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Bike Sales Soar As Gas Prices Climb Save Email Print
Posted: 11:25 AM May 13, 2008
Last Updated: 11:30 AM Jun 10, 2008
Reporter: Renee Charles
Email Address: renee.charles@wkyt.com


A | A | A

You've probably already noticed, but the price at the pump took another big jump today. Locally the average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.73 but some stations are charging $3.85 or more! The price is up forty cents from a month ago.

Instead shelling out cash to fill up some people are finding other ways to get around. Lots of people are choosing to pedal their way around town instead of shelling out big money to fill their gas tanks. Brad Flowers at Lexington's Pedal Power Bike Shop says you can buy a bike for $250 "and it's about the same as a few fill ups these days." Flowers says he has seen lots of new customers turning to bicycles for transportation not just for recreation.

Marijka Walker of Mt. Sterling says guilt is what drover her to buy a bike. She said she felt guilty driving a mile or two to the gym or store when prices are so high. So now she bikes most everywhere.

If bicycles aren't your speed scooters may be your answer. You can fill it up for about $4 and it will get you nearly 70 miles. That's like going from Lexington to Louisville on $4.

"The average scooter gets 65-70 mpg and mopeds get 100-110 mpg" says Nod Jennings with Fayette Moped. He says his business is in overdrive thanks to the high gas prices. "Our sales up double." Jennings says it everyone is getting in on the scooter action, he's seeing people in their 30's- 60's. "It used to be teens and now we're seeing the older sector riding."

Whether you're pedaling or scooting, they're two sure ways to keep your wallet on full.

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Posted by: Alan Location: Wisconsin on May 28, 2008 at 08:34 AM
Well Jumpin' Jehosaphat, these gas prices are takin' the wind out of our sails. I bought a bike to do errands around town. In no time the bike will pay for itself. Who needs pain at the pump? By the way there is a song by Brent Burns on I-tunes called "Pain At The Pump". Also a version of "Pain At The Pump" can be found on youtube.com by typing in Pain At The Pump Song by Brent Burns.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 15, 2008 at 09:14 PM
I agree with Andy. We have oil in alaska and other places up there but the tree hugging environmentalists won't let us drill for it. And all environmentalists vote democratic so none of the dems in washington are going to go get that Alaskan oil. So I guess we'll just keep on getting our oil from the middle east and pay out the (edited) for it.

Posted by: greg Location: middlesboro on May 15, 2008 at 04:10 PM
I gave up this rat race a long time ago and went on the draw. You people pay for gas and drive to work. I am staying home and watching TV. When will you guys learn?

Posted by: Billy Ray Location: LexVegas on May 15, 2008 at 09:19 AM
I got me one of dem Yeller Bikes!

Posted by: Andy on May 15, 2008 at 07:51 AM
Well you know how it is. The Dems can't have a hole drilled in Alaska.Eveyone would then have law cost gas.We have lost our dear country to the commie democrats.Its over, we have lived thur the best years,our nation will ever see.

Posted by: Smart 1 Location: Slow Lane / Was fast lane on May 14, 2008 at 09:12 PM
I would buy a horse but the last 2 bucked me off and as for a moped I just purchased a used one and I've been chaining it up because i'm afraid someone will ride it off into the sunset. Would that be considered "mopedjacking"?

Posted by: to dangerous Location: northside on May 14, 2008 at 09:04 PM
why not bike on the main roads? cyclists have as much right as a car to be on any road (not interstate) according to KY state law. and bike where we should be biking? well, that's the road. not the sidewalk. it's more dangerous for us to be bicycling on the sidewalk. it's just as frustrating sometimes for a cyclist (commuter) as it is for the driver of a car to share the road. let's live in peace. i'll get over to the right and you can pass safely to my left. i'll respect the laws of the road just as you do. let's be patient with each other until we actually have bike lanes on all major roads.

Posted by: poor person too Location: somewhere in kentucky on May 14, 2008 at 03:59 PM
I am on a fixed income and I can't afford to eat or buy gas or buy a hybrid. My son and his family can't afford gas, food, rent, child support and three kids at home etc. What is going on? If this is the survival of the fittest, then only the RICH WILL WIN!!!!!

Posted by: Ranger Location: Lex on May 14, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Right now at this moment, gas abroad in Turkey is $10.45 a gallon when you do the conversion. Yes $3.85 is bad but it could be a whole lot worse. We did this to ourselves by building sprawling cities with suburbs miles from town instead of concentrating development. Cheap gas is a privelege not a right and now everyone is paying the price. I think you will see more developments like Beaumont where you have groceries, post office, restaurants, shopping and housing all contained in a manageable area. The only thing they need to do now is make the housing in these areas affordable instead of 350,000 - 800,000 dollars

Posted by: Anonymous on May 14, 2008 at 09:54 AM
I guess when you long distance commuters lose your job and get on wellfare, you should have considered gas wouldn't be dirt cheap forever and you should have moved closer to work than drive 65 mpg one way! Hell, no wonder gas is so expensive, people are driving 130 miles per freakin' day!!!!! You traveling gypsies are consuming too much! Stay at home and work or move closer to work!!!!

