Opinions needed please

[Sheldon_King]

okay, so I am being stupid right now and thinking, but I would like some opinions from third parties. I am thinking that I may try getting a car instead of better computer parts soon (waiting on check. Should be 3 weeks maximum), but I am not sure that I should. Let me explain the options and positives and negatives, and see what you think.

 

Current setup:

Public and Bike transport"

Positives

-No insurance.

-No licensing.

-cheap ($3 each way in county. $30 each way to Greensboro or Winston.)

-Most places I go are within 2 miles of home, so really short trips.

 

Negatives

-It can get cold and warm easy. Not too bad to make it impossible.

-Public transport (RCATS) needs a weeks notice, and taxi cab is not always available.

-Possible to get killed if I don't pay attention (fall out in traffic, etc.)

 

Automotive possibility:

Positives:

-No waiting for taxi or RCATS.

-ability to go anywhere anytime.

 

Negatives:

-Price (investment + monthly. Assuming just a flat $200 for fuel, and Progressive gave a quote of $140 a month. So $340 minimum vs $20-40 a minth using public)

-Safety. (The reason I never went any farther than drivers ed when I was 16 was being afraid of killing someone and myself. By that I mean I am a insulin dependent diabetic, and I personally know that I don't notice when hypoglycimia (sp?) is setting in. If that would happen behind the wheel, it could end in deaths, and I am not sure I could live with myself after that.)

-Durability and maintence. (Don't get me wrong, this is an issue with bikes too. With an auto though, you are looking at quite an investment to repair (which I am fully capable of doing, short of trasmission work), and paying for a tow truck if your out of town (like greensboro or winston-salem).

 

So, Am I completely stupid for even asking such a question? I get the freedom and such, but am I being a retard for fearing for my and everyone elses safety? Do you think I should just stay with the surrent setup and continue living life?

 

(sorry for being long winded, and sorry for taking your time with a stupid question.)

[zip2k4]

no, not stupid; and I'd go for public transport, maybe even get a bike for short trips.

 

use the money for parts.

 

*edit*

 

also, if you have insulin emergency at the very least on public transport you have people to notice if you're in an emergency situation

[Sheldon_King]

no, not stupid; and I'd go for public transport, maybe even get a bike for short trips.

 

use the money for parts.

 

*edit*

 

also, if you have insulin emergency at the very least on public transport you have people to notice if you're in an emergency situation

I already have a bike, but I am thinking of getting a new one to replace it at this point (its about 5 years old and is quite heavily worn out).

 

I have thought about that too. I have 2 threads on it. The main issue being, I need storage (that is cheap) and headphones (also cheapish). but beyond that it would be throwing money at a nonproblem (case is fine, GPU is getting above 60FPS in all games I play, PSU is fine, SSD is fine, Heatsink limits overclocking, but functions. Keyboard is fine (want to replace my mechanical (it is broken), but waiting for LED Cherry switches to hit market). I mean, a $3000 budget for everything is fine for anything, but there is a point where your throwing money at it to solve a problem that does not exist, and that is wasteful to me.

 

That is true also. But then again, there is also a chance that the drivers will not know what is going on. They are not exactly EMTs after all, not that the EMT service is all that great around here anyway. (sorry, almost ranting about that. I'll leave it at that)

[juretrn]

A car, of course. Mobility >>>> PC. I would not rely on public transport for anything.

[zip2k4]

That is true also. But then again, there is also a chance that the drivers will not know what is going on. They are not exactly EMTs after all, not that the EMT service is all that great around here anyway. (sorry, almost ranting about that. I'll leave it at that)

 

true... however a chance of being discovered during crisis situation is better than swerving on the road into a guard rail, right?

 

I personally would avoid it - unless the public transport is just terrible.

 

also, storage is a thing i'd look for, headphones - even cheap one - would usually fix 99.9999% of issues unless you're audiophile.

 

get those two first, then prioritize and check what is really necessary - in my opinion

[Sheldon_King]

A car, of course. Mobility >>>> PC. I would not rely on public transport for anything.

I can't tell if you did not read the reasons or do not understand the issue being questioned upon. (not trying to call you out, but it is not a mainly getting around issue, it is a medical and safety question).

