As the last commentor said, it's not the people with SUVs that are getting hurt. It's low to middle income people who live in places where public transport isn't an option.
Slacker and I have a two mile hike to the nearest bus stop. Busses run once an hour, and we attend two different colleges, only one of which is serviced by the local bus routes. We have little choice but to drive to school and work. The cost to fill my minivan (And yes, I know that's not the best mileage - but it was an inheirited car, not a chosen one) has risen from $30 when I lived near my parents, to $40 when we moved here, and is now over $50 a tank. I'm spending easily $100-150 monthly on gas, and that with us having basically curtailed any non-essential trips into town. Neither of us are in any clubs - We couldn't afford the gas it'd take to get us there and back.
I know the response I usually get to this is 'that's not that much money', but when you're living on a tight budget, as most students are, it's a _huge_ deal, and I've had sleepless nights worrying about if we can continue to afford our apartment if things stay like this. And keep in mind that I live in the midwest, where gas is fairly cheap, and is even discounted because it's cut with ethanol.
I'm a lot more worried about the gas prices and shortages, just like the hurricane itself, are going to excessively harm the poor and needy among us.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2005-09-01 11:38 pm (UTC)Slacker and I have a two mile hike to the nearest bus stop. Busses run once an hour, and we attend two different colleges, only one of which is serviced by the local bus routes. We have little choice but to drive to school and work. The cost to fill my minivan (And yes, I know that's not the best mileage - but it was an inheirited car, not a chosen one) has risen from $30 when I lived near my parents, to $40 when we moved here, and is now over $50 a tank. I'm spending easily $100-150 monthly on gas, and that with us having basically curtailed any non-essential trips into town. Neither of us are in any clubs - We couldn't afford the gas it'd take to get us there and back.
I know the response I usually get to this is 'that's not that much money', but when you're living on a tight budget, as most students are, it's a _huge_ deal, and I've had sleepless nights worrying about if we can continue to afford our apartment if things stay like this. And keep in mind that I live in the midwest, where gas is fairly cheap, and is even discounted because it's cut with ethanol.
I'm a lot more worried about the gas prices and shortages, just like the hurricane itself, are going to excessively harm the poor and needy among us.