tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post3413181184303056477..comments2023-09-29T03:15:20.697-07:00Comments on Corner Kick: Four dollarsPJDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05028687955957107957noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-61701215942377527812008-05-27T08:20:00.000-07:002008-05-27T08:20:00.000-07:00There are still too many people who haven't got it...There are still too many people who haven't got it yet that pumping oil from the earth differs from leeching blood in one important respect, ie that we haven't the time to wait for stocks to replenish themselves.<BR/><BR/>It's the equivalent of $2.27 a litre in the UK — $9 a gallon if my conversion is right. That's a lot to pay for generating an invisible cloud of gridlocked road rage.Whirlochrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09846196906206886945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-60043540776595622472008-05-26T11:16:00.000-07:002008-05-26T11:16:00.000-07:00Um, stink!Um, stink!Sarah Laurensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252565450452195395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-52510086823425165722008-05-26T11:15:00.000-07:002008-05-26T11:15:00.000-07:00My 20 minute commute would take 90 minutes with a ...My 20 minute commute would take 90 minutes with a long walk on each end. L.A. has crappy public transit.<BR/><BR/>Portland, OR, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. have impressive public transit systems. N.Y. city - perhaps - if you hold your nose. Those subways stick.Sarah Laurensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252565450452195395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-3381134222054978452008-05-26T05:39:00.000-07:002008-05-26T05:39:00.000-07:00It is horrible, and like you, I'm so frustrated th...It is horrible, and like you, I'm so frustrated that things could have been different if Gore had been in office. I just pray that a democrat makes it in so we can start to work on these things, but as people have said, it's going to take time. Bush didn't want to get it. He didn't need to get it. <BR/><BR/>In the end, it's not really about SUV's - they are going to go away to what is necessary. We have one and find many uses for it, it is difficult to drive a truck load of kids or Costco purchases without a family car, so that's why so many of us have bought them. But I don't need the 4WD or whatever the truck part is. <BR/><BR/>The problem for me is in good conscience, I want a more eco-friendly car, but I haven't had car payments in years. With all the prices and costs of living, I can't add another thing. So eventually I will, until then, we drive the SUV around town and my smaller car to work.<BR/><BR/>I'm in LA too - I was researching how to drive the Metro via bus or train to work. Turns out a 20 minute commute would land me over 2 hours and not even get to my final destination. I would have to find a ride to get me over another 2 miles unless I walked that. Los Angeles has to think of a better system if we are to change the traffic problem here.WriterKathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01966875820095185649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-61746981016643960172008-05-25T18:00:00.000-07:002008-05-25T18:00:00.000-07:00In 1998, gas was under a dollar. 10 years later, i...In 1998, gas was under a dollar. 10 years later, it's over $4. That's a <B>huge</B> increase in just 10 years. I mean, other prices have gone up, but that's unbelievable. <BR/><BR/>One thing I think Europeans should remember (and if someone already talked about this, sorry, I didn't read the comments) is that they are much better equiped to not be reliant on automobiles. Now, I'm not saying that's not our own fault, but there are some things are out of our control. <BR/><BR/>In most middle to large size cities in the US (not counting New York, LA, etc.), public transportation is just <B>not</B> what it is in Europe. I know, I've lived in Europe: it's amazing there. Here, not so much. If I were to take public transportation to work from where I live, it would take me over an hour to get there as opposed to my normal 15 minute commute. You have to consider your time to be worth something too... and mine ends up being worth a lot more than a gallon of gas costs, even at $4 a gallon.<BR/><BR/>Plus, walking is safer in Europe in cities. I've considered ditching my car and walking to and from work here (I live 3.5 miles away), but there aren't sidewalks that go everywhere and I would spend a lot of that time walking without sidewalks in very heavy traffic zones. Thus, I get out the car daily. <BR/><BR/>If public transportation was better here, I would definitely use it. And part of the reason (in my opinion) that it is so good in Europe is that they have had higher priced gasoline for so long. Perhaps it's time our cities started learning a few things from them.TChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02487739742081226423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-8004412559691558352008-05-25T11:57:00.000-07:002008-05-25T11:57:00.000-07:00Oh, and I drive a Prius. Paying as much for my gas...Oh, and I drive a Prius. Paying as much for my gas now as I did when I had the Saturn sedan getting half the mileage. But I have the monthly car note that I didn't have before. Bought mine used. Like it a lot. (Last fill up - $4.05/gallon)Sarah Laurensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252565450452195395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-53747351484647164512008-05-25T11:55:00.000-07:002008-05-25T11:55:00.000-07:00Nice rant. And thanks for the link to WW's. Both m...Nice rant. And thanks for the link to WW's. Both make very good points.