Gas stations in the Southeast running out of gas- another bike boom coming?
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Do I see a bike boom coming?
Absolutely not. Why? Too many fat and lazy people.
"I never have time to exercise...." while stuffing their faces two hours plus out of the day, or binge watching GoT or something.
Though I hated the lockdowns, it did temporarily force people into utter boredeom, and this caused our current bike boom. This gas shortage will be short lived (I hope, but we do have very sleepy people at the top). And with restrictions being lifted, and gas returning back to the pumps, people will be back to the same routine... stuffing their faces for hours on end while claiming they have no time to exercise.
Absolutely not. Why? Too many fat and lazy people.
"I never have time to exercise...." while stuffing their faces two hours plus out of the day, or binge watching GoT or something.
Though I hated the lockdowns, it did temporarily force people into utter boredeom, and this caused our current bike boom. This gas shortage will be short lived (I hope, but we do have very sleepy people at the top). And with restrictions being lifted, and gas returning back to the pumps, people will be back to the same routine... stuffing their faces for hours on end while claiming they have no time to exercise.
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Times are a-changin. Pie in the sky wishful thinking about bike commuting is a waste of time. The numbers are just not there… and the numbers are dwindling.
More people commute by bike in urban areas than rural (which explains why cycling related deaths are 70% higher in urban areas). And now that 1 in 4 Americans will be working from home that's 37,500,000 less potential bike commuters. Fully 1/3rd of Americans will not/or cannot cycle so we've cut out 100,000,000 right there (disabled, too old, too young, don't want to, etc.)
Prior to the pandemic bike commuting was falling.
Research from the Census showed that bike commuting was happening less and less, even in cities with more cyclists like Seattle and San Francisco. And this was happening despite more being spent on cycling infrastructure and outreach programs.
More people commute by bike in urban areas than rural (which explains why cycling related deaths are 70% higher in urban areas). And now that 1 in 4 Americans will be working from home that's 37,500,000 less potential bike commuters. Fully 1/3rd of Americans will not/or cannot cycle so we've cut out 100,000,000 right there (disabled, too old, too young, don't want to, etc.)
Prior to the pandemic bike commuting was falling.
Research from the Census showed that bike commuting was happening less and less, even in cities with more cyclists like Seattle and San Francisco. And this was happening despite more being spent on cycling infrastructure and outreach programs.
Your articles do offer some explanations though, lower fuel prices before the pandemic being one of them, and the availability of ride-share services and electric scooters. Which I think is a great development. Even people who use their cars a lot only use them 1/3rd of the time at best. Better to only have/use a car when you need one, American cities are 50% parking lot already... which adds to the urban sprawl and requirement for a car. Driving any vehicle in the US is relatively dangerous, in fact, the US is the deadliest developed country in the world when it comes to traffic deaths.
The Netherlands didn't start investing in its bicycle infrastructure until we hit a record high of road fatalities, especially cyclists, in the 70's. See it as a chance to finally move people into action.
The US is several decades behind when it comes to investing in bicycle infrastructure so give it some time. A safe cycling network needs a level of critical mass before it starts becoming a viable option for most people. Simply relying on cars for commuting, groceries and travel is not a sustainable option in the long run.
I prefer to be hopeful and realistic so we can monitor what works and what does not and adjust accordingly.
Also, I'm 34 so I plan to spend some more time on this planet and leave it in a better condition than I received it in.
As for taxes on bicycles; the Netherlands did it but it was such a stupid idea even the nazis got rid of it.
Last edited by JaccoW; 05-12-21 at 09:59 AM.
#28
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The legacy of Robert Moses' vision and influence will continue to control and haunt our physical & cultural landscapes far into the future.
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#29
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A few gas stations around here that are out. But most are fine.
I think a small boom, at least my local shop said its been one of their best years. But I dont see it being a huge change in thinking.
I think Friday1970 is right, sadly.
I think a small boom, at least my local shop said its been one of their best years. But I dont see it being a huge change in thinking.
I think Friday1970 is right, sadly.
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Oh I definitely think the times are changing. The idea of working full time from the office is not at all appealing to me and likely won't be common even after this is all done.
