$5 gas is on the way. So will you be changing your driving habits? Or cutback on other spending to make up the difference?

May 15, 2008

$5 gas is on the way. So will you be changing your driving habits? Or cutback on other spending to make up the difference?

116 comments:

Anonymous said...: I am going to charge it all to my credit carda, max them out and then ask for a government bailout from Barney Frank and the democrat controlled congress...; May 15, 2008 9:00 PM
Anonymous said...: My cars average about 18 MPG. If I drive 1000 miles a month every $1 increase in gas costs me an extra $55. I spend more than that on Friday night out without giving it a second thought.

Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place. Anyone with a decent income will be marginally affected, if at all.

Sure people love to complain about gas. And if I had a choice of course I'd prefer $2 gas instead of $5. But at the end of the day, my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people.; May 15, 2008 9:02 PM
Anonymous said...: No I won't be adjusting my driving habits. Gas would have to be at least $8/gallon for me to change.

I drive a Volkswagen Jetta TDI (Diesel) that gets 40 miles to the gallon and my commute is only 5 miles each way.

Oh, and I am a RENTER and don't have a mortgage, and no debt so I can absorb these prices.

People with long commutes who have to pay a hefty mortgage are screwed tho.; May 15, 2008 9:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Nah. I own a Prius.; May 15, 2008 9:14 PM
Anonymous said...: Im lucky enought to live in a densly populated area, everything is withing walking distance, I feel bad for people who work far away.; May 15, 2008 9:27 PM
Anonymous said...: These "articles" are worthless. Gas may or may not reach $5 a gallon, it's not up to public opinion to decide, it's the open market that picks the price. 74% of Americans think gas will go to $5, well 95% of Americans don't understand basic economic principals.; May 15, 2008 9:28 PM
Anonymous said...: You own a Pious? Goodfer yewwww! (See southpark episode)

I'm not too worried about it. I'm one of those people who was looked down upon as some kind of second class citizen because I was a renter. I was throwing my money away.

Turns out, I was actually a misunderstood financial genius, particularly compared to those who bought anytime around 2004-2006. And DEFINITLY compared to anyone who used 100% financing, or HELOC'd to 100%, or and of the other toxic sluge lending instruments people used to become todays "home-moaners."

I actually planned on buying a houe with 20% or more down and getting paid off as soon as possible, so I'm a little ticked that irresponsible a$$holes drove thr prices into the stratosphere using Liar loans and even outright fraud, but success really is the sweetest revenge.

I'll just sit back with some popcorn and watch the fun.....

/Got popcorn?; May 15, 2008 9:39 PM
Anonymous said...: I drive a pickup, but live only about 5 miles from work. For me a tank lasts about two weeks. Each $1/gal increase costs me about $12 per week. So I will pretty much drive the same but will cut back on other expenses. For those that live in the burbs and drive 60 miles round trip per week it will bite. Even cars that gst 30-35 miles per gallon don't average that. They may get 20-25 miles per gallon on average if they are lucky. So someone driving a small car living 30 miles from work will see 2 or three times the increase that I will see even though I drive a gas hog. If these prices maintain and rise over time, we are looking for the death of suburbia as we know it.; May 15, 2008 9:39 PM
Anonymous said...: "Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place. Anyone with a decent income will be marginally affected, if at all.

Sure people love to complain about gas. And if I had a choice of course I'd prefer $2 gas instead of $5. But at the end of the day, my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people."

You are a complete idiot and have proven it so there is no doubt. I'll make it really simple for you. Um...without the min wage to working poor income workforce this country will be unable to function.

That place you go to on Friday won't have employees and you might just be pulled from your car and beaten if there are angry mobs of people out at night. I'm rooting for the second one to actually occur.; May 15, 2008 9:45 PM
Anonymous said...: I rent a place less than a mile from work and I save $3000 a month.

I don't really give a shit.; May 15, 2008 9:51 PM
Anonymous said...: Anon said - "... I spend more than that on Friday night out without giving it a second thought.

Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place.

Sure people love to complain about gas. ... my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people."

I hope you have some good lubrication in that hole your head is stuck in. That way it will be easier to pull your head out.

Everything is interconnected. "McWorkers" are NOT here in large numbers. You'll soon get a reality check Hot Shot.; May 15, 2008 9:51 PM
Anonymous said...: $5?

Try $10.; May 15, 2008 10:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Meanwhile, wonder who is buying what to restock the oil reserve? He he..; May 15, 2008 10:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Soon the McWorker will not be able to get to work. That is going to be the exact point when shtf.; May 15, 2008 10:04 PM
Anonymous said...: I cut back for awhile, but now it's road warrior baybee! Nobody cares, and I'm not riding my scooter while everyone else drives a tank. I can take the pain better than most.; May 15, 2008 10:05 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm not worried Keith. Bush's stimulus check will cover my gas costs for all of this week. Ask me the same question again next week. I've got to go bowling.; May 15, 2008 10:16 PM
David said...: We drive a Corolla. Do about 10,000 miles a year. So at about 33 miles a gallon, each extra dollar of gas prices adds up to just over $300 extra a year.

At today's prices we pay about 1,100 dollars a year.

If gas went up to $5 per gallon we would be paying an exta $350 a year. Not a big deal. I think $7a gallon would really get us to cut back in a significant way.

I do feel sorry for low wage workers who have long commutes.; May 15, 2008 10:16 PM
Anonymous said...: I was complaining about gas prices, long time ago because I knew where all this crap going, when it was $2.25 per/g. Now it's even worse. I am not going to be effected directly. My $81 unlimited monthly metro card, is all I am paying for commute to work, BUT ... How can you people don't understand basic economy rules. If gas $5 it means they charge you more for delivery when you buying furniture, for the car service trip, food in your local supermarket has to be delivered from warehouse. OIL $126 means all type of ship fuel go's up in price, means all chinese crap you Americans like that much ….. take a wild guess. Rigth price will goes UP. For EVERYTHING not just gas, you idiots. And what about your salary ??? I am IT programmer. In 1999 average salary for IT in NYC was 60-70K for employee and around 60-65 per/hour for consultant. Coop apartment 40K, cigarettes 2.25, gas 99C. Now 80-85K consultants 55-60 per/h(yes they paying less). Same coop flat 160-180K and cigarettes $9.50, gas $3.85. So what was a great salary becomes crap. High five people. How much your salary raised ? 3-4% a year despise 12-14% of true inflation? So we are so screwed, and everybody saying he'll be not effected is complete and total idiot.... I’ve seen hyperinflation in Ukraine in 1998-1999, not a pretty picture. All fiat currency is a crap. Got gold ???; May 15, 2008 10:35 PM
Tom C said...: All the posters doing the math "ohh only 55/mo extra, i piss that on my friday night" by saying higher gas prices won't affect them, i have news for you: higher gas prices has a LOT more to do than your weekly car fill up.

