That's how it feels when I pull up to the pump.
Living out in the country is wonderful. The fresh air, the fresh foods. Really, it's terrific. But the driving...
There is no public transportation here, unless you count, "Can you stop by and pick up MSP? I'm running late and she'll be late to choir otherwise. I can bring Sarah home afterward?" We try that as often as possible.
But the reality exists that getting a gallon of milk involves 20-30 minutes of fossil fuel consumption at best. Going to the doctor means about 60 minutes. Getting to good shopping is 60 minutes; a museum or concert as much as 120 minutes.
And I'm talking engine running, driving, not 60 minutes there, back, and in the doc's office.
Way back in the time of the dinosaurs, when gasoline hit -gasp- $1.97 a gallon, I SWORE I would not touch a drop if it got over $2. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! I was so silly. And I'm sorry I said it. The oil producing nations must have heard me somehow and taken it as a challenge.
It really is ridiculous. I don't need to rant on prices; you KNOW how much gasoline costs. It's time to look for alternatives.
Sadly, the hybrid car doesn't seem to fit the need. They're too expensive and small for even an average family. Yeah, two toddlers fit in the backseat of a Prius, but try that trick when those toddlers are teenagers! The gas savings is great if you commute in city driving. But, out here in the sticks, most of John's commute is at 55-65 MPH (65, yes, is the legal limit.) A hybrid would not be efficient here. [I would be all for saddling up to go into town, but there are no hitching rails in Marengo. (Hard to believe, but it's true!)]
Something's gotta give. When do we stop being sheeple and get really mad about this?
5 comments:
People are already mad, but it hasn't done us much good, and if the proposals to give the naughty oil companies a spanking go through, they could do us even more harm. What we need is people to get inventive, and get involved, spreading the word and pestering their elected leaders to remove some of the regulatory burden that's keeping alternatives from proliferating. I realize the government's pumping obscene amounts of money into some alternatives (read: ethanol), but the regulatory regime holds back innovation on others. I happened to be volunteering at the Concours d'Elegance last year (because I certainly can't afford a $300 ticket to a car show) where Tesla Motors unveiled their Roadster, and I had a chance to talk with some of the engineers. You wouldn't believe the hoops they've jumped through to bring an all-electric car to market. The regulators wanted to analyze their emissions, they said "it's electric: no emissions". The regulators demanded they find some gas leaking out of something which could then be tested and forced to comply with the standards for gasoline engine exhaust. They had to ensure the electric car's structure was properly reinforced to protect the non-existent gas tank. How much earlier, and how much cheaper, would we have had electric cars without these barriers? Everyone wants us to blame the oil companies, when we should be looking at the natural font of life's frustrations: government.
Incidentally, Tesla plans for their next model to be an affordable four-door sedan. They just figured they were better off catching the market's imagination from the top rather than the bottom.
"They had to ensure the electric car's structure was properly reinforced to protect the non-existent gas tank."
There are no words.
I agree with you completely. I live in town, but I still try to drive as little as possible. The grocery store is at the other end of town so we try to time those trips carefully. I was just like you - I also said I would start walking when gas hit over $2/gallon. Now look! I did just give up one job where I have to drive 45 minutes one way once a week. Somehow, 3 booster/car seats don't fit in small vehicles either! And forget it if you have to also pack for a trip! So, we own a van, I too was held hostage at the pump again today, paid 3/4's of one months paycheck (my out of town lesson) to fill up the van...
The thing about those hybrids is that they don't get those great mpg when they are sitting in stop and go traffic or driving up and down hilly roads. Even with all the increase in costs people are still driving and vacationing, the prices just aren't detering most people. Until people really start feeling the pinch and start cutting back, the prices are just going to continue to rise. The same thing applies to the research, until people really start putting pressure on their representatives nothing is going to change.
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