A sore topic

[JMRuth72]

Re: A sore topic

Yep, but it sounds alot like learning how to ride in the Ft. Worth, TX area. Been there done that, didn't like. I do however love bikes and was able to ride in most everything except snow. I don't think that I will ever try that one. That is what the truck is for. lol.....

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: A sore topic

Not me. I have one sitting in the garage now collecting dust waiting for spring to sell.
You ride a bike nowadays, you ride like your a piece of glass.

 

[JMRuth72]

Re: A sore topic

That sounds so much like the truth. You have to ride exactly like they don't see you. Had so many close calls in Ft. Worth and one run in with a caddie. That sucked, but I literally walked away. I guess God isn't done with me yet.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: A sore topic

Yea, they make the bikes with their headlights on all the time so people will see you better and that don't help.
You are invisible to 99% of the drivers today.

 

[v1_0]

Re: A sore topic

Yea, they make the bikes with their headlights on all the time so people will see you better and that don't help.
You are invisible to 99% of the drivers today.

Until gas prices go up enough to where the cars are 'invisible' on the road. (Because they are too expensive to use)...
Or, are made so light that the bike is heavier...

-V

 

[jbjennings]

Re: A sore topic

I had the best job I've ever had about 40 miles from home but switched to a closer one about 20min. away when gas got up to about 1.55 a gallon. By the time I settled in at my new one it was up to 2.25. Now it's 3.15 and they're talking about it going up to 4.00 in a couple of months. I don't go on any competition coon hunts anymore due to gas costs, etc. and have noticed in the "prohound" magazines that attendance is down badly all over the country. I suspect for the same reason I quit going. I'd like to buy a used small sized truck that would get 30mpg like the little ISUZU p'up I had in college but they don't make any little 4 cyl. trucks that get that good anymore (it was 4-wheel drive, and still got 30mpg, but no A/C.) Gas prices are really putting the screws to all my fun. I don't even fish anymore except the lake 1/4 mile from my house. Luckily I like it a lot! I'm also glad I have my little 10hp motors to run around in on the lake that don't drink gas like my newer 30hp. I wonder when we're going to get some relief....After November??? Nobody seems to be talking about this problem on the news much... And everything is going to keep getting higher when gas keeps rising. A buck will be worth less and less.
JBJ

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: A sore topic

I'm going to buy a cow.
Gallon of milk, $4.10

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A sore topic

I wonder if they have a friggin law that says we cant go back to the horse and buggy? A few of them on the road would slow things down and speed up making gas afordable again I bet.......If they let those mopeds run on the roads how can they stop a person wanting to ride a HOSS? My sister has several and I should borrow one for a few weeks and do it for spite.LOL They big oil companys seem to think we dont have a alternative.......OH YEA.

 

[thurps]

Re: A sore topic

thefairlaneman ;
You think filling a car is expensive, wate until you start filling a horse!

 

[Scaaty]

Re: A sore topic

Own 7 bikes, and been riding for 48 years. And the last place I ride is anything traffic. Really cut back on riding last few years, and sticking to the water. Too many distracted drivers out there for me nowadays...and I don't bounce off metal and concrete so good anymore

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A sore topic

I enjoy a nice cruise as much as anyone. But today with so many stupid drivers using cell phones,computers, gps screens etc etc while driving its just no fun any more. This is a reason I plan to have my boat back in the water soon. If figure its the best place left to enjoy a cruise without someone riding your rear bumper or running into you.

 

[tommays]

Re: A sore topic

I don't ride the bicycle to work anymore as after the first TWO hit and runs it took the FUN out


With different jobs i have ridden up to 50 miles a day (3 times a week)

A short commute i had was 20 miles round trip

It takes a LOT of FOOD and a LOT of TIME (just to change clothes) when you ride any kind of distance two times a day and even with 3.50 a gallon gas the cost of the extra food is a wash and thats if you have two hours of free time to ride


i wont even get into the down side of changing a flat on a 15 deg day after you work up a sweat

 

[JMRuth72]

Re: A sore topic

i wont even get into the down side of changing a flat on a 15 deg day after you work up a sweat

Wow, now that really doesn't sound like fun. I have enough trouble changing the tube on nice day.

 

[Hoss the Hermit]

Re: A sore topic

I wonder if they have a friggin law that says we cant go back to the horse and buggy? A few of them on the road would slow things down and speed up making gas afordable again I bet.......If they let those mopeds run on the roads how can they stop a person wanting to ride a HOSS? My sister has several and I should borrow one for a few weeks and do it for spite.LOL They big oil companys seem to think we dont have a alternative.......OH YEA.

I may be easy, but I ain't cheap

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: A sore topic

I drive a truck 80 miles to work and it gets 20-22 MPG. The thing that is killing me is the wife driving the kids everywhere to their activities. She goes through about 50 dollars/week, me a little bit less. I really have no choice to cut back.

Stupid traders are driving the prices sky high. If Nigeria would settle down and Iran stop centrifuging, the price would drop significantly.

I am gonna go out on a limb and say the price of oil will hit 60 dollars before the end of the year. The key is stability in Nigeria & Iran and/or China economy hits a bump. Some headlines (irregardless of the reality of the situation) will get the traders nervous.

