Heck, studies have shown that people ARE using less gas and doing more overall conservation. We are using per person less oil than we have since the 70's. We just have more people using it.
And what some of the 'use less, still' crowd are missing is that there is only so much that some of us can cut back unless we quit our jobs, which would be kind of counterproductive. Also, there is little sense in working if you aren't going to enjoy the fruits of that labor (money) in your off time. I work to live, I don't live to work and I refuse to work solely to be able to continue to afford to go to work. Therefore, yes, I am sometimes going to commit the all but unpardonable sin of driving to non-work related (entertainment) destinations - or even, on occasion, engage in the ultimate blasphemy of just going for a pleasure ride. Maybe not as much as I once did, but I'm still going to do so from time to time.
And what some of the 'use less, still' crowd are missing is that there is only so much that some of us can cut back unless we quit our jobs, which would be kind of counterproductive. Also, there is little sense in working if you aren't going to enjoy the fruits of that labor (money) in your off time. I work to live, I don't live to work and I refuse to work solely to be able to continue to afford to go to work. Therefore, yes, I am sometimes going to commit the all but unpardonable sin of driving to non-work related (entertainment) destinations - or even, on occasion, engage in the ultimate blasphemy of just going for a pleasure ride. Maybe not as much as I once did, but I'm still going to do so from time to time.
This is VERY true.
I am actually a bit more restricted than you are. My wife and I have not taken even a short "pleasure drive" in a few years. We ration our gas use and always have to determine if a trip can be taken at all, even for what most would consider normal driving. And we now live farther from her folks (who have health issues) and our kids. So seeing everyone has become a budgeting issue as opposed to a "do we have time" issue.
So it really sticks in my craw when I hear people act as if EVERYONE needs to tighten their belts and stop just burning the oil in their back yard fire pits for fun. Our chosen location (we moved this spring) has reduced our driving needs for work, and we conserve wherever we can as it is. Sure, some can do more, but I really think the vast majority of people in the United States are doing what they can already.
And I will not get into the fears we have for the coming winter heating season.
__________________
- Sam
The shackles of opression and dependence are most easily slipped on with a smile and kind words of hope.
I am actually a bit more restricted than you are. My wife and I have not taken even a short "pleasure drive" in a few years. We ration our gas use and always have to determine if a trip can be taken at all, even for what most would consider normal driving. And we now live farther from her folks (who have health issues) and our kids. So seeing everyone has become a budgeting issue as opposed to a "do we have time" issue.
So it really sticks in my craw when I hear people act as if EVERYONE needs to tighten their belts and stop just burning the oil in their back yard fire pits for fun. Our chosen location (we moved this spring) has reduced our driving needs for work, and we conserve wherever we can as it is. Sure, some can do more, but I really think the vast majority of people in the United States are doing what they can already.
And I will not get into the fears we have for the coming winter heating season.
I understand where you are coming from. When we were first married, just over five years ago, my wife and I would go for pleasure drives most weekends and sometimes even during the week. We also drove to Chattanooga (about 89 miles away - we like it better than Knoxville) at least once a month, just to goof off, eat dinner and so on. Now, our pleasure drives have dropped in frequency to maybe one every three months and we go several months between trips to Chattanooga.
We generally don't take the Mustang, either - we take my wife's Mazda 6 that gets around 33mpg on the highway. This has the extra advantage that if I want to have a couple of beers while we are out, she can drive home (she can't drive a manual and I nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to teach her in the Mustang.)
I understand where you are coming from. When we were first married, just over five years ago, my wife and I would go for pleasure drives most weekends and sometimes even during the week. We also drove to Chattanooga (about 89 miles away - we like it better than Knoxville) at least once a month, just to goof off, eat dinner and so on. Now, our pleasure drives have dropped in frequency to maybe one every three months and we go several months between trips to Chattanooga.
We generally don't take the Mustang, either - we take my wife's Mazda 6 that gets around 33mpg on the highway. This has the extra advantage that if I want to have a couple of beers while we are out, she can drive home (she can't drive a manual and I nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to teach her in the Mustang.)
We used to drive to Maine and see the rugged seacoast. Kennibunk Port(sp?) was almost always our destination.
But we would take the Mustang since it is better on gas than our Durango. LOL
My wife and I sometimes really wonder how we made it though some years though (in conjunction with the heating oil discussion going on in the other thread). We are now down to a family of 3, when we used to be more than double that. I can't imagine us with all the kids still home and prices being what they are NOW.
__________________
- Sam
The shackles of opression and dependence are most easily slipped on with a smile and kind words of hope.
