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Gas prices alter behavior
Drivers shun SUV's and travel closer to home for the holiday
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Rob Varela / Star staff Ludmilla Samson checks out the inside of a Smart car coupe as brand specialist Della Rosales answers her questions. The Santa Barbara dealership says it has 452 reservations for the cars. It has delivered only 43 of them since opening in January.
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More from County NewsNorma Emery knows there is more consumer demand for fuel-efficient cars. Every time she drives her new Smart fortwo micro car, people stop her with questions.
"The questions they ask," she said, "are No. 1, the mileage? No. 2, the cost of the car? and No. 3, how do I feel on the freeway?"
The growing popularity of gas sippers is a sign that soaring pump prices are changing consumer behavior. That could be evident during this weekend's Memorial Day holiday, when people are expected to drive less or travel in groups.
The Automobile Club of Southern California predicts about 4.7 million Californians will take driving trips of 50 miles or more over the three-day break, down 0.1 percent from last year. And vacationers will be more frugal, spending $600 or less, while more than two-thirds are expected to travel with at least three people in their party.
"There is no doubt that this year's record gas prices are affecting travelers' budgets and destination choices," said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.
Ventura County's average price for regular unleaded gasoline was $3.97 a gallon Tuesday, according to AAA.
With prices surging, California's demand for gasoline has been dropping. The state Board of Equalization noted in its most recent report that Californians used 4.5 percent less gasoline in January compared with the same month in 2007.
Joe Sparano, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, attributed the dropoff to a combination of things, including more people using mass transit and buying higher-mileage cars.
That said, California remains one of the world's biggest gas-guzzling regions. "The entire U.S. without California has the greatest demand for gasoline," Sparano said. "Second is China. Third is California."
Jolted by skyrocketing prices, many consumers are turning away from fuel gluttons, such as sport utility vehicles that were all the rage a decade ago.
Sales of the bigger SUVs have dropped considerably in the past six months, said Irv Steinman, general manager at Honda of Thousand Oaks, one of Ventura County's top-selling auto dealers.
"Ever since we've had this huge increase in the cost of gasoline, the value of the bigger SUVs has really gone down," he said.
Steinman was in business during the days when SUVs were must-have vehicles. The difference today, he said, is that customers are demanding better fuel efficiency. As a result, Honda's tiny Fits are flying out the door. "We're selling Fits as soon as we get them," Steinman said.
At the Smart Center Santa Barbara dealership, which considers its customer base to stretch from Thousand Oaks to San Luis Obispo, General Manager Saad Jarrah said it has 452 reservations for Smart cars. They've delivered just 43 of the tiny vehicles since opening in January.
"We'd like to deliver more," Jarrah said. "The pressure's on the manufacturer to give us cars. Every dealer is the same way. My understanding is there are about 30,000 reservations countrywide."
Emery, a nurse, and husband Cedric, a physician, searched for a dealer who would sell them a Smart car after catching a glimpse of one eight years ago in Milan, Italy. The Santa Paula couple looked in Paris and Athens but couldn't import one.
At Smart Center Santa Barbara, they were able to get their car two months ago after someone with a reservation didn't take possession.
The cost of their fully loaded red convertible was $18,000, Emery said.
She is a bit overwhelmed by the public reaction she gets to the little car. Every time she returns to her Smart car in a parking lot, someone is peering into it, she said.
"I've had people roll their windows down while we're driving and want to ask me questions," she said.
Jarrah said the company believes two trends are driving demand for the vehicle: people wanting better gas mileage and also wanting to lessen their "carbon footprint."
Emery, who works at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, tells people her car gets 35 to 39 miles per gallon. "It should be higher than that, but I drive too fast," she admitted.
As to whether she feels safe driving on the highway, she said, "Perfectly."
On the Net:
http://www.smartcentersantabarbara.com
Posted by jw1000 on May 21, 2008 at 4:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gas is going to five bucks a gallon folks. Make sure you never make the idiotic mistake of buying a gas guzzling SUV again.
