this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2026

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Fuck Cars

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105

Drive slower, go electric, don't drive at all? Americans weigh options for saving gas (www.kuow.org)

submitted 3 days ago by grimpy@lemmy.myserv.one to c/fuckcars@lemmy.world

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Nationally, gasoline prices are averaging more than $4 a gallon. That's not an all-time record, but it's up sharply from just over a month ago, and the rapid change has left many car owners reeling … but unwilling, or unable, to give up on driving. Americans have been logging more miles since the war with Iran started, according to the analytics company Arity, which tracks driving habits…

Another option, of course, is to pursue alternatives to driving.

all 27 comments

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[–] jtrek@startrek.website 17 points 2 days ago

Living someplace with usable mass transit is pretty nice.

Gas is too cheap relative to its real costs anyway.

[–] GutterRat42@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

In the words of Freddy Mercury: Bicycle, Bicycle 🎶

[–] TheGoldenV@lemmy.world 25 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Still only $5.60 or so a gallon. I’m still holding out hope for $10+ a gallon.

[+] Montagge@lemmy.zip -22 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Yeah, fuck poor people!

[–] psx_crab@lemmy.zip 25 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Poor people should demand for better public transport because owning a car is very much a costly asset, from purchasing to maintenance to daily usage. At this point demanding for anything other than a good public transport definitely are asking to be fucked.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 6 points 2 days ago

All people, but yes. Also more bike infrastructure.

[–] pet1t@piefed.social 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

there's alternatives to driving, even for those that are financially struggling. crazy, right?

[–] Montagge@lemmy.zip -5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Not for many

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 days ago

Cycling is just cheaper than a car. Walking too. Some of us have to because we don't have any other choice

[–] pet1t@piefed.social 9 points 3 days ago

not with that mindset, no.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Can't really be that poor if you can afford to drive a car, for a long time I only had enough to ride a bike and pretty sure my bike was older than most cars on the road.

[–] Montagge@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

It's nice that you turned poverty into a contest

[–] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

its not a contest, I also rode a bike when I couldnt afford a car. 8+ years I had a license but no car. The worst was when I rode 8miles to work each morning, but the best was going grocery shopping with a five minute ride and a backpack, and going to friends houses this way. Had a car a few years when I lived rurally, and beater cars were stull under a grand. Back to no car now, again, because poverty.

Do you know how feeing it is to not have to depend on a car to go places? No insurance, no registration, no gas fee.

Was $1.25 to slap my bike on the front of the bus and go nearly anywhere outside range.

freeing.

no contest

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Its more that I have seen for over a decade now "think of the poor" often used to talk about things I couldn't even dream of being able to afford in the first place. Its as if people only care about poverty when it is convenient to them. I am pretty sure that the disabled get the same treatment. Disabled people need cars! Ignoring the fact that some are disabled because of cars, or completely unable to drive because of their disability while being able to walk/cycle or take the tram if those options are available and safe to use.

When the cost of living became popular I saw a lot of "I make <8x my income> and am struggling to afford food" on TV from middle class people, at the time it felt very much like no one gave a shit about the poor until they were also struggling to afford what I had always considered to be a luxury. To them food was now £150 a week, to me it was £20 a week largely comprised of things like fried onions and beans, rice, potatoes and various other root vegetables.

[–] FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I know this post is about driving, but the more expensive gasoline is and the less we have available in general then we’re going to start having energy issues eventually since we don’t have a renewable energy grid (and won’t anytime soon even if we start building now). Energy issues means that hospitals and stuff will potentially have trouble powering all their equipment and you know it’s gonna be the poorest communities that are hit the hardest and soonest. I know that seems like it’s not gonna happen bc America is huge and all, but if this goes on for too long or if they actually just fucked up all oil production and distribution in the area (about 20% of the global supply iirc) then that is a very real danger

Like yes, I want this country to no longer be car-based and to have good public transit and renewable energy grids, but if this continues for too long it will absolutely devastate poorer communities and countries. Just look at what’s going on in Cuba right now bc of Trump restricting oil to the island

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I live in a country with communist healthcare so at least that isn't too much of an issue. Looking to move my house to ~100% renewable energy within ideally the next few years at most, got a few other things to look at first like replacing all the windows to hold heat in better. Already moved completely off gas, but as the grid isn't doing it any time soon I guess I will just build my own solar generation instead, my usage is already low enough it should be pretty achievable too.

[–] FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I mean, that’s great for you. Genuinely, I hope everyone can live that kinda life. For most of the world though, that is not the case. Trump’s damn ego and this stupid war are already devastating poorer countries and it’ll only get worse the longer it goes on

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I am not even rich though, I earn barely over minimum wage.

If I can consider going fully renewable (partly driven by pure spite toward energy companies and the oil industry) then surely many others could too.

[–] FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Most people don’t live in countries with communist healthcare. Many people do not even currently have the option of getting renewable energy either bc there’s not enough sun where they live to make it feasible on its own or there’s just no companies/infrastructure near them to switch to

You may not be rich but it sounds like the country you live in has a higher base standard of living than many other places in the world. That’s great! It’s just sad that other countries do not have those social safety nets and infrastructure

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 days ago

There are countries with less sun than the UK?

Joking aside, don't people in poor countries use less energy in general. Being poor means they can't afford much energy in the first place.

But another point, if I can afford to do it myself on below average income, why can't the country do it with the benefits of scale for bulk ordering things? Not only can I afford it, but the payback time is getting surprisingly short.

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I live in a northern area that has very short days in the winter and we have a ton of off grid solar and even large scale solar farms. When shifting to renewable energy you also have to consider the efficiency of your appliances and alternative options, like saving energy by using a clothes line whenever possible instead of using a dryer.

Also being opportunistic if possible. If your batteries are already at 100% by noon on a sunny day, it would be wise to do any energy intensive chores like laundry, central vacuuming, charging tool batteries etc while the batteries are full and charging.

[–] FearMeAndDecay@literature.cafe 1 points 2 days ago

That’s fantastic! I hope more places can be like that in the near future!

[–] mesamunefire@piefed.social 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

People are using ebikes q bit more right now. If it gets to 6-7 a gallon we will see more drastic changes.

A month ago it was 3-4 to give some perspective.

[–] humorlessrepost@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

6-7

Guys! He did the thing! Hey guys!

[–] jeffep@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Work from home, live next door to McDonald's

[–] CarterAva@thelemmy.club 1 points 2 days ago

It’s definitely something a lot of people are dealing with right now. Fuel prices seem to fluctuate a lot, so I guess everyone is looking for ways to cut costs, whether that’s driving less or considering alternatives. It’s not an easy situation for people who rely on their cars daily