 

Public transportation here is not that bad actually. In town (madison and mayodan) it is a maximum of 3 mile trip to anywhere I need to go (Kmart, Lowes, Walmart, Food Lion, Post Office, Town Hall, and dozens of restauurants). Riding a bike for that is no issue really, I am reasonably in shape, and it does not get that cold in winter.  The issue comes when I need to go somewhere outside of madison/Mayodan. RCATS runs 6 days a week and charges a flat rate of $3 each way (rather destination to destination. If I needed to go 4 places then home it would be $15). Taxi runs most days, and cost $30 to get to the larger cities, and in Grensboro and WInston there are city buses that can get me from point to point inside the city for pretty cheap.

The easy part is waiting for them. The hard part is figuring out which bus gets me where, but that is the case in any city, and there are usually people that can help find the way to important things like Moses Cone (hospital) , the Collesuem (sp?), or public sites like the battleground.

 

@zip2k4

That is true. At least taking the wheel out of my hands would guarantee that I can't cause issues should an incident happen.

Public transport is not that bad here. In county I just need to call RCATS 3 days ahead of time to schedule, and that is generally only for doctors appointments (once every three months). Cabs are easy to get, and there is a point to point transit service in greensboro that does not cost that much. Calculating the cost versus the safety, it is safer and cheaper to just use public transport. The only time I can't leave the towns is on a federal holiday, and that is a not issue (no family to see, and friends are all off at college.) 

 

Storage I know what to get there, a 3TB/2TB Western Digital or Seagate (dependent on price and availability). Only reason it is even needed is the 1TB seagate failed, and I am currently using several 60-250GB 5400RPM laptop drives to take its place for now (and god are they slow. I never knew Combat Arms had a loading screen until I started using them. )

Headphones, I am thinking the Custom One Pros. They seem to be a decent sound and have the replacable cable (which is the problem on my current JVC headphones.) thus solving the issue for a long while. I have speakers, but they are pretty bad, and I prefer to use headphones. Either way, no matter the solution figured in the thread here, that was going to be included.

 

(Sorry, I know I talk too much).

[juretrn]

I won't quote your post, I hope you see this. As for health/safety concerns, consult with your doctor, I don't claim I know anything in that regard. Also, don't you ever have to drive anywhere else besides work etc? I just can't imagine a good public transport. But I guess driving 60 km to get to school is different to your situation. I just wanted to stresa one thing:flexibility. I hope this post will not come out too ignorant, I am just expressing my OPINIONS.

[Sheldon_King]

@juretrn

You are not sounding ignorant. I guess I was in my reply. I am just more or less concerned that I am worrying over nonissues, but then again, it only takes one mistake to kill someone. At a compirison viewpoint, someone experiencing a hypoglycimic event has equal or greater impairment than someone who is drunk (.08% BAC).

 

I understand having a car allows flexability. What I am trying to stress is that there is plenty of flexibility in the system already. Maybe if I worked out of town and/or did not rideshare, then it would be a greater issue (I live 2 blocks from work, so even with a car, i'd likely walk most non winter days anyway). I only really only ever leave the two towns here for doctor's appointments (quarterly. PCP is less than a mile from the house. Literally top of the hill, right turn and one block and I am there). Going to the bigger cities only really happens when I need something I can not get here, and that has not come up in over a year really.

I guess what I am saying is that the investment is far above the need. Getting a license is $40, and requires the road test, which requires a properly licensed and insured car (that I don't have access to without asking family, and the closest is 90 miles away), insurance ($140/m) and fuel ($3/g x (distance driven/MPG of car)), and then the cost of a car itself (likely north of $3000. I don't know for sure, I have not look at one in a while. But I do adhear to the rule of you get what you pay for. Would not buy new, as that takes a loan, which by state law requires full coverage insurance, which would cost $400 a month or more).

i understand your opinion, but I think we are thinking from 2 sides of the issue here. You are thinking it is easier to get around and no need to call to get a ride, while I am thinking what happens if I hurt someone, or even worse kill someone, because I am not capable of realizing when something is going wrong. I may be worrying about an issue that I shouldn't, but if such an event were to happen to you. [theory time] Say you had a medical condition that caused you to loose control or pass out without warning. Would you feel safe driving a car with such a condition? [/theory] I mean, to each his own, and the theory there is not quite the same, but it is as close as I can explain to what happens with hypoglycimic events without going into some medical science.

 

I understand I am worrying about an issue that may or may not actually be an issue. But would you like to drive knowing there is a chance of killing someone and it being your fault? It is almost as bad as being in the situation of knowing you killed your father because you did not realize he was havig a heart attack fast enough to be any help. (true story).

