Why To Complain More about Gas Prices |
16 Comments |
David at MyTwoDollars asks if we can stop complaining about gas prices. I’m not so sure that complaining helps, but in my opinion it’s very understandable considering the circumstances.
Americans typically drive a long way to their jobs and public transportation isn’t common in much of the area. We are also denied many of the smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. Where is the Smart Car version in the US? The Mini comes close, but isn’t quite there. Plus it wasn’t an option in 2001 when I bought my last car. My next car may be small or a hybird, but it’s hopefully going to be a long time before that happens.
Other countries have different economic climates - it’s really impossible to compare. Housing in the UK is smaller (from what I’ve seen) and people live closer together leading to what I’d expect to be smaller commutes. I also hear a lot about Europe’s amazing train system that can take through many countries very affordably. If they don’t have to drive as much due to the layout of their country the higher gas prices are not going to be as big a deal.
You also have to factor in the psychology of the rising rates. We had become conditioned to paying under $2.00 a gallon a few years ago. The price of gas has doubled when adjusted for inflation in California in 8 years! See $1.40 adjusted for inflation in that chart and the 2.80 for 2006 prices. I think the current California average gas price is probably over $3.00 adjusted for inflation today. Have our salaries, adjusted for inflation, doubled? Thus gas is eating up more of our (Americans or at least Californians) budgets than ever before.
The reality is that any time any necessary expense inflates more our paychecks there will be complaints. That’s why you see it housing. You see it with college as it’s largely considered a necessary expense by many nowadays. That’s a topic for a whole other day, though.
Update: As I finished up this article, I noticed that Flexo at Consumerism Commentary wrote about gas price complainers as well.
This post deals with: ... and focuses on:Economy
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July 18th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
My biggest gripe with most tiny cars is they’re built for tiny people, or at least young, thin, very athletic people who can do the contortions needed to get in and out of them. My wish would be for a single-person or two-seater commute car that basically had the front seat shape of an SUV, but was small and efficient.
Until then, our “gas friendly” ride will be our Camry, and our road-trip and hauling vehicle is our Element. And since I work from home 3 days per week, we don’t use much gas generally.
July 18th, 2007 at 10:26 am
That smart car looks like a toy. Are these things going to able to move at all during a New England winter?
July 18th, 2007 at 8:04 am
I want to stress that I do not have 2 SUVs. The SUV that we do have is my wife’s from before we met. With snow storms in Boston, she was required to get a vehicle capable of driving though unplowed roads to get to the medical facilities to provide health care.
We could sell the SUV now, but we plan to go back to New England in a couple of years, where the same problem will arise. Since she takes public transportation most of the time, 12-13 gallons gas can last 2-3 weeks in the SUV - definitely not a cause of environmental concern. Anyone who has drank a drop of Fiji bottled water has done much more environmental harm.
I’ve talked before about my concern for gas prices, but our move to San Francisco changed the use of the SUV, so it’s no longer an issue.
Lazy Man and Money is about the economic principals of sustainable living - but at a personal level. It does not try to discuss the overall health of the people in general. This is how I can suggest eating cheap Ramen noodles in the case of a dire personal financial situation. Obviously, that’s not sustainable living for the long term. My other blog, Lazy Man and Health is the place where I can talk more about environment. I haven’t quite tackled that point since I’m still developing a voice of what I want the site to be.
I may suggest The Good Human as a superb, environmentally friendly blog. David does an excellent job and it’s worth a visit.
July 18th, 2007 at 7:32 am
I thought that lazy man and money was also about sustainable living, but with 2 SUVs (Editor’s correction: I only have one SUV and it was my wife’s bought before we met), I guess you don’t care about gas prices or the environment.
That is the problem with most of these “money” blogs - you want to have your cake and eat it too. In economics you learn that to have something requires you give up something else.
Anyway, the three slices of the money pie are saving it (frugality), making it(practical entrepreneurship), and investing it (real diversification, not just stocks and real estate).
And that is what makes my blog unique and supreme!
July 17th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I drive 100 miles roundtrip a day in a S10 at 30 MPG.
I never understood moving just to be closer to work. My life and my job are two different things.
Here I see my brother, sister, nieces and nephews any time I want. If I moved closer to work, than I can be closer to my…. cubicle.
I just offset the extra gas cost in other ways.
July 17th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Of course, my gas expenses have dropped to $0 every month as I don’t have a car anymore. My wife took my Mini to commute in and we sold hers. I use my feet, my bike and public transportation. And even here in LA, with public transportation hell, I still have managed for 4 months without a car. When I need one, I rent it for the day or by the hour.
Still, gas prices are only going higher, so everyone should just get used to it.