Support NeoGAF

[mre]

From what I've seen (when living in southern Indiana, I dunno whether that's considered the South or not), very few people who drive those things needed them for work. The parking lot where I worked was filled with massive vehicles and it was an IT office. Not a datacenter filled with heavy servers and stuff, just an office for remote support work.

By contrast, in Chicago where I live now, most of the big trucks I see have a business name and number on them.

Say wha?

 

[bill0527]

We had a Memorial Day get together with family and friends Sunday at a public park. We had about 60 people show up and nobody would stop talking about gas prices. 4 hours of constant bitching. This annual get together will be fucking unbearable next year when gas is $6/gallon. Maybe nobody will be able to afford to show up.

 

[Odysseus]

indiana in the south, ha

what color were they wearing during the war against northern aggression?

 

[Pimpwerx]

When gas hit $1.50 back in '01 or so, I took notice. I vowed never to buy a truck, and I started to worry. Only now that gas has hit $4 has my dad started to think about getting a car instead of his Explorer. Since '01, he's had two Explorers and an Expedition. He drives about 20k miles a year too, so I always just scratch my head in amazement. Now that he's spending $80 to fill the tank each week, he's starting to second-guess it. Ha!

I laugh at the SUV drivers. The writing was on the wall years ago. Fewer people on the road means nothing right now b/c there's still too many left. Maybe we can get some practical mass transit here in Miami now. Until then, they'll have to pry my Spyder from my cold, dead hands. PEACE.

 

[Souldriver]

I need a car because there is no other way to go 20 miles to go shopping or walking the 9 miles to my friends house in a reasonable amount of time...

Biking 9 miles is nothing. 40 minutes max. Think of it as a work out, and you spend some time outside. It always helps if you don't have to bike 9 miles straight next to a freeway or something. Hopefully there are some nice routes you can take.

20 miles is rather long yes. Do you live alone? Because if you have to go shopping for the whole family, you'll need a car anyway, so there's nothing you can/should change about it.

 

[Odysseus]

i drive a small suv. a mazda tribute, gets about ~20 mpg, although it's getting less now that i do less highway driving and more city (shorter commute to work, less time on highway, but less driving overall, so it's all good).

anyway, i'd love to get a vehicle with better mileage. two concerns: i don't trust the safety of small cars. i've seen too many of them shatter at the smallest of collisions. i'd be scared to hit a possum.

the second concern, which isn't really a concern but a statement of fact: my suv is paid off. so ~$50/week for gas is better than ~$30/week and a car payment.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

i drive a small suv. a mazda tribute, gets about ~20 mpg, although it's getting less now that i do less highway driving and more city (shorter commute to work, less time on highway, but less driving overall, so it's all good).

anyway, i'd love to get a vehicle with better mileage. two concerns: i don't trust the safety of small cars. i've seen too many of them shatter at the smallest of collisions. i'd be scared to hit a possum.

the second concern, which isn't really a concern but a statement of fact: my suv is paid off. so ~$50/week for gas is better than ~$30/week and a car payment.

Only smart thing would be to sell your suv, use the cash you get from that + savings (if you want) to buy a smaller car (used) for cash and then pay $30 bucks for gas every two weeks.

 

[Souldriver]

i drive a small suv. a mazda tribute, gets about ~20 mpg, although it's getting less now that i do less highway driving and more city (shorter commute to work, less time on highway, but less driving overall, so it's all good).

anyway, i'd love to get a vehicle with better mileage. two concerns: i don't trust the safety of small cars. i've seen too many of them shatter at the smallest of collisions. i'd be scared to hit a possum.

the second concern, which isn't really a concern but a statement of fact: my suv is paid off. so ~$50/week for gas is better than ~$30/week and a car payment.

Just try to make an estimated guess. How many miles a year do you drive, and how much would that cost you in "smaller car x" compared to your current SUV. How much would you get for your SUV if you sold it now? How much does "car x" cost? How long do you plan on keeping driving your current car? ... It could be that your smaller car is less costly within 2 years, all things considered.


