How to reduce Gas consumption? (sales, buyers, buses)

[apanda]

Originally Posted by floridaexchange

The bigger the safer is not true. The danger is the high velocity that we go at. So all those people we ride on bicycles are in danger of getting their head smashed in? NO they may fall but can get up again.
With all this technology, I wish someone would put chips in cars that force the vehicle to slow down once it passes the speed limit.We would all be safer. In fact a great energy saving idea, since we cant get rid of all these stupid vehicles all at once, would be a federal law to lower ALL current speed limits by 15mph, which is totally feasible.

Ummm.. they have those and have had them for a long time now. Governors.

[toops]

Originally Posted by apanda

Ok The Hybrid List: (I realize this is not all of them)
Toyota Prius-- Starting at $21,500
Honda Civic Hybrid-- Starting at $22,600

Regular Cars Small Cars: (Again, not all of them)
Chevy Aveo--$10 or $12 Coupe vs. 4 Door Option
Honda Civic-- $15
Toyota Yaris-- $11,500

Where are the savings??

I guess I'm a little late in responding to this, but what are the MPG ratings on all those cars?

I haven't done any in-depth research on hybrids, but from what i hear, they're not worth the higher price (also with that comes higher price of maintenance and such).

I wasn't saying "hey everyone drive a hybrid" - there are PLENTY of small cars out there, new and used (I personally have never owned a new car, I don't see the point when they depreciate so much) that you can get instead of something that eats gas.


And I am completely for personal responsibility. If you have six kids and two big dogs and landscape, by all means, drive your truck or SUV. If you live by yourself or with one other person, why the HECK would you need a vehicle that size? Considering all the damage we've already done to the environment, we're not helping it much. Also: if you are going to own a huge vehicle, please learn how to park it. Not saying that people in smaller cars can't park, either, but chances are that if you do park a small car incorrectly, the cars around it will have room. Nine times out of ten when I see a vehicle obnoxiously parked, it's a ridiculous SUV.

[KerryB]

Originally Posted by toops

Also: if you are going to own a huge vehicle, please learn how to park it. Not saying that people in smaller cars can't park, either, but chances are that if you do park a small car incorrectly, the cars around it will have room. Nine times out of ten when I see a vehicle obnoxiously parked, it's a ridiculous SUV.

I dont think its because they cant park, its just that they dont really care. Probably the same types of people who would wear a shirt like this:



(From The Simpsons)

[albert73]

Keep buying those Asian vehicles and not supporting American industry and soon you will have no choice!

Ride your bicycles and scooter thats your choice! Live in a smaller house with no AC thats your choice!

Be fooled into thinking that you are going to save the world by using energy saving bulbs ( the mercury in these bulbs is going to be a real ecological problem).

Drink the kool aid!

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE REST OF THE WORLD TO GIVE A CRAP WHEN THEY ARE JUST WORRIED ABOUT THEIR NEXT MEAL!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by albert73

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE REST OF THE WORLD TO GIVE A CRAP WHEN THEY ARE JUST WORRIED ABOUT THEIR NEXT MEAL!

It's all connected, Albert, that's why so many people care. The small everyday choices we make have a huge impact on human, animal and environmental life around the world.

Take the cell phone. The cell phone companies would want you to upgrade your cell phone every six months with the "latest and greatest" and the old cellphone being rendered "worthless". What the cell phone companies don't want you to think about is the impact on human life every time you buy a cell phone.

Without getting into it too much, there is a mineral called coltan which is required in the manufacture of cell phones. This mineral can be found only in one place in the world - The Republic of Congo. The mineral is directly related to the civil war that's been going on for more than a decade. There is a documentary called The Greatest Silence, Rape in the Congo that covers it quite well if you're interested in finding out more:

HBO: The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo

So what do we do? Stop using cell phones? That's not going to work for most of us. We can keep them longer though, update them every 6 years instead of every 6 months, make a more responsible choice.

We're not going to stop driving either, especially not in Jacksonville. Like many other American cities, we are car-centric and our mass transit option are woefully limited. But we can live closer to work and have a shorter commute, we can walk or bicycle to our destination when it makes sense to do so, we can "reduce our gas consumption", which is what this thread is about .