Let me explain. Gas goes up, trucker's diesel costs skyrocket putting pressure on both the trucker's margin (and subsequently income!) which in turn he is forced to raise his shipping costs. If shipping costs start heading higher, guess what, now you'll be paying more for everything you buy that's shipped. This further squeezes people's pocket books decreasing spending overall and hurting margins at store's whoseexpenses raise. This hurts prospects of wage increases across the board, if not outright layoffs.

All this lower economic activity translates to lower tax income for the gov, at a time expenditures will rise (bailouts any1?) This will put further pressure on the dollar, thus raising costs for all imports ever more (thats right! gas too.)

Are you starting to see the picture here? Feedback loops work their way in an ugly spiral. So unless you're sitting on millions and don't participate in the economy, every cent in higher gas prices DO affect you, and severely.; May 15, 2008 10:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Remember, since our economy is about 70% consumer spending and so many of us depend upon the "$11 hour McWorker" to buy the stuff we design, manufacture and market their pain can eventually become everybody's

Trickle down economics can sometimes triclke up.; May 15, 2008 10:40 PM
Anonymous said...: My cars average about 18 MPG. If I drive 1000 miles a month every $1 increase in gas costs me an extra $55. I spend more than that on Friday night out without giving it a second thought.

Another howmuchamonth moron in his SUV.

From $2 to $5 is almost $2000 a year, you moron.

I have a new plasma TV i'll sell to you for $5 a day for the next 5 years. It's only $5 a day, so you can just cut back on a cup of Starbucks.; May 15, 2008 10:53 PM
Anonymous said...: I have a car that gets roughly 23 miles per gallon. Over the last three years, I estimate I put about 25,000 miles on it. I only use it when I absolutely have to. Meanwhile, me and other folks in my area choose to walk and ride a bike. The savings are significant when you live close to services and businesses. All of this will, however, make a huge dent in discretionary items, which will lower consumer spending. And yes, it WILL have an effect on the rich.

I suggest this: Buy stock in companies that make bicycles and rototillers (yes, rototillers). Honda and Trek, for example. A lot of folks are taking up gardening...; May 15, 2008 10:59 PM
Anonymous said...: The US has some of the CHEAPEST gasoline prices in the WORLD for a non-producing country--and still it's all WHINE WHINE WHINE.

$5 gas won't bother me. $10 gas won't really bother me. (High air tickets and food might.)

I gave up my car in 2003. For two years before that I had a walking commute, so I only used my car about every 3 weeks. For four years after, I had a mostly bicycle commute and only used Flexcar about once a month (gas free as part of the price and ample mileage allotment.) For the past year, I use my roommate/girlfriend's car about once a month, and still have the bike commute.

I try to do everything I possibly can by bicycle--using even far-flung errands as an excuse to exercise, and actually feel guilty when I have to stoop to using a car for an errand.

I order my groceries delivered to my kitchen door, so I don't need a car for that and don't miss lugging bags.

I don't miss the stress of constant DC/NoVa traffic AT ALL, and barely miss anything I used to use my car for (except I tend to go hiking somewhat less often.) I have almost no use for any of the neighborhoods that require a car (have no Metro or convenient bus.)

I don't miss the $50/month depreciation, the $100/month insurance, or the $50/month average maintenance cost. I don't miss the car payment either, although I only had that for 5 years out of my 21 adult years.

Most people have NO IDEA what they are giving up in their future by gorging themselves on car use now.

Someday, people with big cars, people with long commutes, and people seen driving alone will be regarded as second class citizens, like smokers are now. And I'll be way ahead of the game.

You know, one of the first steps in marginalizing smokers was special sections to segregate them in restaurants and airplanes. Now they are mostly not allowed to be there at all. And the first step in marginalizing gas hogs is already here: HOV/hi-MPG lanes on the highways, relegating the "exhaust-pipe-smokers" to the "slow lanes".

One of the next steps for smokers was SOARING TAX HIKES on cigarettes, to help pay for the damage they do to society.

As for higher gas taxes, since it's already been happening in other countries, one can only hope the US catches on before it's a real crisis. Can't hold much hope though--the US slept until the Great Depression, it slept until Pearl Harbor, it slept until Sputnik, it slept until 9/11, it slept until Katrina, it slept until the housing/credit crisis and it fell asleep again after the TWO 70's gas crises--it's record is almost perfect on this score.; May 15, 2008 11:02 PM
Carioca Canuck said...: I just paid $6.05 here in Calgary for 94 octane premium.; May 15, 2008 11:35 PM
Anonymous said...: I bike to work. $5 gas will lower traffc levels making my commute safer.; May 15, 2008 11:41 PM
Deucebag said...: Pay a $1 to take the bus 1/2 mile down the road to the train, which costs another 3.50 or so into DC. I don't have to fight and/or sit in traffic and read the paper on the way in. So, no, it won't affect me directly. But indirectly it has - food and everything else is more expensive and that leaves less for me to save and/or spend on frivolous things if I so choose.; May 15, 2008 11:45 PM
Anonymous said...: Remember the 1986 Honda CRZ that got almost 50mpg? Why can't we do that anymore?

Even the hybrids get crappy gas milage. The old subcompacts used to be much more efficient.; May 15, 2008 11:46 PM
Anonymous said...: Make that the Honda CRX.; May 15, 2008 11:47 PM
Anonymous said...: I may be even more of a d*ckhead on the road. Gas and brakes are still cheap.
Post again at $10 a gallon.; May 15, 2008 11:50 PM
Mammoth said...: It is not just the pump price that will cost all of us.

The rising cost of energy & gas at the pump is driving up the cost of everything that we must buy and cannot live without:
- Food
- Clothing
- Soap

Got seeds?

-Mammoth; May 15, 2008 11:54 PM
Frank R said...: Nope, I will neither change my driving habits or cut back elsewhere.

