What changes have you made to ameliorate "Pain at the Pump"?

[screwtop]

I just wanted to see what types of changes folks have made in their daily, weekly, or monthly routines to compensate for high gas prices, and the spill-over effect the rising cost of this commodity has had in other areas of life.

I think we would all agree, motorcycles are an obvious part of the solution, and I've started braving New Hampshire Avenue to commute on the GS much more than in years past. What changes have you made? What changes have been the least painful and have given the most "bang for the buck" on the monthly bottom line in your opinion?

No holes barred. This can be anything from turning down the AC, "brown-baggin" it for lunch, or switching from Grey Goose to Smirnoff. I need ideas. I've got habbits to support.

Thanks!

[lkchris]

For me, the biggest "pain at the pump" is having to buy gasoline with ethanol content.

Consequently, we now have a diesel sedan, a diesel SUV, and a diesel Beetle for parking at the airport.

Motorcycles a solution? Ha!

To have any fun, we each ride our own and therefore are riding the equivalent of a 4-cyl car getting 20 mpg. All three cages mentioned above return better fuel economy and only the Beetle is a 4.

The TDI Beetle will likely get better mileage commuting than a single bike, too, although we never do that on a motorcycle anyway and would gladly pay not to. (Yes I understand a new-technology F650 will do better, but where's the fun in that?)

[rocketman]

I keep my eyes closed when filling up!

I water down everyone elses drinks when I throw a party.... :laugh

shop around more than before for food stuffs, but wind up getting the same stuff anyway and then figured that the addtional cost of gas going further for lower priced goods didn't really save me much, if anything...

Watch the prices at different gas stations, it can vary as much as 35 cents within a 20 miles radius.

Jeanne and I will be doing more domestic travel for vacations, we were doing two a year outside the US so now prob. just one overseas, and one we can drive to.

Using reusable bags for shopping.

Trying to be a bit lighter of foot in the car and take a different route to work with fewer hills and curves when in the car which is maybe once a week.

Checking the tires in the car more often and not using the AC in the AM when I drive it.

Simple stuff for the most part, much of what I do is already stuff I have been doing, partly because I need to catch up my savings for retirement after taking a big hit in my devorce some years ago.

Its a PITA but hopefully be worth it in the long run. I too have vices I don't plan on curtailing!

RM

[lamble]

Still less than half what I was used to paying.

[SheRidesABeemer]

I was lucky and changed jobs at the begining of the year, cutting my weekly commuting miles from 600 to 100. So I'm still enjoying that $$.

For recreational riding, we have been practicing one-tank-awayism. It's quite easy to do from where I live. A riding trip to Southern Vermont is just as good as the Canadian border.

[tommcgee]

I bought a smaller cage last December, figuring that the petrol prices were going up. Who knew how much!

I'm doing about half of my 50k miles a year on the bike.

[Peter_Krynicki]

Everything is relative...Whenever I fill up a bike, generally $12.00 of premium, I look at what the last preson paid; $50.00, $60.00, ot the limit at most pumps, $75.00. Then I don't feel so bad (lyrics to a song?)

One change is that I used to feel like I shouldn't use a credit card for a few dollars worth of gas. Now I charge it.

Pjk

[mrich12000]

Everything is relative...Whenever I fill up a bike, generally $12.00 of premium, I look at what the last preson paid; $50.00, $60.00, ot the limit at most pumps, $75.00. Then I don't feel so bad (lyrics to a song?)

One change is that I used to feel like I shouldn't use a credit card for a few dollars worth of gas. Now I charge it.

Pjk

Same here. The cost has come down this last week by 7 cents @$1.24.5 Liter:sick
Fill the bike and drive in bad or goood weather latly is's all been rain:nyah

[BubbaZanetti]

i moved to nyc

i use public transportation

i've put about 3000 miles on my bike this year, that is all the gas i've purchased, around 75ish gallons i reckon, give or take a bit.

i get gas once every two weeks or so on average.

pain at the pump, pain at the insurance office pain at the mechanic (for the car) has been replaced by pain at the rent check, i could own a decent house in the midwest for what i pay for my half of the rent.

[Newstar]

I'm trying to get past the .50 cent word, ameliorate.

As for changes in habits, I tried taking the bike more than the car or truck for work. But my GS is overheating. In addition, it's difficult for me to use the bike for work since I make so many stops during my day and never know what I need to carry from point a to point b. (Six #10 cans would be a problem to strap on the back.) The car's air conditioner isn't working well so that leaves me with my gas-guzzling F150 on super hot days. I gues I'm not doing much to help conserve.