Your articles do offer some explanations though, lower fuel prices before the pandemic being one of them, and the availability of ride-share services and electric scooters. Which I think is a great development. Even people who use their cars a lot only use them 1/3rd of the time at best. Better to only have/use a car when you need one, American cities are 50% parking lot already... which adds to the urban sprawl and requirement for a car. Driving any vehicle in the US is relatively dangerous, in fact, the US is the deadliest developed country in the world when it comes to traffic deaths.
The Netherlands didn't start investing in its bicycle infrastructure until we hit a record high of road fatalities, especially cyclists, in the 70's. See it as a chance to finally move people into action.
The US is several decades behind when it comes to investing in bicycle infrastructure so give it some time. A safe cycling network needs a level of critical mass before it starts becoming a viable option for most people. Simply relying on cars for commuting, groceries and travel is not a sustainable option in the long run.
I prefer to be hopeful and realistic so we can monitor what works and what does not and adjust accordingly.
Also, I'm 34 so I plan to spend some more time on this planet and leave it in a better condition than I received it in.
As for taxes on bicycles; the Netherlands did it but it was such a stupid idea even the nazis got rid of it.
Your articles do offer some explanations though, lower fuel prices before the pandemic being one of them, and the availability of ride-share services and electric scooters. Which I think is a great development. Even people who use their cars a lot only use them 1/3rd of the time at best. Better to only have/use a car when you need one, American cities are 50% parking lot already... which adds to the urban sprawl and requirement for a car. Driving any vehicle in the US is relatively dangerous, in fact, the US is the deadliest developed country in the world when it comes to traffic deaths.
The Netherlands didn't start investing in its bicycle infrastructure until we hit a record high of road fatalities, especially cyclists, in the 70's. See it as a chance to finally move people into action.
The US is several decades behind when it comes to investing in bicycle infrastructure so give it some time. A safe cycling network needs a level of critical mass before it starts becoming a viable option for most people. Simply relying on cars for commuting, groceries and travel is not a sustainable option in the long run.
I prefer to be hopeful and realistic so we can monitor what works and what does not and adjust accordingly.
Also, I'm 34 so I plan to spend some more time on this planet and leave it in a better condition than I received it in.
As for taxes on bicycles; the Netherlands did it but it was such a stupid idea even the nazis got rid of it.
I'm glad you're hopeful...I am too. But reality, no matter how many try to deny it, smacks us all in the face. I'm not like most people who turn the other cheek when they get popped in the mouth. My head snaps around and I assess the situation. Start looking at who is doing the hitting and why. That's where looking at reality comes in...sure be hopeful but you damn well better get your guard up and be ready for the next reality blow cause he punches like Mike Tyson! (What do you think of Covid? That's quite the punch to the face isn't it?)
I loved seeing the cycling infrastructure of EU countries when we lived in the UK. We had an AirBnB almost in the center of Brugge when we visited and the amount of people cycling by in the morning commute at 3mph was a sight to behold.
But your country, Netherlands, wouldn't even fit in the State of Michigan. The comparisons are laughable at best. One of the main reasons why the comparisons fail is that your country if filled with Dutch. The US? Not so much.
#31
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This seems like such a crazy story to me. I'm reading that 60%-70% of gas stations in metro areas like Atlanta, Charlotte, etc are out of fuel at the moment, but there isn't actually a fuel shortage... just huge spikes in demand that distributors can't adjust to.
I get it... people need their cars in that region. Biking isn't an option for most people who normally drive 30+ miles one-way to work or school, and there's little or no bike infrastructure in place to support it for transportation. Also most bike shops are still wiped out from 2020, so there can't really be much of a bike boom if there are no bikes available to buy.
I have a feeling this will level out in a few days, but gas prices have been climbing for a while now. It seems likely they'll be very high this summer as travel (both air and car) continue to rebound.
I get it... people need their cars in that region. Biking isn't an option for most people who normally drive 30+ miles one-way to work or school, and there's little or no bike infrastructure in place to support it for transportation. Also most bike shops are still wiped out from 2020, so there can't really be much of a bike boom if there are no bikes available to buy.
I have a feeling this will level out in a few days, but gas prices have been climbing for a while now. It seems likely they'll be very high this summer as travel (both air and car) continue to rebound.
