gas prices, whatever...

[keryx]

Are people all over the country totally freaking out about gas prices now? Or is it just people who can totally afford to suck up another 20 cents a gallon?

I'm starting to think that maybe gas should be doled out in a more socialist fashion. People who need it could get more, and people for whom a $3 gallon of gas is a real hardship could just not pay that much. Or we could just build cities and suburban areas with legitimate non-driving means of getting from place to place, and treat gas as the luxury it is in many other parts of the world.

And if gas prices stay high enough, the latter might just happen. Eventually. And probably only if the same people who keep annoying me with their "oh, no, it cost $50 to fill up my esuvee" whines turn their little whines into votes.

I think I've just proved that, by the transitive property, yupsters in esuvees are good for the community.

[Note: The icon in this post intends no disrespect to bad spellers, rednecks, or other people who wear mullets. He just wants you to know that, while he's not much for spelling or punctuation, he does understand the whole "gas crisis" concept, and would like all y'all whining esuvee drivers to take a moment to reflect on the nature of the word "crisis", and then vote in a better Congress.]

Comments

[libskrat]

The latter will not happen, because you'll pry esuvees from the yupsters' cold, dead fingers.

I mean, hey, as Carless Jolene here, I'd love to see it happen! But it won't.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

And you're living in the armpit of yupster automotive silliness now. :)

[libskrat]

I SO AM, yes. Unbelievable what people drive around here.

[cyprinella]

My boyfriend lives on a bus line that goes to Metro. It's yet another item on my list of reasons I'd much rather live with him. If, you know, we ever get around to talking about it...

Did you read Cherie Preist's post on gas? Not as good as her STFU one yesterday, but still good.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that was a good post. And to clarify, it's the fact that people for whom a gas price increase is a mere inconvenience are so up in arms about it that bothers me. For some folk, it's a serious problem.

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

I was thinking in my stupid little hopeful way yesterday, "gosh I hope this means people will start entertaining the idea of alternatives for transit!" and then I realized that no, they will probably just find a way to lower the taxes on gas or something equally moranic.

WAH.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

It would have to go on quite awhile before most [suburban] Americans could even imagine changing our infrastructure to be less gas-dependent. Cause it would have to become more than a mere inconvenience to the esuvee yupsters

Also... 'moranic', hee. :)

[attrice.livejournal.com]

There was complete panic here(atlanta) yesterday. The best part was that it was mostly suv's that were lined up for blocks waiting for gas.

I was annoyed though because I was actually on empty but I just waited til midnight to gas up my little, fuel efficient honda. :)

Atlanta is definitely a city in need of a check in terms of its sprawl. It's so badly planned though that we'd have to have a seriously good transit system for people to give up their cars.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

I know a civil engineer down by you who says basically that - and further, people create Atlanta's problems (gridlock, dependence on gas, pollution) by moving out to the suburbs and creating more traffic for themselves to drive in.

Are they in fact rationing gas down there? I've been hearing odd & conflicting reports.

[attrice.livejournal.com]

Some stations were. Some ran out. There was a lot of price gouging and even some violence that broke out at gas stations.

Yeah, people keep moving further and further out. No one will take public transit. Partly because it's not that great here and often takes longer than driving and partly because black people use it and suburban people don't like to be reminded that Atlanta's a majority black city.

[libskrat]

On a similar theme...

[puzzlement.livejournal.com]

It's sort of interesting always to compare petrol prices in the US with those in Australia and in Europe (much higher, much higher again -- damn socialist taxes ;) ). USians will probably cope, but it does drive a move to smaller more fuel efficient cars or at least it is here. (SUVs/4WDs aren't quite as large here, but they're nearly as popular.) The big worry seems to be about consumer activity taking a belting because of people's petrol money doubling over the last five years, and looking like it might go up 50% again.

[cutegaychick.livejournal.com]

AAA was on the news today asking people to stop freaking out and topping off their tanks -- it's adding to the problem because the gas stations aren't equipped to handle everyone in the city trying to buy gas all at the same time.

Also -- just a quick math thought. The difference between $2 per gallon and $3 per gallon is roughly $12 in a sedan. If you fill up once a week, it's not that big of a deal for most of us. I have to fill up three times a week (long commute) and it's still not going to cost me my mortgage. Even at $4 a gallon, buy a few less drinks and pizzas on the weekend and you can probably find the extra cash right there.

I admit to grumbling and staring goggle-eyed at the pumps myself though. But I've got a mantra now: "At least I didn't have to loot the gas station to find it. At least I didn't have to loot the gas station to find it. At least I didn't have to loot the gas station to find it. At least I didn't have to loot the gas station to find it..."