All of the same people who whine about gas prices and demand gubmint help are the same ones yapping away on their iPhones and spending $10/day at Starbucks.; May 15, 2008 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...: same asswipes complaining about $4 or $5 a gallon gas guzzle $25 a gallon Starbucks coffee.

Yet another crisis that needs government intervention. Just elect Obama and we'll all get free gas.; May 16, 2008 12:00 AM
Anonymous said...: I won't like it at all and it will reflect upon my driving habits. Regular is already $4.00 a gallon on the central coast of California. I'm a $70.00 plus fill up. At the same time, paired with my new reluctance to drive as often, I'll be spending less money on meals out.

The lesson is clear, business that depend on vehicle traffic will suffer more than others. Online shopping will increase for sure, but the downside to the consumer economy is you'll have more time to think about the wisdom of the purchase, and of course there will be less impulsive purchases. The increase in Gas prices will impact many businesses you might not suspect to be hurt. When people refer to 'The Perfect Storm' the resulting damage is always more severe than you'd expect.; May 16, 2008 12:12 AM
Anonymous said...: That place you go to on Friday won't have employees and you might just be pulled from your car and beaten if there are angry mobs of people out at night. I'm rooting for the second one to actually occur.

----------------------------

well, you proved yourself an idiot too. What are those McWorkers going to do? quit their $11/hour job in protest and go unemployed?

Geez, monkeys, i tell you, monkeys.

They will move closer to where they work. those mcworkers rent. when their lease is up they will move. I own apartment complexes and I am preparing for a lot of churn. I don't expect vacancy levels to increase as my properties are close to urban centers and mass trans. But the bottom line is the $11 worker will move closer to work.; May 16, 2008 12:27 AM
Anonymous said...: i travel 3 miles one way to work. my car gets 28mpg average. add in some extra miles for misc trips and i end up filling it every 6 weeks.

so, no, i won't change my habits. I am looking forward to camping this year as I think there will be fewer people making 2-3 hour drives out into the wilderness.; May 16, 2008 12:33 AM
Anonymous said...: I feel sorry for a lot of people THAT OUR HURTING WITH HIGH GAS PRICES.We will be ok but I will change how many times I go to the mall. And no long trips until gas comes down.And to the person talking about Mcworkers grow up.; May 16, 2008 12:41 AM
Anonymous said...: I drive a 2003 Honda Civic LX 4dr
5speed.

I drive 25miles each way to work. Average speed is 40mph.

There are 10 traffic lights and I get 7 of them red contributing to stop and go.

For the last 9 tanks of gas, I have averaged 37mpg.

The key is to upshift at 1800rpms and never floor the gas.

At one of my red lights...last night, i look around me at the other motorists.

I counted 14 vehicles at the intersection. 10 were SUVs.

that is the problem. 10 were SUVs, and 9 of those 10 get about 14 city and 20hwy. The 1 in 10 was a CRV.. the rest were Yukon/4runner/ford exploder types.; May 16, 2008 12:46 AM
Anonymous said...: I will start riding my bicycle more.; May 16, 2008 1:19 AM
Anonymous said...: Without fuel they were nothing. They built a house of straw. The thundering machines sputtered and stopped. Their leaders talked and talked and talked. But nothing could stem the avalanche. Their world crumbled. The cities exploded. A whirlwind of looting, a firestorm of fear. Men began to feed on men.

On the roads it was a white line nightmare. Only those mobile enough to scavenge, brutal enough to pillage would survive. The gangs took over the highways, ready to wage war for a tank of juice. And in this maelstrom of decay, ordinary men were battered and smashed.

Except for one man armed with an AK-47, and a Honda full of silver.; May 16, 2008 1:22 AM
Anonymous said...: I might drink cheaper beer, or maybe I'll get me one of them Pious cars and drive more.; May 16, 2008 1:28 AM
TM said...: I'm not big into driving anyway, so there's not much to cut back. I now try to keep it at 65 on the highway, but that's about it. I'll just eat the increase and move on with life.

I'd really like to see the US become energy independent, and nothing will get us there faster than $5 and higher gas prices. I welcome the pressure it puts on us to change the way we've been doing things.

It does suck for the long distance commuters, though, but in the long run I think that is for the best (cold comfort for them though that is, admittedly).; May 16, 2008 1:31 AM
Anonymous said...: The United States Senate may vote any day on the stealth imposition of what could amount to an $845 BILLION United Nations style global tax on American citizens.

It's called the

Global Poverty Act (S.2433),

and it is being sponsored by none other than Senator Barack Obama.

This disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000-- on welfare to third-world countries.; May 16, 2008 1:33 AM
Anonymous said...: My dividends from XOM & CVX more than cover what I spend on gas.; May 16, 2008 1:41 AM
Anonymous said...: What a bunch of idiots! $5 per gallon may not change my own driving habit directly, but it sure will affect the house cleaner, the deliveryman, the gardener, the babysitter, the office cleaner, heck perhaps the go-fer level employees in the office. Do you really want to take turns taking out your own trash and those of your colleagues at end of the day in the office? or stay home because the babysitter can't afford to drive? or that the local restaurants close because lack of servers? or have to drive there to pick up because there is no deliveryman? or much more expensive and less selection of veggies and fruits because the truckers stopped delivering them? Think people! Your life is good because you can count on the services of all those "little people"; you won't be living comfortably like you are if all those little people get squeezed out by inflation.; May 16, 2008 2:03 AM
Anonymous said...: Don't drive enough to really make a difference. Most HP'ers probably have stagnant or deflating wages, but I'm lucky enough to have a career with annual wage increases.; May 16, 2008 2:18 AM
Anonymous said...: I'm a longtime poster here.

I'm the guy who owns a small business, paid off all my debt including my mortgage. I have no interest in what my personal property value does due to the fact that I never plan to sell.

O.K. so now that you have some idea who I am and what my position is in this game we call life...

Honestly, I'm very scared right now. It's not that gas is $4 and heading to $5, its the rate of change.

Back when gas was only $2 most consumers where spending borrowed money just to make ends meet. The dominos are falling one by one. As consumer credit continues to dry up J6P is going to get his lifestyle downsized. My small business feeds off of J6P and I'm already seeing sales fall off a cliff. Year over Year monthly comps are down over 50% since Feb '08. And things are getting worse.

