Lives have Changed

[lanikai]

I don't know about the rest of the planet (USA) anyway... but In Hawaii we have seen our lives changed literally .. in what seems like overnight

the week that the price of gas really started to escalate .. everything that had a price on it followed suit .. no other way into the islands except by container or air..

everything in the markets jumped 50 cents to a dollar .. there was no gradual increase here...so we adjust as alway's ..

But what was really surreal was this weekend .. the costal and shoreline roads along Waimanalo ... going around to Makapuu (where Sea Life Park is) is usually crowded with vehicles out for the weekend beach cruise ... this is the first time that on a Saturday the roads were empty.... I called a buddy on the other side of the island from where I was and he said the same was previlant on the leeward side... no one can afford to burn the high priced fuel anymore..

Now granted .. Americans are the most glutenous gas guzzlers on the planet..... but that was our lifestyle...."Crusin"...

It seems that those day's are a thing of the past.. and may very well be refferred to as "back in the day" when talking about a ride around the island...

[chubbchubb]

Hi Lani,

I can feel your pain... just a little info to make you feel a loooot better: Where I live, we're now paying close to 10$ for the Gallon super.... Howzzzat?

[anton]

I remember when it used to cost $40 to fill up the tank of an SUV. Not less than ten years later I am paying nearly $65 to fill up the tank of my SEDAN!

Now when most of us thought that our lives have gotten better, there is always something that pulls us back into reality and makes us see that the dream is harder and harder to obtain.

[Sir-Lancelot]

Everything is going up, our grocery bill has gone up a good bit and with 4 children it is very noticeable.

Americans are losing jobs at record rates and President Bush signing a bill that authorizes a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits does give me a warm fuzzy about the future either.

[Pugwash]

I get the impression that the rest of the world isn't as hard hit as the US as our petrol ('gas' to you) was already over double what you paid. We never had the luxury you had so we're where you'll end up. It's smart cars and public transport from here on in. Get ready.

This price rise opens the eyes of the world to just how much cheaper you had it in the US. I don't think Americans ever really understood what that disparity meant. We think a 1.6l is a big engine and a 1.1 or 1.3 is the norm. When we think of a huge, extravagant engine, we're thinking 2.6l v6 or, at the outside, an old rover 3.5l v8. Something like a 5l is the reserve of huge luxury cars, like a 5.3 jag or rolls. Even the famed european Countach was a 4l.

The days of muscle cars as treats for your kids are over.

[By-Tor]

I remember when it used to cost $40 to fill up the tank of an SUV. Not less than ten years later I am paying nearly $65 to fill up the tank of my SEDAN!

Guys, you really should see the European prices before you complain.

[lanikai]

Well after the "voting" fiasco in Florida.. the past administration has managed to loot Our country very well.. with strong ties to the Middle East .. that goes back in the Bush Family 2 generations ago with the Bank that his Great Grandfather started... etc. etc.

We believe that the Oil companies looked at what the rest of the world pays .. and we have gotten away with relatively affordable gas prices for generations... but you gotta think that the Auto Juggernauts .,.. had something to do with this as the cars kept getting bigger and bigger..

but to adjust overnight is the challenge..

The seniors here are the ones that are taking it in the "pants" ... they buy their homes and properties for 40k in the 60's .. it is now appraised at 2.5 mil.

and they pay their property tax based on current market value.. sheesh .. they are on a "fixed" income and will only live there for the remainder of their life.. just dosen't seem fair for them to have to pay tax on someplace that is not bringing them in any equity .. until they die..

There is a rail system being built.. but that won't be for the next 10 or 15 years....

It was proposed years ago by a very right wing.. prominent attorney.. the only way for Hawaii to thrive is for all the sugarcane fields to be turned into Marajuana crops... .. he was serious..

[Pugwash]

Guys, you really should see the European prices before you complain.

Using today's exchange rate and today's high price of petrol, here in the UK, we pay $9.70/Gallon.

... and yes, that's a US Gallon. You guys don't know what expensive gas is.

[By-Tor]

It's not just gas that has gotten so much more expensive here, apartments too.

I bought my first own apartment in 1993, when I was 21 years old... during the regression. That was in the suburb of the big capital city I'm living in. I paid less than 40.000€ for 60 square meters.

Well, that apartment is long gone. But it would cost 145.000€ now. And the average salaries have just increased 35%, even if you don't count the increased tax rates and inflation, and the increased overall cost of living, like food, public transportation, gas, reps...

Everything started to go downhill (except the prices) when we got the Euro.

[lanikai]

I get the impression that the rest of the world isn't as hard hit as the US as our petrol ('gas' to you) was already over double what you paid. We never had the luxury you had so we're where you'll end up. It's smart cars and public transport from here on in. Get ready.

