Now they say 7.00 gas

[gilby]

They say it will take 7.00 a gallon gas for Americans to stop driving? What do you think?
7.00 gas, we won't be doing anything.

 

[momz]

i've changed my driving practices already and it's "just" $3.29 now. if it reaches $7 , i'll be walking.

 

[happygirl]

If gas ever gets to 7.00 a gallon ((which I don't think it ever will)) I don't think anyone will be doing anything

 

[lillygator]

wow --- I better dig out the bike in the garage!

 

[StephMK]

Yikes, it will take a lot less than $7 for me to quit driving! We're already cautious at the current prices. DH is going to ask a co-worker about carpooling & I'm going to look for a job close to home this fall. I'm a little nervous about our road trip this summer though!

 

[dodukes]

yeah no kidding, at i alreayd am cheap as can be with what i do, at 7.00 i will be buy ing me a metro pass!!! bus ways here i come!! lol

 

[mjbaby]

Who is "they"?

I think the real key is that our entire way of life will need to be retooled, so to speak. All the reasons people have for not driving less are geared to maintaining our lives as they have been in the last 10-15 years or so - the kids with activities in opposite directions, the jobs far away from the houses we bought so we could have bigger houses (or buy a house at all), all of the stuff we've bought to put in those houses...it all requires petroleum that's going to be much, much more expensive in the years to come before it becomes less available at any price.

So I think the question is not how much are we willing to drive less, but how much less of everything are we willing to do and buy, to be healthy and happy? Can we get to know our neighbors better (I have friends who have lived in an exurban neighborhood for 5 years know and have a passing relationship with only one family - but this is what our current economic system allows, and I don't think it's uncommon at all) and build truly localized communities where we grow food, teach our children, and pass handmedowns along instead of selling them? In other words, reduce waste and "extra" across the board.

Will Disney become a once-in-a-lifetime thing as it once was? Perhaps - but is this so terrible? Will our kids once again be willing to spend an afternoon "collecting" rocks and not be bored? Will families spend time together more and be busy less (did you hear about the home builder who admitted that one of his home designs was intended for families the members of which couldn't stand each other?) to talk, read, play games?

Not everything to come from $7+ gas will be bad. I think it's up to us what the experience will be.

 

[kelleigh1]

I'm not saying that we will see $7, but as another thread has already proven, some people will not change the way they drive no matter what and that is just one reason why we will see the price continue to rise.

The main problem is that we have just become far too reliant on oil and gas for our transportation needs. There need to be alternatives. And we all need to realize that these supplies are not unlimited. We can't continue to use and use and use and still expect it to always be there.

 

[mjbaby]

I'm not saying that we will see $7, but as another thread has already proven, some people will not change the way they drive no matter what and that is just one reason why we will see the price continue to rise.

The main problem is that we have just become far too reliant on oil and gas for our transportation needs. There need to be alternatives. And we all need to realize that these supplies are not unlimited. We can't continue to use and use and use and still expect it to always be there.

Word, kelleigh!

I remember Amy Dacyczyn pointing out in one of her books that if one were willing to live in the style of, say, the 1960s - smallish house, one phone, no endless amount of gear and stuff - one's money problems may well dissolve.

I think this situation is analogous. Not only would our money problems begin to resolve, but the gas pricing would be a lot more stable. The thing is, not only do we want to "party like it's 1999" but so does the rest of the world - and petroleum supplies and the earth itself simply cannot support that.

 

[ilovejack02]

I didnt attend a birthday party yesterday that was about 50 mins from my house because of how much gas is. I think we are at about 3.05 a gallon by my house and I drive a Expedition. My ds4 and I will be sticking very close to the house this summer.

 

[WendyisDarling]

$7 to change seems high to me. I have heard $5 in the past, but I don't know. I think it would make more people who must drive consider hybrid vehicles.
The $3 mark does it for me. My vehicle is over two years old and I only 17,000 miles on it. Most of that is from a few long trips. I'm a SAHM so I can get away with it. We are so super lucky, too...DH's company moved to a new location less than two years ago and it just happened to be 3.5 miles from our house!
DS goes to special ed. extended school year. By law they must provide transportation. I usually decline the service and drive him myself, but not this year. When they asked if I wanted it, I said yes.

