[DVBC] $4 gas good for bike shops

[Ira Josephs]

Hi Doug
I assume you really want to start something here so....

As I write this I am listening to Patti Smith sing "People Have the Power" quite powerful and inspiring. I think it means F*ck your elected officials, if you want to be free of Foreign oil, stop using it. Think about it every moment, think about everything you do every moment and how it effects the planet and everyone else on it. Is it necessary that I use these resources, can I not buy this plastic crap, do I need to shower every day, or 2x a day, what if I don't finish my meal and throw out the leftovers, let the water run while I brush my teeth, drive to the Wawa for coffee or milk, buy clothes that were made in a sweatshop factory, eat meat from animals that have lived and died in horrific conditions etc. etc. etc.

Good luck, Doug, waiting for your elected officials to do the right thing!!!!
It is absolutely up to each and every one of us to take responsibility to create the world we want to see. If you don't want to be dependent on foreign oil don't use it!!!

Have a good night,
Ira
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Douglas Bower 
  To: dvbc-list at dvbc.org 
  Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 6:08 PM
  Subject: RE: [DVBC] $4 gas good for bike shops


  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/

   

   

   



------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  _______________________________________________
  DVBC mailing list
  DVBC at list.dvbc.org
  http://list.dvbc.org/mailman/listinfo/dvbc-list
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://ccs2.craftech.com/pipermail/dvbc-list/attachments/20080513/b77ddba3/attachment.htm