If we all stopped driving.For 1 week.

[cosmo22 0]

This will never happen.But just think of the consequnces. if everyone did.It would hit the Oil companies where it hurts.If everyone for one
week took public transit.Rode a bike or just stayed home.We could devastate the The Saudis ,Oil companies.And the Asshole Speculators,Who are running up the price of fuel.

[mnealtx 0]

No it wouldn't.

Let me expand on that - you would, in essence, have to shut down the entire country for a week. As you said, there's no way that would ever happen.

Critical services still have to run, the trucking industry still has to run, etc etc.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[akarunway 1]

Quote

This will never happen.But just think of the consecunces. if everyonr did.It would hit the Oil companies where it hurts.If everyone for one
week took public transit.Rode a bike or just stayed home.We could devastate the The Saudis ,Oil companies.And the Asshole Speculators,Who are running up the price of fuel.

Yeah. I'll ride my bike 50 miles to work and back down the freeways or a 100 on the city roads. Get killed by some asshole road rage driver. Or I can Take a week off to the tune of 2 grand. Yeah. That's the ticket.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[banesanura 1]

The only time I drive my car is to the drop zone.

I take a train to work and walk.

Its great- but the thing is- trains/buses run on gas too.

Trust me- I hate the gas prices as much as every one else does. I am just fortunate to be able to commute via train.

Best Girl Scout Ever.

[quade 4]

While it sounds good on the surface, it would actually be "better" and exactly the same monetary effect on the oil companies if you just drove 1/52 less over the course of a year.

That really doesn't sound like much does it though. A less than 2% impact.

Still, it is something that would actually be easily achievable and would do quite a bit of good for everyone.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[cosmo22 0]

Your Sol.take a week off.Or go broke.because
that is how it is going to be.

[RossDagley 0]

try paying $9.50 a gallon like us suckers in the UK... Then you'll know what pain is all about.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Yeah. I'll ride my bike 50 miles to work and back down the freeways or a 100 on the city roads. Get killed by some asshole road rage driver. Or I can Take a week off to the tune of 2 grand. Yeah. That's the ticket.

You could move. I've always lived within a comfortable biking or walking distance of work. That usually means less space than living out in the boonies and can get a little expensive, but uses less gas than commuting by car, leaves more time for my family & hobbies, and is decidedly less stressful.

I even sold a home in Kirkland when I went to work across lake Washington in Downtown Seattle. Lost $10K at the time but it was good to be out of the real estate market.

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

While it sounds good on the surface, it would actually be "better" and exactly the same monetary effect on the oil companies if you just drove 1/52 less over the course of a year.

That really doesn't sound like much does it though. A less than 2% impact.

Just imagine what would happen if everyone who was replacing their car opted for one with 20% better mileage. That would be like everyone not driving for 2 months! (well, if people cycle their cars over 5 years, still about 2 weeks worth)

I feel a need for a more direct thread on this subject.

[aresye 0]

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try paying $9.50 a gallon like us suckers in the UK... Then you'll know what pain is all about.

The problem with this logic, which I'm sick of seeing btw, is that gas prices have always been fairly high over there. I'm not sure what the rate is that your prices are increasing, but I know that the majority of your prices are due to gas tax. Here in the US, the gas tax has a very small impact on our prices. The problem that we're having, is the rate the prices are increasing.

We must all agree, a lot of us shift our schedule and activities, but for most of us, we utilize a lot of our paychecks, with little extra savings. The problem is that a large chunk of our money goes towards gas, because of our daily commute. The UK's public transportation is way better than ours, in many ways.

Our country lives by the automobile. We use it to go everywhere, and because of the interstate system, we can travel to virtually any place without having to resort to another means. The problem comes when gas prices increase at a very high rate, like they've been doing. Our paychecks are still the same, our minimum wage is still the same. We're taking larger and larger chunks out of other activities, some of them necessities, in order to afford our daily commutes. I almost never go out to eat anymore, because I can't afford it even a few times. Even at the store, I buy just the necessities for food, hygeine, etc. I only jump a couple times a weekend at the most, and I still am running dangerously low every paycheck.

