No Radical Change Yet
If $4 Gas Is Bad, Just Wait:
"U.S. drivers haven't radically changed their behavior, and it is
unclear at what price it becomes unprofitable for Americans to go about
their usual day-to-day activities, said , executive vice president of
the Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey. "Maybe at $6 or $7 a
gallon, it becomes less attractive to go to work," Mr. DeGesero said.
"We haven't hit that point yet, but we might soon." -- Wall Street
Journal
The key word in that quote is radically. Many Americans have certainly changed their driving behaviors, but it's looking more and more like those changes are too small.
The key word in that quote is radically. Many Americans have certainly changed their driving behaviors, but it's looking more and more like those changes are too small.
Some people don't know they're born. I'm paying about $11 per (english) gallon right now. People moan, but the general lack of public transport or any reasonable alternatives is the biggest barrier to change - if there is no alternative, or alternatives are even more expensive, then people will drive their cars.
Posted by Peter Tribble on May 25, 2008 at 06:37 PM JST #
Hmm, here in NZ it has just got to $2NZ for premium. That equals $US7.60 a US Gallon. So far there seems to be no real change in driving habits, just a bit of whinging.
Posted by Tony Reeves on May 25, 2008 at 06:37 PM JST #
Peter ... I think the UK has one of the highest rates around, no? That's amazing. Americans would die paying that. :) Americans have been used to paying very low prices for gas. Even I'd get pissed at $4.
Tony ... there is a lot of moaning now at $4 in the US, but change is very slow. I think this will hit Americans much harder than most of European countries (not sure about Asian) since the US is so big and the country is designed around cars (at least post WWII, anyway).
Posted by Jim Grisanzio on May 25, 2008 at 07:04 PM JST #
I'm in the KC area and have watched as mounting fuel prices have forced more and more of my white-collar peers onto public transit. I've personally been using my bicycle (and depending on climate, the bus) for commuting for the last few years, before fuel broke past $3/Gallon here in the US.
The rare times I've taken the bus lately, though, it's been standing room only. I still have a compact car and an SUV that need occasional feeding. The last fill-up at $81 didn't really hurt too bad, but with a 30-mile round-trip commute and the prospect of filling it up like that twice per week is more than enough motivation to ride my bike. That same 30-mile commute is fueled nicely by a bowl of cereal and a few sandwiches, not much more food than I'd likely have eaten if I still drove everywhere.
Posted by Noah on May 25, 2008 at 10:23 PM JST #
Posted by Whiteboard infinity on May 26, 2008 at 06:22 PM JST #
Posted by Whiteboard Infinity (ZH) on May 26, 2008 at 06:22 PM JST #
The Liter is 1,509 Euro in Germany. That's 9$ per Gallon.
4$ would be very nice. Even 6$ looks promising.
Posted by Knut Grunwald on May 27, 2008 at 01:21 AM JST #
Jim, there's actually a lot of recent activity to suggest that
change is afoot and although it has been in the pipes since 2004,
it is really acellerating this year, see my latest blog entry:
http://blogs.sun.com/avalon/entry/americans_getting_on_2_wheels.
Posted by Darren on May 28, 2008 at 06:53 PM JST #
In Spain €1,34 / litre... $8.1? gl... and we DON'T have the salaries as high as in Germany or England.
I spend around €250 month only in diesel... and my car only consumes 4.5l/100km.
train? no thanks, almost 2 hours to get to work is too much for me. if only I could work from my house...
Posted by Jor on May 28, 2008 at 08:34 PM JST #
Darren ... yes, I agree that change is happening, and that's great, but I'm concerned that it is not radical enough. We'll see. I don't think anyone really knows where the line is, actually.
Posted by Jim Grisanzio on May 30, 2008 at 04:58 PM JST #