Gas Prices

Okay. Got a question for you. Which is cheaper to feed, the horse or the car?

You wouldn't do well on a scooter - they don't go fast enough!

For around town I think they'd be ok.

Sometimes I get behind one, and they do go slower, but it's really no big deal. Ususally they turn down a side street pretty quickly. Can't take them on a freeway or anything.

It's own fault. For years we have chosen to buy big cars, expand our suburbs and down size public transportation. Any politician who even hinted that Americans needed to put on a sweater or car pool was voted out of office. Now we are learning that we in competition with Europe, China and India for what's left of the oil supply. The oil companies know an addiction when they see and they are going to squeeze every last penny out of their addicts before the game is up.

I'm sorry people of lower incomes are being hurt the most, but we are all to blame. For me, the day that Nancy Reagan deemed the White House solar panels "unsightly" and had them removed was the start of all this. We voted with our wallets and our political choices in the past- and now is time we are reaping the sad results.

Amen sister.

as Pogo says "we have seen the enemy, and he is us."


Every day I see people complaining about gas costs. At the same time, every day, I see no one doing the simpliest thing...slow the f*ck down.

I for one am thrilled with the trend of people starting to buy smaller vehicles.

I have never seen SUV's for anything other than what they are.....ugly trucks on steriods, of which 95% of the people who drive them in no way need them.

We needed a bigger car (bigger family and what not) so we opted for a CUV. It gets about 24 mpg and still satisfies our need for a bigger car.

I hate hate hate Hummers. What a stupid ass vehicle.

Definitatly not trying to start an argument Bella, so just take these questions for what they are worth....

Did you really NEED a bigger vehicle?

Putting baby in a carseat, groceries in the trunk, what else do you carry around on a regular (meaning a couple of times a week) basis?

I wonder how people who have small cars, and families have done it all these years. What has changed? Seriously.

24 mpg IMO sucks.

Really really really, did you Need it? Or want it?

Not picking on you Bella, just wondering how people, including me with some things, have come to believe they need so much to get through the day.

I agree Chai. Families were bigger in the past, yet our cars are larger and less fuel efficient than in the 1970's. I find most people just fill up their vehicles with what I call "kid crap" (nothing personal Bella). People feel they have to travel with the kitchen sink and parachutes. Most SUV's I see are traveling landfills.

Let me just say, even with three kids it is a struggle. We have a station wagon. A Mercury Sable. It is fine..it ain't sexy but it has worked. I love the gas mileage, I love that it is low and not so stinkin' big. BUT I am having problems placing my children in safe spots in it. Now that G-baby is 5 and almost 40lbs. The car seat with the harness is no longer that safe. They are for up to 40lb in the harness...80lbs. as a booster. But I have three kids....so two get the shoulder belts and now that he is so close to that weight limit - where do I put him?

We have a third row rear facing seat, it has shoulder belts but incidents of injury in a third row rear facing seat are high. I have called Ford and Mercury hoping they had some kind of middle seat shoulder belt kit but no. It looks like we may have to find something bigger. I am not happy..the choices are really quite limited. I don't want a van. I don't want an SUV. But the kids safety is important since we travel down south quite often.

And I was reading at the beginning of the thread...OH that the gas prices were $2.80 - $3.50 right now and it is making me rethink everything...totally screws up my budget,,,and milk... it is almost $5 a gallon and my kids drink it like water. I am having to back them off to 3 glasses a day...which is fine...but a shame. I'm so depressed.

Mismi, SUV's are not safe, just look at the statistics. You are better off with large station wagon type car like a Subaru Outback.

Get the kids hooked on fruit flavored ice tea. The idea that cow milk is good for children is a myth. I think non-organic is even harmful. Most Asian populations live without milk as a beverage and they are longer lived and healthier than European and American populations.

so soon all the children will be wearing a shoulder belt? Is that what I'm hearing?

Maybe I'm weird, but I can remember being raised in a one car, 2 parent, 5 kid family, and we never had such problems.