[KerryB]

Oh, man. If I was still using he same cell phone from 6 years ago, it would be this monstrosity.

[Jimrob1]

There are a number of ways to reduce consumption, but truthfully alot of the reduction is based on where one lives. It can be alot easier to reduce consumption in one region versus another. I think as gas prices rise there are less and less options for some people and quick decisions need to take place. There are many that cannot afford these gas prices at all, and one has to combine the food prices that were affected by the gas prices. If living in a completely car dependent area where many miles a day is part of the daily grind, one may have to move closer to work to reduce the miles driven. For those that the situation gets so out of control and the finances just are not there to handle these prices, some serious soul searching might need to take place. I personally feel there will be many people in car dependent areas of the country that will be choosing between food and gas, and simply cannot afford the car any longer. Some will have to move to communities that have at least some form of extensive bus transportation and park the car abit, or just plain sell it period. Gas has already hit $5.00 and above in some regions of the west coast, but fortunately in the bigger cities here, we have some form of extensive transit. There is only one way to reduce gas consumption and that means less driving. I don't think that is an option many people have in many areas of the USA. I just think the current situation is nothing to take lightly, and if one is feeling strapped to pay this gas, and the other necessities affected by it have a plan available.

[vdecapio]

Originally Posted by Jimrob1

There are a number of ways to reduce consumption, but truthfully alot of the reduction is based on where one lives. It can be alot easier to reduce consumption in one region versus another. I think as gas prices rise there are less and less options for some people and quick decisions need to take place. There are many that cannot afford these gas prices at all, and one has to combine the food prices that were affected by the gas prices. If living in a completely car dependent area where many miles a day is part of the daily grind, one may have to move closer to work to reduce the miles driven. For those that the situation gets so out of control and the finances just are not there to handle these prices, some serious soul searching might need to take place. I personally feel there will be many people in car dependent areas of the country that will be choosing between food and gas, and simply cannot afford the car any longer. Some will have to move to communities that have at least some form of extensive bus transportation and park the car abit, or just plain sell it period. Gas has already hit $5.00 and above in some regions of the west coast, but fortunately in the bigger cities here, we have some form of extensive transit. There is only one way to reduce gas consumption and that means less driving. I don't think that is an option many people have in many areas of the USA. I just think the current situation is nothing to take lightly, and if one is feeling strapped to pay this gas, and the other necessities affected by it have a plan available.

Jacksonville and all of the south in its superiority are one of the regions you speak of that have no viable public transportation. Confederate flags, Hooters restaurants, cigarettes, full body tatoos, barrels of tooth rotting sweet tea, and strip clubs in strip malls.....but surpisingly.....very surprisingly they can't seem to make the buses work here. All those other things are found in abundance, but yet.....the buses are still infrequent and empty. Its just very shocking.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by vdecapio

Jacksonville and all of the south in its superiority are one of the regions you speak of that have no viable public transportation. Confederate flags, Hooters restaurants, cigarettes, full body tatoos, barrels of tooth rotting sweet tea, and strip clubs in strip malls.....but surpisingly.....very surprisingly they can't seem to make the buses work here. All those other things are found in abundance, but yet.....the buses are still infrequent and empty. Its just very shocking.

Yes and no. If someone already lives in one of the more dense areas of the city, there are bus lines running through them and people do use them.

Do they fill up the bus? No, not by a long-shot. But they are running and people are getting on and off of them throughout the day.

On an average day, I span the Southside, from the river to the Intracoastal. I pass a lot of bus stops along the way, and I see people waiting for the buses and getting on and off the buses, so they're in use and have been for a long time. The system is admittedly a dinosaur though, and it needs a ton of improvement.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by KerryB

Oh, man. If I was still using he same cell phone from 6 years ago, it would be this monstrosity.

Ha Ha! Nice antique!

Mine is a little Samsung clamshell, and I've had it for 5 years now...it works so well, I'm afraid to get rid of it!