Gas prices are increasing while the economy is decreasing. Most people aren't spending money on as many extras anymore, which is in turn bringing the economy down further. It's a bad cycle.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[lawrocket 3]

We'd lose a lot less balls. But, we'd have a much more difficult time hitting greens in regulation.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[RossDagley 0]

What "logic" are you sick of? The fact that we should shut up and not complain (as you're doing) because a higher percentage of our cost per litre is tax than yours?

Gas prices have been high(er) over here than there for various reasons - sure tax is one of them. However, with whatever the average engine size vehicle over there you guys have (gotta be what? 2.5 - 3 litre plus on average?) you'd be screaming if you were paying what we're paying at the pumps.

I was over in Florida a few weeks ago and chuckled to myself to see a car ad on TV gloating that they managed 30 mpg. Here we've adverts for cars doing 70+ mpg. It's also a mindset. 30mpg is (more than) acceptable to consumers in the US - it wouldn't be to most UK residents.

Regardless of WHERE the price rises come from for us, we're still feeling the pince just as much as the next country - 6 months ago the price of fuel was about £1.00 ($2.00) a litre - even that is crazy high. Now it's about £1.30. I'm struggling with a 60% rising fuel cost year on year, just like everyone else.

[humanflite 0]

I think its about time America got off its obesity riddled ass...and started walking some more

Lets face facts, there are some folks stateside for whom walking a few miles a day would help reduce obesity instead of driving EVERYWHERE because they are so lazy

[quade 4]

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Lets face facts, there are some folks stateside for whom walking a few miles a day would help reduce obesity instead of driving EVERYWHERE because they are so lazy

Yes, please. Come to my neighborhood and walk to the nearest anything.

Maybe if you live IN the right type of city you can do that, but the suburbs of most of the US simply are not designed for walking. Using walking as a method for doing any errands or your work commute is simply not practical.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[speedy 0]

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While it sounds good on the surface, it would actually be "better" and exactly the same monetary effect on the oil companies if you just drove 1/52 less over the course of a year.

And the effect would be nil, zip. The oil companies don't set the prices, the market does. If supply does not meet demand, the price goes up. It really is that simple.

Expect the price to reach $250 / barrel by July 2009.
Expect Mexico to be no longer exporting oil to the U.S. in 6 years.
Expect Russia to stop exporting oil in 9 years.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[SpeedRacer 1]

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Lets face facts, there are some folks stateside for whom walking a few miles a day would help reduce obesity instead of driving EVERYWHERE because they are so lazy

Yes, please. Come to my neighborhood and walk to the nearest anything.

Maybe if you live IN the right type of city you can do that, but the suburbs of most of the US simply are not designed for walking. Using walking as a method for doing any errands or your work commute is simply not practical.

ding ding ding!

The assholes who set up the zoning laws & designed our cities & towns have fucked up America big time.

In too many towns you have residence-only neighborhoods, set far away from businesses and workplaces. So you have to get in a car to get anything done. I'm lucky enough to have my house near the old, historic district, so I can walk to the store, pubs, restaurants, library, etc. But most Americans can't do that. And riding a bike isn't an option if you have to get on a freeway to get where you want to go.

Zoning laws need to be overhauled.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[pirana 0]

I think a lot of people that need to drive to get to work would get fired. Bad result. Any other ideas?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[Butters 0]

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I think a lot of people that need to drive to get to work would get fired. Bad result. Any other ideas?

How about people trade in their vehicles that get less than 20 miles per gallon for vehicles that get greater than 30 miles per gallon? Just an idea ...

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[rehmwa 2]

I love these "one shot" ideas. Let's just do something once. {and then return to normal behavior} and expect something to happen.

It's a tribute to the lazy, never think things through, attitude that a cushy lifestyle has given so many people.


Not driving for a day/week does nothing long term. Changing your driving habits on a permanent basis just might.

