Cars and Transportation

Plan for expensive fuel

Does your budget include a contingency for fuel to get much more expensive? Because it ought to.

I learned about the need for contingencies early. My first attempt at setting up housekeeping took place in 1980-1981, right at the peak of an inflationary spurt that saw the consumer price index grow at 14%. My budget was completely destroyed by prices that went up by more than 1% per month.

So what's your contingency for a spike in fuel prices?

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Broken down? Turn your pencil into a flashlight.

If there's one thing I know about travel, it's be prepared. But it's sometimes easier said than done. We all know we should carry emergency supplies in the trunk of the car, and one of those essentials is a flashlight. It can help you see the root of the problem under the hood or the beneath the car itself, and obviously it's invaluable at night. But if you don't have one, you can still see the light...if you have a pencil!

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Dangerous neighborhoods are safer than commuting

Why do so few people live within walking--or at least bicycling--distance from where they work?

I've asked a lot of people this question and gotten a lot of different answers. Some people want big houses, others big lawns. A lot of people think--for reasons that they can't really articulate--that suburbs are the right place to raise kids. But one reason that you hear a lot is that people want to live somewhere safe--a low-crime area.

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Dead car battery? Give it a glass of red wine.

I love quick fixes for problems. Especially quick fixes that involve alcochol, and let me tell you that this one is pure genius.

If you've ever done something silly, like leave a dome light on all night, or you just happen to have a battery that's on its last legs, then you'll know the sinking feeling of a dead battery. You dashboard panel lights may not even come on, or you get that repetitive cranking that just won't turn over.

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Running the numbers on the bigger car: what’s your cost and is it worth it?

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Is Infrastructure Destiny?

Today is National Ride Your Bike to Work Day. I have a bike but I chose to drive in my “Share the Road” license-plate embellished car today. Why? The route from home to office, though short, is treacherous. Bike lanes and even sidewalks are a rarity in my city and when I ride, it is alongside fellow cyclists as well as trucks, cars, vans, and the occasional tractor-trailer. I need an infrastructure that supports cycling and walking.

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Will gas top $4 a gallon this summer? I say yes.

Before you go jumping all over the place and pointing out that I have done no real market analysis to back up my prediction, I would like to point out: I have done no real market analysis to back up my prediction. This is just a gut feeling.

Like a good, Birkenstocked liberal, I was listening to NPR on my commute home today, and it was announced that gas prices had just topped $3 a gallon in the US.

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