$3 and up at pump in '07?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mootsman @ Dec 29 2006, 05:31 PM) [snapback]368398[/snapback]</div>

Gas prices really aren't any higher than they were in the early 80's, adjusted for inflation. We've been used to such cheap gas the last 20 years that anything else grabs our attention, but really driving our vehicle is not the major cost in car ownership. Depreciation and maintenance costs more cents/mile than the actual gas, even for gas guzzlers (because they have more depreciation). The average person probably spends more on phone service plans than on gas. And, except for pickup trucks, the cheap cars tend to get good gas mileage. A Yaris is less than half the price of a Yukon, but gets twice the mileage. Of course, it also holds a lot less, but most Yukon drivers aren't hauling around more than 6 people at a time with any regularity. Mostly either one will be used for single-person commuting and grocery getting.

The best thing is a slow steady rise in gas prices, giving people time to adjust, until it more properly reflects the true cost to society, including asthma treatments, GHG emissions, our war in Iraq, etc. And hopefully more people will get out in bicycles for their small errands and get healthier while saving money. When people are looking for new work or new houses, then they can choose one near the other.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Dec 29 2006, 02:53 PM) [snapback]368345[/snapback]</div>

Makes sense to me. In Eastern Europe, they don't have much in the way of ornamental trees and grass yards. They have big gardens and grape arbors, and peaches and cherries and almonds, etc. many of which flower nicely during the year. This is true along roads and streets and back yards. It's a much better use of resources than we have here, and it was developed over centuries of time. If we did that here, then I wouldn't be bothered by urban sprawl, but the relatively big lots we have are completely wasted. Instead we pour massive amounts of water on our grass to keep it green, add chemical fertilizers and herbicides and insecticides (like Scott's 4-step plan or Chemlawn service), then use a nasty polluting lawnmower (1 hr=pollution from 1000 hrs of car emissions) to cut it back down. Then we complain about ground water pollution.

When we showed pictures of our typical 1/4 acre suburban house to my wife's grandmother (who grew up in a village in Bulgaria) she said we had enough room to keep a pig! I'm not sure I'd go that far, and I know the neighbors wouldn't be happy (we're not talking about a pet pot-bellied pig), but it's clear Americans have a different perspective on things.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Jan 3 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]370094[/snapback]</div>

Nicely said and correct on the facts. The IRS allows about $0.45 per business mile in 2006. In the gas price runup after Katrina, they raised it from $0.40 to $0.48. So most of the allowable cost is not gas. And you're just about on the money for phone services. The average US household spent about 4% of disposable income on gasoline, and something over 2% on phone service. Average spending on entertainment exceeds average spending for gas. (ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/ce/share/2005/age.txt) So gas prices get press coverage that is disproportionate to actual average impact.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Jan 3 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]370094[/snapback]</div>

I don't buy into the cost of gas in the 80's vs. inflation. ALL I care about is how much $$ I am saving weekly, is the Prius reliable, and I am helping save our world from my humble contribution. I intend to buy another Prius hopefull thid year. Then I can save another $20-25 a week. In this house our major expenses keep going up at a ridiculous rate. Our homeowners ins. went up 70% this year. It really sucks not having much money.