# $368 a month on gas = 3 gallons a day! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 6, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965 "2011-05-06T14:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/81 "2011-05-06T20:30:10Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Yes, there exist people for whom it is genuinely really hard to change their gas consumption. But the \*average \*American family is using 3 gallons a day. That means lots of assholes are using more. They’re not all poor, poor victims of bad infrastructure. Americans are fat, and use 3 gallons of gas a day, and it’s all somebody else’s fault and there’s nothing they can do to change it! Honest! Ah yes, the whole “Americans are fat LOL” card. Hey, guess who [else](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8646677.stm) [is](http://www.health.gov.au/internet/preventativehealth/publishing.nsf/Content/tech-obesity-toc~tech-obesity-2) [catching](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/world/europe/22iht-health.4.5393089.html) [up?](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426122950.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/82 "2011-05-06T20:47:13Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > The only thing about American gas consumption I don’t get is all this noise about driving kids to choir practice or baseball or ballet. Around here, parents seem to have the attitude “If I have to drive, you can’t go, _because it’s too far away_.” > Activities for kids are limited to whatever they can get themselves to, usually. Then again, we have decent public transport. > > I can’t imagine living anywhere that doesn’t have a store, but I realize it’s not the average americans fault. I still think this (possibly mythical) “average american” has a pretty screwy lifestyle. I’m from New York, so I appreciate the wonders of good public transportation, and took myself everywhere when I was a kid. But where I live now it is not so easy. Kind of hard to get public transportation to the barn where my daughter rode, and the only cello teacher around was pretty far away. One of the reason for so much driving is that parents are scared. I live across the street from the elementary school, our neighborhood is very good, but tons of parents drive their kids, few of whom live that far away. On the other hand, an Iraqi mother was shot and killed by a lunatic walking her kids back from our school, so maybe they have a point. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/83 "2011-05-06T21:04:43Z")
Well, that’s just it. If a family found themselves in your situation, the kid would not get to ride or play the cello. This would be seen as a natural consequence of where the family chose to settle. I’m critizing your choice, I think it’s wonderful your kid has those oportunities. But I still have trouble wrapping my head around the thought process: “We live where nothing is available”=“We have to drive the kids to activities all the time”. “We live where nothing is available”=“The kids don’t get to do stuff” seems so much more straightforward. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/84 "2011-05-06T21:09:37Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Ah yes, the whole “Americans are fat LOL” card. Hey, guess who [else](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8646677.stm) [is](http://www.health.gov.au/internet/preventativehealth/publishing.nsf/Content/tech-obesity-toc~tech-obesity-2) [catching](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/world/europe/22iht-health.4.5393089.html) [up?](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426122950.htm) In case it’s not clear, I’m American. I think _we_ are too fat, and the fact that Europe’s catching up doesn’t mean we’re not. I also think _we_ bitch too much instead of changing our lifestyles. Fatness and gas consumption are mostly related as parallels in a learned helplessness of Americanism. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/85 "2011-05-06T21:17:42Z")
> [@](#): > > In case it’s not clear, I’m American. doesn’t matter. > [@](#): > > I think we are too fat, and I’m sure you’re such a bastion of perfection. > [@](#): > > and the fact that Europe’s catching up doesn’t mean we’re not. but it does indicate that obesity is a _Western_ problem, not an _American_ problem; your self-loathing notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/86 "2011-05-06T21:47:11Z")
> [@Septima](#): > > Well, that’s just it. If a family found themselves in your situation, the kid would not get to ride or play the cello. This would be seen as a natural consequence of where the family chose to settle. > > I’m critizing your choice, I think it’s wonderful your kid has those oportunities. But I still have trouble wrapping my head around the thought process: “We live where nothing is available”=“We have to drive the kids to activities all the time”. > > “We live where nothing is available”=“The kids don’t get to do stuff” seems so much more straightforward. Oh, there is plenty available where we live. As I mentioned, the elementary school is across the street, and the junior high and high school are within easy walking distance. We can (and I have) walked to my old car dealer, a mall, a major shopping center, two big groceries, the BART, and more restaurants than we can ever eat at. We picked this place because it was close to so much. However, no one can be in walking distance of everything, and sometimes a few car trips are going to be necessary. Both our kids are grown, and their lives are significantly better for having these opportunities. Not cello so much, but riding definitely. And if we had lived near the barn we’d have to drive everywhere else. But this is more parenting style than cost of gas. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/87 "2011-05-06T22:04:59Z")