Posted by jw1000 on May 21, 2008 at 5:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have fun paying five bucks a gallon. You deserve it!!!
Posted by numonics on May 21, 2008 at 6:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My wife has a geo metro and I drive further to work so I take it to work now, I get 40 miles per gallon and pay only $50.00 a month on gas.
Posted by Nosmo_King on May 21, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
numonics, my brother has a geo metro also. He gets over 40 mpg on his daily 40 mile roundtrip commute. I think it's a 1980's car. Now 20 years later 35 to 39 is big news? My wife drives a 2005 New Beetle TDI and consistantly gets 38 mpg city. jw1000..I admit my SUV is parked alot more these days, but I still need it to take the fat dog to the Vet.
Posted by scott_fx_2000 on May 21, 2008 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Until China & Asia demand less oil, we'll be forced to pay whatever the pumps demand. Saudi Arabia’s biggest customers are those two countries. We're not the biggest player like we used to be. Plus, the Middle East really hates the U.S.A. now after Bush F'ed up our once great country. I traded in a 5.9 liter V-8 Dodge for a 2007 4'banging Tacoma truck. I can get 3 weeks worth of gas out of one tank. Plus, I ride my bike to the store instead of driving there. It's about changing the habits that didn't used to vacuum the cash out of our wallets. I would hate to see a Smart car get stuck under GottaBwhites horse trailer going down the Conejo Grade..LOL.
Posted by JohnGC on May 21, 2008 at 8:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"...That could be evident during this weekend's Memorial Day holiday, when people are expected to drive less or travel in groups.
The Automobile Club of Southern California predicts about 4.7 million Californians will take driving trips of 50 miles or more over the three-day break, down 0.1 percent from last year..."
So down .1%, lets see that means for every 1000 previous trips, this year there will be 999. What a p*&% poor article. Only those folks that are on the extreme lower end of the income scale have varied their driving habits appreciably. Not too many folks are willing to spend $20K to get a reasonable MPG stat. The rest of the folks will not even pause until gas costs are $5+/gal.
The soccer moms are still driving their 6 ton trucks to deliver their 50 pound kid, 3 miles or less to school.
Posted by AnaCapa on May 21, 2008 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just bought a SMART, Luv it! I used to have to gas up every 5 or 6 days now I can go over two weeks with out fueling! It's great!
Posted by Ventuckey on May 21, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I love the Smarts. I just wish there wasn't a wait and there was a lease option.
Posted by katiec23 on May 21, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Getting a few more MPGs out of our cars will not stop the upward trend in gas prices. Gas prices have more to do with the way we use our cars than they do with the actual cars we drive. As long as there are people who commute long distances every day to work without carpooling or taking public transportation, we will continue to have high gas prices. As long as we keep building massive, sprawled-out cities where walking is not an option, we will continue to have high gas prices. Make adjustments in these areas, and then we might see some relief at the pump.
Posted by omie on May 21, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I say if you want to drive a gas guzzler than you are welcome to it. But do not complain about gas prices. If you want it someone else has it then they have the right to charge what ever they want for it. Smarts are a great idea, to bad it took this long for them to reach the states.
Posted by guy133 on May 21, 2008 at 10:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Nosmo, that's what I want to know. It seems like 20 years ago I remember hearing about 3-cylinder Chevy Sprints getting 50MPG. 20 years later we can't do any better than that? Now car companies are bragging about cars that get 30 MPG? WTF?
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Katiec23 got it right.
A note from a real Cassandra i.e. he's always right but the corporate media always ignore him. Thank heaven for the indies and the net or we might be totally unprepared instead of mostly.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/8...
Much of the economic pollyanaism is BS as well--including employment stats and inflation. It's worse than it looks.
