Biking Saving Money

470km this year on a (new) bike.

If I was paying for a car for myself, that’s about $8000/year, CAA estimates. That includes ownership, depreciation, gas, insurance, repairs, parking, (fines?), oil changes, tires, etc.

Gas is $1.279/L today at most Regina stations. It’s been within a few cents of this level the last few months. Last month it was $1.349 in Regina.

If my imaginary car (i-car) got a whopping 6L/100km. I’d have had to fill it with 6L * 4.7 = 28.2L of fuel.
$1.279/L * 28.2L = $36 in unburned gasoline.

If my i-car cost $1000/year to plate/register that’s (1000/12=>$83/month * 3 months = $250)

If i-car’s lease payment is $99 biweekly (as many ads suggest right now):
$99 payment * 6 payments = $594 (incidentally that’s $6 less than a nifty new bicycle costs with bells {and whistles, as I bike by}.)

If i-car was parked at work, that would be including GST, April- October $37.50/month
(3 months = $112.50)

$112.50 + $594 + $250 + $36 = $992.50 for 3 months of owning and using i-car in the most affordable way possible (no repairs, or fines, or extra parking charges).

$992.50 i-car – $600 bike = $392.50 saved in only 3 months. Over the next three months, the bike should need $0 input, while the i-car would need another $992.50, increasing my 6 month savings to $1385.00

Why aren’t more people clamoring for better bike infrastructure? If you can ditch your car, you can very realistically save $1385 within the first six months, while getting exercise and feeling good as you sail past traffic jams.