Gasoline Prices, and your Z

[CoastGuardZ]

What I am trying to figure out is, How high does it have to get before Americans stop buying and driving SUV's, or do we have to have gas lines again for that to happen.

Come on Sarge, Just as soon as an economy car can comfortably fit two adults, at least one child safety seat, my 85 lb. Boxer, luggage and tow the Z I'll gladly trade my Pathfinder in on one. The SUV has nothing to do with price of gas. The SUV argument is just something for the tree hugging hippies to wizz and moan about. I could easily trade mine for a crew cab Titan and drop from 17-18 mpg to 14-15, but that's alright. The price of fuel is more to do with oil companies than automotive purchases.

Just heard on NPR the other day that China's gov't is subsidising the cost gas so they're paying about $2 a gallon... although I'm not complaining, I doubt China is great place to live by any stretch of the imagination. They also had somebody in Germany talking about that they were paying around $6 a gallon, like our boys down under. So I guess it isn't tooooo bad here at $3.05! Then again, if we don't complain about the price "they" will just keep on jacking it up!

On the Vespa comment... If anyone starts thinking of alternative modes of transportation, may I suggest a Kawasaki Ninja 250. It's Faster, Quicker, get's BETTER mpg than a Vespa and cost less too... just $2999 msrp Brand New. Mpg is in the neighborhood of 70! Because of the small bore insurance is cheaper than most bikes and unlike scooters /mopeds you can maintain the flow of traffic... a plus if you have a decent commute, mine is about 25 miles each way on secondary highways with a posted speed of 55mph. It's a far cry from my old Ninja 600 but it would serve the purpose.

Nate

[TomoHawk]

My opinion on the SUVs is that if these people can afford to buy one, then they will just keep on paying whatever it cost to keep on driving it. It's pretty much a status thing "I gotta have an SUV because they're really cool."

I have heard arguments saying you should buy a mid-size car for the safety of the large size, but if you just got all the "trucks," SUVs and minivans off the highways, all you got left are the econo-boxes, and some tractor-trailors. Then you justr gotta get all the idiots in the small cars to open their eyes when they drive and learn what the words SPEED LIMIT mean.:devious:

[hls30.com]

The only part of large vehicle ownership I criticize is the lack of responsibility some large vehicle owners exhibit:

1) Trips with only one adult, no luggage, no towing, and no need for cargo space-that is purely an irresponsible waste of gas-you can call me a tree hugger. I normally use my SRL311 for the daily single occupant trips, and use the Dodge when I need the room for people, stuf, or a combination of the two. Sure the Truck is more comfortable, but the roadster is far more miserly, fun, easier to park, and smile inspiring to those I share the road with. If your driving needs don't justify a large vehicle for a specific trip, leave it at home.

2) The thought that a large vehicle is safe and comfortable in any driving conditions, so learning to control the beast and using good judgement on when to stay off the road is not important.

To many people in my section of roadway ignore the fact that they have a responsibility to the other drivers on the road, and have no clue how to manouver a large vehicle with enough power and mass to squish a Z or a roadster and kill the occupants. A car is like any other dangerous thing you can own, you have responsibility for what you let (or direct) it to do. Just because an ad shows a particular vehicle handling torrential wind and rain does not mean the vehicle will be safe and comfortable in dealing with what the wind picks up, and where the water pools. Soma on wheels...

Ok, I'll pass the soap box...sorry about the tirade-yesterday...nuf said.

Will

[TomoHawk]

You forgot about that girl who cuts you off just before the exit in her rush to get to the Mall for a 1-day only sale.

Yuppie attitude: If WE got into an accident, it was obviously YOUR fault because YOU failed to get out of my way!

[sblake01]

I don't know if you can put an overall label on a person based on the vehicle they drive. What the the public consensus be on people that drive Z's? Nor can you say that everyone that has an SUV bought it because it was 'cool'. Nor that they're all driven by 'yuppies' (what the hell is a yupppie anyway?).

[daddz]

Anyone for a Vespa forum???

Steve

Too funny! It just might have to happen?

