Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
prices.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13338754

On May 11, 12:17*am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> prices.
>

Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
gone up.

For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
increased cost is something we must pay. We can shop sales, but costs
of food and products are higher. That means it is harder to pay for
the normal things we must pay for. For some people, that means less
money to spend on fun things. For many people, it means struggling to
pay the regular bills.

For me, it means no profit for my business this year. If I cut back on
cat shows, I will lose the shows for future years. So, I have to keep
going as an investment. Local shows (45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours away)
are still making a small profit since my expenses do not include
hotel. Shows that include hotel are either breaking even or losing
money. Part of it is increased costs. Shows that cost me $40 in gas
now cost me $60 in gas. Most shows cost me more than that now in gas.
That doesn't include the hotel and vendor fees.

But worse, fewer people attend the shows when the gas costs are high
since most people have to travel. It doesn't matter where the show is
located, the vast majority of people have to travel several hours each
way, so they have gas and hotel costs. So, fewer people at shows means
fewer potential customers. And those who do get to the show spent more
to be there, so they have less money to shop. Last weekend, I had $165
in sales. Last year, at the same show, I had over $700 in sales.

It was the same thing in 2008 when the gas was high. Attendance at
shows went way down, and sales dropped. When the gas went back down,
sales went back up.

The cost of gas really affects our whole economy. I don't know why it
is so different in Europe. I would assume that gas prices there would
affect your economy too. I realize you currently pay higher prices
than we do. So, I suppose you just feel we are whining about it. But
it isn't like we are all rich with extra money to burn. Finances are
tight,. The economy sucks right now.

> ha scritto nel messaggio
...
On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> prices.
>

Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
gone up.

For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
increased cost is something we must pay. We can shop sales, but costs
of food and products are higher. That means it is harder to pay for
the normal things we must pay for. For some people, that means less
money to spend on fun things. For many people, it means struggling to
pay the regular bills.

For me, it means no profit for my business this year. If I cut back on
cat shows, I will lose the shows for future years. So, I have to keep
going as an investment. Local shows (45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours away)
are still making a small profit since my expenses do not include
hotel. Shows that include hotel are either breaking even or losing
money. Part of it is increased costs. Shows that cost me $40 in gas
now cost me $60 in gas. Most shows cost me more than that now in gas.
That doesn't include the hotel and vendor fees.

But worse, fewer people attend the shows when the gas costs are high
since most people have to travel. It doesn't matter where the show is
located, the vast majority of people have to travel several hours each
way, so they have gas and hotel costs. So, fewer people at shows means
fewer potential customers. And those who do get to the show spent more
to be there, so they have less money to shop. Last weekend, I had $165
in sales. Last year, at the same show, I had over $700 in sales.

It was the same thing in 2008 when the gas was high. Attendance at
shows went way down, and sales dropped. When the gas went back down,
sales went back up.

The cost of gas really affects our whole economy. I don't know why it
is so different in Europe. I would assume that gas prices there would
affect your economy too. I realize you currently pay higher prices
than we do. So, I suppose you just feel we are whining about it. But
it isn't like we are all rich with extra money to burn. Finances are
tight,. The economy sucks right now.

Please. How is that different from any other country in the world? Other
than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?

On Wed, 11 May 2011 10:48:05 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world? Other
> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?

You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 11 May 2011 10:48:05 +0200, "Giusi" >
> wrote:
>
>> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
>> Other
>> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
>
> You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.

That's true.

"sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
"Giusi" >
> wrote:
>
>> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
>> Other
>> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
>
> You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.

I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
round? Of course not. But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
the least complain the most.

Giusi wrote:
>
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
> >> Other
> >> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
> >
> > You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.
>
> I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
> prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
> round? Of course not. But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
> the least complain the most.

It isn't a function of how much you pay, it's the rate of change. Double
the price and people complain, regardless of what the actual price may
be. As for complaints around here, the complaint I hear the most is
about having to swipe your card twice to fill the tank due to the card
companies not keeping up with the drop in the value of the dollar (which
is the real issue, not fuel). Lately the card companies seem to have
caught up and I can again fill my tank in one transaction which is what
I care about. The cost is what it is, but the wasted time doing two
transactions or making fueling stops when your at half a tank is
idiotic.

