I think there are a lot of complicated issues surround fuel costs for automobiles. Clearly much of the cost increase is due to oil cost increases (although tracing that back to honest supply and demand is also not straight forward), but it is obvious that there are other things going on. Biodiesel, for example, has also skyrocketed. I suspect some of that is honestly due to increased demand for grain. Some of it, though, i think is probably capitalization on the expectation that fuel costs have gone up (eg., profiteering). I honestly don't know about how diesel may track gasoline.
In the end, it doesn't matter too much for me. I'd like to see end user gasoline prices stay high. I'd like to see us attack the oil issue with an approach that is not opening up new reserves. I think that some of the difficulties with high gas prices (eg, my point about the regressive costs) can be approached by considering ideas that do not involve boosting the current rate of oil production.
As much as i hate to pay for parking, for example, making parking expensive and/or rare is one way to get people to take the bus to work instead of driving. It also places the onus for change on a population that is more likely to have an easy alternative. Giving shipping companies tax breaks would help address the high cost of transport while still allowing for capitalist forces to work for individuals who can modify their commuting options. Popular ideas? I doubt it, but i think they would be better for us in the long run.
MS is probably doing better with their public transport than the City of Seattle right now - the capacity of the bus system here is not increasing as fast as the demand, and the reluctance to get other solutions implemented still appalls me.
... I wonder if i'll garner a dissenting opinion in my lj?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-09-09 05:43 pm (UTC)In the end, it doesn't matter too much for me. I'd like to see end user gasoline prices stay high. I'd like to see us attack the oil issue with an approach that is not opening up new reserves. I think that some of the difficulties with high gas prices (eg, my point about the regressive costs) can be approached by considering ideas that do not involve boosting the current rate of oil production.
As much as i hate to pay for parking, for example, making parking expensive and/or rare is one way to get people to take the bus to work instead of driving. It also places the onus for change on a population that is more likely to have an easy alternative. Giving shipping companies tax breaks would help address the high cost of transport while still allowing for capitalist forces to work for individuals who can modify their commuting options. Popular ideas? I doubt it, but i think they would be better for us in the long run.
MS is probably doing better with their public transport than the City of Seattle right now - the capacity of the bus system here is not increasing as fast as the demand, and the reluctance to get other solutions implemented still appalls me.
...
I wonder if i'll garner a dissenting opinion in my lj?