On a rant alot of people comment on how the price is justified and so on. I still say that the cost of production has definitely decreased over time due to technology process improvements and such. But the oil companies once they have us used to $3 per gallon will never let us see $1.75 per gallon ever again. Just take a look at the record profits being tallied by the oil giants. I also heard the other day that a certain ethanol producer (ADM) profits roughly $65 per barrel on a selliong price of $115 per barrel of ethanol! Ridiculous!

Oh and if your unlucky enough to live in the penalty box (the eastern seaboard) one of local power companies (BGE)to raise utility prices in Maryland a whopping 72% in the next few months! This is so that the consumer can pay for its merger charges with FP&L (Florida Power & Light) as opposed to their stockholders.

????

[TomoHawk]

Don't you think the OEC people have enough money yet? How many more of OUR milions do they need to be satisfied? Thet could roll prices back to $2 or so and still be taking in oil tankers filled with $$$ after delivering their load of crude.

In a way, I kinda hope that they suck all the oil out from underneath themselves, the ground collapses into a giant sinkhole, and floods with seawater.

[CoastGuardZ]

...what the hell is a yupppie anyway?.

Stephen,

Yuppie: Young Urban Professional.

Enough money to buy anything and young enough to still be a pompous @ss.

Nate

[hls30.com]

Yuppie as I define it...while in the throws of diaper duty and potty training:

An adult-sized typical two year old.

Characterized by:

Money is of no consequence.

I want it(what ever "it" is) now no matter what it takes or who I have to dump my diaper on to get it.

Someone always has to clean up after me because cleaning is not what I want to do.

When the next "it" comes along, the last one is cleaned up by someone else with the next mess.

[peng155]

Let me tell ya a couple of stories....

Ever since I started working for my current employer I've been taking mass transit here in Seattle.... I swear at least 75% of every car I see on the freeway has only one person in it, the driver, now I gotta admit I still drive my car 1 mile to the Park & Ride lot to catch the bus, and if it wasn't for the fact that I only have to take one bus, and it lets me off, and I can catch it in front of the office building I may not be so inclined to be taking mass transit.

Hey CoastGuardZ on the Ninja 250, gotta agree with ya there... I've been seriously considering one of these things.... My only problem is that I have very limited cycle riding experience, as in pretty much nill... I have taken the state motorcycle riders safety course, but that was at least 10 years ago... only thing that held me back from getting my cycle endorsement was worrying about the other idiot drivers on the road... a 2000lb car against a 500lb motorcycle, not much of a contest their, and I hate to be on the losing end of that one.

I am making a trip to China this fall, with a overnight stop in Tokyo.... Been to China before back in 1995 or so... The place is amazing there were so many Chinese people on the road during the morning commuting to where ever, it was just astounding, to see this sea of people on bicycles... At that time I don't remembering seeing much mass transit, the mass majority of the population were still riding bicycles at that time. One very noticible thing about China was the air, and water quality... almost every major city that we visited in China had this haze covering the city... it was until we got out to the country side that the sky actually started to look blue again, and the water ways, and rivers.. it was pretty disgusting looking, it'll be quite interesting to see how it all has changed since my last trip....

[gogriz91]

I remember in 1991 paying $1.05 for a gallon of gas and feeling it was expensive. In 2001 I paid about the same and couldn't believe how cheap it was. Did anyone ever stop and look at the historical rise of the cost of gas or how expensive it was, adjusted for inflation, in the past?

[Dtsnlvrs]

Come on Sarge, Just as soon as an economy car can comfortably fit two adults, at least one child safety seat, my 85 lb. Boxer, luggage and tow the Z I'll gladly trade my Pathfinder in on one. The SUV has nothing to do with price of gas. The SUV argument is just something for the tree hugging hippies to wizz and moan about. I could easily trade mine for a crew cab Titan and drop from 17-18 mpg to 14-15, but that's alright. The price of fuel is more to do with oil companies than automotive purchases.

Nate

Now you sound like you need an SUV....but my beef is with the single chick that has to commute to work in her H2...then bitches about gas prices not to mention they think 4 wheel drive means 4 wheel stop. However, a Honda Accord station wagon (if they still make it) should be able to replace your Pathfinder if you were so inclined :rambo: :rambo: