The Commutant

With the economy going down the toilet and gas eating an ever-growing slice of most household incomes, I am doing my part for America by commuting to work via bicycle on days with less than a 30% chance for rain. My commute to work is slightly less than a 10 mile round trip and takes slightly under 20 minutes each way, which is only 6 to 7 minutes slower than the same commute in my car.

My best guess has me saving about $3.50 to $3.75 per week on gas and taking around 17 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere per week just using my bike to get to and from work. I save more per week when I use my bike for other commutes like going to the bank, trips to Kroger, and other errands in town. I know saving slightly less than 4 bucks a week may not sound like much, but I do have a very fuel-efficient car. Someone with a gas hog for a car will save much more.

I actually enjoy commuting to work on my bike and always arrive at work in a rather good mood. Over the past several months, I have noticed more people using bicycles as alternate transportation. This trend is not only good for the pocketbook; it’s also good for the country and the planet.