[DVBC] $4 gas good for bike shops

[Glenn Lyons]

It's easy to blame "elected officials", but almost as many americans voted for Bush/Cheney in 2000 as they did for Al Gore and then even more voted for the big oil men in 2004. I don't think these people were looking for bold new energy solutions.  It was more like "how can I preserve my energy-wasting lifestyle and drain every drop of oil out of Alaska or wherever".  I'm really hoping this country can move away from such a shortsighted, cycical approach.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dave Hartrum 
  To: dvbc-list at dvbc.org 
  Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 9:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [DVBC] $4 gas good for bike shops


  The problem is you can't get elected if you have the balls (sorry Hilary) to tell people what they don't want to hear and that they have to make some hard choices.
  When my 18 year old daughter says she may actually start to walk to school you know the gas prices are having a positive impact.

  Dave Hartrum
  dhartrum at mac.com







  On May 12, 2008, at 6:08 PM, Douglas Bower wrote:


    Dom,



    I have been looking to see if a real scientific study has been done showing the price of gasoline in relationship to the amount of drivers switching to alternative transportation.  Many years ago there was talk on Capitol Hill to increase gasoline taxes to cause gasoline to be $4.00/gallon.  The idea was to incentivify people to use public transportation and other alternatives, and to use the revenue for public transportation and build an infrastructure which is more bicycle and motorcycle friendly.  We are almost to the $4.00/gallon mark and I would like to know if people are really switching to alternative transportation, if so in what numbers?  I have heard some large cities have seen an  increase in ridership on public transportation but not Philadelphia.  My sister (who can’t ride a bicycle) is looking into a 75mpg commuter “Tango” vehicle, so for her $4.00 is enough to cause her to switch, how about the rest of the country…



    Our reliance upon foreign energy sources has been proven to be very bad for the United States and for as long as I can remember politicians have been talking about “energy independence” (Nixon and Carter).  We have been attacked and 3000 people died at the hands of terrorists we helped funded by purchasing their oil.   Hydrogen fuel celled cars and trucks do not release harmful emissions, nuclear power plants produce electricity without creating greenhouse gasses.  %75 of the oil imported into the USA is used to fuel automobiles and produce electricity, the other %25 is used for plastics, vinyl, lubrications and other products.  In 5 years we could be reduced to %0.0 the amount of oil imported to fuel transportation and electricity production.  Has any of the people we have elected to office considered this?



    Doug



      





    From: dvbc-list-bounces at list.dvbc.org [mailto:dvbc-list-bounces at list.dvbc.org] On Behalf Of domzdvbc at att.net
    Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 12:10 PM
    To: dvbc-list at dvbc.org
    Subject: [DVBC] $4 gas good for bike shops



    Let’s hope these new commuters gain a lasting impression of ALL the benefits of cycling.



    Dom



    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24566705/







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