For some good reading, try reading "Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai"

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: A sore topic

We just came back from Florida, 650 mile round trip from our door down to our relative's door and back to our door. We took my mother's car at 30 miles per gallon, surprisingly we got away cheap. The highest we paid was $3.09 per gallon, after shopping around. Which there were higher prices out there.

Now for me trying to find a job and my truck only getting 16 miles per gallon (give or take a few). I am traveling as little as possible and using the internet to search for a LOCAL job. Some of my relatives suggest trying to get a job out of town, NO WAY!!! I'm not traveling a long distance with this gas price as high as it is.

Bio diesel would be an option for those who have diesel vehicles. My father makes bio for his tractor, but beware it can be a headache to make it and you half to let certain cooking oils (depending on where you get it from and what they keep it in), you half to let it sit for a while before you process it. Sometimes it comes down to reprocessing the bio diesel if it doesn't make during the first batch, which means more chemicals, which means more money.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: A sore topic

The price of oil has been way past the $60/bbl for a long time. Currently over $100/bbl. A barrel is 40 US gallons.

Refining capacity and "botique blends" are a major part of the price of fuel. We are importing more refined oil each year and this is raising the cost faster than the price of crude oil. Want to drop the price of fuel? Seriously hound your congressmen to put the arm on EPA and speed up the permitting process for new and expanded refineries.

I keep on hearing the whines about the mega-profits that "big oil" makes. Yes, they make huge profits, but they process mind boggling amounts of oil. The amount of profit is the total take of money, profit margin is how much money is made for each dollar invested. The profit margin is what drives industry and "big oil's" margin is not that great. Take it this way, big oil is giving a return on invested dollars of 8 percent. Furniture manufactures are averaging higher and mutual funds even higher. You have $100 dollars to invest, what company will get the loan of your $100? The one that gives you $8 at the end of the year or the one that gives you $14? "Big oil" is a safer investment and that is what is keeping them in business, not it's profit margin.

Yes, I do have some money invested in "big oil. It is part of the profile in my state retirement fund. Most of us with money in managed retirement funds are also invested in "big oil" and profit (make more money on the loan of our retirement dollars) when it does well and suffer when it does not. Taxes are a far greater part of the price of fuel than the few cents per gallon of oil company profit. Those taxes include yearly taxes on equipment to drill, transport and process the oil, permit fees, completion fees, gross production tax, social security taxes for every person involved, disability, and a host of other taxes. These taxes are the largest portion of the price of fuel. You notice that the politicos don't want to mention this.

It is only political rhetoric to target industries that are large enough to have liquid assets that appear unreasonable to those who do not create their own jobs.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: A sore topic

Thanks for explaining why the EXTRA profits of billions being reported is not true.....................not

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: A sore topic

Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm just plain nuts...

I gave up my consulting company 4 years ago and retired when parents were having health issues. That was the right thing to do. While self-employed the last 17 years of my career, I always put something away each month in a "rainy day" fund. That was the right thing to do, too. It never rained. Dad always said not to spend everything they paid me.

Dad (a retired U.S. Navy Captain) passed away in July 07. Mom is much improved after her surgery 3 years ago. Now I've got some time I can call my own.

So, and this is where my judgment becomes questionable, I decide to buy (well, order from the factory) the one thing I've dreamed about most of my adult life.

A boat. An aluminum boat. A new Lund 1750 Fisherman aluminum boat. With a 115hp Merc O/B and lots of goodies.

Good grief. Here in the Twin Cities area we haven't had a lot of snow this season, so not sure what lake levels will be like in May. And, yeah, now they're saying gas will be 4 bucks this spring. And, I don't know about you folks, but my portfolio is fairly conservative and the stock market downturn is starting to affect it.

And last fall I decided to get that new 4Runner I always wanted. I don't feel too bad about that decision, though. The truck is contented and assembled 100% in Japan, and the dollar has dropped 17% against the yen since ours was built, so it's like we made over $6 grand on the deal (!).

But the boat decision is something else. I know... maybe I can rationalize it by noting how the price of aluminum has skyrocketed since our order went in.

Gee, maybe I'm not an idiot after all. I'm a real genius!!

 

[demsvmejm]

Re: A sore topic

I stopped riding my motorcycle for two reasons. The first was like everyone else, the idiots on the road. Teh last year I had it out, the first three times I rode it I was almost killed, literally. Once this woman sped up in a passing lane area and LOOKING AT ME, changed lanes into me with oncoming traffic. If the oncoming driver hadn't been paying attention to her antics and swerved away I would have been his hood ornament. And then the wench in the minivan, slowed way down again (10-15 below traffic speed from 10+ over) after she forced her way in front of me. Lucky for me she went on farther than I was willing to follow. It may have been the only time in my life I ever hit a woman, and I'd have gone to jail.

The second reason I stopped riding was the cost of insurance. Based on the cost of gas, the mpg differential of my sedan and my cycle, I would have had to ride every single day for over four months to break-even. And I don't like to ride below 60*F or when it's raining. So it would have cost me more to insure it and ride than to drive my comfy air-conditioned and heated Chevy Lumina. But maybe this year the economics will be in the bike's favor. Especially since my little buddy (6yo son) is beggin me to "fix" it.