Shut up and Drive

Just checked out these two articles on Yahoo News! And had to comment.

First up this article is entitled Why Gas in the US is so Cheap. Now I knew where they were going with this but to others not versed in the gas prices of other countries this seems like a ridiculous statement! Although our gas is about $4.00 right now which seems insane, especially when compared to our history of gas growth rising at a much lower pace, in much of Europe the gas is about $8.00 a gallon!


This wide gap is in part due to our love of driving and therefore using more gas than other countries and relatively low taxes, in particular our low gas tax. Many other countries taxes are much higher than ours (but then again their tax dollars earn them free universal health care coverage so I wonder if it all evens out…).

But naturally, goes the article, that doesn’t make us feel any better. After all this was a jump that we couldn’t prepare for (much like our gas and electric and water bill jumps) where in those countries the gas has always been high.

I wish we were an oil producing country like Venezuela where gas is only 12 cents a gallon (can you imagine!)

Of course, the countries with the high gas cost have waaaay better public transportation systems (they better have!) so they aren’t too bad off. So I guess states like Maryland, particularly Baltimore, have to start taking serious action on making a better public transportation system. Hint, hint- maybe even one that can connect us to subway stations that actually go to D.C/V.A. like, I don’t know, Greenbelt, MD? Or more stops that connect to towns in the county like Woodlawn, Towson, Columbia? I’m just saying… Prices aren’t going to go back down significantly, call me negative or a realist but we should be prepared for this to be our new way of life. Might as well get adjusted or start walking more.

On a side note, I’ve looked, not aggressively though, and cannot seem to understand how the price of oil decreased but the cost of gas is still going up? Are we getting played?

Also, for you people trying to conserve your gas (and who isn’t) here is a site that very specifically tells you how to do such- http://www.cleanmpg.com/
(btw- apparently the myth that having windows down or using your A.C. eats up gas is not true- the difference between those who do and those who don’t is miniscule, particularly when driving on the highway (the tip is when on the highway use the A.C. when in town use your windows to be more efficient with gas)
http://news.carjunky.com/air-conditioning-versus-open-windows-abc477.shtml


In another driving related article 9 out of 10 women, ages 18-43, polled would rather chat up a guy in a fuel efficient car. So listen up all you guys in your fancy sports cars and SUVs, you’ll get more head turns from women in your hybrid. Is this a continued sign that younger people are more earth conscious than before or simply a response to the growing gas costs? What does a gas guzzler actually say about a man that a woman would prefer, say, a Nissan Sentra driver over an SUV driver? That he’s not earth friendly and therefore not suitable to date? That he’s not wise with money? Not sure I could make such a leap although I’m no friend of SUVs or trucks. All I know is one less SUV off the road makes me all the happier. Power to the tree huggers or at the very least, the economically conscious!

Image courtesy of - http://www.automotoportal.com/article/all-you-need-to-know-about-hybrid-cars