Posted by: Zatoichi Location: Richmond on May 14, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Just wait until these bike buyers realize they actuall have to pump the pedals to get the bikes to move. The yard sales will eventually have some great deals on nearly new bikes. It ain't all downhill.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 14, 2008 at 09:30 AM
My SUV gets 7 MPG--I'm somebody. Park those littler cars--I NEED YOUR GAS.

Posted by: Working Poor Location: Winchester on May 14, 2008 at 09:25 AM
Yup, just cancelled summer vacation, tilled up part of the back yard for a garden, have been forced to become a vegetarian due to the price of groceries, and if the price of gas goes up any more, I will lose my job because I won't be able to afford the gas to get there and pay my mortgage, too. This means I will lose my health insurance which my family desparately needs because unemployment really doesn't cover anything anymore. Although, without paying for gas, I may end up making more money. Would love to buy a moped, but can't afford another monthly payment, and if I turn my vehicle in I mess up my credit. This is a vicious circle, isn't it?? Oh, and the price of gas went up yesterday because of a rumor. As the rumor has turned out to be only that, don't you think the price of gas should go back down? Like I said before-stock market scare tactics (rumors)are what keep driving the prices up. Feds need to regulate oil like they do the dairy farmers and everything else!! HELP US!!!

Posted by: Amy Location: Lexington on May 14, 2008 at 08:58 AM
I honestly cannot affort to drive to work every day...and I have a fairly well paying job! Employers are going to have to allow workers to telecommute! Some can't, but many of us do jobs that can be done from home. With the technology available today, there's no reason to drive 30 miles to an office to do what I can do from my house!!!

Posted by: Dangerous Location: Lex on May 14, 2008 at 08:53 AM
I think it's great people are biking more, however, if you are biking in LEX, please don't bike on the main roads especially during rush hour (Nicholasville, Tates Creek). It's dangerous and you are backing up traffic behind you and thereby probably not saving any gas or carbon footprint overall for the environment. Please bike where you should be biking, not just where you feel like biking.

Posted by: Charles Location: Lexington on May 13, 2008 at 10:29 PM
Gee, I wish I had the option of riding a bike for my 65 mile (roundtrip) commute! And no, I can't sell my house and move closer to work--in case you haven't noticed, we‘re in the middle of a housing crisis! As for shorter trips; there's no way I'm going up against all the crazy drivers (trucks and cars alike) on a bicycle! There are too many drivers out there who aren’t safe to operate a tricycle much less a vehicle! We're in bad shape and something’s got to give! !!

Posted by: poor person #2 Location: ky on May 13, 2008 at 09:24 PM
I would be run over the first day I rode a bike to work. No shoulders or sidewalks where I live.

Posted by: concerned on May 13, 2008 at 08:40 PM
These gas prices are insane. You will see alot of people turning their vehicles in or reposesing. Maybe then they will lower these gas prices.

Posted by: robert Location: georgetown on May 13, 2008 at 07:59 PM
This is crazy and the this is not even the worst. My assistant couldn't make it to work for the last few days because she can't afford the gas! Eat or Gas. Until we ban together, this nonsense will only esculate. I am planting my own garden this year because food prices are outrageous. (should have done that before now). I have seen more folks walking and riding bikes than I have ever seen before. Maybe if the rest of us join them we can beat this insanity!

Posted by: poor working stiff Location: America on May 13, 2008 at 06:57 PM
What are the gas companies going to do when gas is so high and working people can not afford it?The working class is what keeps this country going.It would be very hard to ride a bike 30 miles one way to work.

Posted by: Frances Location: Richmond``` on May 13, 2008 at 06:49 PM
Why dont they go ahead and raise it to $4 a gallon, they are going to anyway.It is a shame everything else is giong up because of high fuel prices except peoples pay.This gas has got me staying home more.Maybe we will get lucky and the goverment will come up with a GAS program.

Posted by: Sherry Location: Mt. Sterling on May 13, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Gas is $3.95 in Mt. Sterling at some of the gas station. This is crazy!!!

Posted by: anonymous Location: Mt.Sterling,Ky on May 13, 2008 at 04:55 PM
gas here at main street Marathon is at $3.95 a gallon.Pilot truck stop has it for $3.75 a gallon, the price of oil @ $126 a barrel is absurd, When will it stop? $200 a barrel?? Maybe $6.50 a gallon? I guess the question would have to be at what point will people not be able to buy gas or even worse diesel, maybe at that point the big oil companies will look at the every day cost of daily driving instead of profit margins and and get this problem under control!

Posted by: HELP Location: WINCHESETER on May 13, 2008 at 04:54 PM
WELL A BIKE WOULD BE GREAT..BUT WORK IS ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY. WHAT ARE WE WORKING PEOPLE GOING TO DO. HIGHER GAS, GROC AND ETC, BUT NO RAISE IN PAY. ALSO THIS IRS REBATE IT HELPS, YEAH HELPS TO BUY GAS! I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND ALL THIS MADNESS! I HAVE TO DO WITHOUT JUST TO GET GAS TO AND FROM WORK SO I CAN PAY MORTAGE AND RAISE MY SON. THIS IS SO UNFAIR, WHILE THE OIL CO MAKES BIG PROFITS! SOMEONE HELP!

Posted by: poor person Location: everywhere on May 13, 2008 at 04:18 PM
HELP!!!!!!!!! THIS IS CRAZY NO FEASON FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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