It's not often I do this in forums but here we go....
STmaven:
+1 
I live four miles to work, and most every day I get there by pedal power. Yes, I do bicycle by the gas stations to remind myself why I do this.
In all fairness, though I do intentionally look for a place to stay in order to be close to work. I was even doing this when gas was $1.00 a gallon back in '99 because I hate commuting at all costs.
In defense of those stuck with long commutes, there are factors beyond one's control. Yes, you might live close to work for now, but in this uncertain economy, tomorrow you could end up looking for work, and guess what, your next job is probably not going to be close. Moving is a pain, BTDT, probably easiest to stay put and use some tricks as explained here to lessen the burden of a long commute.
Now 48.5 mpg in a Honda CRX. Wow, I barely get 40 on my motard. So much for two wheels saving money. Of course approved spirited riding techniques are hardly eco friendly. We're supposed to roll on that throttle just before we hit apex. So in my case, br-r-a-a-a-p-p, my bike conveniently telling me I'm going the right thing.. Man, that's not gotta be good for the gas mileage, though. Heck the proper way to get through a corner, then, is to coast through it, LOL. Don't waste energy braking for a corner, go in at the higher entry speed. So, you don't need the throttle, just coast through, LOL. Not safe but certainly cheaper.
I did a calculation though. Hospital bills are much more expensive than gas, even at $4.00 a gallon. I think I will stick with the approved spirited riding techniques, even if it means my mileage dipping below the 40 mpg.