Small cars are safe too. Ironically, the worst thing that can happen, is being hit by a massive SUV. :/

 

[FightyF]

Basically.

Hey where are those European and tree hugging GAF knuckle heads. Get smaller cars/car pool/take public transportation/ride a bike... well, America is listening, why aren't the prices going down, oh wise ones?

Because usage in China went up 1.0% (remember they have 4 times the population). :|

We had a Memorial Day get together with family and friends Sunday at a public park. We had about 60 people show up and nobody would stop talking about gas prices. 4 hours of constant bitching. This annual get together will be fucking unbearable next year when gas is $6/gallon. Maybe nobody will be able to afford to show up.

How many of them blamed the "Ay-Rabs"?

 

[bill0527]

Because usage in China went up 1.0% (remember they have 4 times the population). :|

AKA: The real reason why gas price are skyrocketing.

 

[chaostrophy]

indiana in the south, ha

what color were they wearing during the war against northern aggression?

Nobody I met was wearing anything during that war because they weren't born yet. But Confederate flag bumper stickers and t-shirts were fairly commonplace there.

 

[Ponn]

Only smart thing would be to sell your suv, use the cash you get from that + savings (if you want) to buy a smaller car (used) for cash and then pay $30 bucks for gas every two weeks.

Only problem is the value of SUV's have plummeted. He's going to be a sad panda when he gets that quote.

 

[Odysseus]

i'm keeping my current ride until the wheels fall off, guys. high gas prices or not.

 

[dasein]

how many mpg can you get out of a bicycle?

 

[Odysseus]

how many mpg can you get out of a bicycle?

miles per gallon of sweat? depends on the weather.

 

[vas_a_morir]

indiana in the south, ha

what color were they wearing during the war against northern aggression?

Actually, in southern Indiana and Illinois, there were an alarming number of people sympathetic to the confederate cause.

 

[xBerserker]

While gas prices suck, in a way it's a very good thing as many have already pointed out. More public transportation being used, limited driving. Also in my state (I'm sure this is the case in others) I've seen a LOT more scooters this year. I'm picking one up as well just to go to work with.

 

[Beer Monkey]

That's right. Everyone should own two cars. That's MUCH better for the world.

If I had an electric car that I drove to work every single day (something with the energy consumption of, say, a Tesla Roadster), but kept one gas-powered car for only when I have to make a long trip, I'd say it would probably be better for the world.

I know that building a car uses energy resources, but I keep my cars for 10+ years. I could probably keep one for 20+ easily if it were only used for long trips.

 

[SyNapSe]

i'm keeping my current ride until the wheels fall off, guys. high gas prices or not.

no kidding, I was looking at getting something new but its just not worth it. Gas is crazy high, but you are talking 1000's of dollars for a new smaller car. It doesn't seem like most of our small cars get that great of gas mileage anyway. I looked at the Yaris liftback but it gets 29/36. It's a 2 seater that would greatly limit what I can do with my vehicle to gain 1/3 better fuel economy.

Its something I'll think about with my new vehicle but gas would have to go crazy high for me to immediately sell out of my current vehicle thats paid off.

The people with SUVs probably can't get out from under them even if they want to. The trade value has taken such a hit. It'll be interesting to see if gas stays this high or rises if in 5 years people have refreshed to much smaller vehicles.

 

[notsol337]

From what I've seen (when living in southern Indiana, I dunno whether that's considered the South or not), very few people who drive those things needed them for work. The parking lot where I worked was filled with massive vehicles and it was an IT office. Not a datacenter filled with heavy servers and stuff, just an office for remote support work.

By contrast, in Chicago where I live now, most of the big trucks I see have a business name and number on them.

That would be the north.

lol

 

[SonnyBoy]

If Baltimore had a transit system that was worth a sh*t, I'd never drive. This is one of many reasons why I'm moving to DC.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Good. Hopefully we see some more changes because of this. I wanna see fewer titanic SUVs and trucks on the road.

The only change we will see around here is an increase in toll rates because of fewer people on the roads.

