Residents find ways to combat gas prices

[DoYouEverWonder]

April 26, 2006

General contractor Chip Erickson tries to leave his 3/4-ton truck at home these days and retreat to his 1994 Buick, but it often isn't possible.

"There's always material I have to haul, and all my tools are in the truck," said Erickson, who lives in Seminole and estimates he drives 2,000 to 2,500 miles a month. "When I bought the truck, diesel was 99 cents a gallon. Now it's pushing $3. "Filling up the truck is $85 a pop, so if I don't have to use it, I don't."

Erickson, who says he gets 15 mpg when the truck isn't carrying a heavy load says he substitutes phone calls for road trips when he can. "I'm having to add the cost of fuel to the prices I quote for jobs."

Like Erickson and nearly every other driver in the United States, motorists in the Tampa Bay area are trying to find ways around soaring fuel prices. Increasingly, some are using buses, bicycles and motor scooters.

Among dozens of people interviewed this week, only one wasn't concerned about fuel prices. But she was riding a small motor scooter that gets 86 miles to the gallon.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/26/Tampabay/Residents_find_ways_t.shtml


This is the only way to have an impact on Big Oil, cut back as much as possible. Time to get creative folks.

[Demit]

1. "so if I don't have to use it, I don't." That's common sense at any time.

[apnu]

3. Which is something oddly lacking in the American mind.

Last June I went to a hybrid that I drive maybe once a month. I'm lucky to have the CTA here in Chicago, but I've also purchased a bike and I'm further reducing my transportation (and fuel/energy costs) by riding to work as often as I can. Those weren't common sense decisions, they were deliberate and very conscious decisions to give the finger to Big Oil (And the CTA, who's a bunch of robber barons too)

But sadly, last year when I bought the Hybrid, everybody I spoke with (except for DU of course) thought I was insane for getting one. Explanations about the tax break (the $2000 one that just expired), easing dependence on oil (foreign or domestic), and a greatly lowered emissions (my Escape has something like a .08 emissions rating, my old Escort had a .8!) And they thought I was more insane insane for getting a bike and actually using it as part of my commute! Common sense indeed, why buy a bike if you aren't going to use it? Just last week one of the commodity brokers I work with comes over to my cube, sees my bike and says "Hybrid... bike... you don't care what the price of crude (oil) is!" No shit Sherlock, I went out and cut my fuel consumption when I saw $2.25 gas.

A day doesn't go buy when I'm not confronted with the lack common sense of my fellow country men, and further shocked by their stupidity.

[RebelOne]

4. We are not all stupid. Some of us do not have any other choice.

Where I live public transportation is not an option because there isn't any. I drive 30 miles round-trip to work, so a bike is out of the question. And I cannot afford to buy a hybrid car or any other car for that matter.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Is moving closer an option?

I had a job at one point and lucked into an apartment 2 blocks away, now it's about a 5 minute drive. I would never go back to commuting. Since then what I've done is first I find a job and then I would look for a place that was in the closest 'nice' neighborhood. The improvement to lifestyle is incredible. Being able to go home for lunch is a big plus too.

[DamnYank]

9. Many of us live in the boondocks

because we can't afford housing prices closer to town. I would love to live close to my workplace, or at least close enough to be able to use the bus. But home prices are obscene. Even rent in any halfway decent place costs as much if not more than a mortgage. So reducing gas consumption by asking people to live closer to their workplaces isn't always a feasible option.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. 180 degrees from the RW "use it until it's all gone" mentality.

Don't you love this "I can afford it so to hell with everyone else" crap?

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. That's the Repug/Freeper mentality

Very unchristian if you ask me.

[Mika]

7. Not unchristian for fundies that believe that end times are nigh.

My regular UPS delivery guy (a fundie) tells me that the end times are here - that's why he bought a Hummer.

I asked him 'why bother to send your kids to school if end times are here?'.. he doesn't.. they are home skooled.

:crazy:

[400Years]

8. hell, why skool them at all, why did he even have a kid?

[Bandit]

10. While I agree it is common sense to conserve I disagree it will

cause the oil companies to lower costs. In fact I think it will accomplish the opposite. If they start making less money from lower sales they will in fact increase prices to keep their profits up. Their stockholders will demand it...IMO though I say Fuck them....

[ckramer]

11. I bet the bicycle dealers are making a killing!

Should have brought one earlier.