A New Term Has Been Coined...

[Spektyr]

Okay, first off I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to insult anyone. Unless I point the finger and name your name, I'm not talking about you.


A number of things have conspired to cause the generation of this new term:

1. Stricter environmental controls on gasoline have forced oil companies to greatly complicate the refining process, which in turn means there is significant downtime while this new and delicate machinery has broken down. This downtime translates into lower production, and thus lower gas reserves.
2. Demand for gasoline is at an all-time high.
3. SUV drivers are stereotypically notorious for not sharing the road well with smaller vehicles.


So what the generic SUV has come to symbolize is a blundering, dangerous road-mate who is not simply lumbering about burning twice the gas of a reasonable vehicle - they're burning twice the limited resource which further compounds the projected shortage and further raises the price of gas.

Sure, the SUV driver is paying more per mile for gas, but he's also making the rest of us pay more per mile for gas. Think about it: if I were to go out and buy a few hundred thousand gallons of gasoline I would quite literally raise the price of gas in doing so because at present the oil industry honestly believes they will have trouble meeting demand over this summer.

SUV's are eating all the food. There's a name for the 500lb man who's shoveling the entire contents of the buffet onto his plate, but I doubt it would get past the censor here. Thankfully my father-in-law came up with a better word for the SUV drivers. (If someone else has used the term, I haven't heard of it.)

Gas-holes.


Now let me be clear here. I'm not saying that everything that falls under the heading of SUV is evil. Nor am I saying that trucks, old cars, or anything that gets less than X mpg is evil. What I'm saying is that it's irresponsible and downright rude to hog a resource.

If you have a lawn care company and your work truck is lucky to ever see the north side of 15 mpg you're not a gas-hole. You're working and your truck is working.

It's the vapid neo-yuppie at the Starbuck's drive-thru ordering her 5-minute long named beverage while idling her single-digit mpg H3 all by herself that's a gas-hole.

There's a difference between the guy who got an SUV instead of a minivan, but regularly has to haul around the 2.5 kids and their sundry sports equipment and whatnot, and the gas-hole with his Escalade bumping on 22's because it's a status-symbol of how big he wants us to believe his "equipment" is.


And by the same token I recognize that not every small car is a fantastic gas-sipper. My own 2nd gen doesn't put up spectacular mpg numbers, but the key difference is that I'm not driving more car than I need. The guy driving an old sedan that pumps the gas at 17 mpg city because that's all he can afford to drive - he's not a gas-hole. The guy who's got his weekend hotrod that burns a gallon of gas each time he rev's the motor - he's not really a gas-hole either unless he drives it to work each day because he wants everyone to see how "cool" he looks at the wheel.


It's the combination of lousy mileage and detestable attitude that makes the gas-hole. It's the combination of saying "screw your gas budget, all my friends think I'm successful because I drive a land-yacht" that makes a gas-hole. It's the "soccer mom" with 2 kids driving a Surburban because she "needs the room for the kids" but never leaves the driveway without enough extra room in the vehicle for a family of sasquatch that's a gas-hole.

If you use the whole vehicle, fine. If it's a "fun" car but not your daily driver, fine. If you use it for status, no.

So what do the rest of you think? Good term?

[MJL]

I can agree with most of that. It's certainly a disgusting sight for me driving down the highway at the speed limit or less trying to get the most out of my mileage only to see a huge escalade or suburban comes flying by me with no regard to others on the road or their own ignorant consumption of gasoline. For me, getting the most mpg out of my car isnt some fun game I like to play, its about saving myself as much money as possible so I can afford other things in my life that really matter to me. So, since when did an oversized H2 become a necessity for anyone besides the military? And even then, the military versions of hummers don't even run on gasoline.

[Spektyr]

Exactly! The military can't afford bad mileage any more than the rest of us. The reason is different (tactical ramifications of being out of gas for them, cost for us) but they don't want a gas-guzzler either.