3 gallons a day does seem excessive. Even before I got my hybrid I wasn’t using that much, and I pretty much drive everywhere. Of course, I’m single so I would be below the family average. To be fair, some people do have long commutes and sometimes that’s because of the current job market. One complaint I do have is people commuting by themselves in massive SUVs, although I do think I’m seeing less of that lately. ---
**Author:** ![AlienVessels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@AlienVessels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlienVessels)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/88 "2011-05-06T22:19:45Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Yes, there exist people for whom it is genuinely really hard to change their gas consumption. But the \*average \*American family is using 3 gallons a day. That means lots of assholes are using more. They’re not all poor, poor victims of bad infrastructure. Americans are fat, and use 3 gallons of gas a day, and it’s all somebody else’s fault and there’s nothing they can do to change it! Honest! A 30 mile commute here in LA typically takes an hour during normal business hours with a couple of low traffic windows. There are a ton of people that use their car for work and the parameters of that work often dictate vehicles larger than a breadbox. Furthermore, there are a lot of commuting 2 earner families with children, which means it’s not just the commute. Could we as a country do better? Of course. But you _can’t_ do everything better. If you decide to optimize on gas consumption, you’ll typically end up spending more of your time getting the same job done. So you can either have breakfast with the kids and make sure they have their homework in their pack, or you can spend the extra time to walk to the bus. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/89 "2011-05-06T22:24:26Z")
> [@MacGyverInSeattle](#): > > I agree with Bright, I already own the smallest vehicle I can get short of a motorcycle, the public transportation here is and can only be used by welfare people because you can’t actually get to a job that starts before 11am or so. > > **The bus drivers here are not allowed to take the bus to work because they are not reliable transportation!!** This is just REALLY is too much to stand!!! > > The City and County say we should bike but provide no possible routes to get anywhere useful. I do ride on trails but I have to load the bikes in the van to get to them. You are in the Seattle area and saying the bus system now sucks? What happened? When I lived up there, it was the default way to get to work, particularly downtown. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/90 "2011-05-06T22:30:30Z")
> [@bup](#): > > You’re all very special. None of you can use public transportation, or use a vehicle that gets better mileage, or do anything to reduce your consumption below 3 gallons a day, including weekends. I can’t use public transportation because there ISN’T ANY. But I am working from home, so many days I don’t use any gas at all. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/91 "2011-05-06T23:00:00Z")
> [@MacGyverInSeattle](#): > > **The bus drivers here are not allowed to take the bus to work because they are not reliable transportation!!** This is just REALLY is too much to stand!!! Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/92 "2011-05-06T23:35:07Z")
> [@bup](#): > > In case it’s not clear, I’m American. I think _we_ are too fat, and the fact that Europe’s catching up doesn’t mean we’re not. I also think _we_ bitch too much instead of changing our lifestyles. Fatness and gas consumption are mostly related as parallels in a learned helplessness of Americanism. Bullshit. We burn gas because we CAN. Yes, if you price gas in the US at Euro rates, you will get a slow shift. In some cases one parent might stay home if the after tax money after commuting costs gets too high. My gas consumption is due to math, plain and simple. My current job is 35 miles each way. It pays quite well. When I took it, I did the match of the price of gas vs the number of miles against the after tax money I would get, and it was worth it. Even at $5.00 gas I come out ahead of my last job. Would I change jobs if offered closer - SURE. Can I sell my house and move closer - nope, then my wife’s commute gets worse. Can I drive a car with better mileage? Math again - if a car is paid for, how many YEARS does it take to pay off the cost of a newer car? Your rant makes it sound like “Americans” are ignoring bike lanes, short commutes, and easily purchased high mpg cars. People ARE switching to migher mpg cars as their older ones are ready for replacement (I switched from a Lincoln Continental getting 20 to a Ford Fusion Hybrid getting 35, but not until the Lincoln was fully ready for replacement). People CAN’T just move, unless they like being renters. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/93 "2011-05-06T23:52:43Z")
> [@bup](#): > > People like change, but nobody wants _to_ change. When gas is $7 or $8 a gallon, you’ll B or C, even though you claim it’s impossible now. Also, you have my voice entirely wrong. > > **rachelellogram** , I just want you to know I glide to work effortlessly on the backs of naked flying nymphs. I think everyone should do exactly what I do, especially because I don’t inconvenience myself at all to save gas. > > What’s your ass look like? You act as if it’s people’s moral duty to save gas, and we’re all a bunch of hypocrites for not doing it. Is it my duty to save gas or something? Are you pissed at Americans because they’ve made a choice to spend money on gas in order to live and work where they like? Is it bad that I don’t want to change? Are we obligated to change our lives to reduce the demand for gas so that _you_ can save money at the pump? Sorry, I don’t think so. I hate public transportation. Sorry, but I much prefer to be in my car, with air conditioning, comfortable leather seats, and a nice sound system, rather than sitting on a plastic bench in a bus next to some homeless dude on my way to work every day. And you know what? I actually like driving. It’s fun. Some nights, when I’m too tired to keep working, but too alert to go to sleep, I’ll get in my car and drive into the mountains for an hour. I probably burn at least 3 gallons whenever I do that. Usually more, because I like driving fast. Guess what? I’m not going to stop. ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/94 "2011-05-06T23:55:42Z")