 

[MrsNick]

I don't think $7 is on the horizon in the near future. As powerful as the oil lobby in this country is, the other members of the ruling class (who supply goods and services to Americans either via wholesale or retail) won't allow that. They want their piece of the pie, and right now, $7/gal gas would cut into their chunk way too much. JMO.

 

[kelleigh1]

The idea of a Hybrid is a good concept, however, I've read that you don't really see the benefits of the fuel efficiency for several years. Wish I could remember why that is. The other problem is that the price for a Hybrid is still fairly high for many people.

There are also many people out there who still feel they need to drive monster SUV's. I've actually heard some (women especially) who say that they drive the big SUV because they feel safer than if they were in a small car and basically one person's attitude was "too bad, I'm still going to drive it". To me, that is just selfish because everytime someone adopts the attitude that they have the money to drive the big SUV and fill the gas tank, they are contributing to the problem and making it that much harder for those of us who can't afford to fill our tanks anymore.

 

[branv]

Another take on it is how unwilling so many companies are to allow telecommuting. Despite great technology that makes going to the office every single day obsolete in many instances, it's still considered very risky. DH works for a computer company where he could easily work 2-3 days from home (and on days that he has to, he gets more work done b/c he's not constantly interrupted by people coming by to chat). Do you know how often he spends the entire day just on conference calls? Yet his boss, his boss' boss, right up the chain don't support telecommuting. Though strangely, the higher up you get, the more often they are out of the office traveling and don't ever see their employees...but they still want them centrally corralled. They convince themselves their workers will work harder if someone is looking over their shoulder, but as all of us have experienced either personally or by watching coworkers, it is still VERY easy to get away with doing very little (just look stressed out anytime someone comes by your desk ). Sadly, if companies would just do what they should have ALWAYS been doing, which is set and track measurable and specific goals to be met for each employee, this would not be a problem.

Personally I've worked for 3 HR departments. Once in a while they informally look into the benefits/costs of telecommuting and offering carpool benefits. But anytime someone really made the effort to push it, upper level execs always killed it. I'm no longer shocked out how short-sighted executives are. They don't look at long-term cost savings of a great benefit like tele-commuting (not to mention the increased ability to recruit top talent). Even when presented with clearly defined numbers showing that eventual savings will easily outnumber initial cost, they can't handle it...which I think says a lot about what is wrong with corporations today anyway. We're a disposable-minded society in more ways than one.

 

[goofyforlife]

I remember Amy Dacyczyn pointing out in one of her books that if one were willing to live in the style of, say, the 1960s - smallish house, one phone, no endless amount of gear and stuff - one's money problems may well dissolve.

It's nice to dream...I look at my GP's who raised two kids in a small row house under 700 sf. (no garage, 1 bath)

I do agree that we should attempt smaller houses...Unfortunately smaller doesn't make as much money as 5000 sf homes with pricey add-ons so developers don't build any.

Some stuff i could live without.... But some things..our lifestyle is just geared not to do without....(like washers/dryers, cell phone)

I wish i could use public transportation more but they don't have routes into my neighborhood. (There is one route about 1.5 miles down the road but they only run during daytime hours and not when i need one to get to work)

Heck my own daughter's HS will be 3 miles away from our house with no public transportation avail for her for after-school activities..

 

[nbodyhome]

I don't believe it'd need to get nearly to $7.00. Other prices (like food, heating oil, etc.) go up with gas prices, so other areas would be taking a pinch too.

I'd say $4.00, $5.00 - I can't imagine more than that!

 

[WendyisDarling]

Another take on it is how unwilling so many companies are to allow telecommuting. Despite great technology that makes going to the office every single day obsolete in many instances, it's still considered very risky. .

DH is senior IT management and will allow people to work from home for a day or two here and there, but when anyone asks to work exclusively from home, he has to tell them that if that were possible they're job would be India.
No flames, please. Not his choice. Just the way it is.

 

[DawnM]

DH and I both work and need to drive to get there. Right now we spend about $200-$250/mo. on gas alone.

Next year I get mileage for my job. I don't know exactly how much they will pay (ie: just from one school to the other or all my driving) but it will certainly help.

We have commuter cars that get around 35-40mpg and that helps too.

Dawn

 

[punkin]

All I can say is OUCH!!!

I think I need to get my bicycle out. I hear you never forget how to ride one.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

All I can say is OUCH!!!

I think I need to get my bicycle out. I hear you never forget how to ride one.

I hope I can find my bike. I think it's in the garage somewhere.