Speaking of gas prices...
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startSince I have no car, I'd just see the indirect effects (which possibly aren't all bad), so there's no real "breaking point" I could name.
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygen -- modified at 18:42 Thursday 1st September, 2005 -
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startI work from home - I travel the 12 miles into the office once or twice a week, so could handle much, much higher petrol prices. I also live in the UK where petrol is 80% tax and already cost's ~$7USD a gallon!!! I probably fill my car once a month - maybe less. I drive ~5,000 miles a year - well under the average. My wife drives even less (we fill her 10 year old diesel VW Vento once every 2 months). I consider myself lucky - but I used to live literally 2 minutes from my office, so a 12 miles car journey took some getting used to! I know that some situations demand a long commute for some people, but I just couldn't imagine commuting a long distance to work. A friend of mine commutes to Bristol every day - 130 mile round trip, sucking 2 or 3 hours of his life away every working day. I'd go mad if I had to do that - I'd quit or move closer to the office. I also find it really fucking annoying when I see people in my office stroll in at 9:30 and then sneak off at 4:30 because they choose to live 60 miles away. Grrrr. I think a lot more people could work from home. People could car share too. On the estate where I live there must be 6 or 7 people that work in my office - one guy lives in the next street FFS - yet we all drive in separately. Perhaps we *need* high petrol prices to force us to conserve - 'cos we sure as hell aren't going to do anything unless we have to! Public transport where I live is a joke - and I am lucky enough to live near to a train station (a 10 minute walk). I could get half a dozen trains to London (~50 miles east) between 7 and 8AM, but the 12 miles in the other direction to my office? One train. And sometimes it just doesn't run, with no explanation offered. The bus journey would be "round the houses" and would take over an hour. On the days I go in, I leave home early (~7:30) and it takes 15 - 20 minutes - maybe 30 minutes coming home if I leave at 5PM. Can public transport offer me that convenience? Not a chance. Are people going to give up their air-conditioned cars for a sweaty bus? Not until petrol prices triple - quadruple maybe. You'd have to drag most people I know kicking and screaming onto public transport! So, more people should, if possible, give working from home a try - I know some companies frown upon it - and it DOES take discipline - but I am more productive at home (plus I get to see a lot more of my family, so am a happier bunny) than the days I have a queue of people at my office door. At the company I work, the chairman is a big fan of
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startI live about 18 miles from my work with 14.5 mpg (I have to deal with a lot of traffic, those 18 miles usually take me an hour :wtf: ). I might be at the breaking point now. :~ X| My wife's job requires her to drive around the city almost every day. She fills up her 13 gallon tank at least twice a week. (Her car has better gas mileage, >20mpg) Thinking about it is depressing. :(( -J
Think of a computer program. Somewhere, there is one key instruction, and everything else is just functions calling themselves, or brackets billowing out endlessly through an infinite address space. What happens when the brackets collapse? Where's the final 'end if'? Is any of this making sense? -Ford Prefect
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startNitron wrote: What's your breaking point? When I can no longer budget driving. That, hopefully, will be years away. Work hopefully will put in a telecomuting policy (actually we have one, but the base refused it). It will become difficult to attract good workers out here since 50 miles a day is easy. Vanpools are costing $5 a day in a large van. People like me with odd hours will demand regular hours (which I am already pressuring for) so that carpools are possible. I go through about 12 gallons a week. I will never be rich, don't really have any goals of that either. Any surplus is saved, donated, or spent depending on the month. As long as I can put away my own retirement I'll be happy, I'm not married, will never have kids (unless step or adopted) so anything left after I die will just be donated also. I would like to buy a house someday, and the gas prices are slowing that down, as well as hobby spending. Food and other goods prices just went up 1-10% everywhere in town due to cost of delivering goods, so the gas prices are starting to affect everything. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