Posted by THX1138 on May 21, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yahoo... less suv's!! :)
When they say that California is one of the biggest consumers - no kidding. This is one of the biggest states with a large population and many are forced to commute. In the early days there was no planning or fore-thought put into mass transit, so now we're stuck with using cars.
Posted by arissachic on May 21, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Big whoop - she has a glorified golf cart that ONLY gets 40 mpg according to thier website. Again, Americans are going to the extreme again with cars, only the other way. Do the research, you artards, and you will find that the REGULAR Nissan Sentra gets 36 MPG and it still has ALL the comforts of a car AND its only $20K FULLY LOADED and NO stupid waiting list or having to HAHA 'import' a car from another country -
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
More on supply
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/bus...
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 12:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A reality glimmer at the distance between the "science" of economics and reality--
http://www.energybulletin.net/44566.html
If you think it can always get worse, not to worry, it already is.
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what about the safety on these cars? It seems any cars that get great gas mileage have terrible safety ratings. Yeah, I'd like to save money on gas but I want my kids to be safe!
Posted by guy133 on May 21, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
arissachic, I agree. When I first heard about these Smart cars, I thought they were going to be 70 MPG cars. Why buy one if it's under 40MPG?
Posted by FedUp on May 21, 2008 at 1:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
perhaps if we stop listening to all the whiny liberals, and open up our own refineries again, only then will gas prices go down. it is retarded that we have to pay these ridiculous prices to import oil from the middle east, yet we have the same crap right in our own back/front yards. our government is full of a bunch of sissies!
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nope, fedup,your information is wrong. Even at these prices, we can't meet supply needs. US oil peaked in 1972. Even despoiling ANWR, even despoiling west Ventura, for that matter (we just had a noxious spill on this side of town.)
Folks, we need to change our life-styles, our mode of transport, our expectations.
And speaking of whiny-- all this resistance to change just makes the final outcome harder. I know it's an outrage--our sacred life-style will have to adjust.
We need to bring our economy down to the local, stop suburban sprawl, work without big commutes, fix our railroads, and get used to the idea of less.
And yes, quit feeding the war machine. The military is either the biggest consumer of oil or one of them. We can't conquer enough Middle Easterners to get their oil to make up for the costs.
Posted by FedUp on May 21, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I disagree cassandra. I do agree that we need to live smarter though. however, if california is the largest abuser of oil in the nation, could any of that have to do with all the illegals we have in our state? I know, people will say this is not an immigration issue, and I will agree with them in a sense. but the oil business is all about supply and demand. take all the illegals out of the equation, ie: less cars on the roads using gas, and the demand goes down, which means the supply is less, which means prices go down.
I carpool with my wife to SB in a honda civic with over 220K miles on it. dont tell me I am not doing my part. we still get around 30-32 mpg.
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
how can you say not to take jobs where you have to commute...we have to earn a living to feed our families and with the cost of groceries going up higher...heck, I don't know what else to cut out...I shop at farmer's markets, I buy generic...it's still out of control and I HAVE to commute to work to retain a job that is going to pay me well enough to survive.
Posted by Ms_California on May 21, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am one of those SUV soccer mom's. I hate the expense that my truck is costing me right now in gas. But I can't trade the thing in because the dealerships aren't paying jack for them right now. So again I take another hit. With a large family as mine is we can't just all hop into a Smart car. I am sick of these oil companies having profits of 100's of billions of dollars while we all struggle with the rising gas and food prices... when is our wonderful president going to step in and say enough is enough?
Posted by FedUp on May 21, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"when is our wonderful president going to step in and say enough is enough?"
um, never! our presidents are bff's with all of these execs. lots and lots of these dollars are being funneled to all of these politicians.
Posted by Ms_California on May 21, 2008 at 2:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No kidding Fed up, I guess you don't think I read the news? hmmm... I was (and this was probably hard to tell in print) but being sarcastic with my comment.
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dang, Ms_California...how many kids you got that you need a big ol' SUV!!
