Nationally, gasoline prices are averaging more than $4 a gallon. That’s not an all-time record, but it’s up sharply from just over a month ago, and the rapid change has left many car owners reeling … but unwilling, or unable, to give up on driving. Americans have been logging more miles since the war with Iran started, according to the analytics company Arity, which tracks driving habits…

Another option, of course, is to pursue alternatives to driving.

      • Annoyed_🦀 @lemmy.zip
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        18 天前

        Poor people should demand for better public transport because owning a car is very much a costly asset, from purchasing to maintenance to daily usage. At this point demanding for anything other than a good public transport definitely are asking to be fucked.

      • pet1t@piefed.social
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        18 天前

        there’s alternatives to driving, even for those that are financially struggling. crazy, right?

      • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
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        17 天前

        Can’t really be that poor if you can afford to drive a car, for a long time I only had enough to ride a bike and pretty sure my bike was older than most cars on the road.

        • FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe
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          17 天前

          I know this post is about driving, but the more expensive gasoline is and the less we have available in general then we’re going to start having energy issues eventually since we don’t have a renewable energy grid (and won’t anytime soon even if we start building now). Energy issues means that hospitals and stuff will potentially have trouble powering all their equipment and you know it’s gonna be the poorest communities that are hit the hardest and soonest. I know that seems like it’s not gonna happen bc America is huge and all, but if this goes on for too long or if they actually just fucked up all oil production and distribution in the area (about 20% of the global supply iirc) then that is a very real danger

          Like yes, I want this country to no longer be car-based and to have good public transit and renewable energy grids, but if this continues for too long it will absolutely devastate poorer communities and countries. Just look at what’s going on in Cuba right now bc of Trump restricting oil to the island

          • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
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            17 天前

            I live in a country with communist healthcare so at least that isn’t too much of an issue. Looking to move my house to ~100% renewable energy within ideally the next few years at most, got a few other things to look at first like replacing all the windows to hold heat in better. Already moved completely off gas, but as the grid isn’t doing it any time soon I guess I will just build my own solar generation instead, my usage is already low enough it should be pretty achievable too.

            • FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe
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              17 天前

              I mean, that’s great for you. Genuinely, I hope everyone can live that kinda life. For most of the world though, that is not the case. Trump’s damn ego and this stupid war are already devastating poorer countries and it’ll only get worse the longer it goes on

              • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
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                17 天前

                I am not even rich though, I earn barely over minimum wage.

                If I can consider going fully renewable (partly driven by pure spite toward energy companies and the oil industry) then surely many others could too.

                • FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe
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                  17 天前

                  Most people don’t live in countries with communist healthcare. Many people do not even currently have the option of getting renewable energy either bc there’s not enough sun where they live to make it feasible on its own or there’s just no companies/infrastructure near them to switch to

                  You may not be rich but it sounds like the country you live in has a higher base standard of living than many other places in the world. That’s great! It’s just sad that other countries do not have those social safety nets and infrastructure

          • Korhaka@sopuli.xyz
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            17 天前

            Its more that I have seen for over a decade now “think of the poor” often used to talk about things I couldn’t even dream of being able to afford in the first place. Its as if people only care about poverty when it is convenient to them. I am pretty sure that the disabled get the same treatment. Disabled people need cars! Ignoring the fact that some are disabled because of cars, or completely unable to drive because of their disability while being able to walk/cycle or take the tram if those options are available and safe to use.

            When the cost of living became popular I saw a lot of “I make <8x my income> and am struggling to afford food” on TV from middle class people, at the time it felt very much like no one gave a shit about the poor until they were also struggling to afford what I had always considered to be a luxury. To them food was now £150 a week, to me it was £20 a week largely comprised of things like fried onions and beans, rice, potatoes and various other root vegetables.

          • Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            17 天前

            its not a contest, I also rode a bike when I couldnt afford a car. 8+ years I had a license but no car. The worst was when I rode 8miles to work each morning, but the best was going grocery shopping with a five minute ride and a backpack, and going to friends houses this way. Had a car a few years when I lived rurally, and beater cars were stull under a grand. Back to no car now, again, because poverty.

            Do you know how feeing it is to not have to depend on a car to go places? No insurance, no registration, no gas fee.

            Was $1.25 to slap my bike on the front of the bus and go nearly anywhere outside range.

            freeing.

            no contest

  • jtrek@startrek.website
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    17 天前

    Living someplace with usable mass transit is pretty nice.

    Gas is too cheap relative to its real costs anyway.

  • mesa@piefed.social
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    17 天前

    People are using ebikes q bit more right now. If it gets to 6-7 a gallon we will see more drastic changes.

    A month ago it was 3-4 to give some perspective.

  • DFX4509B@lemmy.wtf
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    11 天前

    I’d ideally not drive at all if I were in their position and deciding what to do, but since North America is crippled by decades, nearly a century of car dependency…

  • CarterAva@thelemmy.club
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    2 天前

    Rising fuel prices are forcing drivers to rethink habits: from thrifty driving to switching to electric cars or public transport. As energy costs become more and more tangible, it is important to look for ways to optimize not only on the roads, but also in your own homes . In this context, many pay attention to service providers like https://american-power-and-gas.pissedconsumer.com/review.html . User feedback suggests that choosing the right energy plan can help balance the family budget, although it is worth carefully studying the terms of contracts to avoid unexpected rates.