You answered your own question mismi...get the booster seat, and when the kids big enough, have him sit in the car like everyone else with a seat belt.

Why in the world would you ever consider getting a bigger car when all you need is a very, VERY temporary solution?

We have 2 dogs and a baby. Plus the 2 of us. So that is like 5 people riding in a car. Normal days, that would be ok (I have a car myself that I drive, hubby drives Edge) Our families both live a ways a way so if we go visit, we have to take the dogs. Overnight trips and what not.

Try stuffing 2 dogs, a baby, overnight stuff for you, overnight stuff for hubby, a few toys for baby, overnight stuff for baby, food for dogs and sometimes other things like presents (christmas) or a dish to pass (thanksgiving) into a car. Ain't happenin'.

So really, to answer your question, we don't need one everyday. We need one a few times a month.

Oh and while 24mpg isn't stellar, it's pretty standard I think.

Just wanted to second that! Milk really isn't the fabulous health food the dairy industry makes it out to be... Three glasses a day sounds like an awful lotta milk anyway...

cow milk is for baby cows.

When I got fact straight in my head, I couldn't stand to drink it any longer.

I'd just as soon slurp up a chilled glass of racoon milk. I mean, really, what's the difference?

Many other sources of calcium and protein out there.

I don't like milk.

But if you do, I suppose there isn't any harm in drinking it. I mean, there are lots of things that are made for something else that we eat and drink.

All too often I see single women in big SUV's ..

Or.. I hear people saying that they are buying large vehicles ' in case they need to haul something'

Or.. they have one child and think that they need to bring the entire house with them so they better get an SUV


then , when they shop for said, over priced, excessive vehicle.. they pick the one that has 19 MPG instead of the 17 thinking they are being 'green and conscious'

We, as a family of 3... with me working two jobs that REQUIRE me to pack that car tight.. still fit just fine in a corolla.
I am willing to bet 90 percent of people who buy because they think they need a bigger vehicle , will fit fine in a car.
SUVs are not necessary for the majority of americans.
It has gotten to the point of excessive ego .... this NEED.. for a bigger vehicle , then anything else.

People who purchase large trucks, dont use them for what they are for. They buy them because they just WANT ONE..

Americas want is suffocating us slowly, yet people fail to see it.
They think large vehicles are mandatory, and excessive things are automatically 'deserved'

Yes. It is all our fault. I agree 100,000%

So now what.. ?

I wish we could have a vehicle size restriction in place.
Single people could have two door compacts, or four doors.. motorcycles, or other interesting SMALL vehicles..
People with one child could have a four door car.
2 or more station wagons.. or super small SUV's like the Rav 4 or something..
Small construction companies, farmers and other people who would actually USE a truck for what it is FOR could have a truck.

Companies could have vans..

People who commit to, show proof of , and are willing to be inspected at the drop of a hat, that are carpooling several people or other wise helping many to get around could own a larger vehicle with out having children of their own..

SUV's should be an overly expensive option for people with many kids, and lots of money. But.. yet again.. sized down according to actual need and not arrogance.

Yes. Other things in our society use 'oil and gas' and we are pretty much at the point of not being able to curb our need for those two things.. sadly.
But people really dont realize HOW MUCH of an impact their egos are playing into this . And it blows my mind.

I love to see the people shopping at Whole Foods talking about being green, changing their lightbuls in their homes, buying super expensive energy star appliances ... tooting about how being a vegan is the best thing you can do for the environment.. and all this other crap.. then watch them hop into their over sized SUV, turn on their cell phones, with no kids, no hauling, nothing.. and toot on down the street.

People.. pay attention would ya.. ? Fer the love of GOD stop excessive purchasing eh.. ?

(sigh)

oh
and my post is not picking on you bella..



just so y ou know..

if I wanted to pick on ya, I would just knock you upside the head. .

Tough debate. Calcium is good. However, it's what we do to the cows that is a big problem. If you do want to drink milk, I suggest at least stick to lightly pasteurized organic. Ultra pasteurized is basically "dead" and non-organic has hormones and antibiotics in the mix.