If you take away all consumer credit (i.e. credit cards) then the whole economy will just implode as J6P can't afford $4 gas let alone $5.

So what is happening now? My gut tells me that zombie consumers, those with a negative net worth but remaining avaliable consumer credit, know that they are dead in the water... so they are going to pay what ever it takes to fill the tank until they can't period.

As oil imports decline, the zombies kept alive by bad fed policy, is going to eat the rest of us alive.

The party is just about over folks. From here on out its going to all be about SURVIVAL!

ARE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GOING TO SURVIVE THE COMMING ENERGY STORM?; May 16, 2008 3:12 AM
Devestment said...: I drive very little no matter how much it costs. I can walk to everything I want or need.; May 16, 2008 3:19 AM
Anonymous said...: Keith,

Try asking this question...

"Gas is going up. How are you going to survive the following senerio?

Future Gas Price Senerio:

Summer '08 Gas $4 /gal
Fall '08 Gas $5 /gal
Spring '09 Gas $6 /gal
Summer '09 Gas $7 /gal
Fall '09 Gas $8 /gal
US & ISRAEL NUKE IRAN
December '09 Gas $25 /gal
Food up 10 times from Summer '08
Gold over $10K
USD trading under 30; May 16, 2008 3:21 AM
Anonymous said...: WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH, THE TOUGH QUIT PAYING COUNTRYWIDE!!!

DOPES!!!; May 16, 2008 3:25 AM
Anonymous said...: How about $20 per gallon?
Scenario: A small nuclear conflict erupts in the Middle East destroying several countries and much of the world's oil supply. Airbursts knock out more than half of the world's satellite communications systems. Due to favorable weather conditions and plain dumb luck, fall-out over the United States is not life threatening -- as it is in part of Europe, Japan and the Far East -- and the EMP damage to our electronic systems is minimal. However life as we know it is disrupted as fuel prices reach $10 and then $20 per gallon.
Fruits and vegetables grown in Florida and California can't reach markets in other states. Corn and wheat crops are abundant, but farmers don't have the fuel to run harvesters. And those that do, fill their silos, but the grain can't reach the market. Store shelves are emptied in two days of panicked buying that sees a five-pound bag of flour go from $1.69 to $8.99.

The economy goes into a tailspin, and inflation reaches 300 percent in the first two weeks. You're lucky you still have a job, but you wonder how on earth you'll get there without the car.

The president tries to regain control of the country, by releasing stocks of food and oil, but it's just a drop in the bucket. In a measure of how bad things have become, he declares marshal law and nationalizes all oil, refineries and oil reserves. Suddenly, Uncle Sam is the only gas station on the block, and they're not pumping for anybody, no matter how much silver you cross their palms with. Riots break out in seventeen major cities and the national guard has to be called out. LA burns (again) as does Philadelphia. There's a national curfew and trouble makers are hauled off to camps. 60 Minutes runs a story on these concentration camps, which nobody ever admitted were in existence, but they experience technical difficulties and the broadcast is cut off in the middle of the story. FEMA becomes a four letter word.
http://www.captaindaves.com/guide/; May 16, 2008 3:55 AM
Anonymous said...: I don't think it would change my driving habits. 5 USD is still cheap, compare e.g. with Great Britain.; May 16, 2008 4:18 AM
Anonymous said...: "Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place."
You sound dumb enough to be a real estate agent. I seriously doubt most people on $11.00 an hour care what the price of RE is so why would they read this site?
How much do you have on credit cards Mr Baller?; May 16, 2008 4:23 AM
Anonymous said...: Why does renting a dwelling make people rich enough to disregard the price of gas? I pay 700.00 a month for a mortgage( very little debt) in a small community (no my house is not a piece of sh*t-1900 sq ft near a national park,blm, and national forest land) and we are not poor by any means yet gas prices are affecting us. I just can't see how renting makes gas prices more bearable. I am going to drive less and try not to use most of my descretionary income in my gas tank. My income is NOT keeping pace with inflation. I guess I need a job that provides endless cash like other individuals have that don't give a sh*t about gas prices.; May 16, 2008 4:40 AM
Anonymous said...: I have paid off all debt including my three vehicles, home, and all credit cards after cutting up all but one. I now own three very effecient vehicles and have positioned myself so that I can easily handle $10.00 / gallon or more gas with no problem.

Many people spent and spent without thinking about paying off debt. I chose to pay off all my debt and save as much money as possible. I still feel for the over spenders as they are being crushed under debt and falling home prices. However I can't say I didn't warn them.; May 16, 2008 4:55 AM
Anonymous said...: we have two hybrid cars. won't be changing our habits at all, so long as there is not a gas shortage.; May 16, 2008 5:39 AM
Anonymous said...: Yeah, i had a 95 4runner that got 12mpg, and i drive 20k miles per year, which at 4 dollars per gallon =
$550/mo in gas. Fortunately i dumped it when gas was $2.75.....and got a brand new civic that gets 30-40. the gas savings is enough to make the car payment!!!!; May 16, 2008 5:50 AM
Anonymous said...: Man, what a bunch of sanctimonious @$$holes inhabiting this blog. "$5gas doesn't scare me.", "I am prepared for $10 dollar gas.", "I'm not changing a thing."

Yes you are, or you will. This country, rightly or wrongly, lives on fuel. We go to work with it, we power our lives with it, we grow our food with it, EVERYTHING that you buy or eat (no matter how much) gets moved by fuel. I don't give a eff where you live, whether you bike, swim, crawl or walk to the next room to telecommute - rising fuel prices affect you. Some may be more prepared to weather the storm, but if you don't care then you are almost as misguided as those that walked into the NAAVLP's that put us in this situation.

Get the eff real. As an aside those living closer to work i.e. "urban dwellers" I hope you have weapons and the will to use them because if it gets bad enough your little walk to work oasis is going to turn to Baghdad.

Everything is connected to believe otherwise is foolish.

Roadkill; May 16, 2008 6:47 AM
Anonymous said...: I ride a bus to work so $100/gal gas won't affect me at all

Sincerely,
DOPES; May 16, 2008 7:05 AM
Anonymous said...: I ride a bus to work so $100/gal gas won't affect me at all

Sincerely,
DOPES

-------------------------------------

wow, your bus doesn't use gas or diesel?

can you say "fare increases"?