[Accordlover]

Sorry to sound all (I love SUV's they rock hell yeah!) on you, but the H2 is a Chevy Tahoe. Not exactly 'oversized'. Larger than a Pilot sure, but not by much.

I'm not going to blame consumers for all of this. Our political leaders have screwed up (Could we please return the idiot to his village in Texas?) and we're paying the price for it. Less people buy SUV's today, but are gas prices still rising. Yes.

I'm just to the point where I consider it a cost of living increase. Along with everything else that is...

The only way gas rices will EVER go down during our little war 'on terrorism' (psh) is if there's no demand for it. Which will not happen. We as a Country love our gas, and plan to suck the resources out of our planet until our kids, kids can't go to the pump anymore, and have to actually get serious about making a change.

There was a time when you could fill up our accord for $16.00 with mid grade. Those were the days.

[MJL]

I think you're reading too much into when I said oversized, it wasn't meant to be technically identifying. Just a quick glance on chevys website indicates 2wd tahoes getting 16/22 mileage, not exactly great either, and not exactly contributing to the possibility of gasoline consumption reduction.

Looking back to when I was a little kid along with my brother (1 year younger), we didn't own an SUV, and we did just fine rolling around in a 4 door sedan, for a few years it was a 2 door buick somerset! When did it become justifiable for soccer moms to have an SUV to drive their children around in? It's just a shame that this is the mentality of a lot of todays parents who have no need for an SUV and 1 or 2 children.

[James.uk]

Maybe if fuel gets scarce enough your Gov may start to reduce import tax on diesel cars. :thmsup: :yes:

Then gas prices wont be such a megga problem anymore. :D

At the moment local (UK) petrol/diesel fuel costs 97p a litre.. soo that about $8 a US gallon ish?
.

[psyshack]

Its not the goverments fault, nor the oil companys. Its our fault. The buck stops at the consumer. PERIOD!

Honestly,,, Im starting to get a real kick out of listening to folks play the blame game and bitching about gas prices. What morons,, as there filling there 3/4 ton truck with no load in the bed. Or the SUV owner thats never had all the seats filled in the boat.

I tried lastnight to get the wife to think about trading her Accord for a HCHII or a Prius. She came up with lame excuse after excuse. After a bit of her ramblings. She admited she liked her car and wanted to keep it and drive it into its grave. I said,,, ok my love. But dont come bitching to me when gas is $5.00 a gallon or better.

I LMAO as is when folks fill there land barges now..... :)

psy

[princess]

Maybe there should be stickers or something so we can know if someone NEEDS the larger vehicle or just driving it for their amusement. Then we could be sitting around judging the right people. :dunno:

Most of the "soccer moms" I know that drive an SUV is to combine their family needs into one vehicle. They fill it with other people's kids for school & sports.... then the dad uses it to pull the family boat or camping trailer. You can buy quite a bit of gas for the cost of insuring a third vehicle. :dunno:

On the other side of things..... people, like me, can be just as wasteful in an "economy" car & not get judged. Then again I have my car filled up about every 6 weeks or so..... :dunno: So I used less fuel than many hypermilers by simply not driving as much! My latest tank will probably last till the end of June. Longer if we leave for Maui before fill up time! :) Strange to think the fuel in the tank may not be replaced until after Independence Day!

[Spektyr]

If you've got a decent-sized family and can actually justify the need to roll around in an SUV once in awhile, fine. Shell out the sticker price and get yourself an urban assault vehicle.

But the "cost of insuring another vehicle" isn't the problem. I'm not suggesting that SUV owners need to find ways to save money on gas. I'm suggesting they need to buy less gas. I could care less if it costs more. My gas costs more at the pump in no small part due to the fact that the average American isn't happy till they've burned up a whole herd of dinosaurs each year. So you get yourself some crappy little econo-box that doesn't impress the people at work when you can't justify taking the mobile fortress to work and back. And you have to peel off a whopping $20 a month to put liability on it.

