I gotta say, this is alarming. This is at my nearby new Pilot station, who throughout the summer, held prices at $3.699/gallon or lower for the most part. As far as I know, it's about as cheap as one can buy on the west side of town.Oil closed today at around $103/bbl. The second it spikes upward $10/bbl, every gas station jacks the price 5-20 cents/gallon of gasoline.
When I was 16, gasoline was below $1/gallon. I recall paying $0.699/gallon, at that time (yes, I remember the panic that gas stations went through when they had no digit to the left of the decimal on the pump... have you recently seen one of those "$1" stickers?). All the pumps' displays were analog -- big, Bakelite wheels with numbers and tick marks, white on black. Most places had no "self-service" -- you pulled in, a guy cleaned your windshield, pumped your gas, and didn't expect a tip! Sometimes, they'd offer to empty your trash or ashtray, or do a quick vacuum of the front floorboard.
Granted, minimum wage was $2.85/hr., and I was working a job that paid $3.15/hr. I lived at home, went to school (walked, every day, or later rode with a friend -- never drove myself to school, ever), and drove my dad's 1978 Pontiac Bonneville some evenings and weekends... 400 cubic inches of four-barreled Detroit fury. It was fast, fun, and a complete gas hawg, the way I drove it (sorry, Dad). :)
Fast-forward to 2008. Now, the largest engine I own is 250cc, and it gets over 65mpg on its worst day. I use that scooter about 10% of the time, these days, preferring the 50cc Yamaha Vino, which is even more conservative on fuel use.
Folx, we HAVE to re-think this petroleum-based global goatfuck. If we don't, it won't be long before many millions of people die, both trying to defend and/or acquire (read: steal) what's left out there to be had, cheaply.
I think what we're seeing right now is a near-last-gasp, record-breaking profit-taking, through sheer greed and indifference to the needs of future generations. We have to stop this madness.
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8 comments :
Huzzah, esteemed state-mate. My Pollstering gig at the moment involves gathering data for the US DOT's year-long National Household Travel Survey. I ask nosy questions about household members and their vehicles, then they fill out a diary of every trip they take outside the house on just one random day.
I've had households of 2 people with as many as 5 motor vehicles. Not one, yet, has been a scooter (did have one Harley the other week.) In fact while we ask about "mopeds" the list of motor 2-wheelers we can fill in does not include one name I've ever heard you mention. No Kymko, no Vino, no..well, ok, I guess we can't expect the US Gummint to list a category of "Chinese Death Machines." :)
There's a shitload of driving going on though, and the strange thing is I don't hear hardly anybody happy about it. I think if we could show people plausible paths to the New Tomorrow of more sustainable living, and assure them they don't have to all get horses and live like the Amish, we would find a receptive audience.
Good post. I'm feeling more and more fucked every day. I think I'm subconsciously choosing to not get my Accord fixed and just rideshare/bicycle/walk everywhere I go.
U right, as usual. We are a small sliver of the planet's population, using a ridiculously large portion of its resources.
And I don't exclude my own self. I drive 80 miles a day @25 mpg to earn my daily bread.
It costs more here and I don't see anybody panicking. Mild complaining at best. Hand-wringing seems to be limited to south of the border.
UPDATE: Regular is now $4.699 at the same station, as of 15 minutes ago. Less than 24 hours, $0.70 increase.
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Xan -- The Vino is a 49cc scooter model produced by Yamaha. They also make two others this size -- the Zuma (on/off road) and the C3 (looks like a Igloo cooler on wheels). :)
I'm surprised your surveys don't list Kymco. They've been in the U.S. for nine years now, and are a rapidly-growing brand here.
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Xan -- There are few actual mopeds, these days... I know of none actively being sold, new, in the U.S.
I've seen a few here in Nashville, but they're all from the 1980s or older (Puch, Murray, Honda).
"Moped" implies the vehicle can be powered or assisted by means of foot pedals; neither scooters nor motorcycles truly fit that definition, but many people call scooters "mopeds."
I find more people these days calling the little Vino a motorcycle, which is odd. I could understand that on the Kymco People 250, since it does have 16" wheels, but the Vino? Heh.
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Ahoy, ye scurvy dogs! Heave to and prepare to be gouged!
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