lala

Me, too! I can't wait til gasoline is $5 a gallon!

lala

Yay, Dan! I guess there is hope, cuz, I feel the same way!

FXjohn

Would it matter if the people could afford 5 dollars per gallon more easily than you could affors 1.50 per gallon?

YAY..everything that arrived by Semi-Truck is getting more expensive because of fuel costs! yippee, I'm so happy now!

FXjohn

The most dangerous driving I see are done by kids in 4-cylinder cars.

SUV's are just scapegoats. Heck a Subaru only gets in the low 20's per gallon, what's so special about that?

bac

This guy hates them worse:

Wanna Hummer?

FXjohn

Speaking of wasteful, what about the size of houses people are building these days, that's not obscene? or how much some eats, or a 50 dollar T-shirt from Abercrombie & Fitch. Is there going to be a waste police to decide where we can spend our money, and which trips are necessary?

lala

The point is overconsumption. Watch TV--do you see anything that is advertised that you need?
Do most north americans know the differrence between want and need? How about getting off the grid?
Smartypants.

FXjohn

Overconsumption according to who? You can't tell people how to spend their own money.
Unless you're advocating socialism.

Just camp out in a grass hut, that's progress? Sorry I don't know what you mean by get off the grid unless you are referring to purchasing electricity.

lala

OH MY GOD!!! SOCIALISM???!!?


Do some research, dood.

FXjohn

yep, definately the enemy of progress, which you know, since you've done your research.

DanFromDetroit

I am not trying to tell anyone what car they should drive or what kind of house they should live in, but I do reserve the right to make them the butt of my jokes.

Most of my views on how life should be lived are minority views. I don't like shopping malls, fast food, cars, track housing, Television, or conspicuous consumption. The only thing that I would ask of my neighbors is that they try to be at least as tolerant and accomodating towards my lifestyle as I am towards their's. In other words, please don't run me over with your SUV or turn the park into a parking lot.

Dan

Feldman

Being pretty ignorant of the mechanics and design issues of cars, it was an interesting surprise to me to read Keith Bradsher's "High and Mighty" last year. The funny/scary/appalling thing is how SUV's for the most part are retooled 1960's pickup truck chassis with fancy sheet metal on top, also the reason why many of them roll so easily and score so poorly on crash tests. Some are even second-generation repops like the smaller Hummer which is fancy metal atop a Chevy Tahoe frame. So, the buyers of these dinosaurs have been suckered into either false security or artificial penis extension!

temp1

The popular appeal of SUVs has diluted the breed. Screw 4 wheel independant suspension, unibodies, high reving low torque output engines, low ground clearance, AWD, usless crap. Their popularity has focused safety nazis on our beloved solid axel, leaf sprung, 11 inch off the ground 33" tire wearing V8/I6/diesel loud as hell (engine and tire noise) real 4x4s (with cast iron transfer case), H2s suck, TJs kick ass and Ford needs to fire up production on the Bronco where it left off in the late 60's. Think you need an SUV? buy an Outback.

Ebbtide

Don't hold your breath, Merton.

When I was your age I was promised floating cars and an oil free society. What' I get, bigger cars and more oil.

Chris L

Quite doubtful. There are far more efficent ways of transporting goods than using Semi-Trucks. The existing rail system for one. The only reason road transport has become so popular are the heavy government subsidies it attracts (interesting that public transport is expected to be economically sustainable and pay it's own way, while we can happily subisidise private transport to the tune of billions of dollars annually -- now whose talking about communism?).

Fact is, goods and services of any description will only be sold at the prices people are prepared to pay. Supply and demand is the dominant factor that decides on prices firms charge in an open market. If people simply refuse to pay higher prices for other goods and services, costs will stay low, and firms will simply find more efficient means of production and transport.

Roughstuff

Correct. In fact our transportation system for GOODS is already multifaceted: freight rail, long and short haul trucks, local delivery vehicles, even airplanes for high value added items like overnight mail and fresh flowers. So there will be a shift toward more efficient modes as prices change, although the way companies can hedge against oil price fluctuations (using futures, etc) you'd be amazed at how insensitive to price changes they can be for the short and intermediate term.

roughstuff

cerewa

(tongue in cheek... mostly) : I'm convinced that the popularity of SUVs among women (as well as men) is due to their desire for artificial penis extension.

Ryan

Goto the local Ford dealers, and ask to see the Escape Hybrid, It is an SUV, no it doesn't seat 8 but it gets 35-30 mpg. However it can seat 6. Yes you do have a plus with the mini van, but I have a Dodge Durango, seats 8 gets 18-22 mpg, I can go off road, and I can tow a 27ft camper. I'd like to see a mini-van thats can match that.. See people need to understand that no matter what kind of car you have your gonna be sacaficing certain things, that you won't be able to do with that car. SUV's won't ever go out of style, however they will become more fuel effecient and safer.. People should not have to deal with people saying why do you have an SUV if you don't take it off road, that'd be like saying why do you have a mini van if you don't have 7 kids? Every car has a down side.

AndrewP

The high gas prices will push up the prices of goods from China, Indonesia and Mexico, so it will make locally produced stuff more competitive.

mike

Wish Granted.

SUV's are out of style already.

Dchiefransom

I just back up on my chair from rolling on the floor laughing at all the cyclists hoping for $5 a gallon gasoline. Now, I'll say this slowly so most of you can understand, but listen V E R Y carefully now. What country are we living in? The United States (at least most of us here). Now, think about what so many people on the roads are like, and the general behavior of a small percentage but still large number of our citizens. When the gas prices hit $5 a gallon, my firm belief is the cyclists will be on the forum screaming about all the broken glass covering the entire right hand side of most roads, bike lanes, and bike paths. It's sad, but that's my observations in my 51 years on this earth about our country. All it will take is for the idea to spread, and we'll need solid rubber tires to ride on to prevent flats.

Chris L

How so? From my observations, most of the broken glass on the road is the result of car "accidents". I don't seen any correlation between these and higher fuel prices. In anycase, I religiously avoid bikepaths now due to glass covering, so there really won't be any change in that area.

Chris516

Ditto on your subject title!!!!

FXjohn

What's so special about an outback?
Terrible mileage, in the low 20's or worse in town.
Reliability-wise they are troublesome.
A diesel expedition can get 17mpg pulling a trailer.

lala

What does this mean? I'm already screaming (and organizing community clean-ups) because of all the broken beer bottles all over my neighborhood and commuting roads! I guess people just suck.