Gas prices

So many people need gas. Geez seriously no duh huh?

Here in the South where I live, you really need a car to get by. There is no subway, buses are slow, cabs are expensive, and it is dangerous to really ride a bike or consistently be a pedestrian. You NEED a car.

Gas prices are definitely normally high, but lately, they've literally skyrocketed. According to the US Energy Information Administration, gas prices have gone from a national average of around $2.70 June 2010 to currently $4. Geez. If one were to fill up a full tank, each time it would be around perhaps $50. Seriously, especially in the current state of this economy, who has this kind of money?

http://therealtimscott.com/images/Posts/Poor%20Vs%20Broke%20The%20Real%20Reason%20You%20Have%20No%20Money.jpg

Now, I usually live on campus without a car, so I can't complain too much. But my family and friends have cars, and they are definitely hit hard. Just look at the statistics!

http://www.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp

There definitely have been alternatives. I've seen (and I'm sure you've seen) E85 gas, gashol, diesel fuel (which 10 years ago used to be cheaper than gasoline, but is now way more expensive), and all of those other things. One of my professors in the chemistry department is conducting research on storing liquid hydrogen efficiently in hopes to use hydrogen fuel (which in reality is REALLY really efficient). Hybrid cars abound the streets, and so do little smartcars. But at the same time the majority of America still relies on normal gasoline to get around. By the time I can actually get a car, I'm kind of afraid to get a small smartcar; even though it saves a ton of gas, I'm afraid of getting hit. Remember Newton's Second and Third Laws of Motion? F = ma, right?

So that means that if I drive a tiny smart car, and get hit by a gigantic SUV, since the force the SUV exerts on me is the same force that I exert on the SUV:

Mass of smart car x Acceleration of smart car = Mass of SUV x Acceleration of SUV

Since the mass of my smart car is so small in comparison to the mass of the gigantic SUV, my acceleration has to compensate for it. Thus, I will crash crazily, my smart car will probably be crushed to pieces, and I might likely sustain terrible bodily damages, including becoming paralyzed, breaking limbs, falling into a coma, death, etc. Nope, too afraid to die.

http://ferrellgummit.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/smartcar.jpg
Sorry, not for me.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Cw540sKI82M7ROm4-PVstwThL86bUknc3aE6dlzTLq5Y-QL1dTD7oaL0omOoRvwjBETAYTtaOpjvKnTZYLjqT8Soa9RwMbuYsnnoTXE_Ytieu50qg2uTieORSYjOmyjbkNB1HQEymVY/s1600/Giant-SUV.jpg
Crazy cars that would crush any tiny smart car.

All in all, despite the fact that oil companies are getting incredibly rich and oil stocks are rising through the roof of skyscrapers, I hope that oil prices do come down soon, (of course many Americans would agree with me).  Not many people can afford this much longer. I don't even really know how I'll be able to survive med school sans taking out a ton of loans. Why does gas have to be such a burden? When one invests in a car, the actual price of the car is actually pretty cheap compared to all of the maintenance expenses, gas, insurance, etc etc etc. Why pile on one more extra burden when people need help the most during this state of the economy?

I hope America seriously tunes down gas prices soon.