“Nobody has any sympathy for oil companies on Capitol Hill right now,†said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., vice chairman of the House Republican Conference. “You talk to someone driving to work in an F-150 pickup and paying $75 to fill up his tank, and everybody's on his side.†See: http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20...ws_1n27oil.html OK - I feel for the guy driving an F150 FOR work, but TO work? Sounds like a personal decision to me. I don't wish economic hardship on anybody, but when you bought the truck, did you not see the window sticker with the EPA rating of 15/20?
Yeap, I agree. The guy may have meant he needed it for work, but I see a lot of people who in TX do drive their SUV or truck to the nice air conditioned office. My wife had a conversation with one today who was complaining about it took $75 to fill up her full size truck and how the president should do something about it. My wife simply said she doesn't think the president should do anything about the prices, we should stop being so wasteful. She also told her it would only take about $27-$28 for us to go 550 miles. Not sure what her coworker thought about that! I can certainly feel for people that do need a large vehicle for work or family, but that had to have their heads stuck in the sand to think that gas prices were going to stay at the $1.50-$2 mark forever.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TimBikes @ Apr 28 2006, 11:58 AM) [snapback]246700[/snapback]</div> The only number he looked at, if any, on the sticker was the one with the dollar sign!
Thank you! Well said. I was next to two seperate Yukon Dinali (sp?) SUVs this morning. One was an XLE or XL or whatever. Both contained a single passenger (one well-dressed woman and one man in a tie). And to think that I started the commute sad that I wasn't carpooling and therefore using twice the gasoline as usual. I'm not sure if that made me feel better or worse.
I feel sorry for some of these people who drive older model trucks or people that must drive trucks for work. I live in a relatively rural area with several farms and a good many families (of 4 or so) are living on less than 40k. These people can't afford to go out and buy new cars that get better mileage and the ones they drive are 10 years old or more. We are kind of in a necessary evil right now as it will take high prices to wean us off the oil and actually drive the population and the government to start moving towards sustainability. However, these people are the ones hardest hit and its not because they chose to be, it is because of necessity. Mike
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Apr 28 2006, 12:28 PM) [snapback]246721[/snapback]</div> It's spelled Denial. And no, that's not a river in Egypt.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Apr 28 2006, 01:28 PM) [snapback]246721[/snapback]</div> So let's just say that these people had just dropped of their three kids at school. Should they now drive home, get in a more fuel efficient car and then drive to work. Don't assume you know everything about every driver on the road based ONLY on what they drive. That's just plain stupid. Yes, there are some people who drive their H2's from their house to the office (or wherever) by themselves. But is that always the case. Nope. Sorry. That generalization is just about as useful as the Prius drivers are a bunch of tree-hugging socialist liberal hippies. And I know that I am certainly NOT that, so the generality is obviosuly wrong. Don't make assumptions. You only end up looking like a fool.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(micheal @ Apr 28 2006, 10:26 AM) [snapback]246718[/snapback]</div> Same here. Actually, almost every member of my immediate family (mom, dad, sister, sister in law) drives an SUV SOLO to and from work. My mom's a teacher-lives ~2 miles from where she works. My sister's a teacher, lives ~20 miles from where she works. My dad works in real estate, lives ~4 miles from where he works. My SIL is in retail, lives ~5 miles from where she works. My brother, on the other hand, works in demolition and actually NEEDS a truck, but HAS a 7-year old Corolla. Go figure!! I just don't understand the need for such a large vehicle for one person to commute to and from an office or retail job. I just don't get it....or maybe it's them who don't 'get it'.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ Apr 28 2006, 02:57 PM) [snapback]246808[/snapback]</div> Actually, Doc. It's only when someone points out my foolishness that I look like a fool. You make a valid point that I won't deminish with a witty retort. But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sit and rock in the corner looking like a fool.
One of the section chiefs where I work drives an H2 to work every day. As my license plate says "51 MPG", he thought it would be a good idea to flaunt his wastefulness. He recently got a plate that says "11 MPG". I can't wait for the day when he complains about the price of gas....
