What can we do to retaliate against rising gas prices?

Question

Walking sounds nice...too bad work is 20 miles away from home.

kent j- don't worry, i whine about taxes too :)

Answer 1

We don't have the option to buy less, it's a necessary commodity like food.

Since it's not regulated by the Government, we need to pursue other avenues. More local drilling and alternative energy options in order to decrease dependence on foreign oil. Since we don't have a choice on if we use cars or not, there needs to be a better system in place to ensure competition between petrol providers. Currently, the oil companies plan out prices together in order to create a monopoly. This is not acceptable.

The bottom line, however, is that the average person can't do anything about it. We lack to power and money in order to be able to take on oil companies, and our government seems to be too weak-willed to change things.

Answer 2

First of all, I admire the noble sentiment of your question.

Unfortunantly options are limited right now. To me the best option for alternative energy powered vehicles would be electric cars powered by solar energy. However, major car companies have no interest in such technology because electric cars have very few parts and require practically no maitenance compared to gas-combustion engines.

People are being sold hybrids as the green alternative. I agree that they are better than regular old gas guzzlers, but they have very expensive batteries to be replaced and they still use gas. I am not completely sold.

What you can do though is simply try to cut down on drive time. Walk, ride the bus, and carpool whenever you can. And when you do have to drive use a car that gets a decent miles-per-gallon ratio (in other words: not an SUV). Maybe when people stop buying enormous gas-guzzling 4x4's the industry will get the message, but I won't hold my breath.

These are only little things. But short of a major economic crisis that would force some sort of change in the industry, from the top down, all us little people with little clout are going to have to keep ponying up mega-bucks to get from point A to point B.

And if you couldn't tell...I'm a little bitter about it.

But thanks for the good question.

Answer 3

Many things!! Buy hybrid vehicles, smart cars...my new favorite thing is walking and taking public transportation. This is great because it allows us to actually be physically active again, as well as letting us take the time to look around and take in all the beauty (nature AND man-made) around us, which we seem to neglect while driving and blasting the radio/CD player/iPod.

However the truly best thing we can do, is nothing. Take a look at this:

Netherlands - Amsterdam $6.48
Norway - Oslo $6.27
Italy - Milan $5.96
Denmark - Copenhagen $5.93
Belgium - Brussels $5.91
Sweden - Stockholm $5.80
United Kingdom London $5.79
Germany - Frankfurt $5.57
France - Paris $5.54
Portugal - Lisbon $5.35
Hungary - Budapest $4.94
Luxembourg - $4.82
Croatia - Zagreb $4.81
Ireland - Dublin $4.78
Switzerland - Geneva $4.74
Spain -Madrid $4.55
Japan - Tokyo $4.24
Czech Republic -Prague $4.19

Hard to believe, but globally, we are still quite low price wise!
The American dream in action??? ;) IMHO we have been spoiled for a very long time when it comes to gas prices. And while of course I don't like spending more at the pump, compare it to someone who has a terminal illness: Acceptance will make things a whole lot easier, and save you much stress. Like one who Like many issues that tie in politically, this one is simply out of our hands. Just as protesting the Iraq war will have absolutely ZERO influence on how the Bush Administration is handling it, at this point protesting rising gas prices is likely to have the same effect.

And just for fun, here's what the world's oil exporters pay:

Saudi Arabia $0.91
Kuwait $0.78
Egypt $0.65
Nigeria $0.38
Venezuela $0.12

>:-O lol

Answer 4

Walk, ride a bike, take the bus....

I live in an extremely cold climate, and I see people here who walk or ride their bikes *all* year - even in temps of -35. Most of them do this by choice....I really have to admire anyone who is willing to make a stand like that.

I would *love* to take the bus to work - parking sucks at best and they charge us way too much for it - but the nearest bus stop to my house is the building next to the one I work in.

Hey, guys - quit bashing the SUV's. Some of us actually *need* a big rig - I haul horses, a small tractor, hay, cars... My sister-in-law runs a daycare - she just bought a big SUV so that she can tote all those kids around.

I sure as hell don't drive a big truck because I like spending a small fortune at the gas station. Besides, if the Hollyweird types would actually practice what they preach and give up the private jets....those are *far* worse than SUV's or big trucks!

Answer 5

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I hope you're open to a creative idea. Here's an unexpected solution. Look at this car:
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http://phoenixmotorcars.com/models/fleet.html
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The Phoenix electric pickup truck - this completely gas-free vehicle, using new, advanced Altairnano batteries - can:

-Travel up to 250 miles per charge
-Carry 5 passengers plus cargo at 95mph.
-Charges batteries in as little as TEN MINUTES.
-Has batteries that last 250,000 miles (never need replacement.)
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It is being manufactured right now for fleet customers like PG&E. If sales go well, it will be made available to individuals next year. Cost is $45,000 for hand-built cars, and this cost will fall considerably when factory production becomes feasible.
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The electricity cost to drive an EV is only 1 to 2 cents per mile. I know this because I drive an electric car. Keep an eye on the Phoenix. And if you want to 'get your feet wet' in an EV without spending lots of money, it's possible to get an EV for as little as $5000. Here's a link:
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http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-electric-car
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Then you can SMILE as you drive past gas stations (like I do.)
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Answer 6

Take a bike, a bus or a subway. You can carpool. Or buy a hybrid. If you really want to try to get away from gasoline, buy an old diesle mercedes from the 80's and have it converted to veggie diesle. Or, do what they are doing in Oregon. Get an old truck and have it gutted and filled with a battery powered motor and batteries and voila, no more fuel. Just plug it in and go. some of them are getting 280 miles per charge. You see, there are lots of ways to get off oil and gas. It just takes an imagination and some good ole American ingenuity and elbow grease.

Answer 7

I know we can drill for oil in the gulf of Mexico-- (Funny its not the gulf of the United States or Texas or Florida )-- and Alaska at record rates over the next couple of years build another refinery and use it up as fast as we can . What happens in a biker bar when they roll out the last keg of beer at a party .
The leader heads off with it back to his place and takes a few girls along .
Well the republicans are like that too .
The difference is at their party it is not beer it is piles of cash taken from working people and just money the printed up .
Then they diddle the maid or some call girls for years cause they are rich and will not run out of money .

Answer 8

drive less.

even a slight reduction in gas consumption will result is a fundamental shift in the market.

however i think that even though prices seem high to you, they are really artificially low.

if you figure all the money we spend on military resources that we have used in the middle east and figure that into the price of gas, then suddenly the price becomes much much higher.

we all need to start to think like this and get a better understanding of the real cost of gas.

Answer 9

Let the oil companies go get the oil, where ever that may be. The huge supply will drive down the price of gas.

Answer 10

In a free market economy consumers purely influence pricing through supply and demand. If you and all your friends and everyone we can reach out to agree to stop buying our gas from two major suppliers say Exxon and Shell for example. If we get enough people to stop buying gas from specifically these 2 companies, they will be forced to drop their prices which will in turn force their competitors prices down.

The person above me is an utter moron.