On Wed, 11 May 2011 13:45:08 +0200, Giusi wrote:

> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
>>> Other
>>> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
>>
>> You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.
>
> I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
> prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
> round? Of course not. But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
> the least complain the most.

it's the same way with taxes. people want goods and services but don't
think they should have to pay for them.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 11 May 2011 13:45:08 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>But I gotta say, Americans whine...<snip>

Like many people who allow themselves to be bigoted, you have just
shown your bigotry against Americans.

You've lumped 300 MILLION people into one convenient summation for
you.

Had you said something like "It seems to me that more Americans seem
to complain about gas prices than the same amount of people in some
other country", then I'd have no problem with your statement.

Plus, you use the word "whine". We "whine" no more than anyone in any
other country, you dolt. You just can't see past your bigoted nose to
understand that.

I've found that of the European people I hear or read opinions from,
most of them whine about Americans because they truly don't have a
clue about how Americans think as a society. The anti-American whining
done by Europeans is so common that any American knows of it now.

You're nothing but another whining European, whining about Americans.

You've shown your lack of intelligence, not the opposite.

On 5/11/2011 7:45 AM, Giusi wrote:
> I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
> prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
> round? Of course not. But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
> the least complain the most.

I think the American dollar is much less valuable compared to other
country's rate of currency. I could be wrong. Not counting 3rd world
countries.

On May 11, 4:45*am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" >
>
> > wrote:
>
> >> Please. *How is that different from any other country in the world?
> >> Other
> >> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
>
> > You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.
>
> I posted a link to a news story. *But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
> prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
> round? *Of course not. *But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
> the least complain the most.

It's not about the current price of gas compared to your price of gas.
The problem is how fast it is rising.

For example, a few years ago, $3 a gallon would have been considered
expensive. Now, we would consider it cheap. We'll pay what we have to
pay, but when it goes up 25% in a year, that means a lot of additional
money paid each month in gas, utilities, food, etc. At the same time,
the economy is bad, so wages are not going up.

Please tell us how i works in Europe with the prices so high there. Do
people simply not drive much? Are the wages better there?

It does sound like you have better public transportation than we do.

In article >, says...
>
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" >
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
> >> Other
> >> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
> >
> > You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.
>
> I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine about gas
> prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone happy with this last
> round? Of course not. But it does sound strange to have the people who pay
> the least complain the most.

It doesn't matter if the prices are half or a quarter or a tenth or a
ten-trillionth of what you pay, they're still more than what we used to
pay and that's the issue.

Giusi wrote:
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> "Giusi" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Please. How is that different from any other country in the world?
>>> Other
>>> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?
>>
>> You brought up the subject as if we're not hurting too.
>
> I posted a link to a news story. But I gotta say, Americans whine
> about gas prices that are half what everyone else pays. Is anyone
> happy with this last round? Of course not. But it does sound
> strange to have the people who pay the least complain the most.

Look at a map.

It's a big country. Most of it is a lot less densely populated than most of
Europe. There is little public transportation outside of certain population
centers. This is partly because we are more spread out, making public
transportation less efficient, but we are spread out partly because public
policy has encouraged road-building and sprawl.

On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
> > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
> On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
>> prices.
>>
>

>
> For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
> increased cost is something we must pay.

Americans are so spoiled and entitled. I am sure that many of us think
the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the world.

It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
(mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.

We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
It made a lot of sense.

gloria p

> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
> US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
> It made a lot of sense.
>


most common that you recognized, yes.
most common that you saw, no.

"gloria.p" wrote:
>
> On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
> > > ha scritto nel messaggio
> > ...
> > On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >> prices.
> >>
> >
>
> >
> > For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
> > increased cost is something we must pay.
>
> Americans are so spoiled and entitled. I am sure that many of us think
> the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the world.

Most of the oil is in countries hostile to the US, and most of those
countries have *no* economy other than oil. Once we have used up their
oil (and not our own), those enemies will implode.

>
> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
> about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
> but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
> (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.

