Gas prices and gas guzzling - Democratic Underground

fedupfisherman

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:17 PM
Original message

Gas prices and gas guzzling

I thought when gas prices would go up and stay up (as Big Oil has made them do) folks would cut back on their driving but that does not seem to be the case.

Why are folks still speeding in SUVs when gas is at 3-4 dollars a gallon!

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RB TexLa

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:19 PM
Response to Original message

1. Because demand supports the price. I think $5 a gallon for gas is very sustainable.

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bluestateguy

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:20 PM
Response to Original message

2. Because SUV drivers are well to do people who can afford to pay 3-4 dollars a gallon

They just pay the higher prices and proceed about their business as if nothing has changed.

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fedupfisherman

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:21 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. Not just SUV drivers but a lot of drivers

I just used SUV drivers because SUVs are gas hogs

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ruiner4u

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:24 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. its not that they can afford it...

its just that they still have enough credit...

but in a few months when they try to refi to pay off their maxed CC's, a large portion of our population will have a rude awakeaning..

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superkia

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:24 PM
Response to Original message

4. I hate wasting gas in the damn traffic we have gained here...

in the last 5 years or so. I could travel up US1 in my city without it being a 30 minute trip to go a couple of miles but now, I sit at every light because the road is a traffic jam up both sides. That has to affect everyones gas usage? I do my best to never travel the beltway from 7am-10am and 4pm to 7pm because the commuters to DC and Virginia is insane. Actually you cant even hit the old back roads as in the past at those times either because they are flooded as well. Americans probably aren't driving that much more, its that we are sitting that much more.

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DCKit

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Tue Oct-16-07 01:19 AM
Response to Reply #4

11. Commute time in DC has more than doubled since 2000.

Too damn many cars, too many people living too far from their jobs, too much unrestricted development and too damn little being spent on public transportation.

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Captain Angry

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:25 PM
Response to Original message

6. Speeding is unrelated to gasoline usage.

People who speed are not thinking of the efficiency of their vehicle, or the cost of the extra gas consumption.

They're just impatient, and need to be somewhere minutes earlier than they'd be if they'd just drive the speed limit.

I'm not talking about why people buy certain vehicles. As much as some people don't want to hear it, sometimes an SUV is much more effective a vehicle choice.

But, speeding is another story. There is zero practical reason to speed in a daily commute. Montana? We can discuss that one. But I live in a mid-sized city, with stoplights every 15', and people still are doing 50 mph when they can.

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Swamp Rat

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:31 PM
Response to Original message

7. If you keep feeding a goldfish, they will not stop eating until they die.

When their pockets and bank accounts are empty, or when gas is $10.00 per gallon, or when there is NO MORE GAS, they will stop.

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Hoof Hearted

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:34 PM
Response to Reply #7

9. Need a graphic for that, Swamp Rat.

:thumbsup:

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Swamp Rat

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:48 PM
Response to Reply #9

10. The closest thing I have to feeding fish:

Poor shark. He's gonna have a tummy ache. :D

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AndyTiedye

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Mon Oct-15-07 11:32 PM
Response to Original message

8. Public Transit Routes Are Being Shut Down

In Chicago, they are going to shut down half the bus routes.

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TimBean

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Tue Oct-16-07 01:26 AM
Response to Original message

12. It takes a while for people to adjust thier driving habits

but sales of the hummer are going down, sales of hybrids are going up. It will take a few years for any effect to be seen.

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TimBean

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Tue Oct-16-07 01:26 AM
Response to Original message

13. It takes a while for people to adjust thier driving habits

but sales of the hummer are going down, sales of hybrids are going up. It will take a few years for any effect to be seen.

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tech3149

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Tue Oct-16-07 02:25 AM
Response to Original message

14. I adjusted my driving style and mileage at $2/gal

I guess those that didn't either don't care about how much money they're throwing away, or they wear it as a badge of honor because the cost doesn't matter to them. It might kill their kids, but it feeds their ego.

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Selatius

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Tue Oct-16-07 02:30 AM
Response to Original message

15. Push it to 5 dollars or 6 dollars a gallon. That will positively crush middle income folk

They will have no choice but to abandon SUVs in favor of smaller vehicles. Habits only change until after it is well too late.

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