I drove my car into work this morning because I have a lot of “car” errands that need running. I try to limit my car use to once per week now, and I’ve been very good this week … so I figured I earned it.
I “turned” 1500 miles on the scooter yesterday (That’s miles that I’ve put on it; the total odometer reading is almost at 5000). My mileage is almost the equivalent of a round-trip from Raleigh to Toronto and back, and it represents exactly $61.59 worth of fuel. It struck me when I realized that a single fill-up in my car (good for about 350 miles) would have cost about that much just a short month ago. The savings I’ve enjoyed from this scooter easily represent a month’s worth of groceries, and then some.
But the car got me thinking about a lot more than that. I glanced down at the temperature gauge in my car and noticed it was about eight degrees out (yes, that Celsius … about 46 Fahrenheit), and thought about how luxurious it was to be in a heated cabin. Yes, folks, that’s what riding a scooter does – it makes you appreciate heat! When I turned on the stereo I revelled in the fancy feeling of driving and listening to music.
The funny thing is: I miss having my little scooter today. The car seems enormous – absolutely Goliath in proportions, and grotesquely wasteful. I’m at work no differently than I would be if I had ridden the scooter, and I’d probably feel a lot more guilt right now if I didn’t have a lot of errands that need running.
That’s amazing how little you spend on gas. Don’t feel too guilty, the environment loves you for being so nice to it lately!