 

[vas_a_morir]

And, btw, if I was to walk everywhere I needed to go, I would die, because America is designed for automotive transportation. I wish I still lived in Huntington, where I could walk to wherever I needed.

 

[Souldriver]

If Baltimore had a transit system that was worth a sh*t, I'd never drive. This is one of many reasons why I'm moving to DC.

This off course is a process that will take years if not decades, but if cities see the public transport traffic booming, they'll be forced to make it larger and better.

 

[Meier]

Good. Fat Americans should be walking and biking.

I posted this on Warchant regarding gas prices causing potentially lower attendance this year for FSU football. Someone mentioned we were lucky because Europeans have paid more for years. This applies to those cities like New York and Chicago where we're lucky enough to be able to avoid driving -- in most places, it isn't an option.

The primary difference between Europe and the US is that they have the infrastructure to make not having a car or not using it frequently a realistic possibility. Outside of a handful of US cities (including all of Florida due to unintelligent voters and/or lack of forward-thinking politicians)n that just isn't an option in the States. Mass transit was a big selling point for Chicago and as I type this while riding the rain, I thank my lucky stars.

If you're paying $12/gallon gas but that gallon lasts you 2 weeks, then so be it. As a member of the workng class in America, that tank will last you 2 weeks if you're lucky. One of the perks about living and working on campus when I was in school was that a tank of gas would last me a whole semester because I never wanted to lose my parking spot and Publix was a mile away. That's how it can be for people in Europe all their life.

 

[Beer Monkey]

no kidding, I was looking at getting something new but its just not worth it. Gas is crazy high, but you are talking 1000's of dollars for a new smaller car. It doesn't seem like most of our small cars get that great of gas mileage anyway. I looked at the Yaris liftback but it gets 29/36. It's a 2 seater that would greatly limit what I can do with my vehicle to gain 1/3 better fuel economy.

Its something I'll think about with my new vehicle but gas would have to go crazy high for me to immediately sell out of my current vehicle thats paid off.

The people with SUVs probably can't get out from under them even if they want to. The trade value has taken such a hit. It'll be interesting to see if gas stays this high or rises if in 5 years people have refreshed to much smaller vehicles.

Tons of people are in the same situation. My car is hardly 'practical' (Miata), but it is fine for my commute. I paid it off 6 years ago, so I have no monthly car payment. It is also extremely reliable, so my annual maintenance costs are comparable to a new car.

If I switched to a Prius, I could save maybe $200 a month on gas, but I'd have a car payment of $500+ for the next four years. That's equivalent to a $3600 a year pay cut, and while I am pro-environment, it's simply not something that I can afford in this horrid economy.

 

[SonnyBoy]

This off course is a process that will take years if not decades, but if cities see the public transport traffic booming, they'll be forced to make it larger and better.

Baltimore is only concerned with getting the people they want to the places they want. Ie. Rich folk to the Baltimore Harbor.

 

[theBishop]

Public transportation for the win.

Maybe this will convince Septa to expand their regional rail lines.

 

[scorcho]

Public transportation for the win.

Maybe this will convince Septa to expand their regional rail lines.

yep. US federal transportation policy needs a serious rejiggering towards supporting more mass transit.

 

[Souldriver]

Baltimore is only concerned with getting the people they want to the places they want. Ie. Rich folk to the Baltimore Harbor.

Well, obviously I don't know the situation in every American city, but if you're in Baltimore that sucks. :/

 

[borghe]

Eh, why not? They went up that way...

this is what floors me. people insist that price decreases will never be instantaneous, yet in about two years the price of gas has doubled in america, and in just the past 3-4 months has rose almost 33%. So basically the price is instantaneous to rise, but gradual to decline.

and this doesn't seem completely arbitrary to anyone?

 

[AlphaSnake]

Well, I'm glad and this has become especially noticeable in NYC. When it's 6PM on a freeway...there's no stop-and-go traffic anymore. Congestion has decreased quite a bit, and it's amazing.

Lack of stop and go = improved gas mileage.

 

[PrivateWHudson]

Public transportation for the win.

Maybe this will convince Septa to expand their regional rail lines.