<BR/><BR/>I live in L.A. - land of Hummers and SUVs in extreme conspicuous consumption. No snow, hardly any rain, no real wilderness to drive through, no need for humongous gas guzzlers.<BR/><BR/>Are they the total problem? Nope. Symptom for sure. Lots of status BS going on out here. And now they're paying through the nose to gas up those behemoths. Cry me an effing river.<BR/><BR/>So kudos to you who need the 4x4s to be able to live your life. And condolences to those who can't afford to live in these times. One can only hope that things will turn around after the next election. But it's going to take time.Sarah Laurensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09252565450452195395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-32346070773761357222008-05-24T14:36:00.000-07:002008-05-24T14:36:00.000-07:00I understand some people need an SUV, but falling ...I understand some people need an SUV, but falling new SUV sales and rising used SUV sales point towards a lot of people realizing they didn't <I>really</I> need one. That's who Pete was railing against. There was an article on SFGate a while back about some guy trying to sell his SUV and get a minivan. He said he'd bought the SUV for his daughter's safety...is his daughter less safe now, and/or is her safety worth less to him now? Hmm...<BR/><BR/>Four dollars a gallon is definitely symbolic. I don't drive much, and when I do it's usually in our 2002 Prius (45-50MPG, SULEV, 11 gallon tank), so the total isn't as shocking as for many people, but when I started doing the math about how much say a 50 mile round trip costs ($4.00+ for gas plus wear-and-tear) vs. the same trip on BART ($7.70) and it's no wonder ridership goes up when gas prices do. What's even more jarring is the $5.00+ a gallon for diesel at a lot of stations.<BR/><BR/>I just wish public transit was as good here as it is many places in Europe :-(Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08542931247957198888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-75972621058441433912008-05-24T07:19:00.000-07:002008-05-24T07:19:00.000-07:00BRAVA! Bravissimi! Great post! I think there ar...BRAVA! Bravissimi! Great post! I think there are a million sides to the debate, and you covered the main ones in a compassionate, but challenging, way.<BR/><BR/>And, yeah, I drive a big ol' Honda Odyssey, so we've had to rethink our budget to include the new gas costs, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-24604356611941260312008-05-23T17:26:00.000-07:002008-05-23T17:26:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Robin S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03258459688300851984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-60024773317855107042008-05-23T12:59:00.000-07:002008-05-23T12:59:00.000-07:00Pete,Today I filled my car up - it cost me $54.83 ...Pete,<BR/><BR/>Today I filled my car up - it cost me $54.83 (Northern Virginia- Metro DC area).<BR/><BR/>Just last summer I enjoye dmaking fun of British 'petrol' prices, saying crap like "How the hell do they afford t o drive anywhere?" Filling up our van when we took the van back to the rental place in London en route to Heathrow invariably cost us $85-$90 American.<BR/><BR/>Well, we're closing in, aren't we?<BR/>Shit.<BR/><BR/>Britain in big with brains and history and (inmy estimation) stature on the world stage, but SMALL geographically speaking. They don't live and die by their automotive transport. We kinda do.<BR/><BR/>I'm unhappy. And, frankly and not at all bitchily, I can afford this. How about the so-many that really can't? This is freaky time stuff.Robin S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03258459688300851984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-34181380456983112802008-05-23T12:52:00.000-07:002008-05-23T12:52:00.000-07:00Hey, Peter, email me if you want to know about my ...Hey, Peter, email me if you want to know about my car. ;) writtenwyrdd at earthlink dot net. I was going to email you, but you don't have one posted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-28558372671228977112008-05-23T12:38:00.000-07:002008-05-23T12:38:00.000-07:00Other friends: WW's rant is an excellent read and...Other friends: WW's rant is an excellent read and can be found <A HREF="http://writtenwyrdd.typepad.com/writtenwyrdd/2008/05/a-rant---aim-that-negativity-elsewhere-please.