Most North Americans are pretty frustrated these days with fuel prices reaching and exceeding post-Katrina levels already this spring without the added pressure of a mid-summer gas crunch or some natural disaster to blame. The price for an average gallon of regular (if you haven't heard it two or three times yet today on your various doomsday news outlets) has reached $3.19. Heaven help the commuters in parts like Maui or San Francisco where fuel is approaching $5/gal.
Actually, come to think of it, commuters in Hawaii?, never mind them.
Sure, in relative terms, we won't face the same "pinch" that we did in the late 1970's or 1980 until fuel is (today) at about $4.50/gal., all other things being equal. I say other things being equal, because a variable in the equation like average fuel economy (at roughly 24.5 mpg today) is roughly what the average was back during those crunch times and is a terrible indictment of the domestic auto makers and legislative powers that have lobbied for stagnating technologies and promoting our wasteful habits. But that is another issue. Regardless, it costs many people up to $120 to fill up their SUVs and pickups, and for whatever chain of events and policies that got us here, it has certainly put a damper on the drive.
Rather than simply get angry like the "old guard" leftover management in parts of the auto (and related) industry(s), is it possible to look at this situation differently? Going a step further, is it possible that there may be something good to come out of higher fuel prices?
The short answer is yes, the long answer, however, is very long indeed and unfortunately depends on many outside shots and monumental shifts in attitude, lifestyle, and perception, which may not be realistic in this day in age. Either way, many in media currently ask people when they will shift their behavior (i.e. at what price of fuel?) based on these higher gas prices. I am not certain that this is the right question to be asking ourselves. Much more relevant is: How are we going to shift our patterns and behaviors?
We think that these higher gas prices are going to be a temporary thing. "Oh, Sir, you are paying through the nose, for our nightly newscast, how many trips or vacations are you going to give up this summer because of high gas prices and you do you blame for it?" (cue: crying children) We think that later in the fall, prices will fall and then we can get "back on track." Well, that really doesn't seem to be the case, as these crunches are likely going to become longer and more common until they are no longer crunches at all. Rather than wait around like everybody else, maybe a modified strategy is in order today.
18% say they will choose mass transit, while some 30-40% say they will choose vehicles with better efficiency (fuel economy), based on today's prices. These, along with curtailing extra driving, are the only answers we have really some up with so far. Maybe considering some of these other potential legacies of higher prices will help people come up with some more creativity where transportation is concerned.
Extended fuel prices of $5 or 6/gallon, a bit more like Europe or Scandinavia, might really force auto manufacturers to place a considerably greater focus on efficiency. Are you really ready to give up the added space and size and consider a smaller vehicle, say with a lower displacement engine?
What about a different vehicle altogether? Maybe these prices will push more people to scooters and motorcycles. Imagine how driving on two wheels for at least a portion of your driving (say to work and back) might affect your life and energy costs. Or, how about riding a bike to do certain tasks? It would certainly have a positive impact on your health at the same time.
Of course, it we are all riding around bikes everywhere, then we will want to be closer to the city center, where we can do our shopping and commuting easier, which will, in turn, put a renewed emphasis on urban living, raising real estate costs and decreasing the size of the average "in-town" home. This will also put a new premium on inner city/town vendors of our favorite goods and services. No longer will we be out in the suburbs with our giant vehicles where we will back up to our farthest discounter where we load up on two years worth of toilet paper. Instead we frequent several shops and stamp-sized stores on our way home from work to get the next day's needed supplies.
The snowball effect might change the very identity of North American life to one that is much more efficient, if not romantic somehow. Light rail, expanded train service and loads of buses will come online to take us where we want in both inclement weather and over longer distances. Telecommuting and people working at home in their underwear is commonplace. Trips and vacations are even more appreciated. The energy world receives the same time of revolution that information has and new technologies we never thought possible power our toasters.
Genetically engineered grass grows to a height of 3 inches and magically stops, roof tops are white during the summer and black during the winter, the average size of a North American nearly halves with all the exercise and walking. Obesity and heart disease drops and intelligence actually rises, weather patterns stabilize and El Nino takes an extended vacation. People walk to the theatre and collect frequent rail miles. Local organic foods and farmers flourish. Drunk driving rates and auto-related deaths decline, though bike injuries rise. Foreign policy shifts. People turn off their computers at night.
Hell freezes over?
Well, maybe. But, if not, at the end of the day what are we left with? A society and lifestyle that looks a little bit more like, well, Europe and Scandinavia and refrigerators half their current size. Which isn't such a bad thing; just think of the savings of not having to travel abroad.
My reason for suggesting a new and current personal energy strategy today is not just because riding the train is fun (and comfortable) or that these changes would have a very positive environmental and social impact. I would suggest it to save that one thing that cars are really about, which is the drive.
The real loss in driving is not giving up two stress-inducing hours sitting in rush hour traffic everyday, or having to set our vacation plans around a train schedule. The real loss is not being able to jump in the car on a moments notice to talk the kids for ice cream, or respond to an emergency, or go for a Sunday morning drive in a real sports car that burns real gas and makes a lot of noise. These are what make driving fun or necessary. Driving to work, typically is not.
So, maybe we should not consider when we will change our habits, but how. If not for yourself, than for the scooter mechanics.
Hi there! Very true! As part of the community, we all need to do our part in doing all we can for a "peak oil" world. Yes, energy crisis is an issue which needs to be considered by the rest of humanity and action needs to be done asap so that we can save our resources and thus save the world!
Economical usage for fuel means less demand for fuel which also means less fuel waste and we get to save our earth's resources! When it comes to fuel consumption, automobiles also takes a large percentage of this resource.
In relation to this, the recent Hybrid cars also getting popular day by day. Fuel prices are rising and so is the demand for Hybrid cars. Recently HONDA CIVIC HYBRID is named as Car of year at USA car show. Famous models of Toyota are gaining importance in todays life, most favourites are :
Toyota Prius, Lexus , Alphard and Estima Hybrid. If you wish to check more info on these cars, even for used Japanese cars selling of these brands, you may want to review online Japan used car sales . Thank you so much for sharing and keep em coming! Have a nice day! :)
Posted by: Auto Deal | May 23, 2007 at 01:44 AM