Posted by moyalva2003 on May 21, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my God those vehicles look so ugly. I dont have to worry about fueling all my toys because I'm finacially set, and I just turned 23!
Posted by Ms_California on May 21, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
well I was a teenage mother and had all of those free school benefits and mooch off of the welfare system... I think I have about 5 or 6 but can't tell cuz they are never home before I go to the bar at night.
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I love these desperate blamers--it's the illegals, it's the Chinese, it's the liberals, it's the oil companies--well this last has some merit because the oil companies have been guilty of lying about supplies for a long time and still are.
But it's still "the oil, stupid." We have hit peak oil. We will never have cheap oil again. We can fake the supply figures by measuring "liquid fuels" instead of sweet crude, so we can include bios and tar sands and maybe Wesson Oil (joke) for all that. And surely the oil companies can part with a few billion to help clean up their pollution and maybe pay their fair tax burden. But this supply problem is both broader and deeper than market blips and and machinations, and we need to make painful changes.
It's too bad so many like Hotwildflower have organized their lives around the big commute but this mode of survival will have less and less viability. She (I presume a she) should have been warned. A responsible government would have discouraged this. Responsible media would have made it clear this was risky choice. But we have neither responsible government nor responsible mainstream media.
I see many folks who could be illegals or not, look like poor and dark, bicycling all over to whatever work they can. Some seem to be living many families to a structure or apartment in denser pop. areas. They are surviving. It can be done on less albeit not necessarily in this style or to this extreme.
We will need to cut back. The sooner we accept this, the more gracefully and easily we will adjust.
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, and Fedup, you are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. You don't know what you are talking about.
Posted by FedUp on May 21, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
cassandra- I am entitled to my opinion, and I will keep giving it. just like you. you act like "your" indy media is the end all, when it is just biased reporting, much like all of the media.
sorry Ms. California, sarcasm does not come across well in this forum. I did not mean to imply anything.
Posted by BeaHappi on May 21, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ms_California...well you could start taking the bus to the bars at night and then you'd save on your huge SUV gas bill! Not only that you wouldn't be drinking and driving like you probably are now. Only thing is one of your 5 - 6 kids would probably take the SUV for a joyride, get into a fight at Arco, and stab someone.
Come on girl! Get it together!
Posted by BeaHappi on May 21, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"It's too bad so many like Hotwildflower have organized their lives around the big commute"
Well, count me in as someone who has organized my life around a big commute. I drive 60 miles roundtrip every day to work and back.
I, like hotwildflower, have to work and was lucky enough to find a great paying job that I enjoy and that allows me flexibility so that I can balance my personal life too.
We're not all bad people sucking up as much fuel as we can. I'm happy for the people who live close to home and can easily use alternate transportation (like bikes or walking). For me, right now, that's not an option.
I think that as a whole we need to make changes where we can so that we're not as dependent on gas. Telecommute if and when you can. Ride share, even one day a week. Use public transportation. Instead of driving up to SB for a weekend day, take the train.
A bunch of small changes can make a big difference.
Posted by BeaHappi on May 21, 2008 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oops...I meant "happy for the people who WORK close to home..."
Posted by breakinbonesmd on May 21, 2008 at 3:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i own a car (gas friendly toyota matrix) for road trips and grocery shopping. for everyday, i spend $40 a month for a bus pass! i know CHOOSING to take public transportation is a pretty foreign idea to the people of ventura county, but i highly recommend it. 'gold coast transit' and 'vista' are so much better (convenience-wise) than a few years back. shoot, in just the last year they've made some great changes.
if the star wants to do an article about beating gas prices, they need to delve into, 'the bus: it's not just for hobos, addicts, and crazy people anymore'
Posted by BeaHappi on May 21, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
breakinbonesmd...does Gold Coast Transit go from Oxnard to Westlake Village? I'm honestly curious. I'd love to ride the metrolink from Ventura but it stops in Simi which obviously is not Westlake!