[zip2k4]

haha I think the biggest issue is you're worrying too much, you're thinking of your options - that's fine - but do not over think things that are out of your control.

 

I'll put an example:

 

there's a chance that you might be leaving your house and trip over a hole in the pavement

 

you know full well that might happen, but you don't worry about it 24/7 and prep yourself with shoulderpads and kneepads just in case.

 

things can happen, we should be - or at least try to - be prepared for it, however it shouldn't impede your ability to live your life  

[Sheldon_King]

@zip2k4

I understand what you are saying, but this is quite different from tripping over a whole. If you trip in a hole, the worst case scenario is that you will get injured. A single person, small beans. You will recover, and live with it.

Let me reword it. Would you hand a drunk an M60? Would you hand someone on speed a stick of dynamite? It is basically the same thing, goving someone with little or no control a deadly weapon.

[Recon-UK]

-Possible to get killed if I don't pay attention (fall out in traffic, etc.)

 

You realize you risk killing yourself and others behind the wheel of a car? so which one you want to risk?

 

My mum and dad both have diabetes, although not as severe, i also lived with a girl who was dependent on insulin when i was in foster care.

[Sheldon_King]

-Possible to get killed if I don't pay attention (fall out in traffic, etc.)

 

You realize you risk killing yourself and others behind the wheel of a car? so which one you want to risk?

 

My mum and dad both have diabetes, although not as severe, i also lived with a girl who was dependent on insulin when i was in foster care.

Well you see, the two are completely different things though. If I get killed, then so what. I know i am going to die. When it happens, it happens.  But if someone else gets killed because of me, then that is a trillion times worse, especially if I were to survive the incident.

Either way it happens is bad, but I am perfectly fine with death. It comes to everyone, and the ticket was dated on me before I was born.

 

I am so sorry about your parents. If they have a good control over it, then they can at least live a kind of normal life (same to the girl). The problems come when you can't get a good control over it (and not for lack of trying either).

[Recon-UK]

Well you see, the two are completely different things though. If I get killed, then so what. I know i am going to die. When it happens, it happens.  But if someone else gets killed because of me, then that is a trillion times worse, especially if I were to survive the incident.

Either way it happens is bad, but I am perfectly fine with death. It comes to everyone, and the ticket was dated on me before I was born.

 

I am so sorry about your parents. If they have a good control over it, then they can at least live a kind of normal life (same to the girl). The problems come when you can't get a good control over it (and not for lack of trying either).

Just think positive, and make your own mind up mate, i mean, i am just a 3rd person perspective much like us all here, we can't really make choices for you.

 

Best of luck

[Sheldon_King]

Just think positive, and make your own mind up mate, i mean, i am just a 3rd person perspective much like us all here, we can't really make choices for you.

 

Best of luck

I know  that. Just kind of figured it would be easier to talk it out with a 3rd party than it would be to think it out in my own head.

 

From what I am seeing and thinking, either is a bad decision, but getting a car may be the more bad option (seeing as it is nearly impossible to injure someone really badly with a bike, unless you like ran them over, but that is nearly impossible without them moving first, or falling off anyway.). That is opposed to using a one ton metal construction that could squish a person without really trying (and the increased average speed makes it harder to dodge in the even an accident were immenient). Does that make sense? (plus no fuel needed for a bike other than food, which I always have. Maybe get a new cycle to replace the current one, which would still be cheaper than a car + insurence).

[Recon-UK]

I know  that. Just kind of figured it would be easier to talk it out with a 3rd party than it would be to think it out in my own head.

 

From what I am seeing and thinking, either is a bad decision, but getting a car may be the more bad option (seeing as it is nearly impossible to injure someone really badly with a bike, unless you like ran them over, but that is nearly impossible without them moving first, or falling off anyway.). That is opposed to using a one ton metal construction that could squish a person without really trying (and the increased average speed makes it harder to dodge in the even an accident were immenient). Does that make sense? (plus no fuel needed for a bike other than food, which I always have. Maybe get a new cycle to replace the current one, which would still be cheaper than a car + insurence).

Do you have anyone who could help you in person? The main issues here is that i am thinking you are alone, judging by the words you have typed, if so, it makes the situation ten times harder as you have to be self sufficient and also tackle diabetes.

