Gas Prices Affecting Training?

[clfsean]

Yes it has & yes it sucks.

Fortunately I can train what I have at my house so there's no problems & my basics are pretty good. Unfortunately, it means no new material which blows.

 

[SamT]

I live about 7 miles from my dojang, and have a '78 Suzuki GS750. So no, not really . One of our students drives about 60 miles, but she's taught for free, due to her being the instructors' daughter in law.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

It's hurting my school right now. All of a sudden, I stopped getting new students and no one is coming to any of my demos/seminars at the local libraries. The libraries around here are normally packed all summer with parents looking for free things to do with their kids, but this year the libraries are almost deserted.
I opened a second location in the neighboring city a few months ago, but could not get students despite the fact that it was in the middle of a really nice neighborhood. Whether my reputation is good or bad didn't affect that situation. I didn't get any phone calls about the class even after direct mailings and tons of newspaper coverage. It was either gas prices or the fact that it was in the middle of over a dozen very large martial arts schools. I think it was both factors.
In my home school, I have the same group of students and have not lost any of those, but the phone calls from prospective students stopped a few months ago. I have talked to other local teachers and they are dealing with the same thing.
It affects me less since I am not in a signed lease at my recreation center, but if I owned or rented a commercial building I would be really worried right now.

AoG

 

[Ninjamom]

.......but the phone calls from prospective students stopped a few months ago. I have talked to other local teachers and they are dealing with the same thing.......

I think this has a LOT to do with the economy, in general. Harder times = less disposable income ==> people cut back on non-essentials. We are exeriencing the same decrease in new/prospective students in both our local TKD school and in the sword class I teach. Also, my husband and I are closing our store (the local Christian book and gift shop in town) this summer, after being open for almost 34 years.

I am really sorry you are having difficulty, AoG. You are not alone.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

I hate that you are closing your store.
God bless you for keeping it open that long.

AoG

 

[Aikikitty]

Ninjamom, I'm sorry you have to close your store. That's awesome how long the store has been around. :asian: I'm sure many people will miss it.

My Aikido class only meets once a week right now, but at the same place where I train, I want to start going to the Machado BJJ class at least twice a week. The dojo is a good 30 minutes away (with good traffic) so I have to have extra money saved up for the gas before I can even join the class. >sigh< It could easily be worse, because I'm not going to let it stop me from going, but it's going to be expensive.

Robyn :samurai:

 

[tellner]

Class is about forty five miles away. That means a little under three gallons of gas round trip. That means we carpool with four or five in the car every time. It sucks, but it's worth every mile.

 

[Big Don]

This past weekend we had Kenpo GM's Frank Trejo and Richard 'Huk' Planas up for a seminar. It was great.
In the past, we have driven from Fresno to Pasadena, picked up Mr Trejo and driven back to Fresno, which at 10 hours, give or take, makes for a LONG day, only to be repeated a few days later in reverse.
About two weeks ago I called my Sifu and told him about ExpressJet, a small airline which flies small planes between a number of airports. Express jet is CHEAP. $59 each way from Ontario California to Fresno, which, since Sifu generally rolls down there in a full size four door pick up, cheaper than gas. Not to mention, 50 minutes in the air beats the crap out of 4 to 5 hours on the road.

 

[kailat]

My job, my gas, My money in general has all dwendled my formal training in more ways than one.

My job has me working 12 hours a day and by the time im finished working I have to look after my son and or am too tired to do anything in the evenings.

2 local schools that Iwas involved with A) my friends karate school and B) my Sensei school have both recently closed due to lack of support and funding. It has effected me as I don't have anywhere to train now...

Me and my guys (students) thats been w/ me for a few years have beeen training outside in the park for a few weeks now. Were looking to try to get a new place but $$ is tight for all of us..

I have not been able to drive to INDY to train w/ my guro for several months, when I was going at least 2 times a month. Im hoping this ends soon.. cause im about to go thru withdrawls..LOL...

So don't think its just you all.. cause its others too.. I just missed out on one of the best seminars of the year due to my job just closed their doors 2 weeks ago.. this has really put me in a bind because now my $ has just dwendled even more....Im trying to stay positive, and im looking into a new career but unfortunetly good carreers don't just come knocking over night.. I have to go thru this training course for the next few weeks but I have several tests to pass first.. this is ok, but my finances are getting pretty low...hope i can keep my car, house and phone/internet etc... not to mention my child support is gonna get behnd.. wow.. POSITIVE, POSITIVE, POSITIVE

 

[bowser666]

I am sad to hear how bad this is affecting so many of you. I guess I am one of the lucky few. My school is literally 5 minutes from work. My work is about 10 minutes from my apartment. All in all everything is in a 5 mile radius. Granted I live in Plano, TX though, ( Suburb of Dallas) so everything is 5 minutes Time for people to look at greener alternatives. Unless you need a Truck, SUV , for your job, get rid of it ( not easy I know, cuz noone wants to buy gas guzzlers especially now) get a more efficient vehicle. I have been driving a Hyundai Elantra now for almost 3 years and it gets 30+ mpg. Since I am so close to work and my school, I go through 1 tank of gas every 2 weeks. I also drive home for lunch everyday. So if I cut that out and brought my lunch I could probably make a tank last 3 weeks or more.


I will end this before people start screaming at me for rubbing it in. ( Even though I am not really )

 

[jkembry]

Not Really...My dojo is only about 5 miles away. Where it might affect training is when I might want to go to a special seminar at another location.

- Jeff -

 

[MantisStyle21]

Well my dojo isn't right next to me, but it is in town. If gas prices ever got to where going to class 4 days a week was a money problem, I'd bike or jog to class. I could always hitch a ride too.

 

[Topeng]

We just recently changed locations and I have seen quite the difference. The first location was 9 miles from my house. The new one is 34. When possible, I carpool with my Guro and another student. As of late, I have had to drive on my own due to being on call (the wife is due to go into labor at any moment) and it hurts the wallet.
I won't be changing schools or instructors. We are like family and I don't see myself anywhere else.
In all honesty though, if I had no prior knowledge of my Guro or the training, I wouldn't have even considered going that far.

 

[Phoenix44]

Yes, definitely. It's getting harder and harder to justify traveling 90 minutes or more to train for an hour or so. Sometimes I can take public transportation, which works out cheaper, but it leaves me with a long walk--OK if the weather's good.

 

[gimgamgommetje]

Currently on the look for a small diesel car that i can convert to run on 100% veggie oil.

Making sure everybody near your car will get hungry because of the smell of french fries... you sadist