A Positive Side to Higher Gas Prices

Go to America right now and I will bet you money that you will hear at least three comments about the gas prices (at a minimum), whether you know people there that would discuss their finances with you (normally sort of a taboo) or not.

Returning home to the States this week, it was a little shocking that the prices have doubled since last year, quadrupled since my college days (dating myself here?). My inexpensive little Honda Accord, that gets excellent gas milleage, now costs what I would have considered an SUV-gas rate to fill up. Relatively speaking, the prices are still lower than many other places around the world (a liter is about $2 here - 4 liters in a gallon). But American have been spoiled for a long time and the car is incorporated into the American lifestyle unlike many other countries. I'm not saying it's a good thing (especially when people consider walking two blocks a hike), but it's reality.

With the change in prices, however, there has been some change in lifestyle. It's put a cramp in many people's lifestyles, even changing school schedules for some smaller-town districts that cannot afford the bus prices to transport students to school. At the same time, it's also given people the motivation to choose a healthier lifestyle, especially biking to get to places like work.

Last Monday, my friend Joe and I went for a long bike ride along the Minneapolis Greenway. It's an old, converted railroad track that goes from Uptown to the Mississippi River pathways and to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus (basically through the heart of the city). Two years ago, I used the Greenway a few times to bike to see friends or just go for a ride, but this year there was a remarkable and very noticible difference in the sheer number of people sharing the lanes. Joe told me it is now getting more and morepopular for people to usethe Greenway to get to work because it cuts down on gas prices. People simply can't afford to pay the same to drive.

Anyways, I wanted to bring this up because, as I mentioned, it's a rather hot topic at the moment (and an indicator of our American economy... can't say I'm surprised this is happening or that it's a completely horrible thing in all arenas), but also because I saw a CNN article references the same effect across America and thought it would be of interest to others. Enjoy the reading... and happy biking to some of you!