Seeing as you can't get much cheaper auto transportation than a Hybrid(MPG speaking) doesn't the increase in gas prices make you feel good about your purchase? It's going no where but up too.

I heard on the radio that gas will likely approach $4 soon. I just filled up with my 2nd tank and averaged 60+mpg. Yes, I am THRILLED!

Anybody with a fuel efficient car, hybrid or non, is feeling pretty good about it right now. Even at a paltry 40mpg, I'm really happy I didn't go with one of the less efficient options that I had when I was shopping. Part of me wanted a V6, more power, etc. but the little voice prevailed. Learning how to drive for more FE this spring was a real bonus, giving me 25% better gas mileage than I saw last summer.

Even so, I have to wonder what the world is going to look like as energy prices continue on up the charts. Even when you are getting 40, 50, 60mpg or more there has to be a point where gas prices start to catch up. I'm not going to complain about a healthy dose of volatility to keep us all on our toes (i.e. thinking about our fuel consumption) but the threat of a sustained, dramatic increase much above what we see now is something to worry about. Let's not get TOO smug There are bound to be consequences for every one of us, even if it isn't directly related to our gas receipts.

Brick wrote:
<< ...but the threat of a sustained, dramatic increase much above what we see now is something to worry about. >>

Indeed it is. Very soon we will all look back at $3/gallon gas with fond remembrance. Most people haven't a clue as to how ugly it will get. Even filling up a 50mgp hybrid will make us cringe, albeit far less so than our neighbors with their SUV's. And if you think hybrids are hard to find now...

Jeff

Looking at it from a purely UNSELFISH view, higher gas prices are good for EVERYONE in the long run.

It means people will seriously alter their wasteful ways and find serious alternatives to that 17 MPG Tahoe that they thought they just HAD TO HAVE back in 2002.

It means more people will carpool, more will take buses and trains, more will bike or Segway instead of using a 3000 lb car to haul their 200 lb body around town.

If higher gas prices lead to lowered demand, then all is well.......

So true. Pain at the pumps is unfortunately only part of the story as so many other things are affected by higher petroleum pricing. Inflationary pressures may tip us into a recession sooner than we think At least we won't be worrying about dumping a $hunski$ into the tank off some SUV every time we turn around

Definitely. My daily commute is 160 miles/day roundtrip. My 06 Explorer 4x4 was getting about 18 mpg, my 05 Titan SE 4x4 (which I traded for my Civic) would only get 15 mpg and my 88 Camaro Iroc Convertible would get 18 mpg with premium.

With my HCH II, my last 6 tanks have been around 53 mpg, so that's a cash savings (at $3/gallon) of about $18/day - or almost $400/month!

I am glad! Gas prices over here just reached a record of 12.64 SEK/l. That's around 6.70 USD/gallon, folks.

But I still hope it gets higher, hopefully oil prices will double within a few years. The price we pay now is only the cost for finding and pumping up the oil, and alternative fuels can never compete with that.

I just began a new 50 mile each way commute so the combination of using only a gallon of gas each way plus HOV lane which saves me half an hour is thrilling to me. It's almost too good to be true!

My old car was a Toyota Echo, so it wasn't exactly a thirsty vehicle anyway. But my Civic Hybrid does deliver about 6 MPG more, is more comfortable to drive, has better instrumentation, burns cleaner, and is quieter.

I'm really glad that I got the hybrid. I wouldn't ever again buy a non-hybrid (unles some newer, even more effecient technology supercedes it). Or to put it another way: my target MPG is 40 for any future vehicle (which I believe the Corolla and SmartCar are the only non-hybrids that make the cut).