Funny, from what I see people buy vehicles that meet *their* needs, not
to satisfy the perceptions of others. New truck sales have been at very
high levels over the past couple years, and that's on top of used truck
sales. It seems that people's needs have not changed to suit your
perceptions, nor have higher fuel prices (in reality lower dollar value)
caused them to give up on life and go live in a cardboard box under a
bridge.

>
> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
> US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
> It made a lot of sense.

No, actually it didn't make a lot of sense. That tiny "Smart" car
doesn't get very good MPG, certainly not commensurate with it's lack of
capability, indeed it is far less fuel efficient than the big pickups in
the US.

On 12/05/2011 4:39 AM, Pete C. wrote:
>
> "gloria.p" wrote:
>>
>> On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
>>> > ha scritto nel messaggio
>>> ...
>>> On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
>>>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
>>>> prices.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>> For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
>>> increased cost is something we must pay.
>>
>> Americans are so spoiled and entitled. I am sure that many of us think
>> the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the world.
>
> Most of the oil is in countries hostile to the US, and most of those
> countries have *no* economy other than oil. Once we have used up their
> oil (and not our own), those enemies will implode.
>
>>
>> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
>> about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
>> but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
>> (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.
>
> Funny, from what I see people buy vehicles that meet *their* needs, not
> to satisfy the perceptions of others. New truck sales have been at very
> high levels over the past couple years, and that's on top of used truck
> sales. It seems that people's needs have not changed to suit your
> perceptions, nor have higher fuel prices (in reality lower dollar value)
> caused them to give up on life and go live in a cardboard box under a
> bridge.
>
>>
>> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
>> US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
>> It made a lot of sense.
>
> No, actually it didn't make a lot of sense. That tiny "Smart" car
> doesn't get very good MPG, certainly not commensurate with it's lack of
> capability, indeed it is far less fuel efficient than the big pickups in
> the US.

Maybe it is far less fuel efficient than a US truck but it is far more
suitable for transporting one or two people around. Why transport the
extra iron?

Krypsis

Pete C. wrote:
> "gloria.p" wrote:
>>
>> On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
>>> > ha scritto nel messaggio
>>> ...
>>> On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
>>>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at
>>>> gas prices.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>>
>>> For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
>>> increased cost is something we must pay.
>>
>> Americans are so spoiled and entitled. I am sure that many of us
>> think the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the
>> world.
>
> Most of the oil is in countries hostile to the US, and most of those
> countries have *no* economy other than oil. Once we have used up their
> oil (and not our own), those enemies will implode.
>
>>
>> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to
>> think about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars
>> or hybrids) but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the
>> monster-mobiles (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly
>> off the car lots.
>
> Funny, from what I see people buy vehicles that meet *their* needs,
> not to satisfy the perceptions of others. New truck sales have been
> at very high levels over the past couple years, and that's on top of
> used truck sales. It seems that people's needs have not changed to
> suit your perceptions, nor have higher fuel prices (in reality lower
> dollar value) caused them to give up on life and go live in a
> cardboard box under a bridge.
>
>>
>> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
>> US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
>> It made a lot of sense.
>
> No, actually it didn't make a lot of sense. That tiny "Smart" car
> doesn't get very good MPG, certainly not commensurate with it's lack
> of capability, indeed it is far less fuel efficient than the big
> pickups in the US.

Those things crack me up! I saw one at Costco. I was like... Where are
you going to put the stuff you buy?

On 11/05/2011 1:58 PM, gloria.p wrote:

> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
> about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
> but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
> (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.

It is amazing isn't it. Gas prices have been bouncing up and down a lot
over the years, though they tend not to bounce down as far as they have
been bouncing up. Ever time gas prices spike it is just like you say.
Everyone wants a car with good mileage. As soon as they drop, people
start buying the gas guzzlers.

Need a pickup truck to move something?.... rent one once in a while.
Need a pickup truck to bring home building materials one or twice a
year? Some places have free delivery, free delivery over a certain
amount, or a $25-50 fee. It's cheaper than driving a pickup to work
every day and doing the weekly groceries.

