Jackson Free Press

This morning, I paid more than $52 to buy 3/4 of a tank of gas. Lucky for me that I live in Mississippi instead of San Francisco, where the cost of regular topped $4 per gallon this week. But the end isn't in sight, and despite the general outcry over the astronomical profits of the corporate oil giants, gas prices continue to climb. People are paying more than $100 to fill up their SUVs.

U.S. consumers are spoiled by the previous cost of cheap fuel. When I was in Austria two years ago, the price of gas was around $2.00 per liter, if I remember correctly, or around $7.50 a gallon. The difference in the size and number of vehicles, and the number of walkers and bikers was striking, along with the body mass and endurance of the citizens. The largest private vehicle I saw anywhere was a small minivan, and there were NO (that's zero, nada) SUVs anywhere. Most of the private vehicles were about the size of a BMW mini-cooper (which was reportedly made larger for the American market) or even smaller ... I jokingly called them half-cars. Even company vans and pickups were pint-sized.

Rising fuel costs are driving up prices on just about everything. Are you feeling the effects in your life, yet? What's your plan for coping?

Previous Commentsshow

I was just in Palo Alto last week for work, and I was struck by how much more prepared they are for higher gas prices than we are. They have *sidewalks* and *bikelanes* everywhere. It seems to me that the Jackson Metro area is not ready to assist people in changing their behaviors as gas prices rise. Most of the shopping developments are completely oriented towards cars, and an automobile based lifestyle. Even the Fondren shopping district is scary for a pedestrian. A few real crosswalks would make a difference in my propensity to walk as I do all of my errands. I've heard that when gasoline prices hit about $4 per gallon, that's when individuals become truly motivated to change behaviors and use less. I'm wondering if any of the larger employers in and around town are going to be inspired to facilitate carpooling or anything like that.

kate

Apr 30 2008

I've been feeling the effects for over a year. I don't go to a lot of places as it is, and I go out even less now. I definitely try to do more than one thing in one trip, and I try to keep up with oil changes.

LatashaWillis

Apr 30 2008

Just this week there have been numerous posts on the Jackson Metro Cyclist website from people trying to get the best route to their respective workplaces on their bikes. If only Jackson had bike lanes....

bill_jackson

Apr 30 2008

To me, one of the most criminal things that has ever happened in the suburbs is that with all the development, nobody thought to put in bike lanes and/or sidewalks. If Mayor Mary was really trying to emulate Germantown, TN, why did she leave these out?

Rico

Apr 30 2008

That's why I like living in Ridgeland and our bike-friendly mayor.

bill_jackson

Apr 30 2008

Well, I've been hearing for a while that gas prices in the U.S. are flirting with $4.00 per gallon. The flirting has grown into screwing and I'll soon start sleeping in my office through the week.

Walt

May 1 2008

Ronni, two week ago, I had to buy me one of those gasless lawnmower due to an episode with two of my neighbors. One neighbor stopped me from cutting my lawn with my riding and gas propelled lawn mower to chat a few moments. As I chatted with him I looked back I saw my other neighbor siphoning gas from my lawn mower. We fought like gladiators and I wounded up with two black eyes and a lawn mower that had to pushed back in the shed. I expected this kind of thing to happen at gas station or with cars but not with lawn mowers. This is why I hate republicans and urge everyone to slap the next republican you see or just run over them if you have enough gas to do it.

Walt

May 1 2008

I feel like I've just been on the receiving end in a porn video everytime I leave a gas station...

Jeff Lucas

May 1 2008

Anarchy over gas, Walt? It's not as far-fetched as one might think. I'm old enough to remember the gas crisis in the early '70s, when we sat in long, long lines to get our rationed five or 10 gallons. Gas was still under a dollar, then, but the news was full of stories of people getting their gas syphoned off, which eventually resulted in locking gas caps. You'd think we would have learned from that. There was a flurry of small and smaller import cars that gained popularity, but in the years since then, we've gone back to the equivalent of those '60s gas guzzlers with our penchant for "bigger is better." On this morning's economic news on NPR, there were several stories about how rising prices were hurting people everywhere, then the kicker: Exxon Mobile profits. This is verbatim from Reuters (emphasis mine): "Exxon Mobil Corp on Thursday posted a $10.89 billion first-quarter profit but the results still disappointed investors as weak production and low refining margins took some steam out of profits from record-high crude prices. Despite missing estimates, Exxon's earnings were up 17 percent year over year and the second-highest quarterly profit in U.S. history." I don't get it. How did we allow the welfare of corporations to outrank the welfare of people?

Ronni_Mott

May 1 2008

I feel ya, jeff. Do you have your bike tires inflated and ready to go?

Ronni_Mott

May 1 2008

Ronni, I can remember stories of people siphoning gas after Katrina so it's not like human nature has really changed much. And no, as much as I enjoy riding a bike I have no desire to ride one 20 miles into downtown Jackson to work every day.

Jeff Lucas

May 1 2008

I don't want to do that either, Jeff, but there will be a time when my options will be to give up the commute, the mortgage or the groceries. Something's got to give. Where's the tipping point for you?

