I drive a 13 mile (one-way) trip to work 5 days a week. Most of those are on a looong stretch of road without traffic lights and a 55mph speed limit. My little Toyota hums along, getting ~34 miles per gallon. In this day of $3+ for a gallon of gas, I’m glad I chose efficiency when I bought my car years ago. SUVs were all the rage.
I cannot understand why people want to buy ridiculously huge trucks that get 8 mpg. Fashion? Please. Fashion is more fickle than Paris Hilton. Still, where I live, there are people who want trucks just to have a truck.
I’d think the image above was a joke if I didn’t live in South Carolina:
This is a stereotype that certainly does not reflect the masses, but there’s still a kernel of truth in there. And the parking lot of the local supermarket is crowded with rows and rows of SUVs that aren’t really needed, they were just fashionable.
I think the pendulum is swinging in the other direction now. With gas prices continuing to rise, I believe people are going to change their buying patterns towards one that values efficiency and conservation. It’s smart. Buying cars or light bulbs or any other product for efficiency and conservation is better for your wallet and your environment.