Not really. The gas price surge was a wake up call.

Rising gas prices caused me to move within walking distance of work, so rising and falling gas prices don’t really affect me any more.

Not much Jack, I’ve gotten so accustomed to rationing back on my car usage, that I’ve become to like it. Plus, it keeps down on my carbon footprint!

Not at all. I still drive only when I have to. It’s because I am more afraid of the surplus of morons in their SUV’s than the price of gas.

Yes, Jack, my car stays parked in the driveway as often as possible.
Wonder why bush/cheney never adopted windfall profits money from their oil/energy cronies? Has the G(reedy) OP been in bed with oil/energy?
Hope President-elect Obama corrects this!

My driving habits haven’t changed. I am just no longer depressed when I pull away from the pump.

Jack I can honestly say that the high gas prices have changed my evil ways for good.
I get such a kick out of “driving smart” now. I average 21 mpg now which is up from 19mpg. They could give me gas for a buck a gallon and I would still take pride in not driving like an idiot.
Remember how the McCain camp was poopooing Obama’s tire pressure remarks? Well the man is right.
It all adds up and before you know it Exxon/Mobil’s profits will take a little hit.
It’s about all we can do these days to “stick it to the man”.
And we’re helping the environment while we save money…

Bliss.

I don’t have a car, so I ride the bus everywhere…habit from when I lived in San Francisco. However, I would like to buy a car soon, but with the auto industry failing, who knows. If/when I get a car, I would only use it for trips to the grocery store, or weekend trips, but I would still ride the bus to and from work every week, that won’t change any time soon.

Nope. I put the money I save by driving less into my food intake instead of my fuel intake.
Tim in Texas

No we are still only driving when necessary and combining our errands. Unfortunately the price of food and our electric has not been reduced because of the low fuel cost even though they raised their prices due to the higher prices before. Seems like once prices rise they never come down. A shame really but we are grateful gas has come down.

No Jack! The gas prices may have plunged but prices of other commodities have increased so much that we dare not venture out anywhere.

Jack,

Plunging gas prices havent had any effect on my driving habits. Soaring prices drove my driving down to nothing and caused me to wake up to exactly what I was doing and spending with my driving. Lower gas prices would only change my habits if I still thought that all that un-needed driving I did in the past (when gas was even cheaper than now) was prudent. I dont. If the average american returns to thier old driving habits (or holds the staus quo for those that didnt change thier habits) then they are foolish.

im driving less, and will not even consider what the cost of gas is anymore. Let them raise gas prices again. It doesn’t matter to me anymore. I’ve created a new lifestyle habit which is better for the environment and easier on my wallet.

Not at all. Our driving habits are that same if not better than they were a year ago. We like it that way. I drive when I must, and my husband commutes. If we didn’t live in the country we wouldn’t need a car at all.

Jack,

Even though there has been a signifant notice of the descending gas prices I still am not on this driving spree. I think if the better of Americans conserve and drive for their essential needs the gasoline prices will remain as it currently is. All in all, this is the one great thing with all of this economic sadness elsewhere.

Daniel
Atlanta, GA

I’ll be honest, I’m driving a little more – but definitely not like I used to. Some weekends I’m more willing to take a relaxing Sunday drive, but this past summer there was no way I would have done that.

When gas was north of $4.00 a gallon, I could feel the money leaving my pocket every time I hit the accelerator. Now that I saw gas for $1.92 a gallon this morning, it doesn’t hurt so bad.

I hope the small rise in consumption doesn’t cause the prices to skyrocket back up, and oil better stay cheap for as long as possible. If we’re in an economic crisis and crude prices hit what they were, we’ll all be in for trouble.

I hope the oil companies read The Cafferty File, they should know that since they gouged us we will not be returning to our hedonistic ways. We are a changed nation and if the gouge more we will find even more ways not to buy gas or use cars.

I have been driving less since the prices went up, and do not plan on increasing my driving. I am saving a little more money normally spend on gas. I may need that later with the economy such a mess.

In the old days to be a consumer was a bad thing . If you were ill it was consumption that was to blame . It’s in all our best interest to be great conservers , not energy consumers …

I have to drive more defensively now that the house-sized SUVs are back in full force. Apparently some folks feel good enough to do 85 in gas-guzzler again.

It hasn’t changed my driving habits so much Jack, but at least now I can afford to mow my lawn.

No. My drive habits change when gas was $4 a gallon. Now that the prices have dropped I’m not going to be reckless.

There is no point in driving if the destinations are unaffordable. I can’t afford a movie, dinner out or shopping spree so I might as well stay home.

Jack: None. Still drive the same, but now able to go a little further. Americans can be compassionate people, but basically, they are selfish and for those who can afford to drive regardless of prices–they will continue.

Mine haven’t changed either with high prices or now the lower prices. Most of my driving is for necessity – for work & errands. I’ve never been a joy rider & do not buy gas guzzler vehicles.

No, we are still paying more than we should have to at the gas pumps.

Just because the prices of gas has come down ,does not mean that we will began to stop cutting our driving habits. Since, we as a nation came together to make a significant change in the way we did our travels when times were bad, then why not do the same to keep them from going right back to the same spot or in that direction?

Jack I’ve been unemployed for 2 years now, driving habits haven’t changed because the income level hasn’t changed.

How have plunging gas prices changed your driving habits?

Not at all. I’ve no job to go to any longer so I no longer drive..

Jenna
Roseville CA

Jack, I work 78 miles round trip daily. So from $55 every 2-3 days is now down to $31 every 2-3 days. I am able to save money into a savings account for unemployment emergency (the economy does not look any better, have to pay my mortgage, Jack). I drive slower and do all of my chores in one trip whenever possible. I go out only when necessary. I even walk to drug stores. Penny wise, healthier and savvy.

No Jack, I’m still conserving. I want to believe, contrary to the evidence, that most Americans are intelligent enough to realize that the pendulum will soon swing back.

No, they haven’t, Jack. When prices went sky high I cut my driving by about 70 percent. I began walking to the supermarket, bicycling to the barber, and doing a first-rate job of combining trips when I had to drive. I never suffered the kinds of budget squeezes that so many of my fellow citizens did, but I was just as mad as they were at being exploited.

Now America seems closer than ever to supporting alternate fuel vehicles that are clean and green, even if they do cost a little more at first. Coincidentally, gas prices have fallen dramatically. Can you imagine?

But I’m still mad. I’m healthier from the exercise, and I’m living smarter and better, but I’m still darn mad. I’ll walk out of spite.

It makes job hunting a little less painful. As soon as I find a job I’m gonna buy a bike so I only need to drive occassionally and so I’ll remember how just in case it should become a necessary skill at some point in the future.

Jack, I’m driving more. I’m able to spread my money more, to help buy some of the things, I wasn’t able to afford to purchase. I will be able to take my yearly plan trips, for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The drop in gas prices will make it possible, to continue our Family gatherings during the Holidays.

Not really, Jack. Even though my bill for gasoline has gone down, that drop in fuel costs has not yet trickled down to lowering prices on groceries, etc. I’m struggling, like many in this country, to balance what I have coming in with what needs to go out. I’m not quite as panicked three or four days before payday that I might run out of gasoline before my paycheck gets deposited, but I’m still being very careful.

My morning commute used to be somewhat pleasant when gas was $4 a gallon. Everyone seemed to have more conservative driving habits.
Now that gas is less than half what it was a few months ago, I have to pick up the pace in the morning or risk being rear-ended by those same folks in their gas guzzlers with NASCAR attitudes. It seems they didn’t give a hoot about conserving gas when the price was up, just their own money.

I’m conserving because we still NEED to get OFF foreign oil!!!! Go to wind and solar!!! Follow the Pickens plan!!! The republicans and the big oil companies destroyed our car industry and they should be held responsible for this mess in the auto industry!!!! Build smaller, smarter cars and trucks!!! Europe did!!! Greed and glutonus Americans need to change!

not one bit!!! I will continue to conserve forever. I hope we have all learned our lesson. Maybe we will become a nation of pre 1970s mentality. The sales of bicycles have soared and this is a step in the right direction. We have become users and abusers of a lot of things that we can nicely do without. There are two words that make sense for us all, MAKE DO.

Yes – I’m letting the grass grow without guilt. I’m looking to buy a goat.

Afraid so. Back to my usual speed on the freeway (when I can get by all the Hummers and Suburbans that have been de-mothballed) and less fanatical about scheduling trips for maximum efficiency (although I still make the effort).

I cut back driving a lot when the price was high and now I like it. I drive as little as possible now and can’t imagine ever returning to my old “Sunday Drives”. Funny how things work out.

