Forget that Spring Break road trip

Forget most driving during spring, because the continuously-rising price of oil is going to put a huge dent in wallets. I for one cannot afford the expensive gas-efficient cars, so I am stuck with a gas guzzler and a potential (as stated by Jad Mouawad of the International Herald Tribune) $4 per gallon.

Earlier this week, oil was being traded at the record high of $102.59 a barrel, according to BBC News. The two problems that create such a high price are the demand for oil and the decrease in the value of the dollar.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, overall (excluding food) the price of goods and services has more than doubled since 1984. The dollar will only take us half as far as it used to just 14 years ago, and it is continuing to weaken in comparison to other currencies as well.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis states that it takes approximately 1.5 U.S. dollars to purchase one Euro, and approximately 100 Yen to purchase one U.S. dollar (compared to the 300 yen it took in 1970).

What all this means is that the cost of driving cars has become much higher in recent years, and may get even higher. I doubt that gas prices are going to hit $4 by spring, but it is certainly a possibility this summer, especially with the amount of driving that happens in the summer months.

Most college students do not have the ability to afford a hybrid, or any sort of gas-efficient car. In addition to insurance, car payments, rents, utilities, etc., we have to pay even more for gas to make use of the cars we have. This makes living on/near campus much more appealing, since it cuts down the need to drive.

In addition to find housing on/near campus, there is the definite option of carpooling, biking or skateboarding to get around. Carpooling cuts the amount of money spent on gas. I live in a fraternity house with seven other guys, and whenever someone goes out to drive, everyone is asked if they need to go somewhere close by to cut down on gas expenditures.

Biking is much more money-efficient because there is no need to pay for gas and car insurance can be avoided. This is not too practical for longer rides, or even for the lazy, but it is a good option.

Skateboarding has become more popular recently, and is equally money-efficient as biking (albeit requires more effort).

With all these possible ways to cut down on gas expenditures, it is entirely possible to bring this large problem of gas price increases to a reasonable level.

Inflation, rising gas prices and recession are words and phrases that we have been hearing a lot recently.

Unfortunately adjusting to problems such as climbing gas prices is just a part of life.

SHEHZAD AHMED
BizTech Writer

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