Money – Record-high fuel prices and a slowing economy will shrink travel in the United States over the coming Memorial Day holiday for the first time since 2002, auto and travel group AAA said Thursday.
Good, maybe we'll have less auto accidents on the road.
Less accidents is great but thats a big family day for most people and to think that all of those that NOW can't afford to take the trip is just sad. I feel for them!!!
I don't go anywhere on this holiday now, but I remember the many years of great times camping with the kids. Not too hot yet, & we had such fun. I feel bad for the families feeling the crunch so much they can't get away. Those are important times to families, and something for kids to look forward to.
hurr1,
Re: Good, "maybe we'll have less auto accidents on the road."
Sorry, but I totally disagree with you on that point!!
Because of the fact that gas prices are skyrocketing every week, there are alot of people on the streets, that now, ride bicycles everywhere.
About 95% of these bicyclists, seem to think that they do not have to abide by the same driving laws that apply to regular vehicle drivers.
They do NOT stop at stop signs. They do NOT stop at red stop lights. They do NOT yield to other drivers on the roads.
They have their own bike lanes, but they still weave in and out of traffic constantly and cut drivers off at a moments notice. And, because of all these laws that they break on a daily basis, many of them have been hit and killed or severely injured by trucks, buses and cars.
So who's to blame, when they accidently hit a bicyclist?
We're not having less accidents on the road, we're having more.
These gas prices are gettin' to be out of this world. This is pure BS.
I'm afraid to find out what the cost per gallon of gas will be, during the summer months this year.
I live in Chicago. I filled up my tank today. The cheapest price I found today, was for $4.29 for regular unleaded. I've seen prices around town for as high as $4.79 just for regular unleaded gas!
3 weeks ago, the gas prices were hovering around $3.98 for regular unleaded. They seem to climb up, regularly, once per week.
There are alot of drivers in the city that have SUV's.
They are paying about $100.00 per fill-up.
There is no end in sight.
I heard on the news recently that the price for regular unleaded gas may reach $5.00 per gallon by the start of summer?!
How and why are the gas companies allowed to get away with this?
This is totally unfair!
"These gas prices are gettin' to be out of this world. This is pure BS."
--I think this is a clear sign that those who have been profiting mightily from the 8 year-long GOP oil grab know that the party will soon be over (literally and figuratively speaking). Whether due to more regulation, greater investment in alternative fuel sources, conservation efforts, greater fuel efficiency, or some combination of these things, the gravy train days are gone after November. They're are filling up their coffers while they can. Same with defense contractors. I sure America will breathe a sigh of relief when the nightmare is finally over on Jan 20 2009. ;-(
I am much less concerned about the price of a gas tank fill up, what concerns me is the added cost of fuel for the freight trucks which bring the edibles to your friendly neighborhood market.
TheRealizer,
Re: "what concerns me is the added cost of fuel for the freight trucks"
As we all know now, the cost of goods has also gone up tremendously.
If you guys voted for Bush and now complaining about gas prices, I am selling *** MISSION ACCOMPLISHED *** Banners for $1 / piece.
Take it to White House and ask Bush how much oil has been used for the occupation of Iraq since 2003 and what is the monthly use in gallons.
Also, ask him how much oil did Sadam pump in to the markets and how much is being pumped since 2003.
If you get the right answers, present the banner to Bush. If he cannot answer or refuses to see you, keep the banner as a souvenir for your vote in 2004.
A lot people I know usually go to family get together, then to the cemetery on Memorial Day. This will stop many of them from taking a trip and spending the money on the trip. Instead many people must use the money to pay for gas to go to work.
I will be swimming in the pool that weekend. I want to make a trip to see some of my grand kids, this summer, may have to check into riding the AMTRAK.
I never dreamed that I would see the changes in America, that I am witnessing. Businesses take away good paying jobs and then want to keep raising prices on everything. How long can working people continue to pay, when their wages aren't keep up with the costs of living? I remember hearing a saying when I was growing up; "can't get blood out of a turnip", that makes a lot of sense today!