Now that the gas prices are lower, we can’t afford to go buy anything. If anything that raise in gas prices scared us all enough to realize it can happen again. Does this mean that food prices will come down too?

No, I am still using my car as little as possible. Being the skeptic that I am, I am putting the “extra” money in a jar to pay for gas when prices soar again – most likely the week after the Christmas shopping season is over.

The lower gas prices are a blessing. However the price of food and other necessities seem to be climbing each week so I still have to curtail my driving in order to pay for these other things. I simply believe that American corporations are taking advantage of the economic situation; for example, the toothpaste I use has gone up about $2 per box. I see no reason why the price should go up this much on this particular product.

Can’t wait for Obama to straighten things out beginning in January 2009!

For me Jack no just enjoying the false hope of lower prices for now. We should still look at converting our vehiles to Natural Gas and sticking it to the foreign oil for good.

Hi Jack, well I’ve taken the commuter bus to work for over 2 years now, so the price of gas doesn’t affect me as much as some people. But I’ve also learned to drive more gently, slow down a bit, wait until I have more than one destination wherever possible, and make sure my tires are inflated properly. Just keeping tires inflated saves a lot of gas, even though Senator McCain ridiculed President-elect Obama about that very suggestion. But personally, I’m very happy that President-elect Obama is concerned about saving energy and the environment.

I’m convinced that the oil companies are trying to make us go back to our old driving habits, and gas prices are sure to go back up as soon as they have us properly re-addicted. I enjoy the mileage I’m getting now just by doing the above easy changes, and riding the bus saves a lot in gas and parking no matter what the cost per gallons is, so I’m not likely to ever go back to my old habits.

No. When they raised prices I condensed my errands and trips downtown. I’m doing that now too. I like being home more and not running around as much. I don’t trust them because at any time they could just up the price again,after all,ExonMobile doesn’t want to stop these increased record profits!

I am still driving the same way as I was when the price at the pump went to $4+ a gallon. I drive to and from work (30 miles per day round trip) and I do my errands on my way home from work. I try not to drive on the weekends. I would use public transportation, but the pickings are slim where I live in South Florida.

I’ve always been a conserver. Two wheels are the way to go.

Jack,

It hasn’t changed my driving habits because I have to use the extra money I save on gas to put back into my retirement account.

Robert
Forest, VA

Nope, I’m leaving my 4×4 F150 parked until the snow hits up here, until then I’ll keep driving the old car that gets double the gas mileage.

I have not changed my habits, but I have worried less about how much it will be to fill up.

I’ve taken a job closer to home, and use public transit as often as possible. My only weakness? Driving down to Michigan to get in some shopping (see you on Thanksgiving!)

I must confess I have quit digging for oil in my backyard since the price of gas has been coming down. So I filled the hole with water and now have a nice swimming pool. Since I have a pool I no longer drive to the beach. But since gas is a cheaper I use a lot of it burning George Bush signs in my front lawn. I would say the burning offsets the beach trips so overall it is a wash but I still have a nice hole in the ground filled with water.

Seeing as how my income has plunged even more than the gas prices, I’m not driving much of anywhere. What I can’t figure out is why we’re not hearing more about investing in viable public transportation.

Gas prices never influenced my driving habits, but braking and car durability did. It is the economy that is influencing my driving habits. I do not have a job.

We try to not to drive more than necessary. Our driving habitis should be affected by more than just prices!. If our cities and towns had more bicycle paths similar to European countries like Holland etc. local errands could be done safely by bicycle inproving our health and environment. We should also remember that even though gas prices have come down from a few months ago, they are still high and that our main supply of fuel is from foreign sources.

Jack, my electric scooter runs great! It’s a bit colder outside, but it has me fully awake, so I save on coffee costs when I arrive at the office.

Our driving habits are still the same. Being in a rural area without public transportation you have no choice. You either drive or walk. We just make each trip count.

The question that needs to be asked now Mr. Cafferty is that now that gas prices are dropping, why is a gallon of milk still nearly $4? Can we say greed?

For those of us who need to use our cars to make a living, the price of gas is relevant to our income and expenses. The concept that reducing the use of our cars will effect the price of gas doesn’t mean anything to us. If we leave our cars in the garage, we don’t make a living. That applies to most sales people. The important thing to us is for this country to drill here, make use of all energy sources that we can produce, and reduce the price to the consumer. It’s really not that complicated.

Not really. We only take some local weekend or day trips anyway to just get away from it all anyway. It’s amazing what we are finding out about historical Arizona.

The plunging prices have not changed my driving habits, with nearly everything else costing more we go out much less.

No jack. Not at all. I drive a hybrid car that I have owned for 5 years. I get 60 miles to the gallon. I drive no more or less now then I did 5 years ago. My wallet is a lot fatter since I got rid of my gas guzzler though. People have a choice. They just have to think smarter. We all get to the same place at the same time regardless of what we are driving. Some of us just spend a whole lot more money doing it.

Yes, I am driving a little further now to find bargains. All I can afford is gas, food and medicine and just barely that!

I worried when the price of gas started going down that we’d all go back to our old ways. Isee here that it hasn’t, for all of us here. I now live very close to my job and can walk if the weather is nice. I filled my tank three weeks ago and still have over half a tank left. We must not get lazy and take it for granted again. We need to do the alternative energy and different fuel cars, even if gas is really cheap. Because we know its not going to stay that way.

No,I can’t afford to buy gas at any price!

Not at all. Use the savings for the higher prices of food and medical. The dentist will still have to wait for better times.

I certainly hope not but from past experience it probably will. This is one of the incentives (including sale of gas guzzlers) driving lower prices.

Even with gas prices lower I’m still using the public transit system in Dallas it’s still less expensive than driving and paying parking. It just makes sense to continue to cut back where I can with the economy as it is and less vehicles on the road helps with the environment.

Not really… Although I must say watching gas prices drop, sometimes several times during the course of a day, is a lot more fun than watching go up!

I bought a bicycle when gas was $4.00 a gallon and I get better gas mileage from it than my car so now I use it every chance I can. I’ve also lost 29 pounds so when I drive my car now it is not carrying as much lard as it used to carry thus giving me better gas mileage. I hope it goes up again. Maybe the nation can loose some of it’s lard.

Nope. It is a Presidential Election year, Jack…..the price at the pump always falls …….we go through this cycle every 4 years.

Why change our driving habits now?

In January….right around the time of the inauguarion…..the prices will start climbing up again.

My husband started taking the bus and I started carpooling, that is working so well, that we will not go back just because the price drops. I agree with others, they will go up again. Bring on the Hydrogen cars!

it is a money relief for me that gas has gone down. now i can buy myself a present !!!!!!!!!!!

Jack,
We still have an energy crisis, so conserving gas, heating etc in any way we can is a must. We cannot allow ourselves to go back to
our old ways even though the prices have decreased. Our nation
must be serious about becoming independent of imports.
I enjoy the lower prices at the pump but still try to organize and
make each trip in the car efficient as I can.

No. The worldwide recession is reducing gas consumption, especially in China. Since the recession is still here, people will continue to save gas.

The real challenge is to keep focused on green technology when the prices are low.

The plunging gas prices hasn’t changed my driving habits since gas price was at the $4+ dollar rate. Frankly, I found that I didn’t need to drive as much as I did before the eye opening reality of the 4 + dollar gas prices.

fool me once shame on me fool me twice you can’t fool me i know this is just a trick to get us comfortable and start the cycle all over again. i am staying in my home just like before.

Here in Texas they would continue to drive if they had to pay with body parts. We do not give up our big gas guzzlers very well.

No. Only now i can afford to keep my job.

None. My bike doesn’t use gas, Jack.

They sure have. I’m looking to buy a hummer for plowing this winter.

Lower gas prices are great, especially with everyone having NO money, but for the lucky ones still with a job we should not just go and start doing alot of unnecessary driving and consuming of gas cause that will just give to idiots in charge of OPEC leverage to jack the price up. We should never allow oil prices to get over $75 it just does not make any sense…

No and I sure hope it’s not changing other peoples habits. Diesel is still high and that what drives our goods to market. Gas and home heating oil will still be expensive. We need to not start using more gas and hopefully that will lower some prices. But as a nation we have a short memory, and I think big companies count on that. Next time gas goes over $3.00 a gallon we won’t be so shocked and it will stay there. We’re being conditioned.

Our faith in the economy improving has decreased faster than the gas prices. Like so many people these days we’re being very cautious with our spending. I consider gas prices a barometer on how the economy is doing. When the oil companies start asking for a bail out I know we are in a depression.