Surely you can save more than $20 a month in gas by simply driving something with half as many cylinders and a third the curb weight. (Not to mention that said crappy econo-box makes a great first car for the brat that hits 16 first. Nothing says "Happy 16th" like a car that couldn't get a speeding ticket in a freefall.)


And as I said, it's not merely the act of driving an inefficient vehicle that makes someone a "gas-hole". It's the "screw everyone else, I think this makes me look cool" attitude that does it. Like I said, my little 2nd gen isn't winning any awards for economy, but I'm doing the best I can with what I've got and I make a concerted effort not to burn up any more gas than I really need.

I'm not saying that I bike to the movies or anything. If I want to grab something from the store I'll hop in the car to drive. But, I'm not pouring half a dozen gallons into the cavernous V8 of some SUV just to get there.


It's the difference between taking one plate from the buffet at a time, and trying to drag the buffet table back to your seat.


For the record, I like SUVs too. I'd enjoy driving one. I just couldn't justify it.

[mwmcginn]

All of this is fun, but for the most part, one can only control oneself. Forget about others, if you can same money by using less gas, do it.

You can act angry and call people names, get upset, but in the end you get nothing out of it.

I think its funny that people buy things that cost them an arm and a leg when they dont need it, but whatever, thats their problem. I walk by houses in near neigborhoods that are 5-6 times the size of mine, but if they want to heat it and cool it, whatever.

Just enjoy your decision making and worry a little less about the other guy.

[princess]

Agreed. I think we all have areas we splurg in. My house is on the small size....I drove an '82 Accord for nearly 10 years & then an '86 Accord for nearly another 10. We didn't have car payments, but we did have a boat payment. We have chosen to upgrade an OLD house instead of buying a newer one. I buy most of my shoes at Payless.....but I wear diamonds.

I'm refusing to judge the SUV drivers even when I see them with no one in them except the driver. I don't know their situation any more than they know mine.

I also agree that the problem is us. We don't want to give up our cars. Technically my prince could take busses & BART to work.... it would take about 2 & a half hours each way. Driving takes 45 minutes if he stays off the highways. It's about 20 miles. He rode his bicycle during the strike & he took a job the other direction. We live in a valley & there's no legal/safe way to ride the direction he works now. He rode 14 miles each way when it was in a place he could. By the way, his car at the time was a '77 Accord HB 5 speed. :D

[RTexasF]

Well I'll fire up the masses with this------

I think it's a matter of choice. If I have the means and the desire to own a 10MPG Monster that's my business and no one else's. I would feel no need to explain anything to anybody, it's my money and you'll not tell me what I should or need drive because you are extra frugal or can't afford it.

I choose to drive an economical car but if I decide tomorrow that I want a 8.0 liter V-10 4X4 weighing three tons that is MY business and MY money and MY gasoline bill. I have no intention of buying one but don't even attempt to tell me I shouldn't because it's not your affair!!! My only gripe about large SUV's is that I can't see over/ past them in my little Accord!

[stevencrosbie]

Sorry to sound all (I love SUV's they rock hell yeah!) on you, but the H2 is a Chevy Tahoe. Not exactly 'oversized'. Larger than a Pilot sure, but not by much.

I'm not going to blame consumers for all of this. Our political leaders have screwed up (Could we please return the idiot to his village in Texas?) and we're paying the price for it. Less people buy SUV's today, but are gas prices still rising. Yes.

The only way gas rices will EVER go down during our little war 'on terrorism' (psh) is if there's no demand for it.

There was a time when you could fill up our accord for $16.00 with mid grade. Those were the days.


1. Yes, the H2 is built off of a Silverado HD frame...but it gets must less mileage than the Tahoe.

2. It is not the government's fault. The oil companies and the EPA have us over a barrel. We can only buy fuel from them and we won't build any new refineries. This is why all of our old ones are blowing up across the U.S. Eventually, we won't have any left.