[Rpbump]

I ride my CLC to/from work as the weather allows. 20.4mpg for my Freestyle vs 44.2mpg for the CLC. I bought the BMW for cruising and will purchase a buddies Sportster for the commuting. Any excuse to own another bike will do. :D Ride Safe

[Motor31]

Simple, I drive less.

[Charlie_K]

I use a credit card that gives me 3% cash back for all my gas purchases.

[mrbreeze]

Amelia who?

I have been commuting by bike for years. Lately I try to bring my lunch so I don't go out at lunch (saving gas and lunch money).

[Rod Sheridan]

A riding trip to Southern Vermont is just as good as the Canadian border.


What????? Say it ain't so!


:caRegards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

I use Diann's credit card..................Rod.

[PAGoldsby]

Still less than half what I was used to paying.And this, ladies and gentlemen, is a classic example of what we call, "perspective."

[Peter_Krynicki]

I use a credit card that gives me 3% cash back for all my gas purchases.

A Discover Card will get you 5 %.

Pjk

[R80RTJohnny]

If our prices in Ottawa would be like yours in the US I would ride more. We have not seen prices like yours in a long, long time.

Like someone else said it's all relative.

[shire2000]

- 2 years ago, almost to the day, I started working from home. Savings in fuel costs is tremendous, which then let's me spend more on fuel for bike rides.
- Bought a more fuel effecient car that gets 45MPG, big savings over old gas guzzler and still very comfortable.
- When we have to go shopping, we make sure we have a good list of everything and try to get everything in one round trip.
- Am in process of converting lawn tractor from Gas to Electric, using Electric Golf cart technology. Currently takes $12 worth of gas to mow all of my lawn. When conversion is fiinished it should be less than $0.50 worth of electricity.


Gas prices here on Vancouver Island are crazy, currently $1.49 per litre, which roughly works out to $5.65 per US Gallon or $6.78 per Imperial Gallon. OUCH!!!

:ca

[rinty]

We live in the energy capital of Canada, and saw this coming a few years ago. All three of our daily drivers are 4 bangers, and one is a diesel. I may yet park my Subaru Legacy and get a Yaris to go back and forth to work (a 10 minute drive), and for general non highway use.

When I'm in Holland visiting family, I drive my step sister's 3 cylinder 1 litre Opel, and it's really all you need for personal transportation.

I fear things are going to hit the wall in the near future.

Rinty

[SugarHillCTD]

Traded in both my '06 Dodge diesel and '03 VW Jetta and bought a 32mpg Pontiac Vibe. That leaves me with NO CAR until my son leaves for college in late August (he uses it for a job that ends when it is dark, so no MC for his commute).

Interesting to be relying on 2 wheels only- rain or shine. But 45-50mpg is great. Better than 18mpg of diesel

John

[dpryan]

Not many changes. I work 13 miles from home and ride to work most of the year (motorcycle or bicycle). No car payment for me, either, since I drive a 2000 Cherokee. I'll probably have it for many more years; the thought of something newer/nicer/fancier has zero appeal.

[Bob1100RTC]

Haven't changed a thing. I live 3/4 mile from work and wife drives 9 miles to work. We don't use a lot of gas. I bought a couple 5 gallon cans and when my fuel perks get up there we fill the car and the cans at a discount. When her car gets low I fill it from the cans. I bought a 17 seer a/c unit a couple years ago. My air hasn't been off for 2 months and my electric bill was $109 last month. I'm not feeling the pinch right now.

[tonkandy]

It hasn't affected me much in my daily life. I notice at the grocery store that where I used to pop in and spend $15, now its $20, but beyond that, not much difference. I'm spending about $40 a month more on gas than I did last year, not a huge problem. The big downside at the moment is the slump in the market that drives down the value of my investments (and my pension companies investments). I'm sure that in the end we'll all manage to get by. If it all gets too depressing I can always spend the day riding in southern Minnesota and the bluffs along the Mississippi on the cheesehead side - $40 in gas for an entire day on the road in God's country - it's still a deal.

[85138]

I haven't changed much. Try to be more efficient with my errands (Aside from $$ ... it's the 'Green' in me)

Borrow the wife's Prius sometimes to drive to work. As good as or better mileage than the bike. Long distance, I try to use the Prius.

Never considered the price of gas in the past when just taking a relaxing motorcycle ride. Now I'm a bit more aware that the joy ride costs money.

And the occasional track day is costing more, especially the transportation aspect. Fortunately the Subie Legacy gets decent mileage.

[2002redrider]

It seems like only yesteday that I was complaining the first time I broke the $10 barrier to fill the bike, now it takes over $20. Still better than my car which is over $80 and not as much fun.

[KGT1200]

Keep it under 90 and No more 0-60 MPH in under 4 seconds...Both consume the gas...

I've been riding the 250 Kawasaki for short trips, who cares what the Harley Hog guys think!

