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#1 01-07-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

But how will that overcome geography? This is like the moronic states that have a Pedestrian Right set of rules. Fine, just note that the laws of physics trumps the laws of man any day. All it does is take us back 100 years where you were born in this town and you work in this town and you die in this town. That and the govt gets huge bucks in the process.

It won't work for everyone, an those who choose to live far from their work will pay the price. Many more people could telecommute, mass transient could be much better in most areas, and hardly anyone needs to drive an F350 to pick up their kids from school. My point was, as long as fuel is ridiculously cheap in the US nothing will change.

retmil46 · #2 01-07-2011, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

It won't work for everyone, an those who choose to live far from their work will pay the price. Many more people could telecommute, mass transient could be much better in most areas, and hardly anyone needs to drive an F350 to pick up their kids from school. My point was, as long as fuel is ridiculously cheap in the US nothing will change.

What about those that don't have a choice, for whatever reason, as to how far they have to commute, or work in an occupation where there is no choice but to be physically present on the jobsite?

As far as their individual choice of vehicles, ie F350, no argument there.

#3 01-07-2011, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmil46

What about those that don't have a choice, for whatever reason, as to how far they have to commute, or work in an occupation where there is no choice but to be physically present on the jobsite?

As far as their individual choice of vehicles, ie F350, no argument there.

Everyone has a choice. If fuel costs $6/gallon and someone wants me to be at a job site 100 miles away, they will pay me accordingly or I will find someplace else to work. In other words, the market will sort itself out.

aklim · #4 01-07-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

Everyone has a choice. If fuel costs $6/gallon and someone wants me to be at a job site 100 miles away, they will pay me accordingly or I will find someplace else to work. In other words, the market will sort itself out.

Absolutely. But what will it sort out to be in the end? Will we be better off or worse off? We have to look at an overall picture. A gain in one end (fuel use) isn't a gain if we take it in the shorts every day.

#5 01-07-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Absolutely. But what will it sort out to be in the end? Will we be better off or worse off? We have to look at an overall picture. A gain in one end (fuel use) isn't a gain if we take it in the shorts every day.

The US will eventually figure out how to use less energy than it produces, it won't be a choice. The only thing they can control is how it happens and how much of a disruption it will create. I assume they will continue to do nothing until someone else decides for them, then the folks with the least resource will "take it in the shorts." You and I will be fine, we will just complane and pay whatever it takes. Some people will actually get hurt if "market forces" are allowed to make these decisions.

aklim · #6 01-07-2011, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

The US will eventually figure out how to use less energy than it produces, it won't be a choice. The only thing they can control is how it happens and how much of a disruption it will create.

I assume they will continue to do nothing until someone else decides for them, then the folks with the least resource will "take it in the shorts."

You and I will be fine, we will just complane and pay whatever it takes. Some people will actually get hurt if "market forces" are allowed to make these decisions.

Or it can start digging up what they have and sell it and use it.

Better than some arbitrary idiot at the top doing it because it lines his pocketbook in some sense.

I don't bet on such things. I am good today. Tomorrow might be different. Things change. If I cannot adapt to the market force, the hurt will induce me to make the necessary changes. When I am no longer able to make the change, I will be stepped on and squished and it will be the end for me. As it should be.

Hatterasguy · #7 01-07-2011, 03:18 PM

It would be perfect for my mom since she averages about 25 miles a day or less.

A 240 plug isn't a big deal, that's easy to set up. Its a dryer or electric stove plug.

aklim · #8 01-07-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

It won't work for everyone, an those who choose to live far from their work will pay the price.

Many more people could telecommute,

mass transient could be much better in most areas,

and hardly anyone needs to drive an F350 to pick up their kids from school.

My point was, as long as fuel is ridiculously cheap in the US nothing will change.

It's not always that easy. If you live in a large enough city, maybe. You can't always dictate the job will be in that area. Short of living in an RV and move from place to place assuming you are the only one that works. In this economy, we have to take a job where we can. I can't sit on my ass and demand that a job miracle itself within 10 miles of my location. But lets say it did. What if my wife loses her job and has to commute? Your european model works for dense areas. A lot of our areas are not that dense.

Telecommuting isn't a cure-all either. It requires a high amount of trust in the employee and the employee has to be disciplined. Would you want your doctor to telecommute with you and be treating you from his bathtub? For certain things, it works. Many things, it won't.

That is also the hard part. 2 things come to mind. Govt curfew and you have to give up convenience.

True. However, if that is the only vehicle you have that does other things, would it pay to simply buy several vehicles to save a few bucks but more headaches? My Excursion, for instance is my grocery getter. It is also my RV hauler, my 2nd car, dog carrier, bad winter day car, etc, etc. How many vehicles would I need for all of that?

Only way to fix what you want is for Big Brother to "guide" change. I prefer to leave Big Brother there and not have him guide anything lest I find that he has guided me into the barrel with a hole in it and everyday becomes my turn in the barrel.