmic
    That means I pay an extra $3 a day (if you deduct the bus fare I would have to pay) to have an extra hour and a half to do whatever I want...

    This got me thinking:

    According to TerraPass, I can buy an "Around Towner Terrapass" for $29.70:



    (From TerraPass:)

    Your money will fund the reduction of 6,000 lbs of carbon emissions through clean energy and carbon reduction projects.



    6,000 lbs is enough to balance the impact of your driving for one year.

    Assuming at least a $25/hr. professional wage, I can more than cover my carbon footprint for the year by not riding the bus for just 3 days.



    $25 * 1.5 hours * 3 days - 40% taxes - ($3 gas * 3 days) - $29.70 TerraPass = $6.30 change



    I was riding the bus for 3 weeks while my 80s 4 cyl. BMW was being repaired, and I couldn't help but think I could be doing something better with my time. Between transfers, weather delays, and packed buses, it's nearly impossible to get work done on the bus (which would be ideal). However, I am a huge proponent of public transportation, and once we have an efficient light rail I'm all on it.



    Until then, it seems I can save the earth by not riding the bus, simply by donating my extra time to carbon credits.



    Now, carbon credits aren't a perfect system, but what if I spent 1.5 hours a day planting trees, lobbying for renewable energy, or volunteering for SnowRider? Still seems preferable to riding the bus.



    Charles

  • BigGreenFrank

    This dude is a moron if it takes him 2 hours to get from Green Lake to REI by bus. You can pretty much walk there in that amount of time.



    (or he expects the bus to move him door to door and doesn't want to walk a little bit)

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