The high gas prices of a few months ago was a wake up call, I plan my errands carefully and use as little gas as possible, it just makes good sense to save as much as possible, it should be a habit for all of us to drives as little as possible.

The driving isn’t much different, but it’s harder to find parking places because fewer people are staying home. The roads have become crowded again, and it isn’t holiday shoppers.

Does not make much of a diff. Still drive as much or as little as I did when the prices were high. High gas prices never did cause me that much grief. Just another cost of living. As an old retired man I spend as much as I get each month and that is it.

I need to drive – it’s my job. If anything, this economic downturn has cut my driving, my work hours – and my income – drastically. As the cold winter months settle in – and so many more people lose their jobs, I’m sure this same situation will continue, My driving habits have changed, but I’m not doing it voluntarily.

I had changed my driving habits well before gas reached almost $4/gallon, so there’s no need for me to change back. However, I will say that it is such a pleasure to be able to go to the gas station and spend less than $50 to fill my tank. Makes me a little less guilty about going out to dinner, which I do locally. That, in turns, help keeps my neighborhood restaurants in business, which allows them to stay open, gives them more money to spend, keep people employed, and as a result, we all put more money back into the economy. That’s what we call “trickle-UP” economics!

After the $14.83B profit made by Exxon/Mobile last quarter, planning ahead to make as few trips as possible is my newest agenda, despite falling prices. Now I’d like to know when all the other prices like groceries, etc. will follow suit – fat chance!

Plunging gas prices have not changed my driving habits. I drive a hybrid, fuel-efficient car, but do so sparingly when there is a ligitimate need. I combine trips. The price of gas should not be our only incentive to conserve. We need to be more responsible in terms of green house gases and the harmful affects of auto emissions. I suspect prices are being deliberately lowered to get the public to stop thinking about alternative energy. Oil and gas prices will go back up. We have seen this before.

With gas prices falling, the people with the huge trucks and SUV’s are resuming the driving habits of the past.. I drive only when absolutely necessary.

My driving habits haven’t changed just because the price of gas is temporarily lower. OPEC won’t stand for this for very long, they’ll cut back production, dry up reserves and push the price back up to $150-$200 per barrel as soon as possible. They are addicted to those prices every bit as bad as we are addicted to driving. They are petro-terrorists, and it is their game to have us finance their activities with our gas dollars.

The fact that the price has not bounced back up recently is evidence that I, and many of my fellow Americans have not shifted from whatever we’ve been doing to reduce our fuel consumption. By inflating my tires and coasting downhills I’ve managed to improve my gas mileage by 15%. I’m also more judicious about consolidating my travels, and doing more things on-the-way.

It doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference, if everyone does a little bit — and every little bit helps.

Jack, I cut back when gas hit 3.25 last spring and have cut even more as the price went up. I became use to not running to town every time something came up. I started planning and now it is the same I plan ahead if at all possible. We have a long drive anytime we go to town, We are saving money doing this and it is not that hard to plan for a month in advance. Gas price here is 2.05 gal. It hit a high of 4.07 in August. I’m doing my part in cutting into the $700 billion we spend on importing oil. I support T. Boone Picken’s plan on producing wind energy, and I support clean coal as a soruce for natual gas. It’s green and it is in the United States greatest natural resource.

My driving habits haven’t changed a bit since last summer. We bought a small gas sipper in July when gas was $4.00 a gallon, and are pleased to find that it runs just as economically on $2.00 a gallon gas.

The lower gas prices are welcome, but the grim facts remain. My income is less now than in 2001, like many Americans. Savings was an early casualty, and now credit is no longer an option. So, like everyone else, I am paycheck to paycheck and deciding which bills to pay and which ones to delay. It’s a wonderful life.

Not at all. Because although it costs less to fill my car right now, my other expenses (groceries, utilities) have not gone down. So any money I’m saving on gas is going to other expenses. And also, I like the idea that I’m reducing our carbon footprint even a little bit by driving less. Go Me!

Well in the last few months I have learned what my feet were made for, so who needs an auto? I have lost 23 pounds, and my heart rate has gotten a lot better, and my circulation is doing better also. So jack it back up again, and a lot of us will get much healthier, and our dependence, or our addiction on foriegn oil will be a habit well kicked. I remember when gasoline was $.25 a gallon, and every gas station was having gas wars to get customers. Soon followed by the oil companies buying up all of the independents service stations, and the constant rise in gasoline prices were on. Don’t blame the Saudi’s, put it where it belongs, on big oil.

No, this is just a temporary reprieve and the Middle East is already talking another production cut to raise the prices of oil again.

I’m not giving them one nickel more than I absolutely have to.

Regardless if it’s 50 cents or five dollars a gallon, I’ve cut back to bare minimums of driving and will continue to do so. Also, my fuel purchases are only from American produced fuel stations as well (Sunoco).

DRILL BABY DRILL! ..Let’s be energy independent again and tell them we appreciate them as much as they appreciate us!!

I am driving more.

L.M.,Arizona

no i won’t the gas will go back up especially after the elections the democrats paid these companines to lower the gas prices for a little while they will go back up especially since we have the democrats controlling everything

Last spring when my tank was half empty I filled it up because I knew the price would be higher in a day or two. Now when my tank is half empty, I wait because I know the price will go down in a day or two.

No because we are trying to develop good habits before the prices go back up in the next 3 to 4 months and the next time we’ll see $5 a gallon gas.

not much but watch my dollars and use other means of transportation such as riding buses or carpooling…the big oil companies should get ready because obama will start taxing them for windfall profit taxes and other types of taxes to help the poor and middle classes..all of us are going to pay for high gas and oil prices regardless so we have to get use to it..nothing isn’t cheap anymore, those days are gone..

My driving habits haven’t changed. I am a veteran on a fixed disability income and budget one tank of gas per month…period. If I can stretch it over to more gas remaining in the tank at the beginning of each monthly pay period, that’s great. I only drive when I need to and that’s usually just around town (caveat: a lot of that is also due to my disabilities which are limiting), and I try to drive conservatively and group destinations together so that I’m not driving across town for just one thing, but can hit a few places that are geographically close together on the day that I’m over there. I have noticed that it seems like any dollar “savings” at the pump is being offset by a rise in grocery costs. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise as I could stand to lose a few lbs anyway.

Roland
St. George, UT

Actually, it has a little. Now it takes less than $20 to fill my tank and drive up to Chicago… two or three months ago, it would have cost me ten dollars more.

We need to learn our lesson once and for all: less consumption = lower prices

Get real folks! The gas prices will again go up into no-mans-land. Lets start helping to get “green” solutions on a roll and success shall be ours!

Not at all Jack. I live in Canada where the we get gas for twice the price. When will America wake up to the fact that life does not revolve around the gas pump.

No, once I figured out how to cut back on fuel consumption, I decided to stick with my conservation efforts regardless of gas prices. Good thing, because now I have to pay for rising food costs, outrageously expensive medical and dental costs, and large heating bills over the winter.

Jack
Gasoline in Florida has dropped 2 dollars a gallon. We didn’t build any new refineries or drill new holes in Alaska or the Gulf of Mexico. I’m confused why did it go up and why has it come down. Demand is down 3% why would the price go down 50%. Kinda reminds me of the stock market and the real estate market. Wonder what’s next..

OIL companys Hurting we have to Subsidize the oil & gas companys
im Driving less & will not cut my grass

No, not until it gets back to 99 cents per gallon.

Not at all. Six years ago we bought a condo in a neighborhood about 2 miles from downtown San Diego. In a given week we walk o the local library, gym, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. We drive on perhaps two days a week to do “major” shopping on all sorts. Being retired, we don’t have a work commute. If we want to go out of town, we drive or take the train.

while the high gas prices affected the quickness with which we would get into the car to ” run an errand,” the issue of global warming that also impacted on the decision making. high prices made it easier to remember that the earth is getting ruined and made it so clear that we really really did not have to go on as many “errands” as we used to go on! i hope we all remember that it is not only about “foreign oil” or high or low gas prices, but it is about GLOBAL WARMING. so i hope we all stay out of our SUV’s and all think twice about getting into the car for any little thing.

No. They haven’t “plunged” here. diesel is still $4+/gallon in Anchorage, higher in the bush, causing a migration of hundreds to the city: they can’t afford to heat their homes!
We’re like a third-world country in this state in many respects.

Let me see Jack, I am a casualty of the outsourcing that our fools in government caused. My manufacturing business is lost, my home is lost, all that is left are the bills. We will stay home and spend very little for the holidays.
I hope they pass a new stimulus bill, I need money to pay for a bankruptcy.