It's great because you think you don't get a waive from them on the Beemer, you should try the super sherpa; when I give them a big "queen Elisabeth" waive, they actually scowl at me! :)

Seriously, I haven't seen the inside of my03' GMC2500 HD for three weeks (reminds me to see if it will start tonight), I drive my subaru SLOWLY when I drive.

Thats what I do to save giving it to the sheiks in Saudi and their friends in the white hou.....(I won't go there because it would turn into a prohibited political "rant")

Red

[jcridge]

I commute 70 miles everyday on my K75 at 50MPG at 15MPH above posted.
~55MPG if I ride posted speed or under.
I drive my Tacoma when the roads are too salty and at 28MPG that's not too bad.

[monkeywork]

Our VW TDI Beetle gets about 54mpg, but we only use that when we're traveling together, otherwise we've been riding more.

My Vanagon Syncro (17mpg or so) is not moving as often unless I need to.

The Geo-Thermal unit is all up and running and waiting for this winter. I'll finish some insulation and my new chain saw will be doing some duty out in our woodlot. Standing dead, here I come.

To cut our electric bill, I now turn off the powerstrip, no vampire power of things on "Standby"

I've been buying a weeks worth of luncheon meats and stuff to keep my trip to the store down at lunch break.

Just a few things.

[KGT1200]

Our VW TDI Beetle gets about 54mpg, but we only use that when we're traveling together, otherwise we've been riding more.

My Vanagon Syncro (17mpg or so) is not moving as often unless I need to.

The Geo-Thermal unit is all up and running and waiting for this winter. I'll finish some insulation and my new chain saw will be doing some duty out in our woodlot. Standing dead, here I come.

To cut our electric bill, I now turn off the powerstrip, no vampire power of things on "Standby"

I've been buying a weeks worth of luncheon meats and stuff to keep my trip to the store down at lunch break.

Just a few things.


I have got to start cutting wood..Time is running out, your post just reminded me...
I have a wood stove AND a wood firep[lace to feed this winter....

I have tons of down trees in the postage stamp lot behind me that has 100 years worth of wood standing, growing or dead; either too green and blown over, too dead and rotting, or the ones I seek are two years blow down, nice and dry ash, oak or maple...

[Troutluck]

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned a siphon? :stick

[SugarHillCTD]

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned a siphon? :stick


Funny you should mention that....

A co-worker of Cathy's arrived late a couple of weeks ago because some low-life emptied her car's gas tank (along with her S.O.'s diesel truck tank) during the night. This is happening in a very rural area- someone had to drive something up to her house because the amount taken was far too much to hand carry.

It is happening.

[Rpbump]

Bright lights tripped by an infrared sensor tend to make night prowlers uncomfortable. Having the sensor trip a recording of a pump action shotgun being cycled is 95% effective. For the other 5% make sure that playing the recording alerts you to the presence of intruders. Ride Safe :bolt

[knary]

We haven't changed a thing.
We live in a city. I work from home.
My wife drives a cheap to run car.
We ride bicycles, use our feet, and, on occasion, the motorcycle.
:evil

[bubbagazoo]

I ride my motorcycle to and from work (30 km one way trip) as long as it is safe (6-7 months of the year). We drive a small SUV (4 cylinder Jeep Compass) for shopping and errands. My wife walks to work right now (about 20 minutes). We are building an energy efficient house that is 10 km closer to my work (but 10 km further from the wife's).

All but 5 light bulbs in the current house are compact fluorescent bulbs. When the furnace needs to be on, we have it set at 20C while we are at home/awake and 17C when we are at work/asleep. We have an air conditioner in hour bedroom only and run it MAYBE 2 hours a day -- just long enough to cool the room to go to sleep. The new house will be even more energy efficient due to newer insulation technologies, 92% efficiency furnace and hot water heater and all the light fixtures will have energy saving bulbs.

As for curing pain at the pump -- I went to Gillette and experienced fuel prices to die for -- premium for less than what we pay for regular was a treat :D

My wife and I have been in energy saving mode for a long time. I really don't know how we can reduce our carbon footprint any more and still enjoy life.

[The_Veg]

Funny you should mention that....

A co-worker of Cathy's arrived late a couple of weeks ago because some low-life emptied her car's gas tank (along with her S.O.'s diesel truck tank) during the night. This is happening in a very rural area- someone had to drive something up to her house because the amount taken was far too much to hand carry.

It is happening.

My local news has had a couple of stories of people's vehicles not starting in the morning...generally trucks or SUV's with more ground-clearance than a car...it was found that someone had crawled under with a drill and made a hole in the tank to steal the fuel. Makes me even happier with my GTI...not enough clearance to crawl under, and the tank is under the back seat. :D

[snoone]

As of tomorrow I have traded in motorcycle/car commuting for the bus.