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.PJDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05028687955957107957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-52740056852993752742008-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:002008-05-23T11:30:00.000-07:00That's exactly who I thought you were referring to...That's exactly who I thought you were referring to, but honestly, I get so tired of being slammed for an SUV I need. Sorry for ranting at you. Instead, I've ranted on my own blog on the topic. Which I'll probably regret. WWAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-36897087126181171352008-05-23T10:56:00.000-07:002008-05-23T10:56:00.000-07:00WW, excellent points. 25 MPG SUV? What brand do ...WW, excellent points. 25 MPG SUV? What brand do you have? That's awesome. It might even be better than our Subaru Outback, which I think is 23. But it's a partial zero emissions vehicle (PZEV), so I don't feel quite so guilty.<BR/><BR/><B>FULL DISCLOSURE:</B> I drive a Toyota 4Runner. From 1994. It gets somewhere between 16 and 18 MPG. We have used it when 4x4 was necessary and originally got it to tow a sailboat which we no longer have. Mostly I drive it to the train station and soccer games, roughly 25 miles a week.<BR/><BR/>What I rail against is the purchase of a Tahoe or Suburban for the family with two (or even three) kids that never leaves the burbs. Mostly they eschew minivans or wagons simply because of the "mom" image factor.PJDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05028687955957107957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-62524670084867701592008-05-23T10:44:00.000-07:002008-05-23T10:44:00.000-07:00Peter, I understand the hostility against SUVs in ...Peter, I understand the hostility against SUVs in San Francisco (truly ridiculous) but I own an SUV because it keeps me on the road in teh winter. I have to have it and it's saved my life, I do believe. Lots of folks need to have 4x4s in order to drive in truly foul weather. We also do not have any alternative means of transportation such as busses, trains, etc. I carpool, but that only goes so far. <BR/><BR/>The really ironic thing is that many of the cars out there get worse gas mileage than my SUV, which gets 25! <BR/><BR/>It's the mileage and all the must-drive-my-kids-effing-everywhere syndrome that burns gas.<BR/><BR/>But you are right; our nation is arrogant and is getting the metaphorical boot up our collective asses.<BR/><BR/>writtenwyrddAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-1804252433306679912008-05-23T09:14:00.000-07:002008-05-23T09:14:00.000-07:00Sorry for jumping the gun there! But if I may... I...Sorry for jumping the gun there! But if I may... I'm standing up and giving you an ovation. WOOT! WOOT! I second EVERYTHING you just said. And it's not just the US - Tony Blair jumped straight into bed with Dubya and dragged the UK in too. <BR/>November 6th 1999 was my 33rd birthday. I stayed up way into the night to get the result of the Presidential Election and I slept soundly that night because I was sure Gore was in. What a different world it would've been indeed.JaneyVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04951739945670483199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-40839525800396322862008-05-23T08:46:00.000-07:002008-05-23T08:46:00.000-07:00Just so everyone knows, Jane and Ello both comment...Just so everyone knows, Jane and Ello both commented on the photo alone, before I added the text of the post.PJDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05028687955957107957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-91012103347653176852008-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:002008-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:00Don't FREAKING REMIND ME!!!!ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...Don't FREAKING REMIND ME!!!!<BR/><BR/>ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<BR/><BR/>Going for gas now is actually a phsyically sickening acitivity these days.Ello - Ellen Ohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311917335471167591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-58104601240229488172008-05-23T08:12:00.000-07:002008-05-23T08:12:00.000-07:00Oh, Jane, I know it's far more expensive in Europe...Oh, Jane, I know it's far more expensive in Europe. For me, the $4 a gallon threshold is symbolic. It was not long ago that "experts" here were saying gas was highly unlikely even to reach $3 a gallon.PJDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05028687955957107957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014482.post-88980782749831709122008-05-23T07:57:00.000-07:002008-05-23T07:57:00.000-07:00Oh it's hellishly expensive over here. Last time ...Oh it's hellishly expensive over here. Last time I filled up I put 48.5L in my 50L tank and it cost me £53 which I worked out is about $100 so I think that means we're paying roughly <I>twice</I> as much over here. Most of it's on tax.<BR/>I guess if it takes all the <I>unnecessary</I> cars off the roads and makes them safer for bike riding that'll be a good thing but I'm not sure that people are ready to give up their cars so easily.<BR/><BR/>I picked a good time to move to the country and be totally dependant on mine didn't I?JaneyVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04951739945670483199noreply@blogger.com