[Sheldon_King]

I am not alone, I live with mum, but she is blind (Kind of why I live with her, to help out and such). I mean, it is not that difficult to control it, if things woruld work the way they should work. It is not difficult to tell the pump to deliver 36U/d (1.5U/h), and to figure the carbohydrates. What is difficult is when things don't work right (Like say you have a 16 ounce coffee with 1/2 cup of sugar in it. It should, more or less, be 7.5g of carbs, but then you cover for that amount, and it all heads south. (just an example.).

I mean, I could keep someone around, but that is going to be difficult to pull off (as in finding someone medically able to watch over someone like that, that does not also cost $500+ a month. While also paying for the insulin and infusin sets (and other materials needed)). If you were talking like a boy/girl friend, NO, I am not willing to put them and me through that. I am fine making myself miserable, but not someone else too.

[Recon-UK]

I am not alone, I live with mum, but she is blind (Kind of why I live with her, to help out and such). I mean, it is not that difficult to control it, if things woruld work the way they should work. It is not difficult to tell the pump to deliver 36U/d (1.5U/h), and to figure the carbohydrates. What is difficult is when things don't work right (Like say you have a 16 ounce coffee with 1/2 cup of sugar in it. It should, more or less, be 7.5g of carbs, but then you cover for that amount, and it all heads south. (just an example.).

I mean, I could keep someone around, but that is going to be difficult to pull off (as in finding someone medically able to watch over someone like that, that does not also cost $500+ a month. While also paying for the insulin and infusin sets (and other materials needed)). If you were talking like a boy/girl friend, NO, I am not willing to put them and me through that. I am fine making myself miserable, but not someone else too.

Excuse me if i am being too personal here, tell me to completely fuck off if you do wish so.

 

I will link you to a bit of my own life:

 

http://www.overclock.net/t/1426563/my-one-and-only-love

 

Now, my ladies condition was totally different, and i will not rate it as a more severe illness, illness altogether is not nice, but making your time better and happier is better than staying miserable and self contained.

Happiness is what makes the heart sing, it brings life to parts of you that no other feeling can, it does not have to be a girlfriend, do what makes you feel good inside, if what you do make others or just a single other person feel just as good, then do that too, it is massively rewarding for both parties.

 

I don't need pity or anything from you or others here, i got what i wanted, love, and to give love.

 

I commend you on looking after your mother

[Sheldon_King]

@Recon-UK

*I am sorry about the spelling. It seems the spell check is broken in FF*

 

You're not being too personal.

And condolences for your loss.

 

I know that love is good, but I just prefer to not be with anyone else. Feeling good is all fine and dandy, but when you are making their life hell, it just makes you feel bad. (I've seen it throughut the family. Grandmother and Grandfather on fathers side had alzheimer's before they died, and father had black lung. Seeing teh love is nice, but in obverse side when they just want to leave before they hurt you, it destroys them inside.). Honestly, While it is good to love, I would prefer not to get involved with someone in that way. (not that I havent in the past).

[Recon-UK]

@Recon-UK

*I am sorry about the spelling. It seems the spell check is broken in FF*

 

You're not being too personal.

And condolences for your loss.

 

I know that love is good, but I just prefer to not be with anyone else. Feeling good is all fine and dandy, but when you are making their life hell, it just makes you feel bad. (I've seen it throughut the family. Grandmother and Grandfather on fathers side had alzheimer's before they died, and father had black lung. Seeing teh love is nice, but in obverse side when they just want to leave before they hurt you, it destroys them inside.). Honestly, While it is good to love, I would prefer not to get involved with someone in that way. (not that I havent in the past).

That's fine mate, i am glad you have a firm stand on what you want in that regard.

 

From personal experience, driving can be fun, depending on a few factors, i would say a car is a good thing, public transport is exactly what it is.... but it is a form of transport.

Your question is very hard to answer simply because you could be missing out on something you may really enjoy, caution aside.

[Sheldon_King]

From personal experience, driving can be fun, depending on a few factors, i would say a car is a good thing, public transport is exactly what it is.... but it is a form of transport.

Your question is very hard to answer simply because you could be missing out on something you may really enjoy, caution aside.

I understand that, but in the end of it, fun is far down the list of considerations. While it would be nice to have a car, on a economic side of it, it is quite an investment to make. Just the insurance cost more than public transport, and there is very few times when it would be faster. But then again, there is always a third option that was overlooked. If I went and got licenced, and needed to go somewhere, I could always rent a car too (taking the cost down to fuel and insurance over public transport (should be something like $40 a day). But then there is also still the chance of injuring someone else. I guess it would be a decent half way point, not having to pay the car when not needed, but being able to use one should the need arrise.

