Thursday, May 3, 2007

Got a realtor?

Traffic_jam_cal1



Tuesday night I was talking with one of my classmates when he told me that he works in Salt Lake City and lives in a small town 30 miles west of there.  He said that  he looked at houses closer to the city but that he could get “a lot more house for the same price” living where he does. 



Yesterday I went to the monthly meeting of the Utah Air Quality Board.  There was a presentation given by a doctor representing Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.  He urged the Board to take several steps to improve Utah’s air, including lowering the freeway speed limit to 55 mph on the worst pollution days and making public transportation free for all riders.  After the meeting I watched some of the physicians leave, and was pleased to see that some of them carpooled together.  But I wonder; where do these doctors live?  Do they live in McMansions in the suburbs (they are doctors after all) many miles from their practices? 



Today I read that gasoline in Utah has topped $3 per gallon.  That, and the warm weather, has more people at my office showing an interest in bicycle commuting.  But the most common reason they give for not doing it is the length of their commute; 15, 20 and in one case 35 miles.  Even I can admit that is a little too far for a daily commute.   



For over sixty years Americans have been building homes at the edge of town because land and gasoline were cheap.  Now people like my classmate and my co-workers, and hopefully the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment are seeing the costs of living so far away.  Those of us living in the city are seeing a chance to make some fast money in real estate investing. 



3 comments:

  1. This is reminiscent of the conversation we had last time I saw you at the shop. Perhaps I should buy some of those carbon credits Al Gore is buying to make it all better. Are you coming to Ben's BBQ on Saturday? Ben's also cooking, so your wife won't have to eat anything that I've cooked.

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  2. You can always tell your colleagues that it is OK to ride thier bikes to the bus stop, and ride the bus as close to work as possible. Sure you and I may consider that "cheating", but that's a huge step for many people. Getting on the bus is also a good way to prevent getting hit by the bus.

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  3. Good point Sans, and I have tried it. But usually they come back that the bus is too slow/far away/sticky/blue collar/etc. The conversation usually spirals hopelessly out of control from there.
    Next time I will be sure to add your little insight about avoiding getting hit by the bus. That should do it.

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