Recently, NPR had yet another piece about how high gas prices are changing the behavior of consumers. This time they were discussing the massive shift in priorities when the average person goes to buy a new car. Four years ago it seems that fuel efficiency was, on average, the 28th most important factor considered by purchasers of new cars. Today that has changed quite a bit, and while no one has yet had time to do another survey (that I could find) the proof is in the proverbial pudding. The Toyota Corolla has unseated the Ford F-150 pick-up series to become the best-selling car in America.
I am old enough to remember a time when gas occasionally went down to $.99 per gallon, and certainly older people remember paying even less. In comparison, the $4.41 I paid last week is quite the shock. However, economists have long said that the only true way to change the behavior of the masses is to hit them where it hurts. In that sense the high prices seem to be working wonders. For the first time in more than 20 years, people are driving less than they did at the same time last year. Public transit ridership is up around the country, and there actually seems to be a bike shortage in some parts of the country.
Don't get me wrong, I hate paying those high prices for fuel. My little tank costs more than $40 to fill, and even with my efficient car (about 36-38 mpg) I still feel the pinch. Nevertheless, high gas prices HAVE to be a good thing when they produce results like those above.
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