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| Family Car |
Gasoline around here is going for $4.27/gal at the name brand stations. I can still find it for $4.10/gal at the unbranded convenience store stations. Either way, it still takes your breath away when you fill up. If I was still commuting to my old job, I would be spending about $18.00 per day just to get to and from work in my compact, fuel efficient vehicle.
Phew!
I'm going to commit heresy here and say that this is a good situation. Now before you pick up the stones and the pitchforks and come after me, let me explain.
It appears that somewhere just above the $4 per gallon range, people in this country begin to take notice and alter their driving habits, making different and presumably more fuel efficient decisions about how and what they drive.
I think this is a good thing. I would like to see us earnestly begin lessening our dependence on imported oil so that we don't pee our pants every time all those people in the Middle East or South America who hate us but have the oil decide to curtail production for one reason or another. Besides, I'm getting a little tired of paying for both sides of the armed conflicts in the Middle East. We spend all kinds of money sending our troops over there to fight against people who get most of their money from the rich people who are rich from selling us oil.
In addition, if people are convinced that gas was going to be expensive, they would begin to make wiser choices about the kind of vehicles they purchase. Wiser, that is, based on my world view where a vehicle like a popular GM SUV that gets 11 miles per gallon in the city is...I'm looking for a charitable word here...unwise.
So if gas prices above four bucks is what it takes for us to finally get around to having a realistic energy policy in this country, so be it.
Thank you for listening. Now if you still want to toss the rotten vegetables my way, have at it.
Stop trying to build up the composter for the yard looking for rotten fruit and veggies. *smirk*
ReplyDeleteI grew up wise to the way of driving in circles having lived 15 miles from high school when it was considered "far" and yet I could still make the trip in 20 minutes (now it takes 45 minutes any time of day to go the same route due to traffic). Not ever wanting to waste a minute of 'free' time I learned to plan routes with side trips and to carry a cooler in the car.
And *gasp* I would take public transportation (ie city buses) and car pool. That concept is nearly as foreign as walking in SoCal.
Good little thought.