Dope.; May 16, 2008 7:23 AM
Anonymous said...: I have paid off all debt including my three vehicles, home, and all credit cards after cutting up all but one. I now own three very effecient vehicles and have positioned myself so that I can easily handle $10.00 / gallon or more gas with no problem.
----------------------------

3? 3?

how many can you drive at once?; May 16, 2008 7:25 AM
Anonymous said...: Since BushCo has been in office gas has increased rapidly at the same time Exxon Mobile and the other big oil companies have been making RECORD PROFITS besides DEFENSE DEPT ACTIVITIES using a huge oil supply. And how about those SUV tax incentives Bush and his pals gave out????

Is it just me or could we possibly see gas prices go down once DICTATORS WITH OIL INTERESTS get hopefully voted out?????; May 16, 2008 7:47 AM
Anonymous said...: "how many can you drive at once?"

I'm actually considering getting more cars due to the rising gas price. With gas price sufficiently high, it may actually pay to have a dedicated commute gas sipper in addition to the big family mover.; May 16, 2008 8:18 AM
Anonymous said...: Time to start drilling in Alaska and building more refineries.

How many of you were really planning on vacationing there anyways?

I love the environment too but people need to eat and I understand how j6p is affected and how that moves up the chain.; May 16, 2008 8:57 AM
Anonymous said...: ...I ride a bus to work so $100/gal gas won't affect me at all...

Mass transit systems, especially rail and commute modalities almost always price their fares to equal the current cost in gasoline per mile based on the average passenger travel distance.

Many invoke fare increases at least once, but more common recently, twice or more times a year. Your only real savings realized by using the bus or train is from not bearing the cost of insurance and maintenance by having a second vehicle, IF you don't own a second vehicle within the family used for commute purposes.

If on the other hand, there is a second vehicle in the family that would otherwise sit parked, there is usually no real significant savings to be had by taking public transportation.; May 16, 2008 9:16 AM
Paul E. Math said...: Anon 10:35 PM, your grammar is terrible but your logic is flawless. I couldn't agree more.; May 16, 2008 9:37 AM
Anonymous said...: Once again HPers have no comprehension skills.

The question was WILL YOU CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS?

The question was not will you be affected by higher gas prices indirectly due to higher prices on food or labor?

I wrote the 3rd comment. And I answered the question asked. My answer is still, no I will not change my habits to save $55 a month. I won't change my haboits for $110 a month either. Unlike you troglodytes $100 a month (or $1200 a year for you sticklers out there with the calculator) isn't enough to make me make me change my life. I know it's hard for you $11 McWorkers to fathom this, but for some people $100 is really not that big a deal. It's less than an hour of work (insert hooker jokes here 4th graders).

And let's assume you are right and high gas will mean inflation for everything else. My income will rise as well and rise faster than my gas cost. If gas goes to $6 from $4, it will cost me an extra $100 a month. But my income will rise much more than $100 a month. Same with food.

Yet on the upside, expensive things keep going down in price. Houses for one are still falling in price. Prices of cars. Prices of tech related items, all lower. My relative wealth will be higher since the things I spend a small portion of my income (gas, food) will cost more but the things I spend a large % of my income on (house, car, tech) will cost less.

I win either way.

And so to reiterate...no I don't really care if gas hits $5 or $6 or $8 or $10 since I make enough money to to.; May 16, 2008 10:43 AM
Anonymous said...: I was recently spending $100/week or more for fuel for my diesel truck (19MPG highway and $4.50/gallon).

This week I bought a used 1997 Nissan Maxima SE with 55K miles (28MPG highway and $3.50/gallon).

I expect to cut my transportation costs about in half by driving this econo-beater for 80% of my driving.

I may be driving more miles now ... yes, I have changed my driving habits!; May 16, 2008 10:53 AM
Anonymous said...: "Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place. Anyone with a decent income will be marginally affected, if at all.

Sure people love to complain about gas. And if I had a choice of course I'd prefer $2 gas instead of $5. But at the end of the day, my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people."

And also remember those $11 hr McWorkers work at the same gas stations where you fill up your low mileage car. Realize this without those low wage workers the USA is screwed; May 16, 2008 1:16 PM
Anonymous said...: I hate to say it but $5 gas won't change my driving habits much if at all. For all the talk about people riding bikes and taking trains and walking, the god awful highway outside my hellhole apartment is still as congested as ever.

We've only reduced our fuel consumption about 1% since gas was half the price. $5 gas might bring it down another .5%. It will barely affect my driving at all.

Because gas prices skyrocket and demand barely budges, we might use up all our fuel to the point where decreasing supply can't support demand. Are we in for supply shortages in the next decade?; May 16, 2008 1:45 PM
Anonymous said...: I may buy a Hummer now. Prices on gas-hogs plummet with higher gas, but prices on gas-miser cars skyrocket during periods of gas price increases. Overall you're better off negotiating a better price on a safer vehicle when everyone else isn't buying them. Most people people don't understand contrarian economics.; May 16, 2008 2:10 PM
Anonymous said...: %5 gas? big deal, make it $10. If you can't afford another $100 or 200 a month, you should not be driving in the first place.; May 16, 2008 2:39 PM
Anonymous said...: That place you go to on Friday won't have employees and you might just be pulled from your car and beaten if there are angry mobs of people out at night. I'm rooting for the second one to actually occur.

And if the angry mob needs a little help please let me know, I'd be happy to lend a helping boot.; May 16, 2008 3:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Nope - no change in driving habits. Six months ago I took a job that allows me to work from my home. I burn about 2 gallons of gas a week now instead of 30.; May 16, 2008 3:46 PM
Anonymous said...: My cars average about 18 MPG. If I drive 1000 miles a month every $1 increase in gas costs me an extra $55. I spend more than that on Friday night out without giving it a second thought.

Only people who will be hurt are the $11 McWorkers, many of whom frequent this place. Anyone with a decent income will be marginally affected, if at all.

Sure people love to complain about gas. And if I had a choice of course I'd prefer $2 gas instead of $5. But at the end of the day, my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people.

Pretty narrow scope there pal.

Not everybody HELOC'd their way into financial trouble and there are large segments of the population that have these low pay jobs because they have no other choice.

Maybe they had to drop out of school to work and help mom and dad (or maybe just mom) pay the bills.

Could be a job loss. Are you aware that this possibility occurs with increasing frequency?