Ronni_Mott

May 1 2008

One of the cool things about my job, Ronni, is that I *could* work from the home easily. All employees have remote access to email and to some parts of our network, plus I know a few programs that would allow me to access my desktop workstation directly, provided I worked it out beforehand with our IT specialist. So I really don't have to come to Jackson to work everyday other than to attend meetings and visit projects, but since it's not company policy to allow working from home I don't have it as an option (yet). My house is almost new and we love it so I don't see myself giving that up to return to Jackson (yet). Maybe I should invest in a garden. Too bad I can't raise chickens and cows in a subdivision...

Jeff Lucas

May 1 2008

The commute, the mortgage or the groceries? I think the foreclosure rate answers this one :)

emilyb

May 1 2008

The high cost of gas is causing some strange intellectual deliberations. One of my slower cousins told me yesterday if gas got any higher he's going to start eating more beans and trying to produce his own car gas. I retorted if he figures out how to liquefy and get it into the gas tank the world would surely want to know.

Walt

May 1 2008

Hey Walt- how do you know the gas siphoners were Republicans? LOL

bill_jackson

May 1 2008

Republicans are all around me, Rex. Actually, I was blaming republicans for messing up the country, the United States of America, with fiscal irresponsibility, record high federal spending, bloated budget deficits, unprecedented imperial wars and conquests, and use of power for self enrichment and evasion of the rule of law; starting with senator Robert Taft and his opposition to the New Deal and fueled by pseudo-intellectuals like Russell Kirk and William F. Buckley, Jr., picking up steam with Barry Goldwater and peaking in bullshit with Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich, and went haywire with Chucky Rove, Dumb-bo Bush and killer/shooter Cheney. If a change doesn't come soon, we won't be needing any gas because we won't have jobs or food to fetch.

Walt

May 1 2008

Ronni, I can remember stories of people siphoning gas after Katrina so it's not like human nature has really changed much. I remember that. It happened to a couple in Gluckstadt, and I saw it on the news. I got a locking gas cap after that. However, I wonder if there's any way to protect my tank just in case someone decided to drill a hole in it and drain me dry. I wish I had a garage.

LatashaWillis

May 1 2008

How do people siphon gas these days? After Katrina, when there was no gas available, my dad and I attempted to siphon some gas from a car on his used car lot but cars made within the last ten years are made so that it is practically impossible to do. I ended up driving a jeep off of his lot which seemed cool at first but I quickly realized that everytime I visited a store, the criminals could see everything in the jeep because I didn't have a trunk. Anyway, do criminals have some special technique for siphoning gas? 'Cause it ain't easy.

Jennifer2

May 4 2008

Be advised - May 16 is not only my birthday but more importantly National Ride Your Bike To Work Day! Please observe-

bill_jackson

May 4 2008

Rats! I will be out of town May 16. I wanted to participate. My sister rides her bike to work every day where she lives. I would love to see more of it in Jackson. I've done it before, but haven't made it a regular thing.

Izzy

May 5 2008

I too would love to ride my bike to work, but I have a couple of problems right now: 1. I don't own a bike (but I want one and plan to try to get one this summer) 2. I am extremely out of shape. 3. My job is about 15 miles from my home, and the quickest route is the interstate. I would probably get killed and/or be soaked in sweat by the time I got here. What do people who do ride their bikes do about being all sweaty once you get there? Especially once we get up to the 90s and 100s in the summer? I really love the idea of riding my bike to work, but I can see how it's impossible or impractical for lots of people.

andi

May 5 2008

Well, I commuted a couple of years ago and I did eventually stop in the hottest days of summer. Usually, though, early morning isn't so bad. What I did to get in shape was take short rides on the weekend, just 5-10 minutes or so. After awhile it got a lot easier. One Saturday I tried the commute out, to make sure I could do it without a problem, and I timed myself so I'd know. I found that it wasn't a bad problem. If I left myself 10 extra minutes to cool down & wash my face off, I could usually make do with an extra shirt I brought in my bag. My sister commuted for 4 years in her San Francisco area office and she never wore different clothes. That area has a lot of styles that are sort of professional and sporty if you know what I mean. As for the 15 miles, that's more of an issue - I think my commute was maybe 5 or so each way.

Izzy

May 5 2008

Sounds like a good idea if I did not have to ride down Lakeland Drive. I risk my life in my car every day on that road!

ellen

May 5 2008

Also I found I could ride sidewalks on State St. and downtown - just watch the driveways. People didn't mind and the sidewalks are big enough for a walker and a bike. So I did that in the busiest streets. The good feeling of a work out on the way to work felt just as good as a big cup of joe. I really need to get back into it!

Izzy

May 5 2008

Ellen I'd have to ride down Lakeland too, I didn't even mention that part!! I'd love to be able to do it though, both to save gas and to get into better shape. What I'd like to do is get a bike and ride it for other things outside of work -- grocery store, post office, bank, etc. -- at least I can save a little gas that way.

andi

May 5 2008