Capitol Hill Blue Forums Hot Topics & Breaking News News Oil hits a high; some in U.S. see $4 gas by spring

Remember: Gas and food are NOT factored in the Consumer Price Index - because they're too volatile!

It's a great way to keep prices artificially "low" when consumer numbers are talked about - it's the capitalist way!

Yep. I always figured that with the CPI set on everything else, it accurately reflects the fluctuations in costs of lumber, Nikes, ceiling fans, and Pez dispensers. That's about what's left, innit?

Maybe if gas goes to $10 to $15 a gallon and the economy is geniunely on the brink of collapse because folks can't afford to drive to work...then maybe we'll see our government pitch in about the same about they've spent on Iraq to come up with a real fuel alternative that would allow the entire world to tell the oil pimps...KISS OFF.

I know, that's wishful thinking, but hey, crisis can promote positive change.

i think the problem of (for you) high gas prices is made a lot worse by your urban planning - or lack of, and of course the geography, much of europe is in easy reach of each other - the distance between berlin and paris is fairly small.

No such thing as good urban planning or infrastructure planning in Texas.

Here there is Phoenix sitting in the middle of the desert and then there is the rest of Arizona with desert in between. Phoenix is a big sprawling mess. Developers absolutely control land use so we see the city being built outwards, not upwards.

A great deal of the western states would benefit by really good passenger rail service - but that is never, never going to happen.

I very much like Europe and one of the things I very much like about it is that most conveniences are very accessible. It's nice to have things so close. When they aren't close there are usually excellent transportation systems available.

I say "here" in Phoenix. I am at work at the present. I work in Phoenix but I do not live in Phoenix.

I think that goes for most of the country and the only way to achieve "good" planning is to start from scratch now somewhere. Eventually finding that in 100 years that planning will have been replaced by mostly organic growth, as so often is the case. Take for instance London's Roman founding, then it's subsequent history. But definitely, planning plays a major part in ease of travel, as does distance.

Mick I agree about convenience. Surprisingly, even though I am in the original sprawl city, I live in a sub-portion that is very much a walking and bus area. the farthest I have to go is usually to my office to meet clients (4 miles) or Costco to shop once a month (7miles).

I walk to all the convenience spots and take the bus/subway as often as I can. Service is excellent where I live. But in this megalopolis, my area is not the norm.

You mention building out instaed of up. LA is reversing that trend in part because of the cost of fuel. W Hollywood is the densest population area west of Chicago and getting more so rapidly. LA metro area is beginning the in-fill that is bringing the kind of density that makes public transportation feasible.

And California will have a ballot proposition for high speed rail from San Diego to San Francisco as soon as we climb out of the coming recession.

Is that why we have a relatively low inflation rate? The bad news regarding an increase in the cost of fuel: A number of the big farmers indicated that they'd cut back production when diesel hit $3 per gallon. They'd probably turn off their combines at $4. The good news: It will help fight the American obesity epidemic!

Joe