Haha not at all to OLD to very much !!

Yes it has Jack, I can turn the heat on in the car now!

I can get to the store once a week.

It just means it’s a bit cheaper to drive to the bank to cash my unemployment check.

No.! Now is the time to conserve and pay on credit that was being’
taken up by the High Prices ochestrated by Exon and Mobile
Speculators!!!!!!!

I actually drove to a food store that was cheaper in prices. I am retired and my fixed income does not allow for such extravagance with gas at $3 per gallon.

Plunging gas prices have not changed my habits for the simple reason that I don’t believe these low prices will hold. The economy will rebound and so will gas prices.

Not driving habits, but buying habits. I can’t really control how much I have to drive, so all I can do is spend less money on other needs. There is a section of our nation, and apparently I am part of it, that has already pared things down to the bone. It’s going to be a hard candy Christmas this year, Jack.

Hi Jack,

The plunging gas prices have done nothing to change my driving habits. I refuse to drive anywhere that is within walking or cycling distance until the price of gas returns to 1977 prices. As a result of my stubborness, I have dropped several dress sizes. I feel better than ever. My health and fitness levels defies my age. Thank God for the new world robber barons; they’ve helped me get in shape.

it’s not going to last for long, the republicans only got prices lowered, so people wouldn’t be so mad at them on Nov. 4th (didn’t work), now they will stay low until after xmas so people will spend on gifts, after the holidays watch out. Oil producing countries are already threatening to cut production.

Jack
Now I can take my Chevy out once a week to go food shopping. This wont last the oil giants will wake up and realize their profits are down and their Christmas Bonus is in trouble, gas will go back up Merry Christmas America.

I think a lot of people who cut back on driving when the gas prices rocketed are going to stick to their new regime and that’s a good thing. It’s not only good for the enviroment but it’s also good for the wallet, especially when you consider that the prices won’t be low for very long. Hopefully the $4 gallon shock will also encourage people to get a more efficient car next time they buy one.

The plunge in gas prices was balanced by the plunge in the economy. Maybe I can drive, but I can’t afford anything when I get there, so why go?

I drive 200 miles every weekend to visit my girlfriend regardless of gas prices. The only difference now is that I’ll be able to save enough money to buy her an engagement ring.

Still driving predominately for commuting and groceries.
I am now able to afford paper and cleaning products I was deferring before.

i haven’t really changed my habits..it really is nice to be able to fill my car for less.people are only fooling themselves if they think it’s going to last forever so therefore we need to move foreward even more so with alternative energy..here in iowa a gallon of gas with ethanol is a $1.79 a gallon..not too shabby but all good things come to an end..

No it is still to high maybe if it goes under a dollar

Not mine. I drive like my wallet depended on it.

Ray Kinserlow
Lubbock, Texas

I have to laugh at the ignorant people in this country that think because it is an american car that it gets terrible gas milage. My 1987 Corvette gets 31 miles to the gallon. Most new Toyotas do not get that!

Whew, the pricing had me worrying about keeping my job 35 miles from where I live. Now that the prices are down, I’m worried about the company I work for keeping their doors open.

In the words of the immortal Vince Lombardi, “What the Hell is going on out there??!!!!”

Jack,

My driving habits aren’t changing, but my money handling is. I now budget $4.00/gallon for gas. Any money that I save because gas prices are currently less than that goes into the rainy day kitty.

Jim
Reno, Nevada

We didn’t change before or after. But we are wondering how to put away some extra CHANGE for a raining day. We maybe living under a bridge next year. If some Heads don’t roll soon.

None; I have not forgotton what Iw as paying just a few months ago. Taking extra money paying down my credit card. But I hope we continue to cut our usage. I would care if it went to a dollar a gallon as long as we cut our consumption by 35%.

Not at all, Jack.

I developed better habits when the price was high and kept them, because a waste of gas is still a waste of gas.

The only extra driving I do is past one gas station to the next one where regular is twenty cents cheaper.

Jack my wife and i are in our middle sixties, we remember the 70’s. We had two children and a third on the way. The people around Nixon then were the same people around “W” when he took office. Nixon was smart enough not to listen to them, but “W” cowboyed up and look where we are today.
I read this morning that Mark Cuban is being looked at for ‘inside trading”, but we are not able to find & prosecute the “speculators” who raped the world this past summer-GO FIGURE- Two Texas OILMEN in the Whitehouse.
We would buy an Electric car tomorrow if the price an quality were equal components. We will continue to curtail our use of gasoline.
Keep up the good work The Clarks Norco, Ca.

Americans now realize they God gae them legs instead of cars so hopefully they woke up and won’t abuse the right to drive a car. We don’t need the Saudi’s or Chavez. We can all re-evaluate our budgets to be more realistic to what we can and should afford.

What’s with this reliance on the public dole. Hopefully some of the habits for economizing will stick so Detroit can finally be forced to move into building competitive cars. They can build them with bailout money they could get from the oil companies. Just 6 months of oil profits would give them the capital they need. Talk about irony…….Those poor oil companies would have to suffer the indignities of earning half proifits for 6 months until the loans were paid back…..

I drive the same as I always have-go the speed limit when cops are around and speed when they’re not.

Sure. We have to face the fact that the United States is one big petroleum junkie. We need to dig deep and make use of the earth’s natural heat, and put together infrastructure to make use of our own energy resources to distribute freight, run transport systems, and bring manufactoring back to America such that we can compete world wide. We’ll never compete while buying fossil fuels from foreign suppliers. Never.

The plunging gas prices certainly have affected my driving habits. No wait, it was the plunging stock market, credit markets and economy that changed my driving habits. They cost me my job. Now, I don’t have anywhere I have to drive each day. Some tradeoff.

I still use the 50 gallons of gas a month that I have been using for over four years. If the rest of driving families could be smart and not waste this resource we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

I cut back when prices were high and thankfully its become a habit. I also got rid of my 4×4 pickup that I didn’t need and brought a car that gets about 12mpg better that the truck. I hope most of us don’t get sucked in to thinking gas is going to stay low OPEC is meeting later this month and you can bet they will cut back production to move the price of a barrel up.

Well I’ve limited my driving and I’ve kept it that way. However, a lot of people are going to revert right back to creating the same demand that drove the prices through the roof the first time. We seem to learn nothing from our blunders. We scared the oil producers when we drastically cut back this summer. We need to keep them worried!

No. I am a retired autoworker sitting on every penny right now and If auto industry goes bankrupt, it will not matter to me if gas is $4.00 or 4 cents. I will not have any use for it anyway. All I’ll need is a pair of shoes to get me from my cardboard box to the local Tabernacle.

You are assuming people still have jobs to drive to or money to spend on recreational trips. Peoples driving habits won’t return until their spending habits can return.

Its been terrible, with high prices my big SUV has the road to itself, now with lower prices the roads are clogged again and I use twice as much gas waiting in traffic….

My driving habits were changed when the price of gas sky rocketed. I realized I could save $70.00/wk by moving my office at home. I get more work done with less drama, and I have peace I never thought was possible. Now that the price of gas has plunged, I am overjoyed at my savings. I amalso keeping our 4 cylinder because I know the (Flowers that be) are going to play this game and raise them again. I am patiently waiting for our new energy plan, and we can tell them all to take their oil, and burn it..

C.H.
Longview, Texas

Jack, This just goes to show how badly we have been ripped off by Big oil, all this time. Bush is going to live like a sheikh just like the ones he holds hands with and refers to as (uncle). Someone PLEASE prosecute him and his associates and try to get back the huge sum of money that they have stolen from us.

No the drop in gas prices haven’t changed my driving habits Jack.
I know when the weather warms back up in the spring when more people are out on the road. The gas prices will hit records again, and again! I am putting back and waiting for that to happen, because I know it will. The old oil game never fails to come around just in time for the holidays and warm weather!

I had become so aware of my driving habits when the price of gas was high that I find I am still very conscious about conserving and making smarter decisions than I used to. I am still in total conservative mode and hope everyone else is, too.

no… Poverty has!

I have a brilliant solution to the gas problem…

We have traffic cameras on our streets, right? Why can’t we install special cameras that take a picture of your license plate and levy a small surcharge per mile driven?. This way, we can make driving expensive without giving away our future to Big Oil.

No, everything else still costs more and more everyday. The gas prices falling is a small temporary convenience. I am sure they will find other ways to stick to us, like bailing out more corporate losers.

Jack,
Yes, I believe the fluctuating gas prices have finally caused Americans to realize how gas and oil controls not only their driving habits but their lives. Hopefully they will now demand that the US automakers build alternative energy cars so that US consumers can become energy independent from foreign control, while leading the way towards being the world leader in manufacturing ‘green’ cars.

