At what point does the price of gas have a serious impact on your lifestyle? Gasoline prices are hovering around $1.17 a litre ($4.43 gallon) at the local stations, and apparently are expected to go only higher, what point does this hit you hard financially, or has it already? I changed jobs last year to take a job closer to home and I now take the local transit or ride my bike as my commute is now only 10 to 15 minutes and though my wife works at the local hospital which is about a km away she first has to drive our son to his school which is a 30 minute drive each way. Next year we are transferring him a local school just down the street (not due to fuel prices) so our everyday driving will be minimal, yet we still drive quite often on the weekends going on day or weekend trips such as camping, going to the beach, driving to the local attractions (we just spent the weekend at the Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls) so our gas bill will always hover around the price of a full tank of gasoline.
Personally, I haven’t directly felt the impact yet, and I doubt I would even at $150.00 a litre, but I do wonder when the increase in fuel prices begins to impact us collectively by eroding our economies, which could then have dire consequences for us all. Anyone want to share his or her thoughts on the matter?
I dont know how high it would have to get for me to stop driving. I have little choice but to drive as I dont live near a bus stop and theres nothing in walking distance besides a few houses, apartment complexes, the river trails and mountains.My biggest driving expense is taking my kids to their dads once a week.
As our dollars are similar (as with the US), I'm sure none of you would like to come down here: Fuel is $1.40 a litre average in most places, with one very remote town hitting $2.00 a litre. Diesel is even more expensive, by $0.10 to $ 0.30. Oh, this is all AUD too.
Having finally received money from insurance cos some bastard stole my bike, I'll be pedalling the 15km to work from monday - might do a test run over the weekend to make sure I'm not run over. This isn't due to money either (that's just a bonus), it's simply to keep fit.
Chris, when you talk $1.17 per litre, is that in Canadian dollars?
Don't they make Canadian dollars out of flattened sheets of snow?
Seems like they're making the greenback out of that too these days...
I priced it in Cad$ Joe, but seeing as our dollar is at par with the American dollar you can think of it in US$ if you want.
Candace,
I made a good decision when I decided to stay in the city, local transportation, close proximity to everything, and I think it might be people like you that live in the suburbs, or in even more remote places, that could suffer the most if fuel prices go to 1.50 a litre or more. When we go downtown for dinner or the theater we drive 5 minutes to the subway and take the train.
Alan,
Us good neighbors the north are now wealthier than you guys, and thus your superiors. We're even keeping cities like Buffalo from feeling the direct impact of your recession by being generous enough to go shopping there, and we're helping out with your real estate collapse by picking up cheap cottages and buying summer homes in places like Florida and Arizona. What I like best though is that Toronto will soon steal the Bills from Buffalo because they don't deserve them, and really can't afford them, poor Buffolonians, but then again we in Toronto have always had a soft spot in our hearts for our little red headed brothers in Buffalo.
When you get done with the Bills deal, please come get the Nahsville Predators. (But don't forget to leave a huge pile of cash here on your way back north)
Sorry, one sucky hockey team is already more than enough.
Last time I checked, one aussie dollar's sitting on 93 US cents. Haven't seen many holidaying americans - or canadians - down here for a while, and I don't think it's because of the heat...
Maybe it will encourage small businesses to pop up in between the common commutes out here. (probably not)
Cetain food has become more expensive here also, its not just the fuel.
It's a knock-on effect (though I'm sure that's what you meant by your post...)
ok so its getting a little too high now, but luckily the spammer has assured me I'll be getting a gallon of gas for every post I delete. Thanks spammer!
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