Thanks STONERS!
Just wait until all those people who make minimum wage quit their jobs because they can't afford to go to work. Who's going to ring up that Corporate Execs double latte skim? How will they get their dry cleaning? Who will do their dry cleaning. If a person who makes a 150.00 per week spends a 100.00 of that to get to work, why should they even bother to go?
Here in the DC area we have pretty good public transportation and getting around by bike is getting better but there are quite a few suburban areas from which residents' only choice is to drive. One shudders to think what effect these soaring prices are having on folks living in regions (in the south, in particular) where there is little or no public transportation. I drive a mini suv with decent gas mileage but lately I've been logging more miles (ok, blocks... ;-) ) on my bike. So even though there are some benefits to the price spike, I fear many people may not have the luxury of appreciating the virtue of a cardio workout (the disabled and the elderly on fixed incomes, for example). ;-(
I predict it will be $10 within four years...maybe SUVs will be on the endangered species list. I'm not a "tree hugger" but I do not understand our ostentatious demands sometimes. Stll, I hope the folks in Washington will come together on this soon!
As I have posted before
f we could magically convert everything vehicle owned by private citizens in this country to hydrogen, we would save ~ 2.5 million barrels out of the 20 million barrels used everyday in the US
It's a step in the right direction but won't get us close to being oil independent
Generation of electricity needs to be addressed:
The World Factbook
Electricity - production: 4.062 trillion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4%
hydro: 5.6%
nuclear: 20.7%
other: 2.3% (2001)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-wo...
Removing SUV's and increasing CAFE standards are baby steps
And you may get your wish - see my post below on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act
Are you really willing to pay the price?
"Are you really willing to pay the price?"
--Wow. I'm tempted to give you a pos simply because you didn't claim (as many on the right insist) that more drilling is the best and/or only solution. Or is that what you were hinting at?
Well actually unless you are willing to see gas go to $8/gal or home heating/cooling go beyond the ability of many Americans to pay, drilling in the short term is needed
To establish alternatives that will really impact our dependence on foreign oil will take decades
Everyone emphasizes vehicles but that is simply a drop in the bucket compared to where we actually consume the most oil
Electricty generation is a big item.
Unfortunately too many refuse to consider coal or nuclear.
Wind and solar won't get us there.
How long to you think it will take to reduce electricity generation from fossil fuel (71.4%) to even 35% from fossil fuel? Decades may be optimistic given the hurdles various groups throw up
Short term and long term strategies are needed and as usual Washington rhetoric does not match action. They have NO short term strategy and their long term strategy so far has been corn/ethanol - a boon doogle
So what do you suggest?
I suggest ploughing some of the money wasted on numerous other insane Govt projects on Nuclear Fusion. Instead of the few paltry billion (by Govt standards), start with a 100 billion, see how long it takes to develop to it's actual potential (dammed cheap - appart from the initial reactor component - radioactive waste in extremely small quantities)......
But NO, they won't do that, can't think why.......
LOL Dicax_Maximus
" But NO, they won't do that, can't think why."
Wouldn't have anything to do with $$$$$ would it - that is a loss of $$ to politicians
Too many on the right and left fail to realize that if they work together both would achieve their goals:
energy independence would lead to a reduction in CO2 emmissions
Partisan bickering will lead to what we have now - spiraling fuel prices, food shortages and never ending subsidies for political paybacks from the politicians
We should have taken the 1 Trillion we will waste in Iraq and started a Manhattan-style Project to research energy alternatives. The oil companies should be barred from participating outside of providing R&D experts. They have no immediate incentive to seek alternative energies.
Do we still believe in American ingenuity? Apparently not. Do we really wish to wean ourselves off the Middle East? Apparently not.
