At one point having a car made sense. I live in the boondocks as compared to some of my friends, and I have a child. With gas prices through the roof and summer road tripping a far of dream I’m not sure I should own a car. This is New York after all, the home of the world’s greatest subway system (in my humble opinion), so why drive when you don’t have to? What’s more, Dev is older now and the days of diaper bags and emergency snacks are in the rear view mirror, which makes mass transit a breeze. Last week my wife paid $75 bucks for gas to get her to and from work. I paid $81 for a monthly Metrocard.
The reality is that we love our car and are not giving it up. And mass transit kind of sucks. On a good day I only get coughed on once. Plus the NYC transit system is too intimate. Everyone’s ass seems to be touching whether in the seats or standing up, and when they aren’t touching you’re forced to do all you can to protect it and in doing so you may end up sacrificing your feet or your arms to unintentional molestation. On the other hand my wife drives to work in a climate controlled vehicle with Bleeding Love blasting through the factory speakers, and of course cell phone access. The only issue she has is parking and after 10 am that isn’t much of an issue. Kind of worth it for the $75 in gas, at least to her.
There was talk of a summer gas holiday, mostly trumpeted by the premeditated Democratic Party killer, Hillary Clinton. Obama’s wisdom was evident when he didn’t support it. (John Edwards’ wisdom is evident because as I write this he is making a passionate endorsement of Barack Obama and the Democratic Party that must be united this fall.) I do hope we see a $3 gallon again, though I’m really longing for a the days of $2 gas, but not in place of a permanent solution.
With Dev’s school for the fall decided, and it being a little out of the way, we will be paying more for gas than we’d like. Luckily the congestion pricing plan that the NYC mayor proposed not too long ago was DOA when the state senate declined to vote on it. It could have potentially cost my family an extra $16 a day, and my we don’t have it like that.
When it’s all said and done our gas crisis and credit issues are not so bad. Earthquakes and cyclones have killed thousands of people on the other side of the world. Darfur has fallen out of most print media (TV won’t touch it), but it’s still pretty much as bad as ever. Human beings, people like you and me, are still eating dirt cookies in Haiti just so they can fill their empty bellies. The food crisis around the world grows as corn is flipped into fuel instead of food. In every instance I mentioned families are being devastated and children are dying. I would pay twice as much for gas if it meant that we would have the money to alleviate some of the suffering of the world. Problem is that the money is going where it’s always gone and those who have always suffered are still in pain.
My perspective changes every day, and my blessings become more apparent. Do yours?
True. Suffering is all relative. In the big picture the cost of fuel is nothing compared to the real problems of the world. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t suck though!
Geeez Keith – you sure have a way of helping us look at the realities of the world! Thanks sir!
Oh yes. Though I’m on a self-imposed news hiatus, when I do catch bits and pieces, I am actually ashamed of any compaints I may be tossing around – in my head, or aloud. There, but by the grace of God, go I.
Definitely. People complain about gas prices, but if you need it, you need it. What can ya do? Just be thankful for all you have!
The way I see it, with high fuel prices, we at least have the option of just cutting back on driving to even things out somewhat. With food it’s not that simple, as plenty of people in less-fortunate countries, as well as many in this country, can attest.
By just finding ways to cut back on gas, we not only will drive prices down worldwide, but we’ll also buy ourselves more time to find a better way for the future. One can only hope.
Absolutely. My wife and I have this conversation pretty frequently. We’ll be whining about some seemingly major but ultimately unimportant decision, and then one of us will bring up the latest global tragedy just to throw things in perspective. It can be easy to forget.