Right up the middle of 422. KOP to Reading with stops at the Limerick Outlets, Pottstown and maybe a couple of others. That would be nice.

 

[grandjedi6]

Actually, in southern Indiana and Illinois, there were an alarming number of people sympathetic to the confederate cause.

uh no. Illinois was firmly with the Union without much question from the public. And while Indiana was in control by Democrats and did have alot of "southerners" throughout the state, it was also firmly sided with the Union.

 

[theBishop]

Right up the middle of 422. KOP to Reading with stops at the Limerick Outlets, Pottstown and maybe a couple of others. That would be nice.

Definitely. I took the 93 to Philadelphia Premium Outlets over the weekend, and it was a nightmare. I had to take the 23 to Market East to Norristown TC. But the 23 was 4 minutes late, which threw me off by an hour.

It looks like the abandoned plans to expand the R6 line may have been resurrected:
http://www.r6extension.com/

Since most of my family is in the Reading area, this would be spectacular for me.

 

[Seth C]

While gas prices suck, in a way it's a very good thing as many have already pointed out. More public transportation being used, limited driving. Also in my state (I'm sure this is the case in others) I've seen a LOT more scooters this year. I'm picking one up as well just to go to work with.

I'm considering doing the same. What scooters are you looking at?

 

[Tideas]

Basically.

Hey where are those European and tree hugging GAF knuckle heads. Get smaller cars/car pool/take public transportation/ride a bike... well, America is listening, why aren't the prices going down, oh wise ones?

actually, it did. Oil's down to 129. If news like this keeps popping up, it'll drop down to 120...and then 110...and then 100...and so on.

Rome wasn't built on a day you know?

 

[KRS7]

uh no. Illinois was firmly with the Union without much question from the public. And while Indiana was in control by Democrats and did have alot of "southerners" throughout the state, it was also firmly sided with the Union.

That may be true, but you get some weird people along the Ohio river. I live in southwest Ohio another firmly Union state, and I've seen the confederate flag in many places including my neighbor's garage. I can't speak for southern Illinois, but some people in the southern regions of Ohio and Indiana seem to forget they were Union.

 

[captive]

It's a matter of degree. The urban SUV drivers who are always sitting solo in a traffic jam that are the worst of the lot by far. If you need to haul stuff you need to haul stuff, but people should be using a smaller car when they aren't hauling stuff.

So they should buy a truck AND a car! That makes a lot of sense.

Im just going to start making biodiesel, but definitely love less cars on the road, too many assholes not enough road.

 

[PrivateWHudson]

Definitely. I took the 93 to Philadelphia Premium Outlets over the weekend, and it was a nightmare. I had to take the 23 to Market East to Norristown TC. But the 23 was 4 minutes late, which threw me off by an hour.

It looks like the abandoned plans to expand the R6 line may have been resurrected:
http://www.r6extension.com/

Since most of my family is in the Reading area, this would be spectacular for me.

Federal government is broken and taxes should be paid to local or state governments...confirmed?

http://www.r6extension.com/[/url]]

Over the past 15 years, feasibility studies, a major investment study, and a draft environmental impact statement (MIS/DEIS) of the Schuylkill Valley Metro (SVM) concept linking Reading to Philadelphia via King of Prussia were prepared for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with the hope that SVM would be eligible for federal dollars to help pay for the $2.2 billion project. The financial considerations of the project led the FTA to rank SVM as "Not Recommended" and the project is no longer being pursued. However, local officials, businesses, and residents continue to support the restoration of passenger rail service in the area.

What a waste.

 

[Sibylus]

Freak disaster = + gas prices
People drive less = + gas prices
People drive more = + gas prices
Small child sprains ankle in the Middle East = +++ gas prices

 

[lunarworks]

I need a car because there is no other way to go 20 miles to go shopping or walking the 9 miles to my friends house in a reasonable amount of time...

Hey, no one forced you to buy a house in the middle of nowhere...


As far as I'm concerned, North America is pretty much an absolute failure in terms of neighbourhood design. All these suburbs popped-up in the middle of automotive exuberance, and no one even considered not driving everywhere. Hell, my neighbourhood doesn't even have SIDEWALKS. (But I live fairly close to a shopping centre, at least.)