-
I work from home - I travel the 12 miles into the office once or twice a week, so could handle much, much higher petrol prices. I also live in the UK where petrol is 80% tax and already cost's ~$7USD a gallon!!! I probably fill my car once a month - maybe less. I drive ~5,000 miles a year - well under the average. My wife drives even less (we fill her 10 year old diesel VW Vento once every 2 months). I consider myself lucky - but I used to live literally 2 minutes from my office, so a 12 miles car journey took some getting used to! I know that some situations demand a long commute for some people, but I just couldn't imagine commuting a long distance to work. A friend of mine commutes to Bristol every day - 130 mile round trip, sucking 2 or 3 hours of his life away every working day. I'd go mad if I had to do that - I'd quit or move closer to the office. I also find it really fucking annoying when I see people in my office stroll in at 9:30 and then sneak off at 4:30 because they choose to live 60 miles away. Grrrr. I think a lot more people could work from home. People could car share too. On the estate where I live there must be 6 or 7 people that work in my office - one guy lives in the next street FFS - yet we all drive in separately. Perhaps we *need* high petrol prices to force us to conserve - 'cos we sure as hell aren't going to do anything unless we have to! Public transport where I live is a joke - and I am lucky enough to live near to a train station (a 10 minute walk). I could get half a dozen trains to London (~50 miles east) between 7 and 8AM, but the 12 miles in the other direction to my office? One train. And sometimes it just doesn't run, with no explanation offered. The bus journey would be "round the houses" and would take over an hour. On the days I go in, I leave home early (~7:30) and it takes 15 - 20 minutes - maybe 30 minutes coming home if I leave at 5PM. Can public transport offer me that convenience? Not a chance. Are people going to give up their air-conditioned cars for a sweaty bus? Not until petrol prices triple - quadruple maybe. You'd have to drag most people I know kicking and screaming onto public transport! So, more people should, if possible, give working from home a try - I know some companies frown upon it - and it DOES take discipline - but I am more productive at home (plus I get to see a lot more of my family, so am a happier bunny) than the days I have a queue of people at my office door. At the company I work, the chairman is a big fan of
Robert Edward Caldecott wrote: Public transport where I live is a joke We have one bus, that arrives at each location every 2 hours for 3 stops a day, morning, mid-day and after-noon. The only train coming through is cargo, never stops. There is no public transportation to speak of. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startNitron wrote: What's your breaking point? Now. And too late, at that. I have gas guzzling Ford Explorer, 15MPG city / 18MPG highway. My girfriend has a 12 year old Mercury Tracer that gets 40MPG highway. We had to take a 350 mile round trip today to CT. Guess what car we drove? That's right--the Tracer. I'm considering syphoning the gas out of the Explorer at this point. And the one Prius we saw in our travels I looked at with envy. I'm definitely starting that search tonight, though I hear there are long waiting lists for hybrids and electric vehicles. One good thing is, where we moved to just recently, our driving is down to maybe 50 miles a week, if that. The only problem is, there are some nasty hills around here, otherwise I'd be biking for more than just exercise. Marc My website
Latest Articles: Object Comparer String Helpers -
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startNitron wrote: What's your breaking point? Heh. Three years ago, i predicted $3/gal. So much for making predictions. It'll probably come when i'm flat broke, have sold most of my posessions, and am faced with selling my car to pay rent. There's no place in this town (and from what i've seen, not too many in this state) where i can live in walking/biking distance of both work and the shops, and without that there's little point in moving to conserve gas. I already work from home when i can get away with it. Eliminating trips to see friends and family will probably be the first major thing to go. Frankly, i'm lucky - my commute is maybe 30 miles, round-trip, a day. That's still around $6. Back when i was in school, i was driving much, much further, and making barely enough to pay for gas at $1/gal.
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startEl Gas Solution for the Liberals
El Gas Solution for the Conservatives He is smart. He will make our Windows go.
