Folks,
in a country depending on indidual traffic (because all the neat rural railroads were abadoned decades ago) it is your turn to beat the gas price (no offense meant, just some thoughts to be considered):
- Use car pools when possible (not only when going to work, also for shopping and social life.
- walk short distances or use a bike or p t when available.
- No V 6 and V 8 or gas hogging SUVs, get an V 4
or a hybrid when you plan to buy your next car.
(well I know a lot of farmers need those brutes but there is no need for such cars in L A, San Fran or NY, or any other mayor city in the US it is for show only).
- get an manual transmsiiion car, not an austomatic one, this saves you another 20 % on gas
(I have an 205 hp, 2.0 litre, V 4, 6 speed manual transmission van (Renault Scenic)over here which only needs 3 gallons on 100 kilometers (60 miles) and if I had chosen the smaller engine with only 136 hp it would consume only 2.4 gallons on 60 miles. And that whlie driving an avarage speed of 100 - 130 mph on the Autobahn.
- look for an car which can consume renewable fuel (bio diesel (most diesels), ethanol) With millions of acres of unused farmland in Minnseota, Idaho, and over the Great Plains it mus be possible to produce at least 10 % of all needed fuel from renewable sources.
- re-install p t in all communities over 50 000 inhabitants
- If you look for an now home consider distance to work, shopping and p t as mayor points
for example I live in a small (16 000 people) rural community app 25 miles north of Frankfurt/Germany. within walking distance I have 4 supermarkets (5- 12 minutes), 8 doctors
(1- 3 minutes), bakery and buthcer (3 minutes) 4 pharmacys (3-6 minutes, 2 railway staions (10 - 25 minutes), 2 bus stops (2-3 minutes) .
Those amenities where mayour kriteria for my wife and me to choose this particular house and town some 14 years ago.
I use my car for some 6750 miles a year
(conventions and trade shows when I had to transport a lot of my products) and travel app. 40000 miles by rail - sometimes at 190 mph - each year .
My 2 cents
Steffen
