I also remember my Dad telling me that as a child (in the ’20s or ’30s) he and his two sisters, along with his cousin, and his mom, and his aunt and uncle, would all travel in a Model T belonging to his uncle. That’s four children and three adults.

Now, back then they didn’t have dvd players in the car. But, when I went on long trips as a child we not only had the six people (sometimes 7) in a station wagon, we also had all of our camping gear, too.

When I was in Africa, I remember the community would own a pickup that belonged to the local church. It was a Datsun, and was used for hauling stuff, like water. There would always be a group of people along with the load of whatever in this tiny truck.

I personally have never owned an SUV. I’ve been in them, and they are nice. But, I don’t think they’re a necessity.

I think people get used to something better, when better comes along, and then it is just too hard to go back.

The law also doesn’t allow you to go back, and for good reasons, I guess. You wouldn’t be able to take several small children in a car without car seats now. You could back then.

Still, I am interested to see how long people will continue to justify their F250’s and Suburbans, etc. And, what will happen when everyone is trying to unload them at the same time.

The gas situation is only going to get worse. There is no improvement on the horizon regarding oil prices.

The broader issue is the availability of fossil fuels and the fact that they are a limited resource. I continually see people writing or hear people talking about the cost of gas and that they will continue to drive their low mileage FUVs irrespective of the cost. I’m glad to know there are so many people out there with that much disposable income. As a Social Worker, I’d rather see people put that money into charity than their gas tank. Someone wants to keep their FUV because she doesn’t want to drive a mini-van and be labeled as a soccer mom?? Give me a break! “I’d rather continue to waste resources that my grandchildren will need because of what people may say about me”.

Some folks have made the valid point that their vehicle is paid for and they don’t want to incur the cost of purchasing another vehicle. Sounds plausible, but again, the issue isn’t about the COST of gas, it’s the AVAILABILITY and SUSTAINABILITY of this limited resource.

In Montana, many of my neighbors like to race around the woods on 4 wheelers, they say the cost of gas hasn’t impacted them enough to stop. To me to proudly make the statement, in essence, “I don’t care about limited resources, I can afford to waste them recreationally (also include NASCAR)” is most egregious and ego centered.

Yo, listen up…I DON’T DRINK 80 GALLONS OF WATER A WEEK!

So YEAH! I complaining about $4-a-gallon! It’s killing most of us.

And let me ask you something…what do you think the survival rate for your family would be if they were in a Prius, and got into a head on accident with a Suburban?
That’s ALL I need to consider.

How can anybody even compare the consumption of bottled water to the consumption of gasoline?
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I’m from Finland, Europe.

I read the CNN article and then came to this page.

I think the CNN article has only EXCUSES for why people “NEED” a SUV or a truck.

The fuel prices are much higher here, have been for a long time. Some years ago our prices were triple yours, now it’s I think about double so you have catched up a little bit to our price but you are still far from our fuel prices. Think about that for a second or two.

The whole “I need a SUV because I got 3 kids” thing is laughable. I don’t see the people in my country having ANY problems taking their kids around in smaller cars.

How do we Europeans manage to live our lives without the kind of big gas-guzzler cars that you Americans “NEED”? It takes a lot of explaining. I didn’t see any valid reason in the CNN article.

I think you Americans are just getting emotional about it instead of being rational. Push your emotions aside. You do NOT need the SUV.