Sorry for the late post today. I am sick as a dog. So just like when your 5th grade teacher was sick, I am going to play a video and you can all sit there at your desks and daydream about riding your bikes…
From King 5 (sorry about the commercial):
Discussion points:
- “Airfares have been hijacked by the events in Libya.” Really? Hijacked? Wow.
- Sticker shock? This just in: Gas is expensive. Every once in a while, it gets stupidly expensive. You should probably try to not depend on it so much.
- “I don’t feel like I have any power to change it to be honest,” one man told us while filling up, “I don’t know what I would do.” – You HAVE THE POWER! Take it. It’s yours.
- Wait, are you telling me joining the Wall-Mart bulk-buying club isn’t going to solve our oil problems?
- There is not one mention in this story of transit, walking, biking of even carpooling. Not even a mention.
Look, King 5, this is unacceptable reporting in this day. 47 percent of Seattle residents have found alternatives to driving alone. Choosing one of the many ways to get around other than the single occupancy vehicle is no longer a fringe act. We have a bomb transit network, and with a rain jacket you can cycle year-round. For those who live in places so far out or underserved by transit that they “must” drive, you can carpool and immediately cut your gas costs at least in half.
Discuss.
Comments
5 responses to “Oh no! Gas is expensive! (VIDEO)”
King5 has always, unfortunately, been the most hostile local media outlet, other than mayhap the Seattle Times, when it comes to any alternative to driving. They do tend to cast Metro and ST in the poorest light possible. I say this as someone who generally uses transit, sometimes rides her bike, and rarely drives. I fill the car around once every 2.5 months, so I notice gas prices with detached amusement.
Also, as i’m paying $68 to fly from San José to Seattle 14 days off, I’m not feeling a pinch at all. 68 bucks, that’s peanuts!
I really think it’s important for us cyclists not to sound smug or sarcastic when encouraging people who depend completely on cars to give riding or transit a try. I grew up in somewhat rural Illinois without ever being able to imagine cycling on roads. Most of the U.S. is taught to be dependent on cars from a very, very young age.
Here in Seattle, we are terribly fortunate to have lanes and an attitude that cycling is a remotely normal thing to do. Remotely.
I know that cycling to work nineteen days out of every 20 makes me feel great, appreciate life and my physical fitness more not to mention saves a ton of cash and frustration associated with driving every day. I guess my point is that there comes a time when a person goes from being a daily driver to becoming a practical cyclist, and it’s not something one can force.
I am absolutely sure we will see a huge surge in the number of bicycle commuters and transit users in the coming several years, here in the Northwest and elsewhere in the country. I believe the best thing we can do to encourage the “movement” is to get out and ride (safely, courteously and daily).
Well said Ted. I agree that the best way to encourage bicycling is to do just that, encourage it. When we talk down to people who have not made the change yet, we discourage them from wanted to give it a chance. Hopefully with the coming of spring, we can get more people out and enjoying the benefits of cycling.
The smug attitudes of cyclists just give the cars more reason to hate us. You really don’t think that higher gas prices will affect you, even if you don’t own a car?
I agree that the mainstream news should be encouraging people to bike, bus and carpool, but think of the retirees on fixed incomes.
Oh, gee…didn’t think about that ‘fixed’ group, now did you?
I have no sympathy for news reports that act surprised when gas prices go up. It happens. A lot. People who are able to make changes to avoid being a slave to 10-cent increases in gas prices should make those changes. This problem is not sneaking up on us. We have known about it for a long time.
Of course there are people who depend on cars for some variety of perfectly reasonable reasons (no, laziness does not count). But they are not anywhere close to 53 percent of our city’s population.
Very expensive gas will have incredible effects on the way our society works. The problem is not the cost of gas. The problem is our dependence on it. To put out a report that complains about a symptom of a problem without even mentioning the cause or one of the many ways people can help fix it is irresponsible and ridiculous.
Seattle is a regional leader in non-SOV use. We have ten percent fewer single-occupancy commuters than even Portland. I am very proud of my city for that. There are examples of people all over (of all ages) who have chosen non-SOV ways of getting around. In fact, many people lose the ability to comfortably drive as they age and choose to take a different method for that reason.
Sorry if I added extra snark. I’m sick. My snark was meant to be aimed at King 5 and not all people who drive cars (which I understand is not really the most productive thing to do).