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
startPersonally, I don't know the answer to this. I live about a half hour ( probably about 40-50 klm ) from work, essentially in the country. There's no public transport, which is what I expect to see change. Actually, I can see the river, I've seriously wondered about the cost of buying a small boat. I see a ferry running along the river as being quite lucrative, actually. I think more people are going to try to live closer to the city. For me, that's not an option. My goal is to be self sufficient, a goal I am rapidly moving towards ( I should have all my own veggies and fruit and heaps to sell within a year, already drowning in eggs and growing some meat ). Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
-
Nitron wrote: What's your breaking point? Now. And too late, at that. I have gas guzzling Ford Explorer, 15MPG city / 18MPG highway. My girfriend has a 12 year old Mercury Tracer that gets 40MPG highway. We had to take a 350 mile round trip today to CT. Guess what car we drove? That's right--the Tracer. I'm considering syphoning the gas out of the Explorer at this point. And the one Prius we saw in our travels I looked at with envy. I'm definitely starting that search tonight, though I hear there are long waiting lists for hybrids and electric vehicles. One good thing is, where we moved to just recently, our driving is down to maybe 50 miles a week, if that. The only problem is, there are some nasty hills around here, otherwise I'd be biking for more than just exercise. Marc My website
Latest Articles: Object Comparer String HelpersMarc Clifton wrote: I have gas guzzling Ford Explorer, 15MPG city / 18MPG highway One has to ask why ? Marc Clifton wrote: And the one Prius we saw in our travels I looked at with envy. I'm definitely starting that search tonight, though I hear there are long waiting lists for hybrids and electric vehicles. Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. Marc Clifton wrote: otherwise I'd be biking for more than just exercise. Yeah, I used to do that, but it's no longer viable, because of how far out we live. I've wondered if there's anywhere in town I can leave a horse, tho.... Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
-
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
starti drive between 18 and 22 miles to work each way (depending on the route i choose). that's a full tank of gas every 7 days ($40+). today when it hit $3.00/gal, i started giving serious thought to working from home a day or two each week, and cursing myself for not buying a Prius instead of a Solara convertible. Cleek | Image Toolkits | Thumbnail maker
-
Marc Clifton wrote: I have gas guzzling Ford Explorer, 15MPG city / 18MPG highway One has to ask why ? Marc Clifton wrote: And the one Prius we saw in our travels I looked at with envy. I'm definitely starting that search tonight, though I hear there are long waiting lists for hybrids and electric vehicles. Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. Marc Clifton wrote: otherwise I'd be biking for more than just exercise. Yeah, I used to do that, but it's no longer viable, because of how far out we live. I've wondered if there's anywhere in town I can leave a horse, tho.... Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
Christian Graus wrote: One has to ask why ? Five years ago, there was some practicality involved based on where I was living and the family needs. It seemed better than a minivan. Things have changed a bit since then. Christian Graus wrote: Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. The Prius[^] is a great car from Toyota. Honda[^] also has a hybrid. Ironically, the American companies are coming out with 35MPG or greater SUV hybrids. :rolleyes: Marc My website
Latest Articles: Object Comparer String Helpers -
Christian Graus wrote: One has to ask why ? Five years ago, there was some practicality involved based on where I was living and the family needs. It seemed better than a minivan. Things have changed a bit since then. Christian Graus wrote: Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. The Prius[^] is a great car from Toyota. Honda[^] also has a hybrid. Ironically, the American companies are coming out with 35MPG or greater SUV hybrids. :rolleyes: Marc My website
Latest Articles: Object Comparer String HelpersMarc Clifton wrote: It seemed better than a minivan. Things have changed a bit since then. Yeah, my wife mounted a campaign for a minvan. Having read a lot about the impending oil crisis, I mounted a holding action. She doesn't want one anymore. Marc Clifton wrote: The Prius[^] is a great car from Toyota. Honda[^] also has a hybrid. Brilliant - are many people buying them ? Marc Clifton wrote: Ironically, the American companies are coming out with 35MPG or greater SUV hybrids. That's just great.... Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