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> On 11/05/2011 1:58 PM, gloria.p wrote:
>
> > It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
> > about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
> > but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
> > (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.
>
> It is amazing isn't it. Gas prices have been bouncing up and down a lot
> over the years, though they tend not to bounce down as far as they have
> been bouncing up. Ever time gas prices spike it is just like you say.
> Everyone wants a car with good mileage. As soon as they drop, people
> start buying the gas guzzlers.
>
> Need a pickup truck to move something?.... rent one once in a while.
> Need a pickup truck to bring home building materials one or twice a
> year? Some places have free delivery, free delivery over a certain
> amount, or a $25-50 fee. It's cheaper than driving a pickup to work
> every day and doing the weekly groceries.

Many of us use our trucks to haul stuff at least monthly if not weekly,
and our time is worth a lot more than the cost to use our own truck to
move things.

I own a large truck (two actually), for the small number of minimal
cargo trips such as the 6 mile round trip to the grocery store, the
extra fuel cost is negligible. For the small number of long trips with
no cargo needs I fly or rent a car. I for one have not been whining
about fuel prices, and indeed I'm seriously looking at buying a *larger*
truck as some of my transport needs are pushing the limits of my current
trucks.

On May 11, 10:58*am, "gloria.p" > wrote:
> On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
>
> > > *ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
> > On May 11, 12:17 am, > *wrote:
> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >> prices.
>
> > For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
> > increased cost is something we must pay.
>
> Americans are so spoiled and entitled. *I am sure that many of us think
> the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the world.

Actually, I think we should be drilling out own oil rather than buying
from everybody else.

>
> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
> about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
> but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
> (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.

Both of our vehicles are over 10 years old. We don't go up and down
with the price of gas. I need a vehicle that can haul my equipment to
events. A small car won't do it.

>
> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
> US$10/gallon. *The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
> It made a lot of sense.

I am sorry to hear that gas is so expensive there. I don't know how
your traffic is there, but you could not pay me to get into a smart
car,. They look very squishable. If that was all that was on the
road, then fine. But not with all the semi trucks and large vehicles.
All it would be good for is going to work and back, and I walk to
work anyway. When I do errands, I would not be able to fit everything
in the car.

In article >, says...
>
> On 5/11/2011 2:48 AM, Giusi wrote:
> > > ha scritto nel messaggio
> > ...
> > On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >> prices.
> >>
> >
>
> >
> > For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
> > increased cost is something we must pay.
>
> Americans are so spoiled and entitled. I am sure that many of us think
> the U.S. is entitled to own and use all the oil left in the world.
>
> It is crazy-making to me that when gas prices rise people begin to think
> about buying cars with better gas mileage (i.e. smaller cars or hybrids)
> but when the prices go down 50cents/gallon, the monster-mobiles
> (mini-vans, SUVs, prestige sports cars) again fly off the car lots.
>
> We were recently in Greece and Turkey where gas prices averaged
> US$10/gallon. The car we most commonly saw was the tiny Smart Car.
> It made a lot of sense.

Except that there are larger cars that cost about the same and get about
the same mileage--the Smart is a fashion statement.

Personally my normal transportation when I'm not hauling stuff gets 45
mpg city.

On May 11, 1:48*am, "Giusi" > wrote:

>
> Please. *How is that different from any other country in the world? *Other
> than, arguably, a country whose only product is petroleum?

I don't know. Why do you think we should NOT be upset about our costs
going up? Why would you be surprised at this? Wouldn't you be upset if
your own gas is $1 more per gallon than last year and still going up?
I know yours is already high. Doesn't that bother you? If it keeps
going up, doesn't that mean you would be unhappy too?

Especially if you knew it didn't need to go so high? For example, we
know we have oil here, but we are not allowed to drill for a lot of
it. Another reason the gas is higher now is because the value of our
dollar is falling, and that is because of he crap that politicians do.
There are ways to reduce this problem, but we aren't doing them.

Another problem is the corn issue. It sounds great to make gas from
corn, but we can't possibly grow enough corn to make a big difference.
And using the corn for gas (as well as for making biodegradable
plastic, etc) means that the cost of corn is higher. And Corn is used
to feed cattle and chickens.. So that means that the cost of beef,
chicken, eggs, and dairy products also go up.

