Very heartening news! Could this possibly mean that this sick love
affair is finally at an end world wide?

"What was once unthinkable is becoming a shocking reality: America's
all-consuming love affair with the car is fading.

Surging petrol prices have worked where environmental arguments have
failed. Many Americans have long been told to cut back on car use.
Now, facing $4-a-gallon fuel, they have no choice.

Take Adam Garcia, a security guard who works near the railway station
in Riverside. Like many Inland Empire residents, he commutes a huge
distance: 100 miles a day. He used to think nothing of it. But now,
faced with petrol costs that have tripled, he is taking action. He has
even altered the engine of his car to boost its mileage. 'I have to.
Everyone does. I can't afford to drive as much as I did,' he said.

Recent figures showed the steepest monthly drop in miles driven by
Americans since 1942. At the same time car sales are collapsing, led
by huge SUVs..."

LOL!

"Doug" riseup.net> wrote

No, high oil prices are a temporary phenomenon caused by speculation and
things will be pretty much back to normal by this time next year.

On 6 Jul, 07:16, "Knight Of The Road" hotmail.com>
wrote:

Some sources say it is caused by the oil producers and/or politics.

Even so, most will have migrated to smaller cars by then, or have
moved to a more sensible home location, definitely a step in the right
direction.

"Doug" riseup.net> wrote

There is no rational supply & demand reason for the current barrel price, it
is a bubble driven by speculation and like all bubbles- the house price
bubble being an example- it will burst.

Meanwhile, everything which uses oil in its production and distribution-
food for example- will be temporarily expensive, but since my income is
probably ten times that of yours, it's not something that particularly
bothers me- in fact I'm taking the kids to Adventure Island today, a round
trip of nearly 200 miles, in my 2.5 litre V6 Rover.

On 6 Jul, 07:51, "Knight Of The Road" hotmail.com>
wrote:

you mean in your 4x4? At least it is, according to an earlier
GollumPost.

"BrianW" hotmail.com>
wrote

you mean in your 4x4? At least it is, according to an earlier
GollumPost.

I never saw that but if you have the message reference I'd like to have a
look. It is of course a 4x2. Still, if Doug says it isn't...

Knight Of The Road wrote:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.transport/msg/1e7ebfa7fd1338f2?hl=en

Quote:
From: Doug riseup.net>
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:43:19 -0700
Local: Fri 19 Oct 2007 08:43
Subject: Re: Steve Firth admits Global warming and CO2 is an ISSUE
On 15 Oct, 19:59, "Knight Of The Road" hotmail.com>
wrote:

"Brimstone" yahoo.co.uk> wrote

Cheers Brim.

Just to correct Doug, "4x4" is not a derogatory term, it is a technical
term.It refers to a vehicle which has four wheels, four of which are driven.

My car is a Rover Sterling, and is a 4x2- it has four wheels and two are
driven.

My truck is a 6x2- it has a driven axle, a mid-lift axle and the front,
steering, axle.

Doug is right on one point- my car is a gas-guzzler- it cost me

"Doug" riseup.net> wrote

or have

Yeah, because buying and selling houses is all the rage at the moment!

Knight Of The Road wrote:

My pleasure. Anything to demonstrate Doug's style. ;-)