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Well maybe people aren't rushing out to buy bikes, but it's heartening to see that some people are engaging in other forms of exercise during this gas crunch:
You know it was coming! Fist fight at the gas line:
https://jalopnik.com/fight-breaks-ou...r-g-1846878288
You know it was coming! Fist fight at the gas line:
https://jalopnik.com/fight-breaks-ou...r-g-1846878288
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Just saw on the news that it’s supposed to be fully operational again by the end of the week.
Keep calm and drive on.
Keep calm and drive on.
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This seems like such a crazy story to me. I'm reading that 60%-70% of gas stations in metro areas like Atlanta, Charlotte, etc are out of fuel at the moment, but there isn't actually a fuel shortage... just huge spikes in demand that distributors can't adjust to.
I get it... people need their cars in that region. Biking isn't an option for most people who normally drive 30+ miles one-way to work or school, and there's little or no bike infrastructure in place to support it for transportation. Also most bike shops are still wiped out from 2020, so there can't really be much of a bike boom if there are no bikes available to buy.
I have a feeling this will level out in a few days, but gas prices have been climbing for a while now. It seems likely they'll be very high this summer as travel (both air and car) continue to rebound.
I get it... people need their cars in that region. Biking isn't an option for most people who normally drive 30+ miles one-way to work or school, and there's little or no bike infrastructure in place to support it for transportation. Also most bike shops are still wiped out from 2020, so there can't really be much of a bike boom if there are no bikes available to buy.
I have a feeling this will level out in a few days, but gas prices have been climbing for a while now. It seems likely they'll be very high this summer as travel (both air and car) continue to rebound.
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I live in a rural area and saw only a few cars at the gas station on the main highway when I was driving into town. But in the city all the stations were out of gas. By the time I returned home, the local station had lines stretching out into the road.
There is no shortage here though. Our local supply isn't impacted by the pipeline. it's all panic buying. I won't need to fill up until next week and I'm sure it will be back to normal then.
There is no shortage here though. Our local supply isn't impacted by the pipeline. it's all panic buying. I won't need to fill up until next week and I'm sure it will be back to normal then.
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There was a story on NPR today on drivers' reactions to the shortage and one guy, who lives ONE MILE from work, says he'll continue to drive and then will walk when he has to. No mention of riding a bike daily.
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I'm in NC and I didn't even know what was going on until last night, I don't watch news anymore. I was wondering what was up with all the gas lines. Reminds me of the 70's. Thankfully I'm retired and usually don't even burn a full tank a month.
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When the gas fuss began I took the VW camper to top off the tank and I took along the 5-gallon jug for more generator gas. A friend accused me of panic buying and I told him, "That was caution buying. Panic buying would have been filling up the big Dodge van's 36-gallon tank."
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Just more of the same.
As long as there are stock performance obsessed CEOs, shortchanging CIOs in the name of profit and short term market performance, this will happen. Of course, the blame will fall to a low level system admin person so far from the executive suite that is will be like a tree falling in the forest if no one is around.
The panic started when the media, bored with Covid, Trump, snowstorms, and politics, laser focused on the next crisis of the hour/day/week.
Last edited by Bill in VA; 05-17-21 at 01:04 PM.
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More taxes so you can finally build proper (cycling) infrastructure is a pretty good idea, speaking from experience. At the very least it will offer people better alternatives for those that can commute in anything other than their car which will free up space on the roads for those that cannot and will decrease their commute as a consequence.
As for those 2x prices, here in the Netherlands the normal average is somewhere around $8.127 per gallon and at an average of $3.308 per gallon the USA is still well below the global average of $5.697 per gallon.
You've had it cheap and you still do. The problem is people have become accustomed to a certain standard... which is unfortunately a pretty low level of efficiency. Both in your vehicles as well as your homes.
Then again, comparing is difficult because MPG is a dumb unit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLQmwOX6Xds
As for those 2x prices, here in the Netherlands the normal average is somewhere around $8.127 per gallon and at an average of $3.308 per gallon the USA is still well below the global average of $5.697 per gallon.
You've had it cheap and you still do. The problem is people have become accustomed to a certain standard... which is unfortunately a pretty low level of efficiency. Both in your vehicles as well as your homes.
Then again, comparing is difficult because MPG is a dumb unit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLQmwOX6Xds
#45
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This story has fallen off the national news cycle. Are there still gas stations that are seeing lines and running dry in the SE, or is this largely over?
