Gas prices??? What are we to do??

[catawhat75]

Gas is hitting me pretty hard seeing as how I do a LOT of driving for my job. I had to raise my prices by $2.00 two months ago, and now I am considering either adding a fuel surcharge or shrinking my service area. I average about 700 miles per week as of right now. If I could get away with a motorcycle or a scooter I would but it is not feasible. So... time to trade in my mini van that only gets about 20 mpg and get a small/cheap car.

[Ginevive]

I am just glad that I live close to my work. I could get a similar job that pays double what I get now, outside of Buffalo. Trouble? It takes 4 times longer to get to, one way, than my job in town. I conserve, and only do shopping when I am already in-town for work. I have a Jeep Wrangler, and it is so-so on gas; not as bad as some friends' with larger trucks, but it's no Prius. I would Love to get a car for gas mileage alone; I hate cars and only really feel secure in a high-up vehicle like the Jeep. My husband has a newer pickup; Nissan Frontier. It is not that bad on gas, but he drives over 2 hours both ways to work daily. He could get by with a car also, but.. winter here is Murder. Our driveway absolutely Requires a 4x4 vehicle to enter/exit. I thought of getting cars for the summer, but to buy more vehics.. to maintain them and the like.. impossible. Can't afford more car payments, or the fixing of a pea-shooter car, so we get by. My honey might get a motorcycle to save on gas though.. though I am paranoid about him driving that long way on one.. and it would be another flippin' debt to pay and maybe thus not worth it!

[Swingline0.0.1]

One thing we can all do is contact our senators and representatives and tell them to stop subsidizing ethanol!!! Tell them we don't want federal regulations about what we have to use for a fuel source (or at least to pick a good one to shove down our throats).

It's debatable whether you even get the same energy out of corn ethanol that you put into making it... even if we break even, what's the point? It has artificially driven up the price of corn (we're affected in a big way here in Missouri), and also drives up the cost of gasoline.

If you've seen the news stories about food riots, you can thank our wise leaders for the same reason... there is a ton of money to be made by switching fields over from wheat or other food crops to grow lower grade corn. They get a huge tax break, a subsidy, and a few other little perks.

Also, tell the congressmen that it's time to use our natural resources! There is a section of Alaska that was specifically set up as a drilling site, but they refuse to allow it. There might be a one-eyed spotted field mouse out there somewhere.

We can also use the oil shale out west- in the 70s it just wasn't practical to refine it (costs about $40 per barrel to get out), but heck, even if it were to cost $60 per barrel it would be worth it now!

Becoming energy-independent is vital for this country. There are a lot of bad people that we stay beholden to because we don't dare cut off our supply. I'm all for developing new technologies as long as we don't regulate the crap out of the old ones- especially if it's for Al-Gore-scam reasons.

[Argentra]

Well, there are plenty of alternatives to cars out there. Scooters or Motorcycles use a lot less gas, then there's good ole' public trans. And, the old standby of walking. That's what we do since I can't drive and my BF doesn't want to learn.

And, never forget the old fashioned car pool!

I'm weird, I know... but I think that cars aren't worth all the expense and trouble for a little bit of convenience that is shrinking daily! What with rising gas and insurance prices, traffic problems, and other terrible things connected with motor vehicles, not to mention the high price of even obtaining and keeping a vehicle, it's just not worth it.

[AndrewGeibel]

Well, there are plenty of alternatives to cars out there. Scooters or Motorcycles use a lot less gas, then there's good ole' public trans. And, the old standby of walking. That's what we do since I can't drive and my BF doesn't want to learn.

And, never forget the old fashioned car pool!

I'm weird, I know... but I think that cars aren't worth all the expense and trouble for a little bit of convenience that is shrinking daily! What with rising gas and insurance prices, traffic problems, and other terrible things connected with motor vehicles, not to mention the high price of even obtaining and keeping a vehicle, it's just not worth it.

It's debatable about whether it is worth it or not. It all comes down to personal finance and the value that you put on convenience. If the value you put on it is less than it costs then you shouldn't drive. If it is more then you should drive. It's all just up to what people think it is worth to them.

There are many people here who will drop several grand on a snake. My first car was 800 dollars. Add in insurance and gas and those two could come out equal.

[Ginevive]

If you've seen the news stories about food riots, you can thank our wise leaders for the same reason... there is a ton of money to be made by switching fields over from wheat or other food crops to grow lower grade corn. They get a huge tax break, a subsidy, and a few other little perks.

.

Makes me wonder. This dude came down the driveway yesterday practically Begging me to talk to our landlord about renting our fields here to grow corn. See, the farmer that grows here now, does acres of hay. We buy the hay on-site and it suits us well for the horses. Now that I am reading more into the hype about low-grain corn for ethanol.. maybe he was wanting to ride that bandwagon? Don't matter; my landlord ain't interested

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Stop buying stuff that says "Made in China" (which is, unfortunately, almost everything, I'll admit). Cars, and cars in the US, make up a minority of world demand for oil. Industrializing nations, ie India and China are gobbling up oil and driving up prices. The demand for oil is so high there because so many companies are opening up factories...factories which use a lot of oil. So when you go to, Wal-mart for example, and get a great deal on a plasma TV you are paying for it every time you fill up your car.

JonV

[Houzi88]

Everyone should watch this. It's 20 minutes long but you should watch it somewhere quiet and a time when you have that 20 minutes. It's worth it.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Everyone should watch this. It's 20 minutes long but you should watch it somewhere quiet and a time when you have that 20 minutes. It's worth it.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

I'd totally watch this, but I have to go BUY STUFF!! I have to BUY STUFF RIGHT NOW!!! LOL. :-)

But yeah, it's an interesting video. It definitely gets you thinking, but keep in mind 83.94% of statistics are made up.

JonV

[catawhat75]

Won't step foot in Wallyworld, keep hoping they go under.