Short trips: an alternate view

[low&slow]

In my evolution as a hypermiler and reduced fuel usage crusader I have tried my best to reduce the number of times I drive my car for short distance trips( 3 miles or less). I do this by combining multiple short trips into strategic groups or using another more efficient means of tranport ( motorcycle , bicycle, walking, ridesharing). In fact in looking at my garage totals I find that I drove my car 6744 total miles ( @28 mpg) in 2011 vs. 8745 miles on my motorcycle (@57 mpg). I also rode my bicycle about 400- 500 miles in 2011.

One of the things I find sometimes while reading posts by other members on their struggles with getting better fuel economy for their cars is that they have a very short commute. Why not walk in some cases or ride a bike ? I understand there are sometimes weather challenges, health issues or the need to trasport job tools in some instances but how often is this really the case? My challenge to all my brother and sister hypermilers is to examine their daily routines and seek opportunities to optimize their fuel usage through the reduction of short trips (driving alone and cargoless ) and replace it with a bike ride or walking. You will get better fuel economy, use less fuel and ( gasp! ) get some healthy exercise.
all the best, L&S

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by low&slow

In my evolution as a hypermiler and reduced fuel usage crusader I have tried my best to reduce the number of times I drive my car for short distance trips( 3 miles or less). I do this by combining multiple short trips into strategic groups or using another more efficient means of tranport ( motorcycle , bicycle, walking, ridesharing). In fact in looking at my garage totals I find that I drove my car 6744 total miles ( @28 mpg) in 2011 vs. 8745 miles on my motorcycle (@57 mpg). I also rode my bicycle about 400- 500 miles in 2011.

One of the things I find sometimes while reading posts by other members on their struggles with getting better fuel economy for their cars is that they have a very short commute. Why not walk in some cases or ride a bike ? I understand there are sometimes weather challenges, health issues or the need to trasport job tools in some instances but how often is this really the case? My challenge to all my brother and sister hypermilers is to examine their daily routines and seek opportunities to optimize their fuel usage through the reduction of short trips (driving alone and cargoless ) and replace it with a bike ride or walking. You will get better fuel economy, use less fuel and ( gasp! ) get some healthy exercise.
all the best, L&S

Yeah. I need to get back on my bicycle too. But the bus is more expensive than driving my car. I spend about $1.25 in gas to go the 24 mile round trip that would cost $3 on the bus.

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

But the bus is more expensive than driving my car. I spend about $1.25 in gas to go the 24 mile round trip that would cost $3 on the bus.

What is your total cost per mile tho? gas is only a fraction of the cost of driving.

I have a 4 mile commute to work, I've biked it a few times but only a mile of it is flat, the rest dips down to go over a river then is up and down hills the rest of the way, just over half an hour to bike 4 miles, I do however bike and walk most other places I need to go daily, that was part of my plan with choosing where to buy a house was that I could walk and bike and my short trip to work is why I bought an electric car and save my gasoline car for longer trips.

[Arragonis]

I would fully agree with the OP (and will add my thanks after this post) but it seems society - at least here in the UK - is conspiring against this idea.

Most local towns and cities here - and I suspect in most developed places - seem to actively work against car use in lots of ways - bus lanes, low speed limits and streets blocked off.

But at the same time they are happy to allow supermarket developments (Asda (aka Walmart UK), Tesco, Sainsbury's etc.) to develop both in the suburbs and in out of town centres which are only accessible by car.

Of course they (the towns and cities) receive income from these.

The result of this is that many of the short trips - e.g to get some milk for tea or a loaf of bread from a local shop - are no longer possible because those local shops can't compete and are no longer there.

The local "high street" (aka "Main street" in the US) doesn't really exist any more. There may be local markets, and farmer's markets but nothing permanent.

Local shops here in the UK exist selling three things - newspapers in the morning, tobacco in various forms and alcohol. Thats it. My local store has 5 rows of shelves - 2 are dedicated to alcohol, 1 to newspapers and magazines. Fruit and veg occupy 1, and chilled stuff (pizzas etc.) the last 1.

Inside a 3 mile radius of this store there are 3 Tescos (2 small and one large), 1 Sainsburys and an Asda main store. They have no chance of competing on anything else.

uk.gov and scotland.gov have ideas about reducing tobacco and alcohol consumption which include pricing and limiting displays and sales. Once those hit these local shops will have no income stream at all and will close.

At which point I end up in my car.

EDIT - I like my alcohol but I don't mean thats all I buy...

