Where Do The Chicago Gas Prices Go? (employment, house)

[HOWELL_STREET]

Has a barrel of crude oil hit $100 yet? At the moment, I don't know since I have not seen the news paper. However, there does not seem any end in sight since the U.S. government does not control the free trade prices of gasoline.

From memory, I seem to recall that many, many years ago - - we as the United States - - developed the oil fields in Saudi Arabia. Then we handed them over to the Saudi's. Was that a mistake? Perhaps some people might think so(?).

Well, anyway, it would seem imperative to anyone moving to the vast Chicago Land area that they locate along a commuter serviced railroad town.

What happens to your automotive transporation to employment each day - - if the price of gasoline is something that nobody can afford? With our railroad transportation systems, Uncle Sam will eventually get to the point that 'hey', we better start supporting railroad systems like Chigago's METRA and also CTA because they are going broke !

Is it feasible to see gasoline at $20 per gallon in the future? Someday, that might happen and then that beautiful $38,000 automobile of yours will sit in your driveway gathering rust.

I tend to exclude myself in this dissertation because I am retired and don't need transportation like younger folks. So this is a sobering subject to consider for our future.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[aragx6]

Yes gas will eventually be that high, but by then the hope is that alternative energies will be feasible and sustainable.

I very much believe that the growth of suburbia will be greatly affected by the world's growing shortage of oil. I know I certainly wouldn't buy a house in the ex-urbs.

On the flip side, I believe cities across the US will see a renaissance - it's already begun.

[HOWELL_STREET]

Personally, it is difficult for me to understand how alternate fuels will become viable. However, I am not an expert in this particular field.

For a moment, consider the hybrid electric car. I think one is a "Prius"(sp?) and I think there are one or two more.

So 'one' buys a new hybrid electric car and operates it with a huge savings of gas money for a number of years.

But after a time of between five years to seven years - - the entire set of batteries need replacing. And at that point, perhaps the car has at least 100,000 miles on it.

IF the replacement set of batteries cost several thousand dollars and with the car having in excess of 100K miles - - does this warrant a continued use of the automobile? Can the car be sold as a used vehicle in stating that a new set of batteries is required? In my opinion, the answer is 'no'.

Is hydrogen viable for alternate fuel? Frankly, I don't know but I think hydrogen gas is also explosive(?). If that is the situation, what happens to the car and its occupants during a catasrophic highway collision? Perhaps there are other alternate fuels that I don't know about(?)

Many years ago, a company named "Lear" who also became famous for its class of business airline jets - - tried to design a steam engine operated passenger car. But it never became viable for some reason that I never heard about. As a guess, perhaps it was also dangerous to operate(?)

Best Regards,

Carter Glass