# On Commuting... By Bike, Bus, and Car

When I was in Grad School, I road my bike because it was the easiest thing to park on campus, it was environmentally friendly, and the quickest way to get around town. Now that I live in the suburbs, 10 miles from where I work, a few things have changed... but driving to work isn't one of them. Here's why:

## Who has time to drive?

I love to "double-dip" on my time.  When I bike into work (a 35 minute ride one way), not only am I commuting, but I'm also getting my workout in for the day. When I ride the bus, I normally open my laptop, turn on the WiFi hotspot on my phone ,and have one of the most productive 30-minute chunks of time I'll see all day. When I drive (normally in rush-hour traffic), the best I can do with my time is listening to a thought-stimulating podcast or audiobook... but I generally see the 25 minutes it takes to work as a time-sink. I also hope you notice that the time-difference is small between cycling, busing, and driving.

## Driving makes me a monster

When I'm in the zone on the bus, or constantly moving in the bike lane, small changes in my commute time (like traffic or a headwind) don't phase me. But when I'm driving, and a traffic light is backed up because people are too busy texting to realize the light has turned green, I feel my blood pressure rise and my thoughts towards others become decidedly non-holy. I become an aggressive driver: "Come-on Moron, get out of my way" only to get to work 3 minutes faster. Really, I could rant about how angry driving makes me: but I think it's probably good to focus on the inverse: Cycling makes me happyIt allows me to collect my thoughts, lower my blood-pressure, and enjoy the scenery. I think this video sums it up best:

## Driving is Expensive

According to a 2011 study, the average american commuter spends over $800 per year on commuting costs. A more recent 2015 study found that commuters in urban areas can spend an average of$2,600 per year.  I'm prone to lean towards the higher number.  If you look at gas costs alone, you can get a ballpark estimate:

$\frac{\3}{Gallon} \frac{Gallon}{25 Miles} \frac{20 Miles}{Day} \frac{30 Days}{Month} = \frac{\72}{Month}$

In addition to that, a parking pass in the city where I work costs $60/Month, and then you have to tag vehicle maintenance on top of that. That brings my annual estimated driving cost to$1500/year!!

Cycling isn't free, especially if you encounter the eventual stolen bike... but the startup and maintenance costs are super small compared to driving a car.  I'm fortunate to work for a corporation that provides bus passes to it's employees, so that's free for me as well.  If you live in a city with a bike share, the costs of cycling could be even lower than you think!