Rising Gas Prices
A lot of people are really beginning to complain about rising gas prices here in the US, and with the per barrel price of crude oil futures soaring past $72, it’s only going to get worse. A bunch of CNN.com readers sent in their thoughts on rising gas prices, mostly to say they are having a hard time keeping the gas tanks in their SUV’s filled. I certainly couldn’t afford to pay $100 for a fill-up, only to drive 40 miles each way to work.
I’m one of the many people that have to drive to work each day, my trip is 128 miles each day, I stop for gas every two days so it never gets too low. At this writing I’m paying $2.69 a gallon. The trouble is that price goes up every day. The Exxon 3 blocks from my home went from $2.59 to $2.73 in one night. I’m now going for $80.00 to $85.00 a week just for five days. I don’t use the car on weekends if I don’t have to. When is GEORGE going to do something about it????
Bill, Clifton, New Jersey
I think the sentiment that Bill shares is shared by many, and I don’t agree with it. The problem isn’t the government’s failure to regulate our consumption of gas, or their failure to keep prices artificially low. The real problem is that people have chosen to live where they do, to drive the car they do, and to consume gasoline recklessly as they do. That’s why I bought a Vespa, and chose an apartment close to my office. It cost me $4.20 to fill up my tank, and on that tank I was able to drive over 100 miles on my LX 150. I imagine it will be some number of years before Americans truly change their lifestyles and adjust to the price of gas that Europeans have paid for years.