Lot's of other reasons but either way, they have jobs and are doing an honest day for honest pay. Remember that next time you under tip your servers dickhead.

Not everyone was born with a silver spoon lodged in their ass. I doubt you were either considering how much room your head was already taking up...; May 16, 2008 3:56 PM
Anonymous said...: anon May 15, @ 9:02 pm could very well be the dumbest humanoid the planet has produced. Hey tardboy, the price affect EVERYTHING you do. Not just YOUR gas costs but transportation of the food you eat you MORON!!!!; May 16, 2008 3:58 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll be cutting back for sure. I need to save for more ammo anyway.; May 16, 2008 4:27 PM
Anonymous said...: I have a turkey permit, but the price of gas has gone up so far I decided not to go. I'd spend $125.00 just in fuel to drive to Southern Utah. My permit was only $35.00 so I had to weight whether or not to waste the permit or spending an additional $200.00 to hunt a turkey. I am weighing the cost of gas everytime I take a trip now. Driving up to the mountans to go fishing, shooting or hunting costs $50.00 in fuel. How may groceries can I buy with that?

I used to go shooting in the desert because I save my rounds and reload. It's alot easier to find your casings. But now that I figured it costs me $35.00 for the trip I may as well pay the four dollars, go up to the local range range and search for my casings among everyone else's spenty rounds.

My next vehicle will be a dual sport motorcycle with a gun boot. Good gas mileage, but you can still take it places four-whell drive trucks go.; May 16, 2008 4:55 PM
Anonymous said...: For all the sarcastic folks who like to use the Starbucks comparison... you DO know that the Starbucks stock has hit the sh1tter for the last 6 mos? RIGHT?; May 16, 2008 5:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Anon 10:43,

House price is in decline; without inflation, it would be even quicker. Cars and tech produts are cheap. Personal services cost a lot more in a reasonably wealthy person's budget, such as house leaning, lawn/land-scaping service, baby-sitting, personal assistant/go-fers. Higher inflation makes for less choice among personal service and higher prices. More importantly, higher inflation reduces portfolio return on capital in real terms.

As for my driving pattern change? Yes, I'm putting that luxury convertible purchase on hold because it would be a little unseemly when some of the entry-level workers working for me for $15/hr is struggling with gas cost and may face cut-back in hours due to business slow-down as consumers retrench.; May 16, 2008 5:22 PM
Anonymous said...: I altered my driving as an experiment. As a contractor, I have a temporary 70-mile each way commute from CT into Long Island. This takes me down the Hutch across the Sound and onto the Van Wyck, some pretty aggressive driving condidtions. I currently drive "moderatly aggressively" in a '02 Civic and calculated get ~24 MGP. The car is in perfect mechanical condition.

As a test I tried driving the exact speed limit on cruise control. This is actually pretty hard to do in the Metro NY area. I crack the windows and don't run A/C (won't be able to do this in summer) and accelerate very slowly.

The result? 40 MPG on a car rated for 38 MPG on the highway. Fuel is not a big expense for me, but every bit of cost control affects my books.

Anyone not concerned about fuel prices should realize that it affects the cost of EVERYTHING in their lives. Most plastics are made from petrochemicals, all cost of goods transportation goes up with fuel, all farming costs go up with fuel, your gas/electric bill will go up - there is no way we are not all impacted significantly.; May 16, 2008 5:59 PM
Anonymous said...: I spent $40 on gas last month. No pain here.

I do feel sorry for those guys with the Truck Nutz on their trucks that commute 80 miles per day.

Nice getting the kids off the streets with their tricked out cars as well. Wanna real ghetto lifestyle? Well you better get on the bus homies!!! It's coming to yo hood!!!

ROTFLMAO!!!! :-); May 16, 2008 6:45 PM
Anonymous said...: That place you go to on Friday won't have employees and you might just be pulled from your car and beaten if there are angry mobs of people out at night. I'm rooting for the second one to actually occur.
------------

Right Mr. big mouth computer hiding never been laid loser no doubt...ANONOPUSSY!; May 16, 2008 7:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Man, what a bunch of sanctimonious @$$holes inhabiting this blog. "$5gas doesn't scare me.", "I am prepared for $10 dollar gas.", "I'm not changing a thing."

-----------

Then why are you here LOSER!; May 16, 2008 7:41 PM
Anonymous said...: Everyday the morning info-tainment shows have segments devoted to how you can save money on gas. Never ever have I seen anyone on those segments describe the easiest way to save thousands of dollars a year on energy. Use the car LESS!!! Exchange your house or apartment in the exurbs for one a few miles from your job. If this is not an affordable option then relocate to a market where it is. If you cant afford to live in downtown SanFran then move to a city in CA. where you can!I have a "Green" coworker who commutes in his Prius 140 miles a day round trip and looks down on me driving my large Cadillac NINE MILES ROUNDTRIP everyday. In realty he uses like ten times the gasoline I do a day. We could all be green and drive Hummers if we only used them for a few miles a day!; May 16, 2008 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Auto_Broker said...

I may buy a Hummer now. Prices on gas-hogs plummet with higher gas, but prices on gas-miser cars skyrocket during periods of gas price increases. Overall you're better off negotiating a better price on a safer vehicle when everyone else isn't buying them. Most people people don't understand contrarian economics.?

Yep. I have a friend who has a dealer's license and goes to auctions a lot. He told me 2003 Ford Expeditions with under 100K miles are going for $2500.

That thing gets about 12 MPG, but hell for $2500 you get a truck that has another 3-4 good years left in it. Compare that to paying $20K for a new civic that will be worth $10K in 3 years and getting 30MPG.

It's a wash. The money you save in gas is pissed away on the depreciation of the Civic. Add in a ny interest you may pay on the $20K, the extra insurance, the extra cost in registration fees for a newer car, and you end up paying more to drive the Civic.

People never think about it like that. They run like lemmings to the Honda dealer to pay full MSRP so they can save $50 a month while losing $60 on the cost of the car.

Brilliant!!; May 16, 2008 10:26 PM
Anonymous said...: Have already cut back, has anyone been to fast food joints lately, notice they are half empty?