[Piwoslaw]

I remember a few ecomodders saying that they have to use their car for a short commute because bikes aren't allowed on the highway (and even if they were, who'd risk it?), while any alternative route is at least 2-3 times longer and may involve gravel. This only shows how car-centric and pedestrian&bike-unfriendly modern society is, since it forces you to have and use a car anywhere you go. It's no wonder that people who grow up in such reality don't even know there are alternatives, so then they plan new roads only for cars.

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Yeah. I need to get back on my bicycle too. But the bus is more expensive than driving my car. I spend about $1.25 in gas to go the 24 mile round trip that would cost $3 on the bus.

Can you get something like a monthly bus ticket? They usually come out much cheaper than buying an individual ticket for each time you ride.

Originally Posted by Arragonis

But at the same time they are happy to allow supermarket developments (Asda (aka Walmart UK), Tesco, Sainsbury's etc.) to develop both in the suburbs and in out of town centres which are only accessible by car.

Malls and other large complexes (cinemas, offices, etc.) are built were the real estate is cheaper.

I'll add that my Dad-in-law always goes to the doctor's office (7.5 km) by car, while his pregnant daughter always takes the bus and then walks, and I usually bike. I'll add that half of his visits at the doctor are related to his hack of exercise ever since he retired

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Ryland

What is your total cost per mile tho? gas is only a fraction of the cost of driving.

I have a 4 mile commute to work, I've biked it a few times but only a mile of it is flat, the rest dips down to go over a river then is up and down hills the rest of the way, just over half an hour to bike 4 miles, I do however bike and walk most other places I need to go daily, that was part of my plan with choosing where to buy a house was that I could walk and bike and my short trip to work is why I bought an electric car and save my gasoline car for longer trips.

I'm sure you're right. But a calculation using all I spend and the miles I drive seems unreliable for comparison because I have to pay insurance if I drive or not, the parts wear-out over a very long time, and gas fluctuates. My figure would be about 35-40 cents per mile, which would make the bus cheaper, it's true. Heck, anything over 12-15 cents per mile would be more expensive. Hmmm... BTW, I also bought my house with my commute in mind, but I had limits (schools and my wife's preference). I had to settle for less than ideal on that point. And everything around here is murderously hilly anyway. Even if I lived four miles away it would be a little like the Tour de France mountain leg to get to work on a bike.

[SentraSE-R]

The "I can't, because ...," and "It's too ..." excuses don't fly with me. I bicycled 13 miles/day to/from work and vanpools for 9 years. I'll bet there's a bicyclist doing every short route that every rationalizer whines he "can't" do on a bicycle, and it will be bicycled today.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Can you get something like a monthly bus ticket? They usually come out much cheaper than buying an individual ticket for each time you ride.

Monthly bus tickets are a good idea. I have looked into it, but because I often need to shuttle my daughter around too, the bus is not practical for a few days of the week. So it's daily tickets for me. At any rate, it has been a plan of mine for a while--and a new year resolution--to begin commuting some days by bus/bike combo. I have the bike reconditioned. Classes start Monday. My purpose is mainly diversity of travel types, a backup for auto breakdowns, health, and the love of my bike. I just don't expect to save much money versus the car.

[JRMichler]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

The "I can't, because ...," and "It's too ..." excuses don't fly with me. I bicycled 13 miles/day to/from work and vanpools for 9 years. I'll bet there's a bicyclist doing every short route that every rationalizer whines he "can't" do on a bicycle, and it will be bicycled today.

I work with a guy that regularly bicycles about 14 miles each way to work.

I lived 6 miles from work for three years, during which I bicycled to and from work. Then I started flying lessons at an airport 13 miles away. Put up to 6000 miles per year on my bicycle in those days.

These days I live 3 miles from work, and drive my truck. I have no excuse for this, especially since another hobby is running marathons - 3:49 for the last one.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Malls and other large complexes (cinemas, offices, etc.) are built were the real estate is cheaper.

I don't mind that - I get that idea. What annoys me is that the local council here allows those things to be built and gets the income from them and 99% of people there go by car. You aren't going to buy DIY supplies and get a bus are you ?

But at the same time has an anti-car policy. It has made it more or less too expensive to drive into town even for a day, and people like to take a car for shopping. So the only shops in town left are charity ones selling second hand clothes, "tartan tat" (Edinburgh specialists) and fast food places.

And for people living closer to the centre of town it now charges them an annual 4 figure amount for a parking permit to park outside their own house, on the road it also charges them for it to maintain - but it also has a policy of selling too many permits for the spaces available and anyone parking outside the allowed spaces gets fine or gets their car towed and stored for a fee.