A tax rebate does nothing long term. Permanent tax reduction just might.

Dieting for one week does nothing long term. Changing your eating habits just might.

A pissy law on (aff-action, gun control, etc) doesn't change things, but a massive change in social awareness might.

etc
etc
etc

on the other hand, a single tunnel camp can help a lot

on the other hand, being shot in the head can significantly change your life

but you get the idea anyway at least for large socio-economic issues

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 3,031]

>Yeah. I'll ride my bike 50 miles to work and back down the freeways or
>a 100 on the city roads.

If it's a week? Get a hotel room.

If it's a year? Move to a location served by mass transit.

We all make decisions on where to live, what to buy etc based on the prevailing environment. For decades people have been deciding where to live based on dirt-cheap gas. Now the landscape has changed - and people will have to change their habits accordingly.

[pirana 0]

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I think a lot of people that need to drive to get to work would get fired. Bad result. Any other ideas?

How about people trade in their vehicles that get less than 20 miles per gallon for vehicles that get greater than 30 miles per gallon? Just an idea ...

Definitely on the agenda when replacement time comes; that is, when the vehicle is otherwise worn out. But the vehicle is paid off and a payment is going to be at minimum 2 times, and more likely 3 to 4 times more expensive than the savings in fuel, so we will not be trading the car in ahead of schedule just to save on gas.

A good idea, and from what I hear about sales reports, it is already happening. It was starting last year actually, but is now accelerating quickly.

As an aside, I think it is funny to listen to the "You'll-pry-my-Suburban-from-my-dead-bloody-grip" crowd that proudly exhorts their right to get 8 MPG. Bottom line though is that they are turning them in faster than a narc at a biker rally.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[rehmwa 2]

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How about people trade in their vehicles that get less than 20 miles per gallon for vehicles that get greater than 30 miles per gallon? Just an idea ...

except.....it just means someone else is driving that less than 20 MPG vehicle. So it's still on the road, so we didn't affect the oil industry one tiny bit.

We sold the 14 MPG truck and bought a 26 MPG vehicle. I am not saving the earth, I did it to keep more of my money.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 3,031]

>it just means someone else is driving that less than 20 MPG vehicle. So
>it's still on the road, so we didn't affect the oil industry one tiny bit.

In an ideal world, that 14mpg luxury truck went from driving one guy to work 40 miles each way to a landscaping company that drives 3 people around town to get to worksites. Gas saved and the vehicle is being used for what it's designed for, and the landscaper could afford it because a) he doesn't drive far and b) gas guzzlers are very cheap nowadays.

I know it doesn't always happen that way, but I can hope.

[kelpdiver 2]

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If it's a year? Move to a location served by mass transit.

We all make decisions on where to live, what to buy etc based on the prevailing environment. For decades people have been deciding where to live based on dirt-cheap gas. Now the landscape has changed - and people will have to change their habits accordingly.

Unfortunately, we're have to work with the world we built here, and as already noted, this was zoned and built with the individual car as the means of movement. Everyone can't move to a walk or mass transit friendly location. There's barely enough housing even including the long out commutes. We need to remake our society, esp in CA and the Southwest where sprawl didn't develop until the last half century.

Why is Europe much better at this - the cities formed before the car. And then during the train era. NYC is better than LA as a result.

[billvon 3,031]

>this was zoned and built with the individual car as the means of
>movement.

Definitely true, and that will have to change. "Suburban Nation" is a good book on how to make that change.

>Everyone can't move to a walk or mass transit friendly location.

Right. Many will be rich enough to not have to do that. Others will carpool, or buy scooters, or ride bikes. As time goes on, habits will change and people will adapt.

> There's barely enough housing even including the long out commutes.

Actually the opposite is true. There is TOO MUCH low density housing in car-intensive areas. Get rid of all the roads, individual houses with large lots, parking lots, gas stations etc and you move everyone that much closer to where they work.

>We need to remake our society, esp in CA and the Southwest where
>sprawl didn't develop until the last half century.

Agreed.