Even psychotic SF bike messengers proclaim e scooters "too dangerous."

dajo9 said:

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I may be moving to Long Beach in the next couple of years and am looking at a car-minimal lifestyle. Maybe own a Mini-Cooper for tight street parking and an e-scooter. Mostly walking. Have plenty of time to consider options.

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Here ya go!

FIAT 500e | All-Electric Compact Hatchback

DiabloWags said:

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dajo9 said:

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I may be moving to Long Beach in the next couple of years and am looking at a car-minimal lifestyle. Maybe own a Mini-Cooper for tight street parking and an e-scooter. Mostly walking. Have plenty of time to consider options.

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Here ya go!

FIAT 500e | All-Electric Compact Hatchback

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Electric is pretty challenging with street parking

bearister said:

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Even psychotic SF bike messengers proclaim e scooters "too dangerous."

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Less for city transport and more for beachside

DiabloWags said:

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okaydo said:

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This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

okaydo said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

Hasnt had an impact on who exactly?

okaydo said:

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I'm not much of a car driver. I've driven very little in the past 20 years. I can get along fine without a car.

But something happened.

Earlier this year, I moved to a condo. It is a few blocks from a Los Angeles Metro rail line, it's 1 block from 4 bus lines, 1 block from a supermarket, 2 blocks from another supermarket, 4 blocks from an even better supermarket. Everything is convenient. There are also a ton of food options.

As part of the moving process, I rented a Nissan Altima for 10 days. It was awesome.

Over Labor Day Weekend, I rented a Toyota Corolla to empty out my storage to move to my condo. Again, it was awesome to drive.

The thing is my condo comes with 2 parking spaces in a gated garage.

But I work from home and I could always Uber/Lyft/Waymo.

So I don't need a car.

But then my uncle called and said he's moving out of the country and I could have his 2019 Toyota Corolla for $6,000.

I am seriously considering it. But with the cost of car insurance and gas, would it be a waste of money if I don't drive it that much.

I figured I could use 15 Waymos a month and not hit $6,000 for 2 years.

I'm not going to be traveling long distances, but it would be nice to, say, go to Manhattan Beach and it not be a 5 hour roundtrip by bus.

What should I do?

---

My uncle committed suicide a month ago. It's just so weird that he -- who I didn't really have much contact with in recent years had a big impact on my life in 2025. He also helped me move into my condo. And now he's gone.

okaydo said:

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DiabloWags said:

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okaydo said:

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

---

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the other day, when this fool was a little boy, seemed like gas was nearly free
# rounding error # things change # global warming sucks Big Time

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

Hasnt had an impact on who exactly?

---

My point is, yes, Trump is deeply unpopular and, yes, the Dems are likely to have a good Election Night.


But the whole point of Trump is does crazy, horrible stuff and he gets away with it. Nothing really sinks him. He's still pretty powerful. The country doesn't really seem to care about the Iran War and gas prices. I mean, they care, but don't care.

Basically, he keeps getting away with it.

People care, but they don't care?

I'm not sure I understand why you think that high gas prices would "sink" him.
Gas prices are literally inelastic. People don't have the luxury of not commuting to work.
And in many places, there are no realistic options for a substitution effect.

They care.

okaydo said:

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..he keeps getting away with it.

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yeah, because he can (can), aand *not* dead yet < mumble grumble >

# go bears

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

Hasnt had an impact on who exactly?

---

Me

dajo9 said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

Hasnt had an impact on who exactly?

---

Me

---

I imagine your heating oil bill in NJ was higher earlier this year than last year.

DiabloWags said:

---

dajo9 said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

okaydo said:

---

This is how much I've paid in gas in my first year as car owner:

Not bad, considering the high cost of gas.

September 28, 2025: $31.64
October 22, 2025: $13.58
November 21, 2025: $16.19
January 6, 2026: $14.13
March 8, 2026: $11.06
May 19, 2026: $17.19
August 25, 2026: $20.17

=$124 in Year 1

---

That's literally nothing.
Most commuters spend twice that in ONE MONTH.

---

I noticed that gas has usually been between $5 and $6 since the Iran war started. While not cheap, it isn't extremely expensive ($8 or more would look bad.) Of course, gas is cheaper outside California. So I think that's why the Iran War really hasn't had an impact.

---

Hasnt had an impact on who exactly?

---

Me

---

I imagine your heating oil bill in NJ was higher earlier this year than last year.

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Natural gas heating which is cheaper than last year

what did you decide?

concordtom said:

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what did you decide?

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i got the car 1 year ago today.