Has The Price Of Gas Changed Your Habits?

It hasn't totally changed mine, yet. But it's coming.

Today, I had to drive to a neighboring city (25 minutes away) and I knew I had to go to Home Depot, too.

The Home Depot in my town is kind of out of the way. So I was trying to plan a trip that would send me past the Home Depot with driving too many miles.

Then, in the neighboring city, I spotted one right near where I was heading, so I popped in that one instead.

I can see myself plotting out trips around work and to places on my route of wherever I'm heading.

 

I have sympathy for people who are feeling the gas pinch, but I was saying to my wife the other day, If this is what it takes for people to change how they drive, then prices can keep climbing. We still pay much less for gas than just about anyone else on Earth -- rent a car in France and see how much a tank sets you back. And the fact is, it should be expensive -- if you factor in all of the "costs" of driving, it should be one of the more expensive things we do.

I'm glad you're giving more thought to route planning and so on, Pete, but really, that's how we should have all been driving all along.

And I know I'm going to get shit on, but here's the root of my argument, and I think it's unimpeachable: The less time people spend in their cars, the better -- for them, for the rest of us, for their car, for the roads, for geopolitical reasons, for the atmosphere, for the planet.

Keep climbing, gas prices, keep climbing.

 

I make even more fun of Hummer drivers.

Seriously, though, I have mapped out a bus route to work. It would take me about an hour instead of 25-30 minutes. But...if I go by bus two times a week, I figure that's eight times a month which cuts my gas by 25 percent. Plus I'd get to catch up on my reading.

Still haven't done it, though. Get back to me in August.

 

I'm starting to think taking the bus to work on days when I'm not on assignment or I don't have to go anywhere but the office might not be such a bad idea.

Right now, it takes me less than 10 minutes to get to work unless I *just* miss the light. If I walked to the bus stop and took the bus to work, it would take me 27 minutes. Plus, I'd get good exercise which anyone who's seen me knows I desperately need.

 

Yes - I drive a hybrid and drive it very s l o w l y....

I live within walking distance of a decent grocery store and also a CVS... so I've been walking to get groceries/Rx a lot lately.

I've also switched to non-petrolatum based lip balm and diaper cream...

Which any second will draw the smartass post, "Exxon wept."

 

Exxon wept

I ride my bike to the grocery store. I bought a basket for it, and the Albertsons is right on the corner. I haven't wrecked yet (I'm a terrible bike rider), so so far so good.

I'd ride the bike to work, but I'm scared to riding it home at 2 a.m.

 

Nah. They'll just get their cake from all the douchenozzles people still driving Hummers.

 

I've always been a huge fan of riding a bike places, even if it's early on a Saturday morning and I have to across town to pick up a few things. If I didn't live so far away from the office, I'd take it there, but then again, that leaving at 2 a.m. thing is also pretty prohibitive on my end as well.

 

I stopped buying high test.

 

I'm also thinking about coasting down big hills, but I don't like the idea of losing my power steering.

 

I'm live about a mile from the school I cover and the paper, which I visit maybe twice a week, is about a half mile on the other side of campus. So a tank of gas goes a long way for me.

I do try to consolidate trips to the grocery store, Target, etc., more than I used to, even those aren't that far from home.

And I'm picking up my bike the next time I return home to visit my parents.

 

On a completely unrelated note, I LOVE the ad that's directly after the last post on this page.

It's for "Make Your Own Karaoke CDs."