I don’t have to put gas in the car just to go put gas in the car. Too bad food and everything else is still overpriced…

Jack , Gas prices have not effected my life style too much. We’re
retired and don’t do any extra driving.

With gas prices so low. I have a V8 truck and a 4cylinder truck. I still have to drive mainly the 4cylinder truck to try to make up all the money i lost from the high prices we had for so long.

Nope, I drive as little as possible under any circumstances anyway.

In 2 months George Bush is going to have to start buying his own gas, No wonder it’s going down.

No, I continue to conserve. One of the reasons that the cost of fuel has dropped IS BECAUSE when the price reach, $4 plus, a gallon, Americans started to change our driving practices.

The law of supply and demand is still in play.

not much jack its getting bad weather here and i dont like to get my veicle dirty and also dont like to give my money to the gas companys

Jack, plunging gas prices have not changed my driving habits. I only drove when necessary when gas prices were high and I still do so despite low gas prices? Why? Cars prevents people from exercising and it’s bad for the enviornment. Every American should significantly cut back on their driving and I’d be in favor of $20 gas prices if that were the only thing that encouraged them to do so.

No. My old GM clunker keeps me in line.

Jack,

I’m not fooled by plunging gas prices. What happened earlier this year is a foreshadowing of gas prices that, within five years, will go well beyond $6.00 per gallon. As such, I plan to buy hybrid car that I can modify to be co-powered with solar cells and run on used cooking oil.

Hi Jack,

this is the yoyo gas and auto game or maybe it is a tango dance between the two. Lower the price of gas, get people hooked again and the auto industry does not have to change a thing since cars are made to last just a few years anyways…bail them out, keep people working and driving and with the bailout it gives them enough time to survive the economy going down and then the auto industry can sell their old cars since they are stuck with them anyways! Wow! I can really feel the change in the air!

nope, i still stay home, ive got no job, no money,

They have made me a much happier driver, Jack ! It has also made me a safer driver as now I don’t keep my eyes focused on the gas guage. The exorbitant price of gas before, about $4 per gallon, forced me to combine tripsand find shorter routes. Those good habits haven’t changed nor will they regardless of how low gas prices go. Now, I am waiting for grocery and other prices to drop accordingly.
Brownwood, Texas

My Ford’s gas tank leaks. My Jeep’s fuel pump stopped working. I’m afraid to drive the International it’s so old. But my Merecury is #2 in dependably behind Lexus. I haven’t been driving much, Dude. But Ford builds-em good. Ford is just as good as Toyota (owned two). Ralph, Yakima, Wa.

Jack;
Yes, unfortunately. When gas was above $4/gallon, I was amazed to notice the amazing “dissappearance” of the SUVs and 4X4’s on the highways. This, coincided with huge losses in SUV sales, and the beginning of the Big 3’s demise.
It’s a ironic shame that the lower gas prices could end any thought about a much more logical and realistic future, concerning alternatives, and ultimately – climate change.
RI

Any benifit brought by cheaper gas has been offset by the ridiculous price of groceries and other goods. Besides, how long will it be before speculators drive oil up beyond this year’s records? I haven’t seen any proposals offered to stop a repeat of this crisis.

When gas prices went up-I quit my job and got a stay at home computer job so I would not have to put up with the rising gas prices. As I traveled quite a distance in my other job. Best thing I ever did. I paid myself every week what it would have cost me for gas. Over the weekend for the first time in a while, the family and I drove to the next state over (new hamshire-we live in Maine) to do some christmas shopping with all the money I saved not having to use my car. Go figure.

i only drive when its necessary, no matter what the prices are.

Our driving habits have permanently changed. While saving gas, we also saved money which we now need to buy food. We’re spending on necessities only. No more trips to Grandma, no more trips period. Work, doctors’ appointments, and the grocery store — that’s it for driving. If Big Oil and other retailers miss my dollars, they can thank George W. Bush. I won’t shed one tear over their losses because they sure as heck didn’t care about ours.

I am not changing a thing. I drive a fuel efficient car and although the recent rise caused me some stress, the plunge hasn’t change me either. I am concerned that the lowering of gas will cause Americans to become complacent toward solving our dependance on foriegn oil. We are such a fickle group.

Nope! Driving as little as possible. Using golf car, bicycle and walking all I can. The oil dudes will not get the little money I have left after the financial dudes made off with my retirement.

Actually, the drop in gas prices hasn’t changed my driving habits, but it has made me feel less stressed when I get in the car. Two dollars a gallon is still a lot of money, at least to me, but when I drive to school I don’t feel the pinch in my pocketbook quite as much and I’m grateful for that.

It has made me aware that wecannot take anything for granted.

The falling gas prices haven’t really affected my driving habits at all. I tried to be more judicious in my fuel use when prices were high, and I’ve kept those habits. And I believe these changes in my habits are worth keeping, because even though gas prices have been dropping in recent months, I think they will eventually rise again and continue the trend upward in the long run. The oil won’t last forever.

Not at all Jack,You know the Grinch/OPEC will be raisng their prices just in time for Christmas.
Simple economics Jack, if you cannot pay cash for what you buy you cannot AFFORD IT!

The dropping gas p[rices have not really effected my driving habits. However, they have allowed me to put away more money so I can better afford to pay for the plates of pork that are coming our way.

Not yet. The $4 mark is too fresh in our minds. I still drive as little as possible and dread filling up, even though it’s down to two bucks and change here. This recession and everything about it has forever changed consumerism in America, or at least for this generation.

Boise, ID

They haven’t changed my driving habits a bit, just as the increase in prices didn’t change them a bit. Why? Because I already tried to minimize unnecessary driving and always tried to make sure our family used the more fuel-efficient vehicle our family owns. My driving habits have changed, like avoiding stop-and-go and high-speed driving whenever possible, but those are results of learning how to drive more efficiently, not the rise in gas prices.

Not as much as you would think. After being squeezed for about 2 years, my family now does not drive as much, make one trip to the store when we used to make 3, and not knowing when, where, and how prices rise and fall, no more gas guzzlers.

Kenneth Chadbourn N.C.

Not alot. High gas price and big profits for oil companies already hurt alot of Americans pocket. It’s a relief but too late 4 it.

Not a chance! I have cut back my driving to bare bones for environmental and economic purposes.
I can’t say I miss this summer when it took about $50 to fill up an Honda Accord, as opposed to the $25 or so it costs now.
But I fully anticipate that gas prices will be back in the $4 to $5 per gallon range in the near future.
Iran is already calling for large production cuts from OPEC, and we await our next “Mid-East Crisis”, natural disaster or oil producing nation’s foreign policy bellicosity.

I drive about 550 miles per week and still can’t afford gas. But it’s a job tat I love and the other option is to work for 8 bucks an hour and stay close to home. Can’t move nobody can buy my house can’t buy another house can you say rock and a hard place.

Outraged, This needs to come to an END! If our government can not figure out how to control how the rest of the 350billion is spent, then it should be withdrawn. I am JUST SICK. Americans need to Just stop paying there Bills and see if the U.S. Government bails us out? Hmmm.

Jack,
Gas prices may have temporarily fallen; but because food prices have gone up, my health insurance will cost 85% more next year, and my home value has fallen so far that I can’t qualify for refinancing, I’m worse off now than when gas was higher.
No, plunging gas prices have not changed my driving habits. I still don’t have any disposable income to burn on frivolous driving around.

Rich Green
San Clemente, Cal.

Jack, those declining prices are not changing any habits, nor did the rising prices as we have built our society around transportation and getting from one place to another. We really don’t have a choice as you can’t walk most places and that is how we as a society have created life as we know it. It has nothing to do with addiction and everything to do with life as it was created. The schools are not across the street and neither is the grocery store, movie theater, DMV, shoe store, doctor, hospital, etc. What angers me is that those prices went up undoubtedly for no reason but to gouge us.

I still take public transportation everywhere I can. It’s cheap, relatively reliable, and the best part is I’m not putting any additional miles on my car. It’s a wonder I never did this before, I can’t even imagine how much money I wasted before I started taking public transportation. I’d like to personally thank the oil companies for knocking some sense into me and helping me see I don’t need to give them my money.

I ride my mountain bike alot more. I love my mountain bike.

It hasn’t changed my driving habits, but it sure is making my Social Security check go a bit farther.

With gas prices so low, I can finally hace a life. After cutting back on my travels and outdoor activities for the pass 6 months, I’m not sure if I still into the outdoors, maybe the couch wioth a bag of chips watching the Situation Room, is really the best way to go.

