Quote:
Originally Posted by KenG
The reality is that we NEED to be paying $7/gallon. No one wants to hear that and no politician is going to take that position, but our oil usage won't go down with regulations and subsidized gasoline. With $3.50 gas, gas taxes currently fall short of the income necessary to maintain our road system. If we legislate smaller cars/hybrids/EVs (the only way to get significantly higher mileage) people will just drive more. And the politicians (given past history) will probably just build in the loopholes for their favored constituents.
Regulation is probably the only practical way to implement safety and emission improvements. But the goal is to use less gas, not make it cheaper to drive. Significantly higher gas prices is probably the only thing that will work.
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I agree with you on this one, although I think it may be a lower number than $7. But until we drive behavior we will never see a radical shift. All my friends kept telling me how I would not make up the difference I am paying for the 09 FEH I have ordered. I keep telling them that part of the reason I am doing it is so I know that I am doing my part to reduce emmisions, lower my use of oil and lower the price of hybrid technology. Until more consumers drive up the demand for hybrid cars the auto manufacturers will not step up their production significantly. So I am just trying to do my part.