Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, May 08, 2008
Marc Wehrs: Not everyone upset about the high cost of gasoline
When Tribune reporters took a look at the adjustments Coulee Region motorists are making because of the high price of gasoline, visitors at www.lacrossetribune.com had plenty to say.
And that was before prices jumped to $3.69 a gallon Wednesday.
Here are a few of the comments our online readers attached to those vignettes. A surprising number of them were from from site visitors enthused about prices high enough to change behavior:
BPiddy wrote: “Good to see more people considering biking. Maybe there is hope for this country.”
buckets wrote: “I drive an SUV. I can’t tell you how many kids have been hauled over the years to soccer games, baseball, scouts, etc. We are also avid outdoors people, and I need it for camping gear, bikes, kayaks ... I really would prefer to not spend as much on gas, and I am very concerned about the environment, but it’s just not practical. ...”
buckets wrote: “Carpool, walk, ride your bike, use public transportation ... Conserve ... It can do a body and a family good. ... I do sympathize with the taxi driver and pizza delivery man. I will remember this article next time I tip.”
RanDomino wrote: “War, poverty and starvation everywhere, and the only thing that white middle-class Americans care about is a SLIGHT increase in gas prices! It’s time for us to suffer, to learn some perspective!”
oz wrote: “If you want to be bombarded with fresh ideas on how to free yourself from exorbitant gas prices, you should check out the Transportation Liberation Road Show (7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Ward Room of Cartwright Center). They have a five-minute promo at www.purplearth.net/TransLib”
rfield wrote: “You can also ride the bus free with an ID from UW-L, Viterbo or WTC.”
Darwin wrote: “‘Need’ to drive an SUV and ‘want’ to drive an SUV are vastly different. You are delusional if you think an SUV will save your life in a high-speed car wreck or a rollover. Ask a first responder. And some of the smaller cars have the very best crash ratings. ...”
Exercise wrote: “Americans don’t learn very quickly. It is great to read about these sensible thinkers, but the only way Americans will drive smaller, more gas efficient cars, walk more and practice conservation of energy around their home will be IF FUEL PRICES STAY HIGH ....”
By the numbers ...
Here are the final numbers from the serial killer question from our online poll last week: 43 percent (633 respondents) believe a gang of serial killers is responsible for drownings of young men in Midwest rivers. Forty-one percent don’t buy that theory being promoted by a pair of New York detectives. Sixteen percent were unsure.
In a poll at www.lacrossetribune.com two years ago, 507 respondents (44 percent) said they believed a serial killer was responsible for the drownings, 43 percent didn’t believe a serial killer was involved, and 13 percent were unsure.
Now that’s consistency.
Marc Wehrs can be reached at mwehrs@www.lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8218.
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