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What about an emergency? I can't imagine getting a call from the school that my child is hurt and having to look at the bus schedule to see when I can get there...
Posted by Ventura22 on May 21, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ahh, yes. We all forgot about the little Chevy sprints equipped with a 3-cylinder engine that appeared back in 1986-87. My first car was a 1976 pinto that got 25 miles per gallon; however the quality and workmanship was dismal at that time. The technology is there and has been for a while. If we as consumers make the choice to flex our muscles, the automakers will find ways to produce hybrids and other fuel-efficient vehicles that are comparable in size/performance/quality to the larger/safer vehicles we are so comfortable with. There is no reason they can't produce more hybrid pickups and suv vehicles, other than market demand and enough foolish consumers willing to continue buying gas guzzlers and encourage bad, irresponsible practices of the automakers. I seem to distantly remember the demand dropping in the mid-70's for the large sedans to the point where dealers would let them go for basically no profit just to get them off their lots. Here we are again.
Posted by breakinbonesmd on May 21, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
BeaHappi, you asked the right person! i live in ventura and work in westlake!
the vista goes from ventura to westlake. the website is currently under construction, but check back later for the schedule.
http://www.goventura.org/home/index.asp
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 3:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
but this is all about "new cars"...what if you can't afford to just run out and buy a hybrid? I have a decent car that gets pretty good gas mileage and honestly, the increase in cost for a hybrid isn't worth it to me, it would end up costing me more than I save. I not willing to make that change just yet. My car is running just fine...gas prices just suck!
Posted by breakinbonesmd on May 21, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hotwildflower, obviously there are people for which the bus is not a practical means. people with more than 1 job or who run errands as a part of their job or people with small children... those are a few examples of some who might be overly inconvenienced by the bus.
there's no catch-all solution... i was simply throwing out an alternative that 'the star' failed to mention in their article.
Posted by BeaHappi on May 21, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
breakinbonesmd...thank you!
Truthfully I don't know that I'd ride it everyday, but even 1 or 2 days a week would help out with our finances and the environment.
Where in Westlake does it drop off?
Posted by breakinbonesmd on May 21, 2008 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
hotwildflower, what was the point of your last comment? the car you have right now gets pretty good gas mileage, so you're already ahead of the game. you're no victim with these gas prices, we're all in this together.
man, you are negative! a bit of a whiner, actually.
Posted by breakinbonesmd on May 21, 2008 at 3:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the vista highway 101/conejo connection drops at the t.o. transit center off rancho rd. and from there you can either take the east county vista bus to townsgate rd. and westlake blvd. or one of the t.o. buses to about a dozen different stops around westlake.
each bus is only $1, so without a bus pass, you're only looking at $2-$4 a day! only mode of transportation cheaper than that is walking!
Posted by hotwildflower on May 21, 2008 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my last comment was more in response to the one from Ventura22, not him/her outright, but it seems people are shoving hybrids down your throat as a solution to saving money and the envirnment. The cost of a hybrid is more than that of a regular car, plus buying a new car period you are paying more money in tax, licensing and insurance so where is the savings there? yeah...the increase in the price of gas sucks, not just for me, for everyone. The MPG of my car isn't the issue, it's how much I have to pay for a gallon of gas while the oil companies post record profits...again, it sucks FOR EVERYONE!
I am not a negative person, but people make comments like some of these "simple" solutions are overly simplified.
Posted by del on May 21, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We need to reset the national speed limit back down to 55mph. We did it before and it will not hurt anyone to do it again. Yes, there will be some whinning, but the benefits far and away any so-called inconvenience.
Posted by del on May 21, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oops...far and away exceed any so-called inconvenience.