HPFan; May 16, 2008 10:36 PM
Anonymous said...: I already changed my driving habits. I bought a used Honda Civic. I don't drive less, I just drive a different vehicle. I still have my truck, but I pretty much only drive it on the weekend. Oh yeah - I was thinking about driving to Las Vegas next week, now I think I will fly.; May 16, 2008 10:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Got motorcycle?; May 16, 2008 11:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Ironic isn't it? The Fed prints money to get the cancer housing debt from banks' Balance Sheets.
The banks in return use the money to speculate with agricultural and energy futures, driving our inflation to the stratosphere.

So not only the bankers destroyed our economy with the housing ponzi scheme, but now they're destroying it again by speculating with commodities.

And the corrupt government has the nerve to come up with a fake low inflation read. Someone please punch that Zionist's bearded-little bitch running the Fed.

When will the American people finally get pissed off with these bankers and government economists, and start hanging them from trees in Central Park? How much can this sissy culture of ours take!; May 16, 2008 11:09 PM
Anonymous said...: The majority of the miles I drive each month (90%+) are spent hauling my MX bike to the track. The only thing I would attempt to do would be find someone where we can carpool or alternate who drives each weekend. But I'm trying to find someone to do that right now but haven't had much luck.; May 16, 2008 11:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Once again, to all the Obama cheerleaders out there:

If the Democrat majority in Congress and Senate were serious about inflation and energy policy, all they had to do, during these 2 years already running the place, was to come up with an effective energy plan. Get a bunch of scientists + American universities to tell the world that the US was going to dedicate every single resource to alternative energy and revolutionary technologies in conservation. And that no matter what happens in the Mideast, the US would never be involved.

If they did that, oil prices would collapse next day, so would food prices.

Now, do you see your savior Obama and his puppet masters at DNC coming up with ANY SPECIFIC AND RADICAL energy plan like that? Do you see any of the media pundits pressuring them to come up with a revolutionary energy plan? Only two: Glen Beck and Lou Dobbs.

Barney Frank and Pelosi's priority is bailing out his banker donors who were gambling with the housing ponzi scheme, faking as they're helping homedebtors. You don't see those DNC freaks coming up with an energy plan or investment figures, do you? You don't see them putting restrictions on the commodities futures market either, do you?

I rest my case.

The bankers have been trading their rotten debt with fresh printed money from Bernanke, so they can gamble with the futures market (i.e., energy and food). And they're doing this under the eye of the Democrat majority in Congress and in the Senate, who's been running the place for about 2 years now.

Sorry to bring bad news to bad people, but there won't be any change; that's a cheap slogan to impress the MTV Pot Smoker Gen Yner and the ghetto.; May 16, 2008 11:37 PM
Anonymous said...: $5 gas won't bother me. $10 gas won't really bother me. (High air tickets and food might.)

Fools like you think that gas at those high prices won't affect everything else you consume. What's amazing is how financial retards embrace inflation or ANY tax increase on ANYTHING as being benign.

Please don't breed, don't vote, and don't drive while chewing gum...ever!; May 16, 2008 11:46 PM
Anonymous said...: My brother lives in Dallas and drives about 30 miles to his job. He tells me that guys he works with are quitting because they can't afford to pay for the commute anymore. One even offered to trade his honkin' F250 dualie for my brother's beat up Aveo! These are not overly bright people, and it sounds like some of them are about to get desperate on us.

Keep thinking these prices won't matter all you high-rollers. When they start jacking cars at gunpoint for the contents of the fuel tank, you might see the situation differently.; May 16, 2008 11:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Hoo-weee, thank god that ultraliberal majority running the Congress and Senate for the last 2 years have a revolutionary mass transit project for the country, with magnetic bullet trains and all. Hmmmm...I wonder if they're waiting for Obama to get elected first, so they can all cut the ribbon together.

/sarcasm; May 16, 2008 11:50 PM
Anonymous said...: "and 78-percent believe prices could eventually reach $5. "

Q. Do you think gas prices will go to $5 a gallon.
A. Yes, because gas keeps going up and up!.

Q. Do you think houses prices will average $1M?
A. Yes, because house prices keep going up and up!

when will the sheeple ever learn; May 17, 2008 1:16 AM
Anonymous said...: I already have. I used to go to the office 3-4 times a week, now I go only once a week.

Why? Because I can telecommute. I expect to see more and more workers pressing their employers to allow for it.

Because spending say $600 a month per family for gas simply doesn't make for happy and motivated workers.

Not that I see many motivated workers (I work for software company in Silicon Valley). It's the Ben Bernanke, Barney and Dodd.

They are tanking dollar, propping up liars and speculators, and giving the rest of us who are responsible a big finger. And they think they are invisible doing that.

If I can do a feature for software I work on (that sells for at least 500K a piece) in about 2 weeks (with padding!) I say 5 weeks.

It's not immoral, unethical or illegal.

It's just when unit of currency I am paid in shrinks in value, then assuming number of such units remains relatively constant, I am entitled to work less and be less productive to compensate.

See? Easy as proverbial pie. Feels better and less stressful too!; May 17, 2008 3:29 AM
Anonymous said...: well my next car ( 3rd one for us ) will be full electric... just waiting for Toyota to bring it to market...then we will have an electric.. a gas sipper.. and an SUV... I figure that will pretty much handle anything...; May 17, 2008 4:23 AM
Anonymous said...: "I gave up my car in 2003."

And it sounds like you haven't left Washington, D.C. in 5 years. Yeh, that's living...; May 17, 2008 4:41 AM
Anonymous said...: I can afford the higher energy and fuel costs but I don't want waste energy or water . I can get in the habit of trying to conserve .

In my youth energy costs were cheap and nobody was very concerned with costs .

But ,I think I will drive to cut down the driving in the future .; May 17, 2008 6:13 AM
Anonymous said...: "%5 gas? big deal, make it $10. If you can't afford another $100 or 200 a month, you should not be driving in the first place."

Care to elaborate on that point, please? A family that can't handle several hundred dollar increases to the cost of living, doesn't deserve to drive?

I'm sorry, but a lot of the posts here seem to be using the crisis as a means to boast about their own personal wealth, hybrids, location, jobs, et al while dismissing anybody else.

Most of the people I see and know are cutting back on both their spending and their driving. I live in a suburb, the sight of multiple bags of groceries in carts is getting simultaneously less impressive and scarcer.

