Thursday, July 10, 2008
At last, high prices have convinced people to drive less.
By Kevin Bullis
As gas prices rose over the past couple of years, many experts pointed
out that, when adjusted for inflation or seen as a percent of average
incomes, gas was still less expensive than historical records. Their views
seemed to be backed up by the fact that gas consumption continued to rise. Some
experts said that oil would have to reach the unthinkably high price of $134 a
barrel before it had the same impact as oil prices in the early 1980s.
Now, with oil prices having crossed the $140-per-barrel mark and gas prices costing
more than $4 a gallon, the Wall Street
Journal is reporting
that people have seriously cut back their gas consumption: they're currently at
levels last seen five years ago. Now even the economists can agree that oil
isn't cheap anymore.
The high prices are also changing priorities at the major automakers. Today,
Toyota announced
that it will start to produce its Prius hybrid in the United States to help meet demand
for the fuel-efficient vehicle.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Comments
And war with Iran might increase the Bush carbon tax to $10 to $20 a gallon! The action to address global warming would be dramatic.
mulp
07/11/2008
Posts:5
tomaq
07/11/2008
Posts:2
It is further interesting that market forces are driving the change faster than laws being made to do the same thing.
Infogleaner
07/11/2008
Posts:2
Bush couldn't even get closed areas in the USA open to drilling thanks to the Democrats yet he is getting the blame for world wide supply exceeding demand.
omegaman66
07/11/2008
Posts:1
We are! To make matters worse, we voted them in too and never willingly wanted them to change anything on our behalf!
These presidents allowed us to spend freely and never developed any real conservation laws to protect us and future genrations.
Maybe this time we'll see real policy changes.
BTW - most of us posting here have Internet Access - JUST TELECOMMUTE MORE, and tell your buddies and kids to do the same!
mkogrady
07/14/2008
Posts:168
You could nearly halve your fuel costs by carpooling with only one person. This all but wipes out the year's gains in fuel costs. I know, a lot of people don't have that option, but I bet most do.
You could get 10-20% better gas efficiency by accelerating and driving more slowly. I was getting less than 19 mpg and now I'm getting nearly 21. For all but long road trips, speeding isn't going to save you more than a few minutes, if that. Other drivers may be annoyed at me for doing 55-60 in a 65 zone, but my fuel cost equivalent is 40 cents a gallon less. This is something everyone can do, even those who have to drive alone.
powdermilk
07/14/2008
Posts:2
Remember, all the US has to be able to do is ride out the next few years till mass produced cheap cellulosic ethanol is available. Your Volvo will be ready to roll and you can reinvest those Prius dollars into some Ethanol stock and make a bundle!
mkogrady
07/15/2008
Posts:168
GP
07/15/2008
Posts:2
They also try to kill any idea that will cut into their profits, with a take it or leave it attitude.
Jerry Gwynne
07/24/2008
Posts:1
MickeyFouse
11/03/2008
Posts:47