$6 a gallon gas

I read a while back, that if gasoline cost more than about $5.25 a gallon then we, as a nation, would get serious about conservation and energy policy.   In the long term, that would be a good thing.  Right now, in an election year (where expensive gasoline would only be used to score political points and not to inform energy policy) and with a very fragile economy it would be a bad thing.  But we need to come to terms.

  I thought we’d do this a long time ago.  When I was coming of age and buying my first car back in the 1970s, fuel efficiency was an important factor in my decision.  This commitment was only deepened as I lived through the Arab oil embargo and the ensuing gas lines and rationing.

  We did adopt some legislation directed at improving fuel efficiency.  But then we came up with the brilliant idea of “Sports Utility Vehicles”.  They were classified as light trucks and as such were exempted from fuel economy standards.  (I believe this changed somewhat in 2011). 

  So basically we continued on our merry way guzzling gas all the while.   It is not a sustainable model.  We need to figure out a few things and expensive gas could help us do that for all the pain it would cause.  Until something hits us all in the pocketbook we don’t seem to have the political will.

  At the same time, wouldn’t it be nice if we started encouraging people to walk by putting in things like sidewalks?  Right now, in my neighborhood, which is within the city limits of Richmond, Virginia there are some roads that have no shoulders to walk on (only steep ditches on either side) let alone sidewalks.  To walk on these roads is to court death. 

  And bike lanes would be wonderful as well.  Right now there are some roads (most?) where there is no good space for a bike.  Drivers only exacerbate the problem by cursing bikers because they have to slow down to get around them.  (After all, lifting one’s foot off the accelerator is such a strenuous activity.)  There is one bridge near my house that I just stopped using as a bike route because of the vile behavior of automobile drivers.

  It would be helpful to have designated places to park and lock bikes.  Providing for scooter parking would be great too.  (Full disclosure…I drive a scooter, which gets more than 80 miles a gallon.) 

  Rather than penalizing people and giving them tickets we should encourage bikes and scooters by providing for parking.  You can get a lot of bikes and scooters in a small area and there is no point in using a car parking space for it if you don’t have to.

  Of course, let us not forget the issue of public transportation.  Some places are doing much better about his, but Richmond is not one of them.  To get to work from my house it would take two transfers and over an hour.  (I believe my calculations are correct.  I was so appalled by the route that I’ve never tried).  It takes under 15 minutes for me to drive to work….which is what I do.

  Reasoned arguments make no difference, it seems.  That is what my experience over the past forty years has taught me.  How can we move past this log jam?  It is easy.  $6.00 a gallon gas.  The whole dynamic would change when we start feeling serious pain in the pocketbook.  

   Will we have to wait for the next disaster or can we get out ahead of this?  Well, it wouldn’t really be ahead.  We missed that window forty years ago.   But we could start playing catch up.  So, whoever gets elected in November, let’s pray that the economy gets a lot stronger and then…let’s hope gas prices go through the roof.  And rather than start a war to protect our access to foreign oil or endangering the environment by drilling in unsafe places, let’s start putting a cogent energy policy into place.  It is astounding what we can do once we develop the political will.  I believe we can solve the problem.  Here’s hoping we will.