Posted by FedUp on May 21, 2008 at 4:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree del. 55 is decent speed to travel on our highways. especially as run down as they are right now.
but what is going on with europe? it is my understanding that they have vehicles that are equipped with hi-performance engines, that still get great gas mileage. why are those vehicles not being sold here?
and why is diesel so much more expensive now, than it was just a couple of years ago. it used to be cheaper than 87 octane. now it is almost $.90 more. diesel is cheaper to produce than regular gas. someone, somewhere is hiding more info from the general public.
the gas prices are out of control, and there really is no rhyme or reason for it. just gouging by the oil companies, IMO.
Posted by del on May 21, 2008 at 4:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
FedUP, the questions you ask conjure up any number of conspiracy theories concerning, big oil, Detroit and politicians. Let your imagination run wild.
Posted by del on May 21, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hotwildflower, Google "Occam's razor". Simple is good.
But then, I am a closet Luddite.
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Many have turned to growing their own food for their families and their community. That's because we saw the crunch coming a long way down the line. It wasn't hard to see. And tons (literally) can be grown on ordinary 1/6 th of an acre homesteads.
Peak oil was over predicted, at least a decade or two. Peak food was clearly waiting in the wings. Follow the dots--fossil fuels are abundant in current ag. practices not just for fertilizer, pesticides, ag. plastics but for transport to market, not to mention the consumers getting stuff home. And when you ship it in from China or even Mexico more fossil fuel involved. Then add in land taken for bio fuels. We haven't seen anything yet in terms of rising food costs. And much that is available is unhealthy and of lesser nutritional value.
The next shortage to come down the pike is water. Eventually water will be strategically as important as oil. We waste enormous quantities of it.
We could do this now. And some of us are, but judging by the tone of this comment board, I would say you folks are more likely to ignore the warnings, wait till you feel the totally predictable pain then whine, complain and blame and want someone to make what's so not so rather than change your precious life-style. You want to focus narrowly on your own discomfort rather than seeing it whole and anticipating and acting.
Wake up. Quit getting your info from mainstream media. They are only interested in getting to buy from their advertising clients. Read a book. check out the alternatives.
(Why would anyone awake and alert these last 20 years buy an SUV?)
Posted by cassandra on May 21, 2008 at 5:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, and the price of diesel is related to marketing decisions by the refineries. Economics not conspiracy. If I find the article I'll post it.
Posted by high_society on May 21, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
America:
The land of materialistic but cheap consumers!
Where people are too proud to carpool or take a bus.
Where they spend $4 for a latte (A LATTE! What's that, a couple ounces?!) but complain about $4 gas prices for a gallon!
You deserve it!
Posted by moyalva2003 on May 21, 2008 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
high_scociety is right! I personally don't like Starbucks or any coffee drink . That's why I give so much respect to Starbucks Founder Howard Schultz. He capitalized on the idea that people are stupid enough to pay 5 dollars for a cup of coffee.
Posted by optisaurus on May 21, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The gas prices are still not high enough. People STILL buzz by me on the 101 EVERY DAY speeding like the dickens and flipping me off for going 65 MPH on the freeway. I save gas not speeding. The minute my car goes over 65 I see the needle drop very quickly. The same person griping about the gas goes 85 and flips me off. So be it. They will slow down and use less once it hurts bad enough.
Posted by Common_Sense on May 21, 2008 at 8:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The key, ultimately, is hydrogen. Limitless supply w/ zero emissions. The challenge is efficiently converting water into hydrogen. The answer, in my opinion, lies directly in nuclear energy. France and many other countries are decades ahead of us in this area. We just have to get over the stigma associated with this. THis ethanol scam is nothing more than that. Much less efficient than petrol based energy and takes as much energy to produce as we ultimately get out of it. Not to mention the effect it has had on our food prices.....Nuclear is the answer.
Posted by wolf9walker on May 21, 2008 at 8:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
what is the safety rating on these smart cars? the 1st accident with one of these things, mpg wont matter after that. until people out there start driving smarter and pay more Attention to their driving. And obeying the laws more. for now I'll stick with my jeep. a tank last me two weeks.
