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It already has. We don't take anymore trips out to see my god-son (lives 35 miles away). We no longer take trips out to see our firends everyother week. (the live 1 hour away). We don't eat out anymore. Haven't been to the movies in months. My husband commutes 65miles one way to work and as soon as winter is over he will be driving the car again (instead of the truck). We have been trying to sell the house, but the market is pretty bad here. The worst part is that I might have to go for knee surgery and miss some work soon.
I'd say gas would have to be around or a little over $10/ gallon before I'd contemplate any serious lifestyle changes. I'm pretty set in my ways and even if gas reaches $4-$5/ gallon in the coming months and years, I'm still going to do everything the same as I am now. I work hard and I don't plan on cutting back on eating out, traveling, or anything; I like to enjoy my free time. High gas prices are here for the long run so I might as well get used to it.
I guess if gas hits between $6-7 dollars per gallon I would be looking to trade our vehicles (a Tahoe and an Explorer) for something smaller, perhaps something like an Avalon, Malibu, or Altima. As I live in the city, I don't want anything that is going to make me feel like I am about to get smashed by a passing 18-wheeler or the like, so a Yaris, Scion, or Volkswagen Beetle would be out of the question.
We've already cut back because of gas: Fewer weekend road trips, we eat out less, dropped the land line, we're selling the V6 and paying cash for something that gets at least 30-35 mpg. Any and all luxuries must go. If we didn't cut back, we'd lose everything.
I guess if gas hits between $6-7 dollars per gallon I would be looking to trade our vehicles (a Tahoe and an Explorer) for something smaller, perhaps something like an Avalon, Malibu, or Altima. As I live in the city, I don't want anything that is going to make me feel like I am about to get smashed by a passing 18-wheeler or the like, so a Yaris, Scion, or Volkswagen Beetle would be out of the question.
If being smashed by an 18 wheeler is really what you are worried about - the truck weighs around 80,000 pounds. It doesn't really matter if the car you are in weighs 5,000 pounds (a big SUV) or 3,000 pounds (a microcompact). Weight is entirely on the truck's side. The extra metal and weight won't protect you at all. Buy newer, buy well-designed with front- and side-impact bags and crumple protection. Smaller and lighter, you can stop faster and turn more quickly, hopefully avoiding the truck without the roll-over hazard that all SUVs have.
I don't want anything that is going to make me feel like I am about to get smashed by a passing 18-wheeler or the like, so a Yaris, Scion, or Volkswagen Beetle would be out of the question.
If people in the US would simply learn how to drive and would stop living the "the bigger car has the right of way"-life then you wouldn't have to drive a stupid SUV or something just for the illusion of safety.
The higher gas prices have been wrecking havoc on manufacturing, raw materials, delivery companies, etc for several years. We are one of the few companies in our area that does NOT charge a "fuel surcharge". Most have for over 2-3 years. We just plan all of our routes wisely and if a customer refuses product when we are there for our regularly scheduled delivery and they call in an emergency THEN they get charged a surcharge. We are not going to penalize those that run an efficient business and understand the dynamics of such. All of our commercial trucks are diesel and that has been going up even HIGHER than gasoline My dh has always been anal about truck maint. so that really helps in the long run w/ costs. We are in the process of doing a MASSIVE expansion because one of our main vendors is practically raping us with fuel surcharges.
The corn being planted for alternative fuels in NOT the same used for human consumption or food products. Because so many farmers are changing over the prices for all other grains and such have been going up. Wonder how much beer has gone up? Haven't really paid attention to that but it should be getting hit because of it.
As for my daily lifestyle. With my youngest we carpool so I only have to be at her school 3x for an ENTIRE week. Sure beats 2xday for 5days a week = 10x ! Oldest I do d/o & p/u and it is 14 miles RT each time for 28 miles a day. She may start riding the bus on the days she can along w/ carpool for before/after school activities w/ a neighbor when possible. That may start as soon as we are back from Spring Break.
As for vehicles we drive we are not going to be changing those. They are all paid for so why? Someone else would just buy them and be driving them and I'd be spending more money on car payments. That would be totally stupid. I do drive my smaller car when I can but on my carpool days and when I need to I'm in the Suburban. On my off days dh has been driving my Suburban instead of his older pickup. His commute is only 14 miles RT and about 2-3x a week he takes the oldest to school when he can. As for errands I do those in a orderly fashion and when they are "on my way" to school, office, church, etc.
Now OTHERS driving habits could REALLY use some common sense to realize that their stupidity is actually making others burn MORE GAS! Don't sit in the right lane at a red light if your going straight and that turn is a popular one for many. Know where in the heck your going BEFORE you leave. Scoot up at lights if the car behind you CAN get over into the left turn lane or right turn lane if you did so! Otherwise you ARE creating MORE traffic. Good you drive Prius but because of your ATTITUDE your causing everyone else to burn more gas so SCOOT UP a few inches and let that WHOLE LINE of cars turn. There are SOOOOO many ways that drivers could do a MUCH better job of just their driving habits that it could save many a lot of gas.
If being smashed by an 18 wheeler is really what you are worried about - the truck weighs around 80,000 pounds. It doesn't really matter if the car you are in weighs 5,000 pounds (a big SUV) or 3,000 pounds (a microcompact). Weight is entirely on the truck's side. The extra metal and weight won't protect you at all. Buy newer, buy well-designed with front- and side-impact bags and crumple protection. Smaller and lighter, you can stop faster and turn more quickly, hopefully avoiding the truck without the roll-over hazard that all SUVs have.
People who think they're safer in an SUV don't realize the facts. I'm not anti-SUV, I just think they're over-hyped, and over-sold. The overwhelming majority of people who buy them absolutely do not need them. The trend got ridiculous years ago.
Interesting, small cars were getting a lot more attention this year at the auto show.
The corn being planted for alternative fuels in NOT the same used for human consumption or food products. Because so many farmers are changing over the prices for all other grains and such have been going up. Wonder how much beer has gone up? Haven't really paid attention to that but it should be getting hit because of it.
Never said it was human-consumption grade corn - but it IS livestock consumption grade (also used to manufacture high fructose corn syrup), and farmers who were growing other grains are switching over to corn for the subsidies and supported prices. I mentioned the price of a gallon of milk is up 25% over the course of 2007 (I got that stat from a) my own experience and b) the Fed-calculated CPI) - that's directly a result.
People who think they're safer in an SUV don't realize the facts. I'm not anti-SUV, I just think they're over-hyped, and over-sold. The overwhelming majority of people who buy them absolutely do not need them. The trend got ridiculous years ago.
Interesting, small cars were getting a lot more attention this year at the auto show.
I wish people could learn to part with their SUVs for the greater good of our environment and our economy. Its mind boggling that today people continue to fill up their Hummers and commute 40 miles one way to work. Right now, this problem could be fixed with relatively minimal adjustments in our standard of living. The bad thing is as it usually is with Americans, the crud is going to have to hit the fan before we as a society will do anything about it.
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We no longer take trips out to see our firends everyother week. (the live 1 hour away). 
Haven't been to the movies in months. My husband commutes 65miles one way to work and as soon as winter is over he will be driving the car again (instead of the truck). We have been trying to sell the house, but the market is pretty bad here. The worst part is that I might have to go for knee surgery and miss some work soon.
My dh has always been anal about truck maint. so that really helps in the long run w/ costs. We are in the process of doing a MASSIVE expansion because one of our main vendors is practically raping us with fuel surcharges. 