I see alot of people that cannot afford a Hybrid, and they buy USED full sized pick-up trucks and full sized vans because they're cheaper to get.. The compact cars just dont have enough room for construction workers, carpet layers, maisonary workers, mechanics & landscapers.. these work trades seem to drive new to old oil burning full sized vehicles. I really dislike the oil burners! they leave a thick blue/white cloud trail where ever they go.. :angry: :angry: It would be nice in a perfect world to have one set vehicle configured to your work trade thats affordable for even minimum wage workers.. Rancid13~ I think it's a status symbolizim, I ask a woman recently why she purchased a H3, she lives in a trailer park. she replied she worked in realestate... I said oh you drive clients & show houses? she replied um no she worked in the office and it looked better having her H3 parked in front of the office & she really liked the look of the vehicle... :huh: I was speechless..... :mellow:
I drive a four door Tacoma that I use for my business. My wife drives the Prius. If we go somewhere together, of course we take the Prius unless we are taking the two dogs and daughter and friends with us. If I'm not using the truck for work, I still need it to get around. With the cost of insurance, license, depreciation and maintenance, I can't justify the purchase of a third vehicle to use only when I need to go somewhere other than work related. Also the truck is mostly tax deductible.
True. To some, it's a status symbol. They'll drive the most expensive cars they can afford (i.e. lease) but they'll live in a small house or they'll live in a regular sized house but cut back on everything else like food and amenities just to look good on the outside. Stuff like no new LCD tv (or hell a new tv period), no LCD monitors, cheap DVD player, cheaper couches etc etc etc
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boxster...WRX...Prius? @ Apr 30 2006, 10:52 AM) [snapback]247605[/snapback]</div> Ya but that was his personal best tank. Wait till winter! :lol:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DocVijay @ Apr 28 2006, 03:57 PM) [snapback]246808[/snapback]</div> thank god these people had a Denali to drive their 3 kids to school before heading to work. before these giant behemoths, people had to limit the amount of children they could have, never went camping, etc. Your last sentence works both ways....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2Hybrids @ May 1 2006, 05:30 AM) [snapback]247855[/snapback]</div> Before these giant behemoths there were...giant behemoths. The Olds Vista Cruiser, Jeep Wagoneer, the original Suburban, etc. probably got worst or equal mpg and polluted more than the new giants.
That's why this country has desperately needed the Estima, or a hybrid Sienna, for years. That people can rip the backs out of to the bare metal walls and install their work-truck shelves. That, in fact, is how my hybrid search started: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/prius-log/000.html but since then I've found the Prius to be a completely adequate freight-hauler for most of my needs, as shown in the recent "screw my truck" thread, and any gig larger than that is probably going to need something like a fullsize van or box-truck anyways. But minivan form factor [like many companies do now with Ford Aerostars and the like] would easily meet *many* needs and probably achieve 40 mpg in the process. Why aren't they here? Ask those pinheads on the Hill. . _H*
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(koa @ May 1 2006, 01:36 PM) [snapback]248022[/snapback]</div> but gas was only 90 cents a gallon. It was (and still is) a personal choice. My parents have three kids. They owned a station wagon for work and a Buick Century (my father will still only buy American) for other use. You can fit three kids in a regular size car.
well said. driving with a friend the other day and sitting at one of the slowest lights in town, had a chance to see oncoming traffic drive by. we counted 20+ SUV's, 10 small to mid sized cars, and about 10 full size trucks. so i have NO compassion for people that complain about the cost of gas.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2Hybrids @ May 1 2006, 02:30 AM) [snapback]247855[/snapback]</div> Before the SUV there was the Station Wagon. When I was young, we had a big (400 cubic inch motor w/ trailer tow package) Ford Station Wagon that we used to tow the trailer when we went on vacation...all 5 of us kids fit in it, along with Mom and Dad. We went to the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods, and many more other parks. And it was a safe car to boot, though it used gas like it was water. It wasn't driven to work...when enough of us kids had moved out, the parents had Honda Accords.