This price rise opens the eyes of the world to just how much cheaper you had it in the US. I don't think Americans ever really understood what that disparity meant. We think a 1.6l is a big engine and a 1.1 or 1.3 is the norm. When we think of a huge, extravagant engine, we're thinking 2.6l v6 or, at the outside, an old rover 3.5l v8. Something like a 5l is the reserve of huge luxury cars, like a 5.3 jag or rolls. Even the famed european Countach was a 4l.

The days of muscle cars as treats for your kids are over.

This is all very true.. in fact the American Automobile "shaped" America and it's lifestyle.. the Auto industry has developed america into what it is... they have "run" the country for generations .. there were better auto patents ..the Big Boy's in Detroit have molded and conditioned us for one purpose .. more cars.. bigger cars ... per family..

So the infrastructure for public trans. is lacking .. big time...

it's like they raised the prices without the readiness of the trans system.. a$$ backwards..

Soon America will be in sync with the rest of the world.. but without the "tools" the rest of the world has... yet..

[Watchmeister]

You are right that Americans are spoiled. But we also have that wild west mentality where it is considered a cool rite of passage to drive across America which is more akin to driving across the European continent. So we have some major adjusting to do. And the reality is that we are all stuck with our gas guzzlers until our respective leases / loans come to an end.

[noslen]

Heh, I paid $160 USD to fill my car with diesel tonight ( eighty UKP)

Crazy

[a german in denmark]

Diesel, which used to cost 2/3 of the price of gas, is up around $9.51/Gallon here. I'm happy that my Golf can go 20 KM/liter, having to drive 80 KM to where I work and back, each day...

Wow, that's strange, I mean of course eighty KM, but the page keeps showing a crazy smily....

[lanikai]

You are right that Americans are spoiled. But we also have that wild west mentality where it is considered a cool rite of passage to drive across America which is more akin to driving across the European continent. So we have some major adjusting to do. And the reality is that we are all stuck with our gas guzzlers until our respective leases / loans come to an end.

I've been noticing that the 5 to 6 car households have been cut back .. but they are having the hardest time selling that V-8 4.4 liter Ram.. no takers..

electric cars are seen more now.. but I believe America has been born and breed on the muscle car and trucks ... they shaped our mind set..

so yes.. it will be a while to adjust.. if ever.

hope to read more from EU members when I get home..

[P4GTR]

I get the impression that the rest of the world isn't as hard hit as the US as our petrol ('gas' to you) was already over double what you paid.

You are right my EU friend. I can only imagine whats going to happen in HI.

We have been flush down the recession toilet quickly into what looks like is going to be a very real depression. You can tell by the actions of the public. People are nervous. People mauling each other over decent sales on everyday household goods.

Its not just half-laughable talk of "oh golly gas went up 10 cents " over by the water-cooler anymore, its "I cant afford to drive to work anymore, I will be moving back home to New Jersey to work with my uncle".

At home, my girlfriend and I have been cutting back. We've cut out a lot of "fun" stuff, a lot of pleasure. Working, or staying home a lot. The scary part is, we aren't seeing any increase in money. Groceries, clothes, EVERYTHING. A gallon of spring water $1.69, Hellmans Mayonaise- $7.00?!

Will our new elected officials help? With what money?

Will the "world community" we so eagerly (think we) help all the time, help us if our house of cards come crumbling down?

There are people all around me with bachelors degree's working for $10-$15/hr. What do you do, if a 6 year degree doesn't get you a good job and put food on the table of a decent house? Hell, I have an associates degree and cannot even afford to pay my student loans.

Then there's people like JohnG... A new month, a new gen.

[Sir-Lancelot]

Not all cities even have public transportation as an option, just the large metropolis areas, so toss that idea out.

[Tribal]

You funny Americans,

in the EU I pay about 1,60 Euros for a liter unleaded Fuel.

Count that in Dollar and compare to a Gallon and you know

where Fuel is expensive.

[llsteve80]

I know we are spoiled here, but it's what we're used to. 10yrs ago I could get 87 octane at $.89/gallon in the winter. Crept up to about 1.50 or so, I think, and if I remember correctly, 9/11 caused a huge jump in prices. The state of IL suspended it's fuel tax for a few months starting in the winter, I think, but the gas stations pocketed the difference, and us, the consumers, got no relief from that. There were alot of articles about price gouging going around at that time. I think it is still going on to an extent. In 2001, crude oil prices dropped a few dollars a barrel at the end of the year, but americans were paying about $1 MORE a gallon at the pump, I think the oil companies took advantage of our panic and fear to fill their coffers. Then we got used to paying high prices, so opec responded by raising crude oil prices to the world. I will always think it's a game and it's all BS.

