High Gas Prices? What Me Worry?

[What Would Jesus Do?]

U.S. Emissions Rise 4 Percent as Drivers Log a Record Number of Miles​

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions rose by 4 percent in the first quarter, as American drivers hit the road in record numbers during the first three months of the year.

U.S. motorists logged 753 billion miles on the road through March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That’s the highest first-quarter tally since the federal authorities began keeping track in 1970.

The extra miles highlighted the continued recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and came in the face of a run-up in gasoline and diesel prices. In climate terms, the added miles helped drive the ongoing rally in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, which rebounded by 6.2 percent in 2021 following a pandemic-induced plunge in 2020.

Carbon Monitor, an academic emissions tracking initiative, estimates U.S. CO2 emissions rose by 52 million tons in the first three months of 2022 compared to the same time last year, bringing total American emissions for the quarter to 1.3 billion tons.

“Just because prices are going up on everything doesn’t mean consumers are changing their behavior yet,” said John Larsen, a partner at the Rhodium Group, an economic consulting firm that tracks emissions. “Either people are not as price sensitive to gas prices as they were or they haven’t hit that wall yet.”

Analysts said one of the big questions going forward is whether sustained high prices will lead to changes in consumer behavior, prompting Americans to drive less or switch to other forms of transportation like electric vehicles.

It is too soon to say whether such a change is coming. Americans are buying EVs in record numbers. First-quarter EV sales rose by 76 percent year over year, according to Cox Automotive. The increase was especially notable given a 15 percent slump in overall vehicle sales during the quarter.

EV sales nevertheless represent a small portion of the U.S. auto market. Americans nearly bought as many Ford F-series pickup trucks (140,000) as EVs (173,000). Total first-quarter SUV sales, meanwhile, were almost 1.8 million while truck sales were around 649,000.

more here

Latest U.S & World News: Trusted Source - WorldNewsEra

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U.S. Emissions Rise 4 Percent as Drivers Log a Record Number of Miles

Drivers tallied 753 billion miles in the first three months of the year, the highest total on record

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

There were so many semis at the I 380 rest area Tuesday night that they filled every available spot, both on and off ramps and were on the shoulder of the road leading into the rest area...

 

[An Iowa fan]

It isn't that people don't care, it is they think it is going to get worse. They are trying to get some travel in before it does get worse (fuel prices and inflation).

 

[pepsicock]

I am glad I am retired and don't have to drive everyday

 

[seminole97]

Either people are not as price sensitive to gas prices as they were or they haven’t hit that wall yet.

People don’t appreciate how much competition drives the prices of gas below WHAT IT IS WORTH TO THEM.

Everytime you hear someone bitching about ‘gouging’, they’re bitching about finally paying a price that makes them think about how much they actually want/need ‘it’.

 

[Tenacious E]

There were so many semis at the I 380 rest area Tuesday night that they filled every available spot, both on and off ramps and were on the should of the road leading into the rest area...

It’s like that every night at every rest area on I80 in iowa.

 

[isufan21]

Wouldn't this likely be because the economy opened back up post covid? So many people weren't traveling a year ago.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

There were so many semis at the I 380 rest area Tuesday night that they filled every available spot, both on and off ramps and were on the should of the road leading into the rest area...

The need for over-the-road and local trucking has increased dramatically over the past couple decades. The industry itself has outgrown a lot of our major highways and interstates. Anyone driven on I-80 during peak hours lately? It’s solid semis. It’s a shame that so much rail has been cut from industries over the past fifty years or so, because the infrastructure exists to move the same freight, more efficiently, while also reducing the need for trucking.

 

[beanerhawk]

The need for over-the-road and local trucking has increased dramatically over the past couple decades. The industry itself has outgrown a lot of our major highways and interstates. Anyone driven on I-80 during peak hours lately? It’s solid semis. It’s a shame that so much rail has been cut from industries over the past fifty years or so, because the infrastructure exists to move the same freight, more efficiently, while also reducing the need for trucking.

I work in transportation, it's not that the rail has been cut out it's that they can't keep up. I have many customers that call us to handle things they would normally ship on the rail because the rail is literally months behind still.

 

[beanerhawk]

It’s like that every night at every rest area on I80 in iowa.

