The Price of Gas (how much is too much?)

I admit, I try to buy the cheapest gas I can find. My Ford Explorer seems to run better on 89 octane, though, so I still have to pay a little extra, no matter where I go. I try to stay away from “no-name” gas stations, and I have found the lowest prices are consistently at ARCO, at least here in my neck of the woods.

That’s as close to a free plug as it’s going to get. Run with it, ARCO!

But the last time I was at the gas station, I paid $2.03/gallon for 89 octane. My tank was just about empty, so I had no choice…at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

The deal is this: gas is too damn expensive, and the oil companies should be ashamed of their blatant price inflation, War or no War. The only real problem, this time, is that we have to be ready to shoulder a large part of the blame, too. That’s “we”, as in you and me, the average consumer, we who insist on driving cars.

There. I said it.

Let’s start with me: I actually live close enough to work that I could comfortably ride my bicycle and still get there within 30 minutes. And in my little neighborhood, almost all of the most-needed shops (grocery, video rentals, post office) are within easy walking distance. So I could actually give up my car for the better part of the week, and just save it for those times when I need get across town, or escape to the beach.

So it’s possible, but I’m not yet uncomfortable enough with the current gas prices to make those changes. Hey, I walk to the grocery store, but it’s not the best one in the area. The better ones are a 10-minute drive away. And the bike-ride-to-work thing? Getting there is not the problem, but the ride home is 4 miles all uphill. That’s not something I can see myself looking forward to after a long day in the office. Call me a sissy. Hmmm, maybe I’ll trade my 16-miles-per-gallon Explorer in for a 45-miles-per-gallon motorcycle…

But what about you? Are you pissed off at the high price of gas, and are you prepared to do something about it? I guess what I’m getting at is the fact that we, as a Nation, are being pushed to a decision point. We proved to the oil companies for the last few years that we would NOT stop buying gas once it crested the $2/gallon level. But when WILL we push back? $3/gallon? $4? Can you imagine filling up your 13 gallon tank at $5 a gallon? That’s $65!

Realistically, the American oil companies will probably not get that greedy. They’ve got to know that they’ll cause a major consumer uprising if they price gas too high. And the American auto industry is not positioned for a sudden shift in consumer thoughts about the price of gas…their investment in high horsepower, low mileage vehicles would be at risk. I’m not just talking about pickup trucks and SUVs, but all of the sporty luxury sedans that are making upwards of 200hp.

The bottom line is this: we are way overdue for a change in our attitudes about transportation…what it means to us, how important it is, personal versus mass transit, utilitarian versus status symbol. The fact that we’ll pay exorbitant amounts of money just for gasoline means that we’re still in denial about the whole deal. Time to wake up, America.

More later...
Paul