In a tough economy, we need to find ways to keep costs down, not make
them worse.

> wrote in message
...
> On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
>> prices.
>>
>
> Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
> has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
> products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
> gone up.
>
All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
"gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me? And since
when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used to
be work vehicles.

> For most of us, we can't cut out a lot of our driving, so that
> increased cost is something we must pay. We can shop sales, but costs
> of food and products are higher. That means it is harder to pay for
> the normal things we must pay for. For some people, that means less
> money to spend on fun things. For many people, it means struggling to
> pay the regular bills.
>
I live 25 miles from the nearest grocery store. I can shop for a few things
closer to home, at local vegetable stands. But to get most staples I have
to drive 25 miles and that means the price of gas definitely does affect
everything.

> For me, it means no profit for my business this year. If I cut back on
> cat shows, I will lose the shows for future years.

Cat shows?

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
> > On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >> prices.
> >>
> >
> > Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
> > has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
> > products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
> > gone up.
> >
> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?

Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.

> And since
> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used to
> be work vehicles.

So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?

"Pete C." > wrote in message
ster.com...
>
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
>> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
>> >> prices.
>> >>
>> >
>> > Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
>> > has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
>> > products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
>> > gone up.
>> >
>> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after
>> the
>> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now
>> all I
>> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
>> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
>> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
>
> Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
> seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
> door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
> and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
> visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.
>
My two-door "speck" works just fine, thanks. It's a hatchback with a
fold-down back seat and can easily accomodate my monthly grocery shopping.
It gets 32MPG on the highway and 28 in stop & start "city" driving. It only
takes $20 to fill the tank and I only have to do that every couple of
months. I'll take my "speck" over a Humvee any day.

>> And since
>> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used
>> to
>> be work vehicles.
>
> So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
> pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
> and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
> of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?

Work crews, huh? The only people I ever see driving those tricked-out
trucks aren't driving work crews around. Nope, always just a single driver.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ster.com...
> >
> > jmcquown wrote:
> >>
> >> > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> >> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >> >> prices.
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> > Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
> >> > has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
> >> > products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
> >> > gone up.
> >> >
> >> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after
> >> the
> >> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now
> >> all I
> >> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
> >> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
> >> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
> >
> > Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
> > seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
> > door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
> > and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
> > visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.
> >
> My two-door "speck" works just fine, thanks. It's a hatchback with a
> fold-down back seat and can easily accomodate my monthly grocery shopping.
> It gets 32MPG on the highway and 28 in stop & start "city" driving. It only
> takes $20 to fill the tank and I only have to do that every couple of
> months. I'll take my "speck" over a Humvee any day.

Cost to fill the tank is irrelevant, tank sizes vary as does the amount
of driving you do.

You're two door speck gets 32 MPG, my huge truck gets 14 MPG. My truck
can and does routinely carry far more than double what your car carries,
indeed I could carry three or four of your entire cars, making my truck
more fuel efficient than your car.

>
> >> And since
> >> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used
> >> to
> >> be work vehicles.
> >
> > So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
> > pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
> > and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
> > of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?
>
> Work crews, huh? The only people I ever see driving those tricked-out
> trucks aren't driving work crews around. Nope, always just a single driver.

Then you aren't paying attention and/or are seeing only what you want to
see. Around here I see a lot of large comfortable crew cab pickups on
the road and at least half of them have multiple passengers, and three
quarters of them are carrying notable amounts of cargo or pulling large
trailers.

Certainly you will see just me in my 9,000# pickup on the road, what you
don't see from the low position of your little car is the stack of
sheets of plywood or other materials in the bed which don't show above
the bed rail. You also don't notice the times I'm pulling my 24'
trailer, hauling my 2,000# camper, pulling a trailer with a tractor and
a bobcat on it, etc. And for the few times the truck is hauling nothing
but me, it's still efficient since that is a small percentage of my
total driving and the cost of a smaller vehicle just for that small
percentage of my driving would far exceed the extra fuel cost for those
trips. In fact, when I have a trip of more than 400 miles that doesn't
require cargo capacity, I rent a car.