Plunging gas prices, no. Impending lay-off for both me and hubby from two unrelated companies for different reasons, YES. We won’t be driving at all if there is nothing to drive.

As for the so called bailout that money should have been given to the millions of tax payers so that we could jump start the ecom. by being able too spend and buy . We haev already seen that by giving to the rich that the money doesn’t flow down. By the way this should be tax free

no, because prices will go back up.

I am still very frugal with the miles I drive, it is a relief to have a bit more in your pocket to get the everyday things needed after putting fuel in our vehicle. High gas prices certainly make it rough when you do not have public transportation available.

We’ve never used our vehicle more than required, so the answer would have to be no. Unless you count taking my family out to dinner with the money we’re saving.

I’m driving places that I haven’t been in a while. I’m doing more with my paycheck now. I think that falling gas prices are helping the average American more then any tax cut plan could.

I drive more conscientiously but I can’t say the same for my wife. She drives as if there is a bottomless well of oil available. Difficult to change some habits of a lifetime.

My driving habits have not change at all. There also was a big drop in oil prices in 1986 due to the increase in fuel efficiency in vehicles. The auto industry is not doing enough. The sub compacts available like Toyota Yaris, Chevrolet Aveo Kia Rio get about 33-35 MPG highway. Considering the size of those vehicles, they should be getting at least 45-50 MPG.. They could accomplish by putting slightly smaller engines and better transmissions. to accomplish this. Why aren’t the doing it?

sounds like the 1970 again when the gas comes down everyone will start driving again, and car companys will sell the big car again,

some thing not right here

Not yet, but if the Saudis keep paying the Somalis to hijack more tankers to get the price back to above $140 per barrel, maybe I will.

I haven’t driven my car for more than 3 months, not one blessed mile. Before that, I had already cut back. I am fortunate that I can get just about anything I need by walking.

This week, I’ll take my bicycle up for a tune up and new tires and will expand my traveling radius.

These lower prices won’t last and besides that, like someone else said, a waste of gas is always a waste of gas.

Echoing still some others, when the heck will food prices come down now that there isn’t the excuse of high gasoline prices? Wake up Stop and Shop!!!

In a word: Yes. Even with prices settling down a little bit I don’t think my family’s driving habits are going to change anytime soon. We’ve seen how bad it can get and can only imagine how much worse is possible.

Nobody in America wants to get trapped in the four dollar mess again.

I planning to travel since the gas in cheap now! Here in Sacramento the price of gas is $2.09 – Plus – what helps me to plan was Obama on 60 minute said no matter what the price of gas is now we still need to work for our renewable energy. That give me confident.

I do not trust the plunging gas prices. There was no reason to raise the prices in the first place. There is no shortage. There is only greed. So will I drive more because the price of gas has finally gone down? No. Like I said, I do not trust the downward slide in gas prices because I do not trust the Oil CEO’s, Opec and Oil Corporations.

No. I don’t drive as much as I use too. Well, I never drove much before gas prices went up. I still hope we, as Americans, can hold our elected officials to our dreams of alternative forms of energy and fuel. We need to loosen our grips on oil/gas as our primary source of energy to get from point A to point B. I worked so much (in the past) that my use of oil/gas was primarily to and from work. Telecommuting will go a long way to solving our problems too.

No. Since the stock market has also fallen, I shop less and do less. I have learned to take a short flight to visit family rather than drive. I run errands strategically. But for me the best thing that comes with cheaper gas, and therefore oil, is the strengthening of the dollar. So, hopefully this trend will continue when I go back to Europe next year, if, of course, I have any money left. When I was there in June, one Euro was $1.58. In Sept, $1.44. Now $1.25. The pound has gone from $2.05 to $1.47 in this same time period.

Not for me personally, but in the morning and late at night, I see more and more lumbering dinasauers, Escalades, SUV’s, Hummers and the like. They seem to coming back down out of the mountains, some with banners, “Bankruptcy or Bust”, we are the bane of GM’s existance.

And the rest of you will suffer.

Jack, I’m in Brazil where gas is three times what it is in the US. My answer to your question is that when I get home I’ll be able to go back to buying red meat like I’m enjoying down here. I hope I finally make your cut since I’m writing from my honeymoon!

Lisa C. ( & Ryan!)
Chicago, IL
(for the next week Bonito, MS, Brasil)

I’ve put away my bike, and stopped asking my wife for the little Toyota. I am now taking out my pickup truck out again. What! You didn’t want the truth?

none-I still don’t have any money to buy gasoline.

i don’t drive as often as i did due to the high gas prices recently but have noticed they have dropped significantly lately due to americans driving less.i do think gas prices will go back up again when opec decides to raise the price for a barrel of oil.i wish this country could come up with alternative energy sources,then we could tell opec that they could drink their oil

Because I am a college student who has to drive twenty miles a day to get to school, the lower gas prices makes it more bearable for me to make my daily drives to school.

Jack
Great gas prices for hard working Americans – - really bad news for the alternitive energy industry – and global warming – - – let’s couple this with an upcoming taxpayer funded bail-out for the American Auto Industry – - – and I guess we’ll be expecting a new model Hummer !
Hey Jack – - – how about – if we bail out these guys – - – we insist on a mandatory increase in the cafe gas mileage requirements – Obviously – - – GM will not make a competative car to Honda and Toyota – - until they are forced to – - – clean out all the “suits” – - – we all know that the workers on the factory floors will pay the biggest price.

I am doing more with less. It’s fine. I have really cut back on extra errands and consolidate my plans to be more efficient.

Well Jack, I went out and traded my seven-seater SUV for a five-seater crossover in September when gas prices were higher. It has been a compromise since we have three children but I still feel good about the decision. I do find that when gas is cheaper I run more errands and drive a little further than is really necessary. I keep in check now by leasing and keeping myself to 1,000 mi/mo regardless of how low gas goes.

My driving habits changed exactly zero. Sure prices may be down, but I enjoy that warm fuzzy feeling I get not having to break the bank to get to the bank. Hey, when the prices go back up the transition will be easy. Then I’ll just wait for the oil industry bailout.

I would think that most people changed their habits a long time ago when oil was heading to its peak. I personally don’t drive at all – my job can be done from home and what can’t I get delivered these days?
They can keep their oil – I’ll sell my car and jet ski to someone else who wants to support foreign countries that hate us.

Most of us don’t get to vacation that much. Taking a weekend trip in the car is the least we deserve. When you see the rich taking vacations in their own private jet, it doesn’t seem fair to expect the rest of us to save gas by not leaving the house.

The falling prices haven’t changed my driving habits at all.

I sold my car, and now take the subway and bus.

It made me realize how corrupt this oil adminstration in the white house is, Bush did nothing about the speculation that doubled fuel prices.

Hi Jack,

The falling gas prices have only encouraged me to drive more carefully to save even MORE!

I am committed to see our country quit our addiction to foreign oil!!

I would love to see the DIESEL fuel prices come down at the same rates as the regular gas.

Interesting to me: it takes half as much money to make the diesel fuel, but we are charged almost twice as much as regular…why is that?

BTW…..had Detroit bothered to build reliable and efficient diesel engines that get 50+ mpg (like VW and other foreign cars) we would not have to bail them out!!

It hasn’t changed them at all Jack, I just get on my bike and ride!
Regards,
Chip

no change, just a lighter frame of mind!

I am a college student and am often strapped for cash. Because gas prices are lower I can drive with my heat turned on more often, as I am less worried about conserving gas!

I’m retired Jack, and i only leave my house 1 day a week to go Food Shopping.

I’m still driving as though the gas price was four dollars a gallon because as fast as it came down it can go back up.

Gas prices haven’t changed my driving habits in the slightest, Jack. I’m addicted to oil and loving it.

We were looking at a Prius, but now we’re going to get a hummer.

Im in NJ and its been a relief that the gas prices have dropped but im so used to cutting back on driving that nothing has changed. Hopefully the prices stay low through the holidays to make christmas a little less painful this year.

None Jack I’m still not driving anymore than I have to and let’s hope we can stick it to them this one time. And if the big three go under we will use less. Why can’t they build Fords, Chev. Like the ones I saw in London this last summer???? Do they have a deal with the oil people??

gas prices are different in states because of individual state taxes. For example I travel back and forth through Kansas and Oklahoma. Gas is cheaper in Oklahoma but their road and bridge quality is awful. Kansas has more expensive gas buy about ten cents a gallon but their road quality is top notch

Gas prices haven’t changed my driving habits, but saving $100 + a month is very helpful. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.

