Pelican Parts Forums - Doom and gloom at the gas pumps

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It's the weak dollar. The oil futures price is tracking the price of gold, and the American dollar keeps getting weaker. The weak dollar is probably due to all the debt--and printing paper to pay for Iraq.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostatic (Post 3931670)

I see nothing wrong with that...and a lot right with it.

Not me. If i want to pedal around on a bicycle i'll move to some under-developed 3rd world country. As far as motorcycles: I have no desire to be killed on one.

The U.S. is trading places with China.

Used to be they were the ones with no manufacturing, an oppressive war-mongering government, overpopulation, overcrowding, terrible infrastructure and were riding around on bicycles because they couldn't afford cars.

Funny how things change. . .

I favor everyone riding bikes because it would cull the herd pretty quickly and that needs to be done. It would also get the cell phones and lattes off the road. I have started doing my grocery shopping on the bike now and can easily fit a 12 of Corona in one sidecase without even expanding it. I could bungee cord a case to the rear seat. I really think I'm gonna unload the 330i after my parents come visit for Xmas. The Mini and 993 aren't gonna cut it for shuttling the family around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m21sniper (Post 3932208)

Not me. If i want to pedal around on a bicycle i'll move to some under-developed 3rd world country. As far as motorcycles: I have no desire to be killed on one.

you mean like The Netherlands?

http://www.travelcreek.com/bicycle.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by billh1963 (Post 3932201)

I think your view is rather myopic. The vast majority of the country does not have public transportation available and for many people their daily commute is probably >10-15 miles. We also need to factor in people who need to take the kids to day care every day, people who live in harsh environments where riding a bicycle in the winter is not an option, etc. and it's just not going to happen. Your counterpoint might be, "Sure, then sell your house and move to the city". Unfortunately, with the current real estate market that may be easier said than done!

I think we are in for a real rough time. If the speculators who are driving up the price of oil aren't careful they may find themselves being regulated. Personally, I think they are heading for a major bust when the price of fuel effectively slows the US and overall global economy enough that the demand for oil drops precipitously and the bottom falls out.

Funny, but some here keep saying that the economy is swell and all this doom and gloom is just "liberal media bias."

I understand there are times you have to drive. I can't haul my bass and amp to gigs on a bicycle, but I can walk 8 blocks to rehearsal carrying one electric and a backpack with my cables and charts.

The thing is to do what each person can. If you have to haul kids around then do what you need to. I actually used to have my son in a bicycle trailer way back when. People can drive less (how many unnecessary trips get taken?) or grab a ride with your neighbor (shock!).

The "American way of life" as we know it is ending. We will be forced to change, one way or another. We can do it slowly on our own terms or just keep on the current path and wake up one day to find $10/gal gas and no reasonable alternatives.