In Reply to: April 2007 San Francisco South of Market Gas Station, Scott Paterson [Profile/Gallery] , Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:06:21

the people who can afford $40,000 gas hog SUVs can also afford $4/gallon gas. They complain for a while but still put $100-150 in the tank at every fill up. The high prices hurt everyone else, which is the majority of the population.

I don't think the average car or SUV owner has any idea of what their gas mileage is. They just keep putting gas in the tank. So when they see some 5500-lb truck with tall gearing advertised as getting a whopping 21 mpg highway they think that's wonderful. Never mind the fact it still only gets 13-15 around town where they do most of their driving. They don't think they could get by with a smaller, more efficient car.

Then you show them the difference. Last August my wife and her tennis team went to the playoffs in Vermont. She cruised up and back with two people and their stuff for the 3-day trip in her 9-5 wagon. She got 32 mpg at 75, much to the amazement of her passengers who chipped in for gas. All were used to SUVs.

I remember seeing something a year or so back that $4/gallon would be the real threshold of pain that would get people into more efficient cars. But I don't think it matters to people who can easily afford the gas guzzlers. The government can't fix this, they've proved that. The market has to do it. But IMHO it will require a prolonged period with $4+ gas prices before we see real change to smaller, more efficient vehicles and also a change in lifestyles in the U.S.

What gets more interesting is that if prices in CA appear elsewhere it will make people cut back on use of boats, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, ATVs and other motorized recreation. Then people will start to get pissed off. But in the U.S., where "he who dies with the most toys wins" is how a lot of people go through life, changing to a less consumptive lifestyle will be painful for a lot of people.

End of rant, stepping down off the soapbox.

With prices like those, though, I see a diesel in my future. Saab, are you listening? How about some BioPower for the U.S.?

• April 2007 San Francisco South of Market Gas Station, Scott Paterson , Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:06:21
  • The thing about gas prices is that <rant>, Noel, Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:55:49 <-- Viewing This Message
    • $3 per gallon is/was the tipping point here....., MI-Roger , Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:05:26
    • I think most SUV owners can barely afford them..., AdamB , Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:13:06
      • Well, in non-rant mode, I actually agree with, Noel, Tue, 24 Apr 2007 10:44:05
    • Re: The thing about gas prices is that <rant>, jp, Tue, 24 Apr 2007 08:58:16
  • Gee 4s up front look scary odd even for me., ursaw, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:32:03
  • Nice! (+), vvk, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:09:03
  • Almost that high in L.A........, nuysSAAB , Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:48:39
  • Wow! It's $2.89 in Upstate NY., UpstateNY Bill, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:04:15
    • Re: Wow! It's $2.89 in Upstate NY., earthbrown, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:28:24
      • Re: Wow! It's $2.89 in Upstate NY., UpstateNY Bill, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:06:27
        • Re: Wow! It's $2.89 in Upstate NY., earthbrown, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:42:49
  • Last Friday, premi was $ 2.99/gal. in N.O...., Allen in N.O., Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:58:46
  • Gee, just in time for my drive up Highway One..., Noel, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:53:50
    • $7.4 per gallon of Shell V-power here, AdamB , Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:00:21
  • Wow! Gas is finally cheaper in Canada!, LesH, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:42:07
  • this is awful....., earthbrown, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:27:21
    • What's interesting to me, Oscar, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:57:46
  • Re: April 2007 San Francisco South of Market Gas Station, pjkbrit, Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:38:37

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