And exxon mobile with 35 billion in profits? Well, at least they can afford to get to work, unlike alot of the lower-middle class.

[mjmurphy926]

Hey Lani,

It sucks here in Colorado too. Prices on gas and just about everything else have shot up as well. I was checking airfares last week, and it looks like everything has just about doubled since the beginning of the year.

I know you guys on Oahu have a real freeway and much more traffic than the other islands (at least in Honolulu), but I was amazed by how many more scooters (mostly Honda Ruckus') I saw when I was on the big island this year than in years past.

Oh, and look at the bright side, if you can no longer afford life's luxuries (such as car, house...) at least you can live in paradise on the beach!!

Poor bastard like me would have to live under a bridge and try not to freeze may ass off in the winter!!

[AllergyDoc]

Comparing the price of vehicle fuel in different countries is worthless without discussing taxes.

The price of fuel is almost the same (2005 data, but the relative prices will be very similar today) the world over. The U.S. taxes fuel at a rate lower than any other country except maybe Mexico.

[Sir-Lancelot]

You are right my EU friend. I can only imagine whats going to happen in HI.

We have been flush down the recession toilet quickly into what looks like is going to be a very real depression. You can tell by the actions of the public. People are nervous. People mauling each other over decent sales on everyday household goods.

Its not just half-laughable talk of "oh golly gas went up 10 cents " over by the water-cooler anymore, its "I cant afford to drive to work anymore, I will be moving back home to New Jersey to work with my uncle".

At home, my girlfriend and I have been cutting back. We've cut out a lot of "fun" stuff, a lot of pleasure. Working, or staying home a lot. The scary part is, we aren't seeing any increase in money. Groceries, clothes, EVERYTHING. A gallon of spring water $1.69, Hellmans Mayonaise- $7.00?!

Will our new elected officials help? With what money?

Will the "world community" we so eagerly (think we) help all the time, help us if our house of cards come crumbling down?

There are people all around me with bachelors degree's working for $10-$15/hr. What do you do, if a 6 year degree doesn't get you a good job and put food on the table of a decent house? Hell, I have an associates degree and cannot even afford to pay my student loans.

Then there's people like JohnG... A new month, a new gen.

We are in the same boat. My children want to go to the movies and I hate it but we dont go. That's $50 plus for us as a family and we need the money elsewhere. And you are right we have cut back too but there is still nothing extra.

The "world community" considers us all spoiled and rich, so no we shall not see any help from others. We are on our own and they are laughing behind our backs. If the US economy continues to slide into the [censored], it will have an effect on the world, not just the US.

[Guest carlsbadrolex]

Lani, I think you have hit on a very interesting topic. One that goes far past the discussion of fuel and food prices. I was just having this discussion with another member here on Saturday at our G2G. I feel that the world as a whole is on the verge or a new period of world history.

I watch movies about the future, and Im afraid that Science Fiction may not be that far off... The idea that we are destroying out planet, and creating a basis for more world conflict all seems to likely to me.

I can see lines at gas stations trying to buy the last gallons of fuel. I can see lines at grocery stores trying to pick up the last gallons of milk. I can see countries going to war over natural resources. It scares me... I hope that we have not painted ourselves into a corner.

I think that "back in the day" may be used to describe ALOT of things that we have known in our lives. Clean air, forests, fish in the oceans, oil under the ground, and NORMAL weather...

[Blobzor]

Well, you still live in arguably one of the nicest place in the world

[onzenuub]

You funny Americans,

in the EU I pay about 1,60 Euros for a liter unleaded Fuel.

Count that in Dollar and compare to a Gallon and you know

where Fuel is expensive.

Yep and a few years ago, after the Euro, prices doubled in The Netherlands and wages didn't. We pay now the price for something in Euros what it used to be in the good old guilder. What in that time was 1 guilder is now 1 euro. Houses, that where 300.000 guilders are now 400.000 Euros.

[sssurfer]

In my country, many years ago, we had a public consultation on nuclear energy.

Being the assbrains that we actually are, and letting us be driven by money cartels and assbrains like the so-called local "Greens" (just a bunch of ignorants who are using fear and ignorance to drive people), the majority voted against nuclear.

So resigning our lives and wallets in the hands of gas companies and their Arabian friends -- Should I rather say Arabians and their gas friends?

My country is a very small one, but there is no way out at world level as well. "They" (yes, a bit paranoical here) already bought everything and infiltrated everywhere. Now I am glad I have no children. Live is going to be hard. Everything is ok. Stupidity has to be punished.