How High do gas prices have to get before a large percentage of the population start to commute with bikes?

Question

How High do gas prices have to get before a large percentage of the population start to commute with bikes?

Answer 1

well...i have been to amsterdam about 3 or 4 times and all that they do is bike around...the gas prices are so bad over there that the people who do have cars, have tiny three wheeled cars

Answer 2

Although it sounds great to get people to bike to work, how practical is it?  I live almost 30 miles from work, and as a sales rep, need my car during the day.  There is no place for me to shower at work, and what am I supposed to do about clothing?  Keep my entire wardrobe at work, including an iron?   And being a girl, I need a hair dryer, all my makeup, etc.  It would take me (not that I'm in the kind of shape it would take to bike 60 miles a day) at least an hour and a half each way, riding on roads with no bike lanes, and in the dark half the year in a state with very hot and humid summers, very wet and rainy spring weather, and winters with lots of ice, high winds, freezing cold rain, etc.  Then instead of getting dressed in the privacy of my own home, I have to do it in a dirty shared bathroom in the warehouse of the store I work in?  I don't think so.  Although I love to go for a ride on a nice day, riding my bike to work would be horrible.  If I lived a few miles away, I'd do it on nice days when I knew I wouldn't need my car during the day, but unless rent in the Washington DC area suddenly decreases by 80%, that's not gonna happen.  

My point is this: is just isn't practical for most people to bike to work, and no matter how expensive gas is, I just don't see a lot of people switching to pedal power.  It's much more likely that people will start buying smaller cars, cut down on unnecessary side trips, car-pool, or make use of public transportation like buses and trains.

Answer 3

Anomaly17 has the answer on the nose: People in this country for whatever reason abhor taking public transportation, walking, riding a bike. They also crave to leave the 'city' and move out to the `burbs. Once this mind set is in place, the infrastructure so common in Europe is sorely lacking in the states.

Answer 4

Guess we are going to find out.

Oil/ gas is set to go up about 2% per month on a roller coaster ride to $200/ barrell in less than 4 years.  Call that $6.50 gl gas

If you go to your local bike shop they are swamped with sales and repairs.

This was bike to work week in many places, Record turnouts.

Here are some numbers:

Driving in town 9000 local miles per year. Going to cut that in half down by 4500 miles --- most trips under 10 miles each way.

Car averages about 15 mpg in town so that is an even 300 gallons of gas, figure just 3.50/gal... $1050.

If I tell the insurance guy that I'm not taking the car to work much any more, will save me about $200 for six months.

that's $1250. plus an oil change or two,. for $1300.. maybe a little more.

for that $1300 I can buy a nice electric bike!

and electric bikes are selling very well too!

a person feels, looks and lives better too.

when the gas gets to $6.50, those 4500 miles saved on a bike will finance your retirement.

for a Bionx:

http://www.birdrv.com/electricbike.php

for an EZee electric, or a folder;

http://www.electricvehiclesnw.com

Answer 5

in the states my guess is around $8 a gallon.

i do commute twice a week and save about 1 gallon a week, not a lot but i do it for the planet and not for my pocket.

Answer 6

The U.S. per gallon price gouging wave is nothing more than economic terrorism, blessed by our lame duck president and his robber oil baron partners and buddies---who all share this warped belief this is the best thing for America, as a phase of "The New World Order".

Think about it:  Why stop at motorists forced from using their vehicles and subjected to pedal bike commuting?  Look for large scale mass transit (owned by partnered politicians) soon to come.  Expect to see major numbers of mortgage homeowners forced out their homes and shepherded into large volume "mixed income" housing apartments (government co-managed, owned and operated).

"Middle class" America is being targeted for elimination economically, making the divide stand between the "haves" and "have nots"---which "New World Order" supporters really believe will make for a better MANAGED America!!!  Debatable is whether these powerful politically connected oil barons actually know and/or care less about the damage they're causing the U.S. economy.

Expect your stress level on this subject to really rise by $5 per U.S. gallon ( hoped by the oil barons for Christmas Holiday 2008; definitely by this time next year, 2009).

We all better start attending town meetings with our elected officials, asking them if they own major U.S. / world Big Oil stocks ( praying they don't) and asking them if they're willing to combat this problem of corporate greed---and just how they plan to fight for us.

Answer 7

I started bike commuting when gas went to $2 per gallon. Now that it's almost $4 and climbing, more people are starting to ride. I would guess it would take $6-7 per gallon to get a large percentage of commuters to switch to the bike.  But for many people, biking would be impractical since they have a 30-40 mile commute or they may need their car for work, such as a salesperson.

Answer 8

When they install showers for bike commuters at my workplace then I'd consider it.  But in the summer I tend to get a little sweaty and that doesn't make for a pleasant work day for me or anyone near me.