When I started my carpet cleaning business a few months ago gas killed me. Now it’s not even close to what it was. I don’t mind the downward spiral of the county too much.

It hasn’t changed my driving habits. It’s just meant that I can buy groceries with a little more ease and pay my other bills with some peace of mind…

They haven’t. I’m not fooled by the sudden drop in prices. Eventually the prices will go back up, so in the mean time I am saving what little money I can.

If you do not have cash in your pocket, it does not make a difference what the gas prize is.

My driving habits haven’t changed… I still have to drive to work and back. What’s changed with lower gas prices is my eating habits.
Darrell – Florida

NO – but filling up at $40 vs $80 gives me a little more to eat with

I havent changed my driving habits at all. High gas prices in addition to the concern about the environment was a rude awakening for most people, including me. now i drive only if i absolutely have to.

LOL, Well, Jack, No…even if gas were Free, I don’t have money to spend.

A USA gas station in Fort Deposit, AL is $1.67 a gallon when everyone else in the area is about $1.90 a gallon. I immediately filled up.

Gas here in Texas is $1.55, and I’m looking for it going lower. As for my changes, considering I’ve been laid off my job and am looking once more, my driving has only changed in so that I’m no longer having to travel as much as a did as a vendor. Gas prices now are helping–A Lot.

My driving habits did not change at all. I do not drive a car; I use transit. My city recently increased transit fares however due to the rising costs of gas, and I would like to see them decrease fares back to the previous fare now that they do not have the recently increased expense of fuel.

Hey Jack, I live in Ontario Canada and our prices is roughly 85.cents a litre which is wonderful seeing three months ago it was 1.40 a litre, well my time off is spent in Buffalo on the weekends because the savings is wonderful, so we drive alot more now than before.Talk about an early Christmas present.

The prices rise and fall to manipulate us into a false sense of security and therefore keeping us addicted to oil…
May I suggest that the oil companies with soaring profits bail out the auto industry in America…which uses oil and fossil fuels and has been slow to change..
Is it not in the best interest of the oil companies to keep them going.?..they have lots of cash…let them spread it around..
Once you guys bail them out we have to do it up here too……

Is it me or does gas seem to go further when it’s cheaper? I feel like they add something to fuel to make it go quicker when it’s at a high price so you have to buy more.

The $4/gal kept me from wasting a lot of time to make extra trips to stores. Now that prices are dropped to <$2/gal, I keep doing it and saving plenty of cash, time, and emissions. It’s pretty grand when the prices of everything else are rising so high.

Falling gas prices have not changed my driving habits, I’m just glad I’m able to save a bit more money now.

By the way, gas prices are so low in NJ because we have one of the lowest state gasoline taxes in the nation here. Which would make this a good time to raise those taxes to fill the humongous hole we have in the state budget. because of falling collections for other taxes (income, realty transfer, etc.)

Not one little bit. We are trying to hang on in this horrible economy, and are hoping to survive the winter without having to put our home up for sale.

(From Delray Beach, Florida)
The simplicity of the gas prices has changed mine and everybody’s I know habits. We used to cringe to the weak gallons we could afford and would conserve what we could, some even beginning to use alternative energy. But with this, people are spending more than they spent before. People are buying so much, that without notice they actually go over what they spend 61 days ago.

The drop in gas prices has not changed my driving habits at all. The recent run up in gas prices this summer forever changed the way I drive. People need to understand that gas prices can rise again just as quickly as they’ve fallent he last two months. The only way to keep gas prices down is to drive less. The worldwide decline in demand and backlash against OPEC has clearly had an effect. Don’t drive unless you absolutely have to…

I try to drive like i did when gas was $4.59 here in fla. because the prices that shot up because gas went up still have not gone down not to mention the food prices havenot only stay the same but the portions have shrunk i think corp. america is convinced the population is filled with morons. trying my best not to prove them right

It hasn’t changed my driving habits overall, although I will splurge and drive 2.5 hours one way to see friends over Thanksgiving weekend. If the gas prices were still in the $4+ range, that wouldn’t be possible. Not sure anyone in similar situation to me should ’splurge’ too much when none of us have any guarantee we will continue to be employed.

Gas prices haven’t really affected our dirving habits, but it is nice to be able to afford to start the car once a week now to keep the battery charged.

I have been commuting upwards of 40 miles each way to work for 4 years. Although it has always been a sacrifice, gas prices made it impossible for me! In September, I got a new job. My office is now 8 miles from my home. It is unbelievable how much money I was spending on gas!

The cheap gas, especially here in NJ is definitely welcome, but it’s not really changing my driving habits. I’m not giving up my 42mpg-when-I-want-it Honda Civic and people should not forget that the high oil prices can be just around the corner to attack our wallets once again. Don’t be fooled…the prices WILL go back up.

Helder from Somerset, NJ

The falling prices have not changed my driving habits. But, if you know someone who’d like to buy my H2, I’d be greatful!

Jack, I’m 20, living paycheck to paycheck, and have nothing to show for working my butt off the last 2 years. I’m under a mountain of debt and my jobs at risk. Now at least I can afford to fill up my car every week without bursting into tears, and get where I need to get without breaking a sweat.

No, cheap gas doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a job to pay the car payments.

My driving is less. I am sick of these oil companies reaping billions of profits at my expense.

The dropping price of gas has not changed my driving habits one bit. Had it came during a time when the economy was fundamentally strong, it might have. Instead – the savings I get at the pump head straight into savings. I am fearful of where this country is headed and I am not at all sure that my job is secure.

The lower prices have not changed our concern and driving habits. We drive together as much as possible. The country MUST continue to work towards developing alternative energy sources for our children and grandchildren!

gas prices went up and my car stayed parked, until i have to go to work

Hi Jack, My family of four have not increased our driving habits with the lower prices at the pump. We still worry about the high cost of durable goods and the up coming holidays. I can say if at spring break the gas prices are stablized, we will consider takeing a road trip once again with the family. Until after the holidays we are still being thrifty.

Kevin
Augusta Ga

I think the dropping of gas prices is just a way for fuel companies to hit the renewable energy dilemma.
by doing this people forget of the whole idea of safe the environment drive a hybrid idea and start driving big SUV’s and make those companies more profitable

Lower gas prices only mean my $20 bucks will give me a tiny bit more gas. I do wonder why here in my area of Ohio gas was $1.71 a week ago and gas dropped even more a barrel, But gas has gone up to $1.84. I wish I could buy by the barrel it’s cheaper. I hope this does not cause the American people to forget we need other sources. It will be $4 a gallon again and we will be all upset again.

My driving habits have not changed a bit since the price of gas has gone down. Between food prices, medical costs, and paying my mortgage, how can I afford to drive at whatever price?

The plunge in gas prices have definitely changed my driving habits. I am now able to get more gas for my money 15$ is able to allow me a good traveling distance in gallons. I can save more money and use my saved money for well deserved things such as school, or going out and driving with ease.

My driving habits have NOT changed. Gas prices may have gone down, but so has our income – and my memory is not that fickle. It’s not such a stretch to remember $4 gas. I combine errands to only 1 day a week and do them all as close to home as I can. What little money I am saving on my gas budget I am setting aside incase the worst happens and my husband loses his job. He builds pick-up trucks for a living.

It hasn’t. We still have to drive to work and back everyday. We’re just glad to finally save some money.

The plunging prices haven’t changed my driving habits at all. I’m just using the money saved at the pump toward groceries, etc. which haven’t fallen along with the gas prices.

Jack the high gas prices forced my family to cut back on certain things, like golf, movies, dinning out, and certain things at the supermarket. Since the prices have declined we have begun to start some of those items that were cut back.

Not at all. I am actually driving less.

I am aware that the more I buy, the higher the demand and prices.

Its just plain stupid to buy more because then it will cost even more for the minimum.

We have started shopping after we get off work. We don’t make any extra trips to town. Simple when you don’t have the money, you just don’t spend it.. Maybe Wall-Street could learn a lesson from the budgeted middle class!!

I still drive slower but this economy is driving me insane!

dear jack; i believe the gas is cheaper in nj; because there are oil refineries right on rte. 22.

Plunging gas prices have yet to change my driving habits following the terrifying surge from earlier this year. I’ve already freed myself from my addiction to oil and found a new one – walking, biking and less long distance traveling. It is easier on my blood pressure and pocketbook.

Well the cost of gas price have offset the rising prices of other basic needs so i am broke at the end of the week like i was before,where i spent most of it on gas and eating at home now i can use that little saving to eatout once in a while and feel like i am doing my bit with economy going putting my money back in market.