-
Marc Clifton wrote: I have gas guzzling Ford Explorer, 15MPG city / 18MPG highway One has to ask why ? Marc Clifton wrote: And the one Prius we saw in our travels I looked at with envy. I'm definitely starting that search tonight, though I hear there are long waiting lists for hybrids and electric vehicles. Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. Marc Clifton wrote: otherwise I'd be biking for more than just exercise. Yeah, I used to do that, but it's no longer viable, because of how far out we live. I've wondered if there's anywhere in town I can leave a horse, tho.... Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
Christian Graus wrote: Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. Yes, I've had one for 18 months as of next week. Unfortunately it is because I drive so far everyday, so my gas mileage may be high, but my mileage is high too. Still, it beats the heck out of the little Nissan I had before. :) There is a waiting list on almost all hybrids, regardless of how much folks make fun of us who drive them, the still sell fast. Unfortunately, marketing practices for hybrids add every possible item to the hybrid, they know it will sell anyway. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
-
Marc Clifton wrote: It seemed better than a minivan. Things have changed a bit since then. Yeah, my wife mounted a campaign for a minvan. Having read a lot about the impending oil crisis, I mounted a holding action. She doesn't want one anymore. Marc Clifton wrote: The Prius[^] is a great car from Toyota. Honda[^] also has a hybrid. Brilliant - are many people buying them ? Marc Clifton wrote: Ironically, the American companies are coming out with 35MPG or greater SUV hybrids. That's just great.... Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++
Christian Graus wrote: Brilliant - are many people buying them ? My understanding is that Japan can't make the cars fast enough for the demand. There's apparently a long wait period, but I don't know. I'm actually doing some research on it right now. BTW, here's a link on all the available hybrids: http://www.pricequotes.com/cars/newhybrids.html[^] Marc My website
Latest Articles: Object Comparer String Helpers -
Christian Graus wrote: Are there hybrid/electric vehicles on the market in the US ? That's great news. Yes, I've had one for 18 months as of next week. Unfortunately it is because I drive so far everyday, so my gas mileage may be high, but my mileage is high too. Still, it beats the heck out of the little Nissan I had before. :) There is a waiting list on almost all hybrids, regardless of how much folks make fun of us who drive them, the still sell fast. Unfortunately, marketing practices for hybrids add every possible item to the hybrid, they know it will sell anyway. _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote: Still, it beats the heck out of the little Nissan I had before. :wtf: They make little Nissans, too? For me, Nissan = Patrol[^] :) Never forget: "Stay kul and happy" (I.A.)
David's thoughts / dnhsoftware.org / MyHTMLTidy -
Jeffry J. Brickley wrote: Still, it beats the heck out of the little Nissan I had before. :wtf: They make little Nissans, too? For me, Nissan = Patrol[^] :) Never forget: "Stay kul and happy" (I.A.)
David's thoughts / dnhsoftware.org / MyHTMLTidy -
ha! *Crocodile Dundee voice* That is a bitty car? This[^] is a bitty car :cool: Never forget: "Stay kul and happy" (I.A.)
David's thoughts / dnhsoftware.org / MyHTMLTidy -
What's your breaking point? That is, when do you feel the price of fuel will hit you so hard that you will seriously consider a life-changing event to cope. (i.e. get an elec car, move, find new job, etc.) I am fortunate enough to live 3.4 miles from where I work, so I drive ~34 miles to/from work every week. My car gets ~16 MPG with a 14 Gal tank (~224 Mi/Tank) So, _just_ going to work means I use ~2.125 gal/wk, or ~9.208gal/mo. @ $3USD/gal that's still only $27.64/mo in fuel to/from work. I think $5USD is my breaking point, and sadly I feel it will be there within the next 3-4 years. Secondly, what do you see as potential ramifications? More localization/urbanization? People living closer to things and cities growing? Useful public transportation? ~Nitron.
ññòòïðïðB A
start -
ha! *Crocodile Dundee voice* That is a bitty car? This[^] is a bitty car :cool: Never forget: "Stay kul and happy" (I.A.)
David's thoughts / dnhsoftware.org / MyHTMLTidydnh wrote: That is a bitty car? This[^] is a bitty car so be this.[^] I actually have more room in my civic than in the old sentra, more Hp, better gas mileage and lower maintenance. :) I call it a win-win-win. :) glad I didn't take the insight, I wouldn't be able to pick up recording gear this weekend. :-D _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
