Having recently returned from a trip to Spain with my wife I've taken alot of notice of the ever increasing cost of gas. While in Spain we saw $7.25 for a gallon, although because we used public transportation we didn't directly pay this much. We did take note of the many differiences between Spain and the U.S. when it comes to fuel consumption. One being that I did not think I was going to see a pick-up truck the whole trip until on our seventh day I finally saw a small Toyota pick-up. That was the last one I saw for the rest of the trip. I thought to myself that In ten minutes of standing downtown back home I would probably see a dozen or so. We also noted the vast number of scooters and motorcycles used. They were everywhere. Rain or shine, parked along the street in special narrow stalls or along the outer edge of the sidewalk. People from all walks of life were using them. There were men in fine suits, women in dresses, young and old, just about anyone was on a scooter. There were plenty of cars though, mostly very small. But an s.u.v. was very rare. Public transportation was affordable and plentiful. You could even rent a bike from a vending rack. Trains and busses were usually full but easy to get on. Whether you were traveling around town or from town to town you could find a bus or train to fit your needs. So anyway, were back home and all I hear is wha wha wha, boo hoo hoo, it cost me $100.00 to fill up my Escalade. It seems we all want cheap gas (me too) but we dont do much to help ourselves. We continue with our same ol' fuelish habits, continue to drive our armored beasts, then whine away. My question is, for the sake of this post, what are you doing differently in your own lifestyle to change your fuel usage, if possible, or are you just whining? Oh, and by the way this is not a post about oil company profits, overcharging, price gouging, or other fuel related issues. For those you may start another post.
I agree with what you are saying and I have made changes in my habits. I have been saying for a few months people will not change the way they conserve but they will complain about the prices. My prediction is once we top the $4.01 mark people will start to change habits. I drive a large Dodge truck with the big engine "of course". My wife drives a four cylinder mini SUV thingy. For the past few months my truck sits in the garage and I ride my motorcycle when I am not with the family and the family takes the mini SUV. I will say it took me $60.00 to fill my truck last but I can proudly say this tank of gas has lasted me for over four months. Other changes I have made.....I check the air pressure on my tires weekly, I change the air filter when the oil is changed, I don't floor it getting up to speed from a stop sign and coast longer when coming to a stop sign, but the biggest habit I had to break is I do not let my vehicles sit and idle when I am not moving. I do all of this not because I am a "enviromental lover" but merely because I am a normal everyday American that tries to stay on a budget so I can keep my bills paid.
