Gas--How many of Us can Afford it
I've been bitching about the price of gas just like everyone else. It is especially a shocker for me. Less than a year ago, I was filling up my car every two and half weeks. Now I fill it up every five and a half days. I was taking some sort of public transportation nearly 6 days a week. Now I take none.
You see I moved to 'Mura-lin' for a better paying job. At the time, I predicted that not only would I make more money, I would have more money in my pocket because the cost of living would be less.
I chose to live in Baltimore City--even though I work in Columbia because 1)I am morally opposed to living in super-suburbs where walking is not an option unless its to walk your dog, your cat, or your kid. 2) Baltimore is a hell of a lot more affordable. I assumed that the commuter bus would work out okay and while I might pay a little more in gas, I'd be good.
If you bet on my plan like I bet on my plan, you'd be ready to whoop my ass. Because it is all going to shit.
I been crying about the money I spend on gas since I got here. But back then the reason was more about the fact that I found out I hated the drive. It severely curtailed my reading habits and raised my damned blood pressure. But as the price started to creep up, my issue with gas became that much larger. I currently spend about $402 a month on gas--not including trips to NYC to see boo--(which is now down to about once a month from twice a month--an additional $68) There is no way to get to Columbia from Baltimore on a commuter vehicle unless you have 3.1 hours to spare for a 22 mile commute. Now I sneak in reading the headlines at the light or when no one is looking--on the job.
But, I don't have to bear the costs. I could move back to NY, find a job in Baltimore City or DC. But these folks here, are worse off than any of us sitting around crying.
So, while I have enjoyed the commiserating about it. I'm stopping. Why? Because I could more easily than many, change what I do or where I live. I might very well have too.
And I will honor all of those who cannot by possibly slapping the next fool who crys about gas but lives in a place with a plethora of public transportation options.
You see I moved to 'Mura-lin' for a better paying job. At the time, I predicted that not only would I make more money, I would have more money in my pocket because the cost of living would be less.
I chose to live in Baltimore City--even though I work in Columbia because 1)I am morally opposed to living in super-suburbs where walking is not an option unless its to walk your dog, your cat, or your kid. 2) Baltimore is a hell of a lot more affordable. I assumed that the commuter bus would work out okay and while I might pay a little more in gas, I'd be good.
If you bet on my plan like I bet on my plan, you'd be ready to whoop my ass. Because it is all going to shit.
I been crying about the money I spend on gas since I got here. But back then the reason was more about the fact that I found out I hated the drive. It severely curtailed my reading habits and raised my damned blood pressure. But as the price started to creep up, my issue with gas became that much larger. I currently spend about $402 a month on gas--not including trips to NYC to see boo--(which is now down to about once a month from twice a month--an additional $68) There is no way to get to Columbia from Baltimore on a commuter vehicle unless you have 3.1 hours to spare for a 22 mile commute. Now I sneak in reading the headlines at the light or when no one is looking--on the job.
But, I don't have to bear the costs. I could move back to NY, find a job in Baltimore City or DC. But these folks here, are worse off than any of us sitting around crying.
So, while I have enjoyed the commiserating about it. I'm stopping. Why? Because I could more easily than many, change what I do or where I live. I might very well have too.
And I will honor all of those who cannot by possibly slapping the next fool who crys about gas but lives in a place with a plethora of public transportation options.
posted by Jonzee @ 2:04 PM
2 Comments:
At 2:58 PM,
Tha BossMack TopSoil said…
Gas is over $5.00 out here ;-)
At 10:56 PM,
Kit (Keep It Trill) said…
Hey Jonezee. I found out about your blog after reading your comments at Electronic Village. Yeah, B-more is cheaper, but I wonder if the drive to Columbia negates it. I'm very familiar with both places and the DC-Maryland area. I find Baltimore a much more interesting city; Columbia Mall is the highlight for Columbia and nice for raising kids, and that's about it. Hope you can find a job in your city - soon. I suspect gas prices will double by next summer. The announcement made this week by Exxon is disturbing.
Anyway, I see you're into urban planning. You may know about James Howard Kunstler. He wrote the non-fiction book, The Long Emergency (2005). If not I truly hope you can pick it up at the library. He's a guru to me, and in 2005, wrote how converging crisis (diminishing oil, unaffordable gas (which you speak of in this post), increased food prices as a result, global warming, the mortgage meltdown, etc., will hit us hard. His foresight was prophetic and it's all coming to pass.
The piece that may interest you is he speaks often in his book and on his site, kunstler.com, about the need for urban planning, quick restoration of our rail systems, etc. If you get a chance, he does weekly essays at his site. His archived 2007 posts are amazing. The reading is a tad dry, but the content is thought-provoking.
Just a heads up. Take care,
~ Kit
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