As for high oil prices, I think the Saudi’s are lying about what the have. I think there is less then they are willing to admit. So their trying to get as much money as the can, because when they run out. We won’t have any use for them. Unless we need sand. It’s just a thought
everyone, be safe on the roads, the life you save may be your own
Posted by wolf9walker on May 21, 2008 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
After all check out this article in the ventura star “Program on drunken driving to be presented”
Wednesday, May 21, 2008. where is says “someone in the United States dies in an alcohol-related traffic collision, the Every 15 Minutes”
Posted by guy133 on May 21, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"the vista goes from ventura to westlake. the website is currently under construction, but check back later for the schedule."
I guess that about says all we need to know about the practicality of taking the bus. Their website doesn't even work.
Posted by venturapagan on May 22, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The other nice thing about those tiny little over-priced (18k?!?!) cars is that they'll double as a casket when you get creamed in it, and then gas mileage will be the least of your worries.....I've been on both sides, I'll just keep my SUV/tank/ camping vehicle thank you. HONDA- Had One, Never Do Again.
Posted by goldharted on May 23, 2008 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Two points:
1.) As I understand the history of public transportation in LA per an 80y/o friend of mine, LA actually had a model public transportation system originally that rivaled NYC. In one of the first experiments of privatization, the system was bought up by a car company.
Now, if you were a car company, would you want the competition of public transportation to remain? It was disassembled, and the result was that LA lost its fine system. It never recovered, and surrounding counties never bothered to build one in place based on an LA model. While I support privatization, this is one of the fantastic examples that a private company taking over public infrastructure must be TRUSTWORTHY.
Posted by goldharted on May 23, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
2.) Gas prices will never come down because fundamentally OPEC is a monopoly. For environmental reasons, I am very happy people's driving habits are changing. However, I anticipate that no matter what happens, OPEC will continue to demand our blood's worth for oil.... They are a business. They are not going to settle for less profits, and right now demand will continue to set the new standard. Will it matter if demand falls? I'm still trying to piece together the dynamics of that question, given the rise of the east block.
Will China eventually get fed up, and demand OPEC lower prices with the US? Interesting bedfellows....
Posted by Face on May 23, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
FOODPEC is the answer. Tie our dollar to a bushel of corn. Make the world pay for our food, while subsidizing the American consumer is the way to go. When I lived in Venezuela, I paid 11 cents a gallon (converted from litres) for their best gas. All the while we suffer, the same with food I say. Why go around the world begging when we can make everyone come to our table?
Posted by del on May 23, 2008 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The solution is simple, the implementation is difficult.
We need to get individuals out of their vehicles and onto transit.
I'll leave the details to those who want to blame everybody but our own arrogant society for waiting to the last minute to do anything about the future we saw in the early 70s.
Posted by Face on May 23, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, I don't know anyone who is going to spend an additional 3 hours of time getting to and from work to save a few bucks in gas. What we need is gasoline alternatives like Hydrogen extracted with nuclear power. Mass Transit only works in cities like New York, not sprawling mega suburbia that cover large geographic areas.
Posted by del on May 24, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It works suburbia London, I used the transit system for four years within the M25 circle.
Posted by Face on May 24, 2008 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Doesn't work here. Every time they build something, it turns into the Brown Line shuttling gangsters from Compton to Santa Ana. They intimidate passengers, commit crimes and graffiti and yell on their cell phones. It works in San Francisco because one can go from suburbia directly to their jobs in the city without stopping in Oakland.
Posted by live_for_purpose on May 25, 2008 at 5:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Ms_California---- Do you recall in the late 1970's when oil soared in price and the president was Jimmy Carter, a Democratic nuclear scientist? Don't blame Bush for Congress not wanting to drill in ANWR, for your SUV, or for high gas prices. You probably think he invaded Iraq to "steal" their oil. If we were stealing it (which 5 years later we are not) gas prices would be a lot lower, not a lot higher. Do you understand English?
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