On Wed, 11 May 2011 14:30:55 -0400, jmcquown wrote:

> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ster.com...
>>
>> So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
>> pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
>> and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
>> of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?
>
> Work crews, huh? The only people I ever see driving those tricked-out
> trucks aren't driving work crews around. Nope, always just a single driver.
>
> Jill

but the one time a year they need to ferry a work crew they are *ready*.

your pal,
blake

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Pete C." > wrote in message
> ster.com...
>>
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>>> > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>
>>> > On May 11, 12:17 am, "Giusi" > wrote:
>>> >> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked
>>> at gas
>>> >> prices.
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> > Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
>>> > has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
>>> > products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
>>> > gone up.
>>> >
>>> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember
>>> after the
>>> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars.
>>> Now all I
>>> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did
>>> driving
>>> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini
>>> vans" (I
>>> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
>>
>> Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
>> seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
>> door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
>> and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
>> visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.
>>
> My two-door "speck" works just fine, thanks. It's a hatchback with a
> fold-down back seat and can easily accomodate my monthly grocery
> shopping. It gets 32MPG on the highway and 28 in stop & start "city"
> driving. It only takes $20 to fill the tank and I only have to do
> that every couple of months. I'll take my "speck" over a Humvee any day.
>
>>> And since
>>> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks
>>> used to
>>> be work vehicles.
>>
>> So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
>> pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
>> and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
>> of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?
>
> Work crews, huh? The only people I ever see driving those tricked-out
> trucks aren't driving work crews around. Nope, always just a single
> driver.
>
> Jill
That's 170+/- miles every "couple of months"? What an interesting life
you live!

On 5/11/2011 2:30 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> It only takes $20 to fill the tank and I only have to do that every
> couple of months. I'll take my "speck" over a Humvee any day.

Are you serious???

On 5/11/2011 2:42 PM, Andy wrote:
> > wrote:
>
>> I'll take my "speck" over a Humvee any day.
>
>
> Jill,
>
> The Hummer was discontinued two years ago.
>
> GM said "screw it!"
>
> I always admired them. They look great! I always wanted one but truthfully,
> it was overkill for general around the town purposes, imho.

Perhaps Hummers have rear view cameras but I wouldn't like to try
parallel parking one in a single space. Of course, that's also true of
Lamborghinis and Ferraris but their owners can afford to pay wallies to
do it for them.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm *not*

On Wed, 11 May 2011 11:04:05 -0500, Pete C. wrote:

> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
>> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
>> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
>> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
>> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
>
> Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
> seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
> door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
> and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
> visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.

and presumably the extra ****ing and moaning.

blake

On 12/05/2011 2:04 AM, Pete C. wrote:
>
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
>>>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
>>>> prices.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
>>> has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
>>> products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
>>> gone up.
>>>
>> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
>> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
>> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
>> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
>> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
>
> Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
> seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
> door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
> and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
> visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.
>
>> And since
>> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used to
>> be work vehicles.
>
> So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
> pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
> and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
> of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?

I've seen very few crew cabs here with more than a couple of people in
them. They might have been designed for carting a crew of workers around
but it would seem that it is not the reason most of them are purchased.
I think it's the same as with SUVs, the owner making a statement about
themselves.

Krypsis

Krypsis wrote:
>
> On 12/05/2011 2:04 AM, Pete C. wrote:
> >
> > jmcquown wrote:
> >>
> >> > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >>> On May 11, 12:17 am, > wrote:
> >>>> Europeans, Brits precisely, wonder why US citizens are so irked at gas
> >>>> prices.
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> Because it means we have to pay a lot more money each month. Our gas
> >>> has gone up a lot. The prices of food are going up again. The cost of
> >>> products are going up. The cost of heating the house in winter has
> >>> gone up.
> >>>
> >> All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
> >> "gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
> >> see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
> >> what was designed as a military vehicle popular?) and huge "mini vans" (I
> >> use the word "mini" lightly) with seating for 8. Um, excuse me?
> >
> > Perhaps you should investigate the MPG that those "huge" vehicles you
> > seem to hate actually get compared to a useable economy car (not some 2
> > door speck no real person can use). The difference isn't what you think,
> > and for people who don't drive a huge commute, the space, comfort,
> > visibility and safety easily justify the extra $50/mo in fuel cost.
> >
> >> And since
> >> when did pickup trucks need back seats and 5 doors? Pickup trucks used to
> >> be work vehicles.
> >
> > So work crews are limited to three people jammed into a regular cab
> > pickup? Get real, crew cabs are named for the work crew they hold safely
> > and comfortably. Perhaps you prefer the rest of the crew ride in the bed
> > of the truck along with the tools and materials and with no seatbelts?
>
> I've seen very few crew cabs here with more than a couple of people in
> them. They might have been designed for carting a crew of workers around
> but it would seem that it is not the reason most of them are purchased.
> I think it's the same as with SUVs, the owner making a statement about
> themselves.