Here's the breakdown per month for car (4-runner) 90 miles round trip

Gas= $18.00 per day @ 20 mpg and $4.00 per gallon or $360 per month
Parking- $416 per month (outdoor parking lot)
Tolls = $178 per month (lincoln tunnel) and (NJ turnpike)
Total =$954 X12=$11,448 per year

The GS
Gas = 9.63 per day @43mgp and 4.60 for premium gas or $192.60 per month
Parking= $416 per month or risk a $90.00 ticket per day on the street
Tolls $150 per month (ez pass discount)
Total= $758 per month or $9,103 per year

The Bus (the stop is at the bottom of my hill) to Port Authority and walk 9 blocks to work.

Cost $239 monthly pass or $2,868. A savings of $8,580 per year..

How stupid and spoiled have I been for a little convenience!!!!

[tessler]

As of tomorrow I have traded in motorcycle/car commuting for the bus....

The Bus (the stop is at the bottom of my hill) to Port Authority and walk 9 blocks to work.

Cost $239 monthly pass or $2,868. A savings of $8,580 per year..

How stupid and spoiled have I been!!!!Great! :clap It's amazing to me, in an area ripe with some of the best, inexpensive and most versatile public transportation, how many people commute into the city with their vehicles.

Like Knary, my situation hasn't changed either. I walk to my office, which is around the corner from our apartment. I use the Subway or bus to visit clients or go out after work. Or I walk.

I use my bike or car to go away on weekends. Or not.

[GlobalRider]

What changes have you made?

None!

I just ride less where the roads are boring (why waste gas on those) and ride more where the roads are great.

[KGT1200]

since no buses run from Northfield to the cities, and the fact that my work takes me in and out of the office daily, car pooling or bus is not an option. 80 miles a day minimum, 5 months realistic on my GS and the remaining year driving my old outback Legacy Subaru. Subaru hgets 23 MPG, GS gets 46. 4160 miles per year at 400 miles per month (throwing in some padding) the GS travels 2000 miles in five months and the sub travels 2800. GS gas assuming an unrealistic 4.25 per gallon the GS runs $185.00 and the Subie runs $517.00. I get paid miles for my running around, so I will leave thast out of the computation.

I used to cruise in my 03 GMS2500 HD pickup at 12 MPG, so assume the worst of worst $1700. Savings of 700.00.

The biggest way I save is slowing down, quit hot dogging and drive like my grandma. The GS and the Suby both are subject to much better miles not going slower ie, 55, but in HOW I am driving.

[screwtop]

The biggest way I save is slowing down, quit hot dogging and drive like my grandma. The GS and the Suby both are subject to much better miles not going slower ie, 55, but in HOW I am driving.

+1; I've slowed down about 10 mph on the interstate (in the cage) and have picked up significant mpgs. I attribute about 1/2 of this to short-shifting and the other 1/2 to the reduced speed. I'm seeing alot of cagers getting cozy with the right lane on the interstate lately, averaging 60-65.

[RJM2096]

I use a credit card that discount gas purchases by 5% or 20 cents a gallon.

I replaced two gas guzzlers within the last two years. (20 to 27 mpg and 15 to 20 mpg)

I keep all of my tires filled to the maximum pressure rating printed on the tire.

Never heavy foot it.

I make sure I take care of multiple errands on a single trip.

We eat at home more often.

I drive my 1993 Corvette when I can (30 MPG). Road trips with wife.

I ride a motorcycle when I can (40+ MPG). To work on good weather days

I ride a bicycle when I can. To work 1 day a week.

I walk when I can. To lunch.

[RandyB]

I'm surprised no one here has mentioned a siphon? :stick

You mean no one else has a rich uncle to buy their fuel?:bolt 5mpg, cruising, on paved roads. THE cure for cell phone usin' soccer moms.

[RJM2096]

You mean no one else has a rich uncle to buy their fuel?:bolt 5mpg, cruising, on paved roads. THE cure for cell phone usin' soccer moms.

Would that make a cool camper or what!

How much does Uncle Sam pay for gas? Do the oil companies give them a deal?

[RandyB]

Would that make a cool camper or what!

How much does Uncle Sam pay for gas? Do the oil companies give them a deal?

Or what. If you want to know how it rides, get your bike up to about 40mph then hop off. The first couple of bounces will give you an idea.

I talked to the S4 about fuel. The oil companies are giving us something, but I wouldn't call it a deal. We're fighting three wars: Iraq, Afghanistan and an economic war. Normally, two out of three ain't bad but we're taking a beating economically, which I think will be worse.

If you're wondering why I can post so much, my sins have caught up with me: I'm on staff.:cry