Truck parking is a huge problem in this country. Iowa could use two more major truck stops between Des Moines and the Quad Cities. Drivers have to cut their days short on a regular basis just to secure a save place to park. Being a truck driver has never been easy but it's even more frustrating for drivers right now.

 

[Finance85]

Importing oil also raises emissions. Tankers spew tons of emissions.

There's also evidence that electric cars, because of their higher weight, are spewing a lot more tire dust into the air than their counterparts.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Either people are not as price sensitive to gas prices as they were or they haven’t hit that wall yet.

People don’t appreciate how much competition drives the prices of gas below WHAT IT IS WORTH TO THEM.

Everytime you hear someone bitching about ‘gouging’, they’re bitching about finally paying a price that makes them think about how much they actually want/need ‘it’.

Just imagine the moaning and whining if we had a rational carbon tax.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Truck parking is a huge problem in this country. Iowa could use two more major truck stops between Des Moines and the Quad Cities. Drivers have to cut their days short on a regular basis just to secure a save place to park. Being a truck driver has never been easy but it's even more frustrating for drivers right now.

Sounds like a problem the free market is ideally suited to resolve. What's the hangup?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

There's also evidence that electric cars, because of their higher weight, are spewing a lot more tire dust into the air than their counterparts.

If so, is that thought to be much of a problem?

 

[Finance85]

If so, is that thought to be much of a problem?

Yes. It's not popular with the press though.

https://carbuzz.com/news/ev-tires-worse-for-the-environment-than-tailpipe-emissions

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/11/car-tires-pollution-microplastic/617216/

https://earthandhuman.org/pm-25-particles/

There's a notion that EV's will come with different compound tires, but there's nothing requiring that, new or as replacement.

 

[Rifler]

Oh well, since it isn't required....

 

[FAUlty Gator]

U.S. Emissions Rise 4 Percent as Drivers Log a Record Number of Miles​

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions rose by 4 percent in the first quarter, as American drivers hit the road in record numbers during the first three months of the year.

U.S. motorists logged 753 billion miles on the road through March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That’s the highest first-quarter tally since the federal authorities began keeping track in 1970.

The extra miles highlighted the continued recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and came in the face of a run-up in gasoline and diesel prices. In climate terms, the added miles helped drive the ongoing rally in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, which rebounded by 6.2 percent in 2021 following a pandemic-induced plunge in 2020.

Carbon Monitor, an academic emissions tracking initiative, estimates U.S. CO2 emissions rose by 52 million tons in the first three months of 2022 compared to the same time last year, bringing total American emissions for the quarter to 1.3 billion tons.

“Just because prices are going up on everything doesn’t mean consumers are changing their behavior yet,” said John Larsen, a partner at the Rhodium Group, an economic consulting firm that tracks emissions. “Either people are not as price sensitive to gas prices as they were or they haven’t hit that wall yet.”

Analysts said one of the big questions going forward is whether sustained high prices will lead to changes in consumer behavior, prompting Americans to drive less or switch to other forms of transportation like electric vehicles.

It is too soon to say whether such a change is coming. Americans are buying EVs in record numbers. First-quarter EV sales rose by 76 percent year over year, according to Cox Automotive. The increase was especially notable given a 15 percent slump in overall vehicle sales during the quarter.

EV sales nevertheless represent a small portion of the U.S. auto market. Americans nearly bought as many Ford F-series pickup trucks (140,000) as EVs (173,000). Total first-quarter SUV sales, meanwhile, were almost 1.8 million while truck sales were around 649,000.

more here

Latest U.S & World News: Trusted Source - WorldNewsEra

or here

U.S. Emissions Rise 4 Percent as Drivers Log a Record Number of Miles

Drivers tallied 753 billion miles in the first three months of the year, the highest total on record

www.scientificamerican.com

You know…if it rained every day, people would complain about that too, but it wouldn’t stop them from going to work.

More people are driving because more people are going back to work. You think a proper response to gas costing too much is to stop working and make less money?

 

[beanerhawk]

Sounds like a problem the free market is ideally suited to resolve. What's the hangup?

Nothing is, just need more truck stops to start being built. Do you have a few million to put down? I'll be your partner you just fund it.

 

[billanole]

If so, is that thought to be much of a problem?

? Inquiring minds want to know if an electric sedan produces more tire dust than a Rolling Coal pickup with big tires?