 

I don't know. I'll figre something out.

[Sheldon_King]

@Recon-UK

Okay, after looking at it from all possible sides for the last 2 days and talking to several people here in town and the DOT/DMV I think I have came up with a solution that may perfect for me. A motorized bicycle (http://www.ebay.com/itm/48V-1000W-Electric-Bike-Bicycle-Ebike-20AH-Lithium-Battery-Suspension-SeatPost-/330968520617?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0f42d7a9).

 

The cheif of police in town (madison) said that it was unnecessary to license as long as the bike has pedals (thus by county law is not a motor vehicle) and had a maximum speed below 40MPH (which is not a problem, the speed limit in town is 35MPH and only US 220 and US311 have higher speed limits (65MPH). I will need a helmet still, and will be limited on distance per charge (30 miles), but will be able to travel to anywhere in town a bit faster than a strait bike. Only places I will not be able to go with it is Greensboro/Winston-Salem or Eden, which I can still get a ride from the Taxi if needed (once every 3 months for Eden (doctor) and as said before, rarely need to go to Gboro aside from the hospital in some cases.).

The positives here is I don't need a license, Insurance, and it is not taxed, bringing teh monthly cost down. The negatives being larger items will still not be able to bring home myself, but most trips to the store are for one of 2 things, medicine and food, and they are not heavy nor large. And the savings on fuel and insurance would still be able to fund any taxi or RCATS rides needed in a month (accounting $3/g fuel at 8MPG (extremely inefficient for figures) for average of 80miles is $30 a month in fuel and $140 figure for insurance, that is $170 a month I could save for public transport, which is 56 destinitions with RCATS or 3 trips to Gboro in the taxi.)

 

Does this sound like a good solution to my situation? The freedom is still there a little bit, and the cost is still down. Fuel cost is almost nonexistant (charging it will not take that much electricity to drive the electirc bill up), and no insurace or taxes to operate it. Still have the chance of hurting myself or others, but a lower change than operating a car (smaller and easier to dodge if necessary), plus it will not take much extra training to operate (I am fairly competent at operating a bike right now).

[Recon-UK]

Looks like you found a middle road to your situation, entirely up to you to do it, sounds good to me though.

[Sheldon_King]

Looks like you found a middle road to your situation, entirely up to you to do it, sounds good to me though.

I think so too. Right now I am trying to price a barn to put it in though (as it is too heavy to bring up the steps), but I think we will be able to do this. Should be fun to ride too. Now just to wait for the check to get here.

[Pounds]

Go for the PC! Getting a car would mean going on dates and being social with the ladies. Giving car rides to girls is for sinners!

[Sheldon_King]

Go for the PC! Getting a car would mean going on dates and being social with the ladies. Giving car rides to girls is for sinners!

I hope you are joking. I mean, I know girls/guys (I don't discriminate in that reguard) are good, but I prefer not to get involved with other people for reasons already outlined in this thread. And I think I am going for an electric bike, as it does not need a license or insurence and electric is a lot cheaper than gasoline. (Plus I only go out of town about once a month if even that often, so public transport is cheaper there.).

But if it helps to settle the thread, I know what I am getting most likely:

Computer:

Source 220 case (Its cheap)

2x seagate 3TB hard drives 7200 RPM

Custom One Pro headset

 

House:

10x8 foot steel shed (cheap, and allows to keep things out of the weather)

10 (or so) 4"x8"x16" concreat blocks (to level the building, as we can't poor a concreate foundation without breaking the lease)

10 4"x4"x10' boards (for the frame and shelving unit)

24 2"x6"x8' boards (for the floor and shelves)

2 electrical outlets

1 light switch

1 50' 18 AWG cable (might need a larger gauge. Will call an electrician tomorrow and ask).

1 light bulb socket (I can't find it online, but I know lowes carries them)

 

Transportation:

1 300 watt electric bicycle (1/3 the price of teh one linked above, max speed is 20MPH which should be enough to get around town)

1 1.5V electric horn for bike (safety and really cheap)

2 bike rear view mirrors (safety)

1 27"x18.5"x10.5" bike trailer (cheap enough and allows more to be carried safely. holds 100 pounds)

1 bike trip computer (Its only $10 and allows one to know current speed, time, and trip distance.)

 

Without calculating the price of the building (still looking up the components price) I have $1490 left in the budget.