The American people need to get off their asses and demand change. We have about 30% that continue to accept the status quo, they need to move forward or get kicked forward. This country is failing (i.e. infrastructure, lack of affordable energy sources, massive debt, illegal immigration), if you can't see that you must be wearing rose colored glasses. I feel somewhat lucky that I wont be around in 30-40 years to see what America looks like as a 3rd world country.
Take off your partisan blinders
Take a look at the Farm Bill just passed in the House
Subsidies for corn/ethanol
They do realize that program is contributing to spiraling food costs - their answer was to increase food stamps and aid to food banks. For the middle class - too bad just suck it up
With what they spend on foolish programs that get us nowhere, they could fund a Manhatten style project
Nuclear Fusion research goes on in the universities like UC Berkeley but one of the largest research facilities is the Joint European Torus. It is run as a collaboration between all European fusion organisations with the participation of scientists from around the globe. Did it EVER occur to Congress to get involved with them??
This country is failing because the politicians are more interested in payback for their contributors than solving problems
Nostalgia - OK, I'm only going on a somewhat decrepit memory here, but I believe the Torus Project was budgeted at around 25 billion USD (total costing).....
No idea what it is now, BUT, to my mind, what a waste of a possibility by the US Govt........
Once initial construction costs were covered (which, if it were a Govt project, we wouldn't need to worry about R&D costs), the energy supplied would be virtually free.....
But that might upset a few people, mightn't it ???
"But that might upset a few people, mightn't it ???"
Oh I'd venture a guess that a few would be upset!
The count could start with the number of people in Congress
Didn't the US government classify all the documents from Tesla's work??
Some speculate that was one of the reasons - a way to produce virtually free energy
At least that is what I recall from a documentary I watched several years ago
Not only are SUVs on the endangered list but here in Minneapolis most dealerships selling high mileage cars like Toyota and Honda are out and out refusing to accept an SUV on a trade. Those that do are depreciating the SUVs value to practically nothing.
This happened to a coworker of mine that tried to trade a Toyota Tundra truck back to a Toyota dealer. They offered him $1500 less than blue book. The truck was in excellent shape and even had aftermarket rims and tires. And that vehicle gets decent mileage compared to a big SUV.
So if you have one of these behemoths you are going to take a beating on the trade-in. The dealers certainly don't want used SUV's and big trucks to sell, they already have new ones they cannot move.
If you think it is bad now, wait and see what happens if the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 2191) is passed
"Worried about gas prices hitting $4 a gallon and beyond? Imagine if they were $6, $7 or even $8 a gallon. Those levels are a certain possibility should Congress pass cap-and-trade legislation, which could face a vote in early June."
http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/2...
It will be up to you!
What is more important to you - global warming or the price of gas, heating/cooling your home etc
Few politicians are telling you what it is going to take out of your pocket if global warming legislation passes
You better pay attention!
I was reading that exon is making about $10,000 a second PROFIT, on this high price of oil. That is crazy. I feel bad for the delivery people who have to use their own vechiles taxi cab drivers and anyone else who has work in the car. $4 bucks illinois but as long as the politicians are getting kick backs from oil we will see these high prices.
My wife and I have talked about our plans and the cost of gas has come up. I'm sure we'll spend more time by the pool and less time venturing to the seashore.
I also read an article recently that said as the cost of energy continues to climb and the days of cheap cooling disappear, all the parts of the country where people have been moving to for the last 20 years, the southwest, Florida and Texas, are going to be hit very hard. People will migrate.
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56)
"Some 37.87 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home for the holiday, which falls this year on May 26. That would be down 0.9 percent from 38.23 million last year, according to AAA's survey which was conducted on more than 2,000 Americans."
"This is the first time we've seen a decrease since 2002, after the downturn that followed the September 11 attacks in 2001."
I have to pay it regardless how high it is, thats a big family day for us and the drive is about 4 hours one way.
By the way, I just noticed your submission from almost exactly a year ago listed to the right. What a difference a year makes, huh? ;-(
WOW!!!
I will make my annual trip - as I have every year since 67 - to the Vets resting ground to pay my respects to friends long gone.