#46
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On a bike forum their are probably many of us who would love to be able to commute by bike but aren’t able to.
Lets say work is one direction. Most of the families life and friends and school is the other direction. It’s to far and/or the roads on the way are just a bike fatality waiting to happen.
Yes, my death insurance will financially take care of my family, but my wife and kids give me the impression they love me and want me around for a while- which is it’s own blessing.
This is coming from someone who hates driving. Maybe ADD? But every time I get behind the wheel I want to pass out. I hate operating heavy equipment as well.
I like operating a chain saw OK.
Lets say work is one direction. Most of the families life and friends and school is the other direction. It’s to far and/or the roads on the way are just a bike fatality waiting to happen.
Yes, my death insurance will financially take care of my family, but my wife and kids give me the impression they love me and want me around for a while- which is it’s own blessing.
This is coming from someone who hates driving. Maybe ADD? But every time I get behind the wheel I want to pass out. I hate operating heavy equipment as well.
I like operating a chain saw OK.
#47
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Yep, that is what they will do. Reload the backup or system image with the original vulnerable software and configuration settings.
Just more of the same.
As long as there are stock performance obsessed CEOs, shortchanging CIOs in the name of profit and short term market performance, this will happen. Of course, the blame will fall to a low level system admin person so far from the executive suite that is will be like a tree falling in the forest if no one is around.
The panic started when the media, bored with Covid, Trump, snowstorms, and politics, laser focused on the next crisis of the hour/day/week.
Just more of the same.
As long as there are stock performance obsessed CEOs, shortchanging CIOs in the name of profit and short term market performance, this will happen. Of course, the blame will fall to a low level system admin person so far from the executive suite that is will be like a tree falling in the forest if no one is around.
The panic started when the media, bored with Covid, Trump, snowstorms, and politics, laser focused on the next crisis of the hour/day/week.
If it bleeds it leads. Notice the news programming isn’t happy until the the Prius commercial with the sunflowers singing? Or the upper middle class white family in the Subaru commercial going camping? Or the paper towels that saved the homemakers day and made her happy again? So why is it called programming and what programming is being loaded into you when you watch that drivel?
Let me guess... “I watch this network which is so much more enlightened than that network...”
Which confirms its OpEd for your tribe as opposed to useful information.
Not written at Bill in VA. Just life observations.
#48
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Apparently there are still places not back to normal; this is news from my place of birth, but I no longer live there...
https://wtop.com/dc/2021/05/majority...l-running-dry/
May 17, 2021, 6:48 PM
Gas is still hard to come by in the nation’s capital, despite the Colonial Pipeline coming online after a crippling ransomware attack had forced it to halt operations.
As of Monday night, travel and navigation app GasBuddy reports the majority of the District’s gas stations — 70% — were still out of gas, but it’s a marked improvement over Sunday night’s figure of 88%. According to the D.C. Energy Office, there are over 100 publicly-available gas stations throughout the city.
Maryland and Virginia saw gas availability improve dramatically over the weekend: On Monday, about 24% of Maryland’s and 28% of Virginia’s gas pumps were running dry, down from 39% and 49% on Friday morning, respectively.
https://wtop.com/dc/2021/05/majority...l-running-dry/
Many DC gas stations still running dry; Maryland, Virginia improve
Alejandro Alvarez | aalvarez@wtop.comMay 17, 2021, 6:48 PM
Gas is still hard to come by in the nation’s capital, despite the Colonial Pipeline coming online after a crippling ransomware attack had forced it to halt operations.
As of Monday night, travel and navigation app GasBuddy reports the majority of the District’s gas stations — 70% — were still out of gas, but it’s a marked improvement over Sunday night’s figure of 88%. According to the D.C. Energy Office, there are over 100 publicly-available gas stations throughout the city.
Maryland and Virginia saw gas availability improve dramatically over the weekend: On Monday, about 24% of Maryland’s and 28% of Virginia’s gas pumps were running dry, down from 39% and 49% on Friday morning, respectively.
#49
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Feel bad for all the real people up there.
Kinda sweet to imagine all the regulators, lobbyists, politicians, associated fed employees running out of gas.
Kinda sweet to imagine all the regulators, lobbyists, politicians, associated fed employees running out of gas.
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I’m sure people would rather call in “sick” than ever consider riding a bicycle to work.