Soaring over petrol prices

If there could be one good reason that the rising oil prices don't bother me as much as they bug my sister is that I don't drive while she does. It's her scooterette that I gifted her on her birthday this year that concerns her about the rising petrol prices. "Hey, it went up by 2 bucks so quickly!" she says. But I don't care all that. As long as the train and bus fares don't hop around this way, I am quite content with whatever happens to petrol.

And so it so happens that whenever I am not using public transport, I am either walking or enjoying a ride in a friend's car. Not more than a month back, I was traveling with a friend on our road trip from Ithaca to Dallas. It was a 3 day trip where he drove all along, while I relaxed in the passenger's seat. On the first day, we got held up in a traffic jam near Cleaveland. My friend, who was quite intent on getting to Cincinnati for our halt for the night was getting frustrated with the time being wasted in the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

"You know what? The world burns up more gas waiting in jams than while driving. If we cut down on this wastage, maybe we can bring down gas prices by half," he said.

"I think there's an accident ahead," I said, trying to change topics. I didn't want him to know that I am as ignorant as a stone when it comes to gas prices and the like.

"No, if there were an accident, there would be cops around here and there would be go slow signs flashing around."

"Hmm, good one. Go slow while you wait at one spot for 5 minutes."

"All this is Bush's fault. He starts the war in Iraq and takes control of the oil, and due to all the disputes they have afterwards, the oil prices go up."

"Don't blame that chap," I said. "Sure he wants control of the major oil reserves in the world, but I am sure he doesn't want the prices to go up. I believe he is happy as long as all the money enters his pocket, no matter if it's what it is now, or half that."

"Ok, so whom should I blame? The oil marketing companies?"

"No, don't blame them. They are good sponsors."

Listening to the traffic report on the radio, we discovered it was a lock between two SUVs on the narrow lane that was the culprit. It would be another long wait till the lane could be cleared and normal traffic resumed.

I asked, "Why can't they just push them to the side like they do in India?"

"The insurance companies won't let them. Things run differently in this country."

"Hey, we will have to stand at this very spot for another 5 minutes. Why don't we get out for a stroll? You can kill that engine and help the world save some gas," I said as I opened my door.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Not that anyone can take the car away in this jam, but I prefer sitting in the AC instead of in the heat outside."

Sure, I thought. It's you who pays for the gas so you can enjoy the AC all you want. I don't mind the open air as long as I don't pay for the petrol.