Will Increased Gas Prices Change People's Travel Plans

Gas prices are at an all time high! People are already grappling with unemployment; mortgage meltdowns, failed economy, and now they have to worry about gas prices. Increases in gas prices are going to affect everybody that owns and operates a vehicle. This also may change peoples travel plans.

For the past two weeks gas prices have risen to and all time high. The cost of oil is now $106.00 a barrel. We have not seen an increase in gas prices since 1979 when a barrel of oil was around $39.00 a barrel which is equivalent to the high price of 32 years later. As the case back then people started to put money in commodities to fight against a struggling economy. I think it all is just greed! America is one of the largest consumers of oil and many of the countries that control production are aware of that. These increases cannot be justified by every political conflict that occurs in the Middle East. That is just an excuse to unjustly increase the gas prices. Most people are not fooled by this. There will definitely be some repercussions behind the latest increases. It will definitely affect the way people travel. People are going to drive only when it is necessary like either when they have to go to work or if they have. As for me I have reduced the amount of leisurely driving that I do. I do most of my travel by plane but there are some people that rather drive to there preferred destinations.

The strange thing about the latest gas price increases is that normally when the president threatens to dip into our country's oil reserves gas prices decrease. Unfortunately the oil gatekeepers are calling his bluff by continuing the gas hike. These high gas prices further contribute to inflation in America. People are going to spend less money especially if they have to put more money into fueling their vehicles. I really feel sorry for the people who have long commutes to and from their places of employment. I remember just 3 years ago we were complaining about gas being $2.50 a gallon. Now look at the price of gas with an average price of $3.60 a gallon. Hopefully we will soon return to a state of normalcy where we will once again see affordable gas prices.

Mouawad, Jad, Oil prices pass record set in 80s but then recede, New York Times