Nope, the owners are meeting their needs, not making a statement. The
way those of you fixate on what others choose to drive certainly points
out your personality flaws however.

On 5/11/2011 4:42 PM, Krypsis wrote:

> I've seen very few crew cabs here with more than a couple of people in
> them. They might have been designed for carting a crew of workers around
> but it would seem that it is not the reason most of them are purchased.
> I think it's the same as with SUVs, the owner making a statement about
> themselves.

My truck is a crew cab, and I don't regularly tote around a full truck
of people. However, sometimes I do need to, just as people with a car
with a back seat need it sometimes even if it isn't on a regular basis.
The truck bed is the required part.

"jmcquown" > wrote:

-snip-
>>
>All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
>"gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
>see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
>what was designed as a military vehicle popular?)

I also think Hummers are ridiculous-- But by the mid 40's folks were
begging for more Jeeps. My dad plowed an acre or two with his. I
played with one for years.

Jim

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
>
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> -snip-
> >>
> >All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
> >"gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all I
> >see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
> >what was designed as a military vehicle popular?)
>
> I also think Hummers are ridiculous-- But by the mid 40's folks were
> begging for more Jeeps. My dad plowed an acre or two with his. I
> played with one for years.
>
> Jim

Realize that the "Hummers", specifically the H2 and H3 are little more
than mini vans with funky bodies. If you're going to bash a person
because of the body style of the vehicle they drive, you may as well
bash them on something equally meaningless like the paint color.

"Jim Elbrecht" > wrote in message
...
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> -snip-
>>>
>>All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
>>"gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all
>>I
>>see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
>>what was designed as a military vehicle popular?)
>
> I also think Hummers are ridiculous-- But by the mid 40's folks were
> begging for more Jeeps. My dad plowed an acre or two with his. I
> played with one for years.
>
> Jim


Jeeps are different People driving Hummers are out to prove something...
what, I don't know. Maybe that they can run the rest of us off the road.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Jim Elbrecht" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "jmcquown" > wrote:
> >
> > -snip-
> >>>
> >>All the more reason to drive an economy car. I seem to remember after the
> >>"gas crisis" of the 1970's the focus was on smaller economy cars. Now all
> >>I
> >>see Americans driving are weird modified Hummers (since when did driving
> >>what was designed as a military vehicle popular?)
> >
> > I also think Hummers are ridiculous-- But by the mid 40's folks were
> > begging for more Jeeps. My dad plowed an acre or two with his. I
> > played with one for years.
> >
> > Jim
>
> Jeeps are different People driving Hummers are out to prove something...
> what, I don't know. Maybe that they can run the rest of us off the road.
>
> Jill

People driving hummers (H2 and H3) are just driving mini vans with
different body styling. You shouldn't be bashing them for their choice
of styling any more than you should be bashing them for their choice of
paint color.

On 11/05/2011 2:35 PM, jmcquown wrote:

> Jeeps are different People driving Hummers are out to prove
> something... what, I don't know. Maybe that they can run the rest of us
> off the road.



They are luxury SUVs. There is something inherently wrong with someone
who spends a lot of money on a sport utilitiy vehicle that is too nice
to be used off road. That goes for Hummers, Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac and
other luxury SUVs. If they bodies and paint jobs are too good to take a
chance on them getting pelted with gravel and brushed with branches,
they have no business being SUVs.