It’s an urban planning problem, which is in turn a function of previously super-cheap petrol that provided incentives to design communities around automobiles with a emphasis on separating land uses. Decisions that were pretty good ideas at the time…well…separation of incompatible land uses is still a good idea…but have since been stressed by the increasing energy costs. No one _likes_ to spend this kind of $$ on gasoline but in many ways they are forced to. The problem (IMHO) is that there isn’t a lot of will power to make the physical planning changes required, people like their boat in the yard and would rather eat their own legs than pony up for better public transit (buses, trains etc.) In a twisted and evil kind of way (and simplified, I might add) sprawl actually makes cities affordable. Good luck trying to buy a place in Downtown Vancouver if you are an average professional without an inheritance or other source of income. You’ll probably have to live out in the suburbs and eat the gas prices. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/95 "2011-05-07T00:33:29Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > You act as if it’s people’s moral duty to save gas, and we’re all a bunch of hypocrites for not doing it. > > Is it my duty to save gas or something? Are you pissed at Americans because they’ve made a choice to spend money on gas in order to live and work where they like? Is it bad that I don’t want to change? Are we obligated to change our lives to reduce the demand for gas so that _you_ can save money at the pump? Sorry, I don’t think so. > > I hate public transportation. Sorry, but I much prefer to be in my car, with air conditioning, comfortable leather seats, and a nice sound system, rather than sitting on a plastic bench in a bus next to some homeless dude on my way to work every day. Who said I want to save money? On behalf of our descendants, fuck you, short-sighted asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/96 "2011-05-07T00:39:50Z")
Just converted the $4 a gallon into £ per litre, and I can’t stop giggling… The cheapest place locally, at the pump, is 134.9p, or about double the ‘high’ price you guys are paying. And **Absolute**? Yeah. It sort of is, if not a ‘moral duty’ per se, bloody common sense to not throw a finite resource away for no reason, at least until a useable alternative is found. Possibly you expect to be dead before gas is too expensive to just stick in a car, I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/97 "2011-05-07T00:52:44Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Who said I want to save money? > > On behalf of our descendants, fuck you, short-sighted asshole. I rather doubt that your descendants will be driving vehicles powered by oil. OTOH, this is apparently yet another time when those of us here now are expected to give things up so that your (generic) kids will have a better life. Fuck you. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/98 "2011-05-07T00:56:32Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > Just converted the $4 a gallon into £ per litre, and I can’t stop giggling.. > The cheapest place locally, at the pump, is 134.9p, or about double the ‘high’ price you guys are paying. > > And **Absolute**? Yeah. It sort of is, if not a ‘moral duty’ per se, bloody common sense to not throw a finite resource away for no reason, at least until a useable alternative is found. Possibly you expect to be dead before gas is too expensive to just stick in a car, I don’t. There is a simple solution to America’s gas consumption problem, already mentioned. Just add a buck a gallon or so to the price in taxes, and use the taxes for public transportation or other ways of reducing gas usage. California has very high gas prices relative to the rest of the country and we’ve held consumption pretty steady - more Priuses here than just about everywhere. Our public transportation is also relatively expensive due to lack of ridership. When I visited Hilversum for work, we decided to go into Amsterdam for dinner, and just to see it. We walked from the hotel to the train station, and took the train in. When we returned it was late, we weren’t absolutely sure where the hotel was, so we took a cab. The cab trip - which was about a kilometer - cost more than one way train fare. With that kind of fee structure even we would get efficient. Problem is - this scheme doesn’t work nearly so well in the middle of nowhere, and we have lots of middle of nowhere in the US. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/99 "2011-05-07T00:56:48Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Who said I want to save money? > > On behalf of our descendants, fuck you, short-sighted asshole. somebody just started college. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965/100 "2011-05-07T01:31:50Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Who said I want to save money? > > On behalf of our descendants, fuck you, short-sighted asshole. My mistake. So your kids can save money. Why do you care about me saving gas? So you (and your kids, friends and relatives apparently) can continue to use it and afford it. Don’t make it seem any more noble than that. We already have an alternative to gas. Cars using batteries or fuel cells, powered by energy produced by nuclear power. It hasn’t happened yet because coal, oil and gas are still, actually, pretty cheap. And because hypocritical, ignorant people are opposed to nuclear power. But we’re getting there, and it will happen, as long as well-intentioned government interference doesn’t distort the free market too much first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/368-a-month-on-gas-3-gallons-a-day/580965.md?page=6)