-Lam; May 17, 2008 8:34 AM
Anonymous said...: My bike gets REALLY GOOD gas mileage. For every $1 gas goes up there're less cars on the road which is a good thing from my perspective. Things will get really interesting once we'll face rationing.; May 17, 2008 3:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Sure people love to complain about gas. And if I had a choice of course I'd prefer $2 gas instead of $5. But at the end of the day, my life will not be affected by it and neither will the vast majority of people.

May 15, 2008 9:02 PM

You are to stupid to be human,; May 17, 2008 3:39 PM
Anonymous said...: I hope all you fools starve to death. Most brain dead city slickers will when it get bad like in a few months.; May 17, 2008 3:41 PM
Anonymous said...: I live about 12 miles away from work and I am modifying my driving habits a little. I drive a small car but even so the pinch, while little, is there.

If you think it's bad now (and it is) just wait! Why are the gas prices the way they are, you ask? Go to Google and grep up "peak oil" and have a fun read. When you understand about the oil peak aka "peak oil" you will find that everything makes sense while without knowing about nothing makes sense.

Are you ready for $5/gallon petrol? That's the next stop and it's not the end of the line. Not on this plane ride!; May 17, 2008 5:20 PM
Anonymous said...: Amazing how everyone on HP makes $250K a year and yet has to drive w/o A/C to save some money on gas.

Liars, liars, pants on fire.; May 17, 2008 5:46 PM
Anonymous said...: .

GOT MOTORCYCLE?

Great, lets put people who can't drive something with 4 wheels on something with 2!

Genius!

.; May 17, 2008 7:48 PM
Anonymous said...: We definitely cut back, but not because the actual cost of gas, but because we have lots of service needs and they have gotten very expensive.
We make good money, but everything is very expensive these days, not just the gas.
There are some really unhappy, competitive people on the blog, and when Keith asks a simple question, it
is amazing how upset or boastful people get.
I heard on a kid's cartoon a few years ago, "Never try to take money from a rich man, because he will mind a lot more than a poor one."; May 17, 2008 8:36 PM
Anonymous said...: You are to stupid to be human,

May 17, 2008 3:39 PM

----------------

Oh the delicious irony of someone incapable of writing properly calling someone else stupid.

I hope you aren't TOO confused TO figure out what I mean.; May 18, 2008 1:33 AM
Anonymous said...: "will you be changing your driving habits? Or cutback on other spending to make up the difference?"
Neither. I guess I’ll be dipping into principle a little.
I get 27mpg combined (40mpg on highway).; May 18, 2008 7:11 AM
Anonymous said...: What about 10 usd a gallon as in europe? Including some 100% tax. What will you do then? Believe me, the world won't end...
Get rid of those huge cars with huge engines. You don't need a v6 or a v8 to drive to work.; May 18, 2008 1:12 PM
Anonymous said...: I've just surfed Ford US website and discovered the crwon victoria taxi model.
My question is:
WHAT FOR DOES A FUC**NG CAB NEEDS A 4.6 V8 GAS ENGINE?! Are your cities built over montains or something?
This is part of the problem with energy use in the US. A 4.6 v8 engine to power a simple taxi cab is irrational. A 1.6 or 1.8 4 cyl. engine would do just fine.; May 18, 2008 1:28 PM
Anonymous said...: reason for 4.6V8 cabs:

1. cheap repair parts and labor. Cabs are rolling stocks of parts bins. The OHV engines and related transmissions that have been around for decades already have a supply pipeline in place, whereas the fancy DOHC engines would have to endure higher expense and wait for replacement delivery if something is broken; time is money for taxicab medallion holders (2-3 cab drivers sharing a cab round the clock is common in cities like NYC; utilization rate is key).

2. 4.6V8 can have two cylinders not working and still go to work; low compression pressure? no problem. Try that on a 1.6 I4. Higher utilization rate.

3. Higher torque, therefore less gear shifting, so less wear on the clutches and torque converters . . . which again translates to higher utilization rate.

4. Cab companies can get cars from police auctions. The Crown Vics are popular with the police.

5. Taxicabs have higher occupancy rate than average cars, and often times with luggages (often the reason they are hired to begin with) hence more power and especially more torque is helpful.

I do seem to have noticed that cab drivers are turning off their engines while waiting in line much more often. So the high gas price is having an effect; I wonder if it's time to invest in car battery and starter stocks :-); May 18, 2008 2:40 PM
Anonymous said...: To Realty

Nice points.
But over here 100% of the cabs are diesel (huge mpg:)) and often work around the clock. And most of them are Mercedes.
I´ve personally seen cabs with 1 million kms on the clock having their engine opened and serviced for the first time.
And also, there are a LOT of old mercedes running around on cab duty and in good condition.
Most engines are 2000 cc diesel. And cab drivers around here are miser when it comes to maintnance costs:)
My point is that engines changed a lot and it maybe interesting to start looking at alternative cars/engines. You know, you can have a 2 liter engine 4 cyl. with the same power and comparable running life.; May 18, 2008 9:15 PM
Anonymous said...: To anyone trying to save gas by leaving the AC off and instead opening the car windows:

That works until about 40 mph. After that the engine works harder to overcome the increased aerodynamic resistance then it would running an air conditioner with the windows closed.; May 18, 2008 9:46 PM
Anonymous said...: This oil bubble,,just like real estate and the DotCom, is going to pop very very soon.
It's unsustainable. When the price of gas starts looking like a joke,,,just like the stocks and the houses....it's a bubble.; May 18, 2008 11:29 PM
Anonymous said...: "Get rid of those huge cars with huge engines. You don't need a v6 or a v8 to drive to work."

I see this particular comment repeated wherever possible under gas related articles. The problems with it are so obvious, I have to assume that the intent of the message is purely to be snide and antagonistic.

I'll state the two problems anyway:

1) Not everyone can afford to buy a new or more fuel efficient car. New and fuel efficient cars cost tens of thousands of dollars. A credit card is not a solution, as it actually increases the total cost of acquisition, and only merely spreads the huge cost over several months. Out of the question for most people.

2) Not everyone owns a specialty car purely for the sake of status. Believe it or not, people do use trucks and even SUVs for their intended purposes.

-Lam; May 19, 2008 1:19 AM

HousingPANIC - The Housing Bubble Blog with an Attitude Problem, 2005 - 2008

May 15, 2008

$5 gas is on the way. So will you be changing your driving habits? Or cutback on other spending to make up the difference?

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