 

[Phobophile]

indiana in the south, ha

what color were they wearing during the war against northern aggression?

Indiana: the outstretched middle finger of the South

 

[xBerserker]

Since I don't need it for freeway driving I'm looking at 2008 Red Stella with Side Car (this is not us), :lol Wife really liked the idea.

http://www.genuinescooters.com/scooters/stella/stella.html

I'm considering doing the same. What scooters are you looking at?

 

[Beer Monkey]

Hey, no one forced you to buy a house in the middle of nowhere...

Farmers are assholes for not living in the city.

Fact is lots of jobs are in rural locations, and this includes tons of manufacturing and distribution facilities that were built in the 20th century.

 

[PrivateWHudson]

Hey, no one forced you to buy a house in the middle of nowhere...


As far as I'm concerned, North America is pretty much an absolute failure in terms of neighbourhood design. All these suburbs popped-up in the middle of automotive exuberance, and no one even considered not driving everywhere. Hell, my neighbourhood doesn't even have SIDEWALKS. (But I live fairly close to a shopping centre, at least.)

It doesn't help that all of the manufacturing jobs went overseas to countries with not so strict environmental regulations. I live in a town that would be GREAT for walking/biking to work, but there is no work to be had. All of the manufacturing closed up, crime rolled in and business's stay away. Instead, I drive 20 miles each way to a cooperate campus that is surrounded by half million dollar homes. Go figure. If Al Gore would like to donate a few hundred thousand to my cause, I will move withing biking distance to my employer.

 

[borghe]

Hey, no one forced you to buy a house in the middle of nowhere...

this is crap. really? So let's see what our other options are:

ghetto house in the slum.
$100K studio condo downtown
?????

I love how people just assume there is affordable housing in decent neighborhoods in every metro area in america. And I mean hell, I live in the metro area (though still a suburb) and when you are dealing with a metro area that is up to 100 sq mi mass transit can STILL take almost two hours to get you where you need to go. Oh, and let's talk about all those jobs that AREN'T available in the metro area so even if you live there you still have to drive out to the burbs to work anyway. or you could live out by your job and still have to drive to the necessities every day or every other day.

and it is correct that suburpia sprung up when every family owned a car or two and drove everywhere they needed... but before we go talking about the good old days, let's remember that gas barely budged for 50 years. I mean we are talking about a whole 4-5 times rise over like 50 some years. and then in the last 8 years or so it has almost tripled? I mean hell, the entire time I've been on this planet we've lived in the middle of nowhere... no problems. then the oil companies get greedy because they realize they have america by the shorthairs. That's all this is, nothing more. Well, all I can say is what goes around comes around. They fuck us over and raise prices through the roof, get ready to see them take a massive hit somewhere along the way.

 

[Phobophile]

Fact is lots of jobs are in rural locations, and this includes tons of manufacturing and distribution facilities that were built in the 20th century.

This is my problem. There are tons of job opportunities for me in the manufacturing industry but I'd have to move to lame suburbs or crap-ass middle of nowhere. I lucked out; I got a job that's not too terribly far from downtown Chicago and I found an apartment 5 minutes away from work.

 

[Dark Octave]

Since I don't need it for freeway driving I'm looking at 2008 Red Stella with Side Car (this is not us), :lol Wife really liked the idea.

http://www.genuinescooters.com/scooters/stella/stella.html

:lol Don't do it.

 

[dammitmattt]

If I had an electric car that I drove to work every single day (something with the energy consumption of, say, a Tesla Roadster), but kept one gas-powered car for only when I have to make a long trip, I'd say it would probably be better for the world.

I know that building a car uses energy resources, but I keep my cars for 10+ years. I could probably keep one for 20+ easily if it were only used for long trips.

In the fairly near future, I would definitely like to have one smallish electric car and one largish gas-powered car between my fiancee and me. Or even two smallish electric cars go go along with my all-around gas-powered small SUV or crossover.

However, we're not there yet, unfortunately