3. Blame Bush and the war all you want, but its not one person's fault and your information is limited. The availability of other technologies regarding shail oil in Colorado and coal-->oil technology is here, but the oil companies would rather go for "easy" oil than try to get the abundance that we have here in the states. Keep in mind that the U.S. has some of the largest deposits of Shail oil in the world...enough to power us for hundreds of years.

4. The reason this country is so great is our freedom of choice. I judge nobody if they want to drive a Peterbuilt to work everyday. Heck...I would love to have a new GMC Sierra. It is a personal choice and the high gas consumption is something that comes along with it. Some might say my use of the internet to post of forums is a waste of "human life" as I could be doing something else with my time. I think it's unfair to tell people what they can and cannot drive. What's next.....what you can say...

Come one....gas really isn't that expensive. The fact that people are screaming government controls and such is what scares me. How little they know about economics in this world really frightens me as our schools are not teaching people the right information......I'm sure glad they know the latest news on Paris Hilton or when the next "iPhone" will be available.

Off of my soap box. I'm sure most of you can tell where I stand on many issues...but blaming one person in our government surely isn't the solution.....

[edwilson13185]

<rant>
I think people everywhere should be able to use their own economic means in whatever way they are able as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights of others (and no, cheap gasoline is not a right). I'll complain about trucks and SUVs from time to time, as well. They use a lot of fuel, they're hard to see around in parking lots, and if I have a collision with one in my Accord, I'm probably toast. But that's a risk I take for driving a smaller car.

If people have the means to purchase and maintain a $50,000+ vehicle that gets an average of 16 or less miles to the gallon, let them. I don't believe it's anybody's place to tell them otherwise. We Americans (myself included) are incredibly wasteful and inefficient as a people. The food in our grocery stores often comes from thousands of miles away, many people live in homes three times the size of what they need, and we're addicted to driving.

Why aren't commuters looked down upon? A 35MPG Accord driving 100 miles a day isn't all that different from a 16MPG Suburban driving 30 or 40 miles daily. The guy in his V8 Lexus sedan isn't doing much better, either.

In the end, it's our fault. If the majority of people demanded vehicles that got 40MPG or better routinely, it would happen. If the majority of people demanded a full-scale, viable mass transit system for more than just the major cities, it would happen. But we don't. It's not a high enough priority for us.

I didn't like rising gas prices, so I traded in my 20MPG supercharged V6 sport sedan for a 35MPG four-cylinder coupe. I moved across the street from my job from my previous location, which was 70 miles away. There are plenty of options I had to choose from to lower my gasoline bill. I picked two that I could live with and went with them.

People can do things like that, or people can continue the status quo. People can choose the direction they want and go with it. That's the beauty of freedom.

</rant>

Sorry for the long post. :-)

[thesteve151]

i some what agree with what the op said.
i had a 94 ford f-150 flairside lightning i drove as my first vehicle (no my parents did not buy it for me, i paid for it working at KFC, and no it was not a expensive truck) it only got 8mpg on a good day, but it was the nissest truck in my price range, and i used it to haul a pontoon boat around, but most of the time i just drove it and had fun. would you consider me a gas-hole back when i had that truck?
no offense taken if you do, just to make that clear :thmsup:

but you see my point it is hard to classify if the person needs the vehicle, NOT every one is going to have an economy car on the side just to save a few bucks, if any due to the cost of the car in the first place.
it is nice to have a truck to get everything done, you don't know when you will need it, and you would wast gas to go get it if you did need it.

car makers are producing big trucks and suv's that get better gas millage. they have ones that only run on 4 cylinders most of the time, then when you need the HP it switches to 8 cylinders, that is helping allot. then there is always diesel trucks, if you can afford to buy one.

[psyshack]

I support our freedoms. They are wonderful indeed. But in the long run our freedom and the choices we make may very well destroy our country.

We import,, what 85% of the oil we use. Thats not healthy no matter how you cut it.

So drive those land barges. Live phat. It will get real dicey.