For about 2 years now, I have very carefully planned my car trips and spend many days at home. However, this little respite will not last, it never does. As soon as spring gets near, the prices will shoot back up, it happens every year. The low prices now are just lulling us into a false sense of security. Karen from Nevada City, Ca

Jack the lower prices of fuel have helped me to start putting money into my savings. I learned to drive a lot less when gas was high and I am going to continue to do what I learned.

I had made reservations early during the year to go to biloxi, and then when the gas prices rose to almost 4.00 a gallon, I cancelled my reservations, now that gas has gone back down to 2.00, I made reservations again..BILOXI here i come

Since gas prices have dropped to a decent price, I am now able to pay my credit card off, eat out more, go to a movie, and in general, contribut to the economy.

I think the lower gas prices in NJ have something to do with a lower gas tax in that state.

The falling prices have not changed my driving habits one little bit. I’m still taking public transportation from home to work and back and try to only drive on the weekend. I have no illusions that these low prices will be permanent. Ironically, once the economy begins to recover, so will the price of oil. The only way to permanently divorce ourselves from the fickle price of oil is to fully develop alternative, renewable fuel sources. Otherwise, America will continue to feel the pain when our current fuel feast inevitably falls back into famine.

It is a shame when we think $1.81 per gallon is a good deal. Remember gas was $1.58 when Bill Clinton left office. If McCain had won the election and if the Republicans had maintained control of Congress gas would be $3.81.

The change in gas prices hasn’t changed my driving habits at all. The biggest mistake we can make right now is to retreat from the alternative energy craze. Lowering gas prices is just another game run by OPEC and the oil industry in a sad attempt to trick us into buying oil again. This will go on forever until we kick this “addiction” once and for all!

That’s a hoot. Folks with no jobs can’t afford gas at any price. So, let them stay home and eat cake.

Falling gas prices haven’t had any effect on my driving habits. It is naieve to believe that the price will continue to fall, or even remain stable. This is how we get suckered. Opec won’t cut production because the cost here doesn’t affect their bottom line. So we get used to driving more, buying more gas, and BAM!…..up goes the price. I’m learning to live like gas is being rationed. I travel as little as possible, love the low cost of the product for now, but watch the future of gas prices with wary eyes.

Hello Jack,
I live across the street from the college I attend and am lucky enough to be a reporter for the newspaper there. I can walk 80 percent of the time I need to get somewhere, so it doesn’t affect me too much, but maybe I should fill up just in case!

It hasn’t and it won’t – Our similarities are being youthfully old wry codger recognizing the state of our economy and what is coming, and having an extra dollar or two for my grand children.

The change in gas prices hasn’t changed my driving habits, but it has made it possible to use those funds for other things in my house hold like food and entertainment. But I think we stille need to distance ourselves from foriegn oil because OPEC is determined to drive the price of oil back up to what they want it to.

Since I lost my job of 11 years at a new car dealership two months ago, I only go out about twice a week to get groceries and go to the bank. I have a super duty truck to tow my rv and I get lousy mileage. But what choice do I have? By the way, unless you’re a nurse or a truck driver, there aren’t any jobs out there.

When gas prices flirted with the $4 mark I stopped driving unnecessarily. I am now unemployed, have been for four months, and with gas prices plunging I still don’t drive more than I need. In fact, until yesterday I still had gas in my tank that cost $3.57 a gallon, six weeks ago. Now gas here is $2.15 a gallon. All this in a car that gets nine miles per gallon.

Simply put – it hasn’t. Let’s see how low can it go?

Plunging gas prices haven’t changed my habits. I have recently lost my job, so I’m consolidating all driving trips just as I was when prices were through the roof. At any price, filling my tank is still a hardship. When I return to work, I will continue this frugal lifestyle and continue limiting my miles.

My driving habits have changed in response to $3-4 gasoline prices. I drive less and jump on my bicycle more. If we continue to conserve fuel during times when gas prices drop, then we ensure less demand and lower prices for gas for years to come. I am a huge supporter of alternative fuels and hope dropping prices do not hinder our progress in developing those alternative energy prospects.

Jack – The cheaper gas prices have only made me more determined than ever to help our country reduce its dependence on foreign oil. I am walking more, enjoying Mother Nature (even when it’s cold) and reducing my waistline. What’s not to like? They could drop the price to a quarter per gallon, and I still woudn’t change my driving habits.

Suzanne

If you’re driving more now that prices are down then you JUST DON’T GET IT! Our economy is never going recover if people don’t stop spending money they don’t have to spend… and believe me, the government won’t be bailing you out if you go broke due to mismanaging funds.

When gas prices increased- that changed my driving habits drastically. But for the good, because now that prices have plummeted, I find myself still trying to conserve gas, may making one trip do for all my errands. no unnessary stops, shopping with family – instead of my niece make a separate trip, and maintaining proper tire pressure and driving the speed limit. So the increasing proces have made me more aware of our energy crunch and trying to do my part to help.

My driving habits haven’t really changed because I am scared if I get too excited and start taking longer trips from home, the gas prices will skyrocket the next week. It is a good feeling to see the prices dropping, I just refuse to let myself believe in this “unpredictable” economy it will stay this low.

I’m still conserving while I commute but I’m driving more and longer. I barely left my town over the summer, but now I’m taking my girlfriend to all the places she wanted to go instead of saying, “gas is too expensive, baby.”

I would say its like a tax break, but really its and illusion to the American people. Simply put this is just like a wave going back into the ocean right before a tsunami; what i am waiting for is the moment government says we have to give the remaining amount of bailout money to the oil co. and that is really when we go into a depression.

My driving habits has not change since the gas prices sky rocketed. As a matter of fact I’m driving more and more less. My question is…why isn’t someone explaining how all of a sudden a barrel of gas go down so quickly, and just a couple of months ago we were running around like chickens with our heads cut off because there was no gas hardly anywhere to be bought. I cut up all my credit cards, and I’m not going to buy a house either. I will save as much as I can, and hopefully by the time I retire, Lord willing, so social security money will be around since I’ve been paying taxes since I was 16 years old.

Aside from simply cashing in while Bush was still in office, the rising oil and gas prices were all about creating pressure on the public and Congress to gain access to offshore oil, and now the rapidly falling prices are all about thwarting the move to clean energy sources and high mpg cars now that Obama has been elected. We’re were manipulated leading up to the election, and are now being manipulated after again.

Oh my God Jack! I thought I would just die when I upgraded my car from a Honda Civic to an Acura TL. Not only did I have to pay more because of higher gas prices, but I had to upgrade to using Super!! Now that gas prices have gone down I’m having a blast. In fact I’m thinking about taking my long overdue trip to Dallas, TX. It FINALLY feels good to drive my new car again.

Jack,

Actually, the surge in gas prices has changed my driving habits and I am sticking to my guns on this one. I telecommute as much as possible (2 to 3 days/week). Hopefully, the rest of America will learn from the shock of the surge and not revert to their old ways while the oil companies try to lull us back to sleep with these temporary low prices.

Jack,

Even though gas prices have dropped, and I’m reading that the cost of living is the lowest it has been in years, I’m not seeing it. My grocery bill is still outrageous – due largely to the rising grain costs, thank you biofuels. No…I’m still driving less and realizing that we all need to change our ways permanantly. It was our love of stuff, including driving around in our big cars, that has helped get us in this economic mess.

Since the sky high prices from this past summer caused me to downsize to motorcycles I haven’t changed a thing. It’s great to fill up for less than ten dollars. When high prices return, as they surely will, I’ll be all set.

No. I’m still sore from the $4.00 a gallon from the summer. I’m still driving less but the cost of food is getting my savings.

I’m trying to hold to better habits I developed during the price hikes. I live in an area where the only way around is by car-zero public transport. I will be pushing my legislator to get on with an energy plan sooner rather than later. The economy, the environment, all are good reason for us to move forward on the energy and continue to conserve.

They haven’t. I know that they won’t stay this low. As soon as the economy recovers, prices will bounce back up to the levels of this past July. I don’t want to go back to old practices only to learn that I will have to conserve again. I might as well keep doing it.

Personally, I hope this doesn’t derail efforts to get us off foreign oil. Our dependancy on those sources will continue to be a national security threat no matter how cheap it is. I’d rather pay more and have the source be reliable.

Jason
Mehoopany, PA

My driving habits have not gone back to the way they used to be and probably never will. Driving smart by planning your stops along a route and choosing the times to drive (days off and evenings) to avoid traffic also help in that. Riding a bike or taking public transit and walking a few blocks fills in the rest of the trips. It’s not only good for the wallet, but one’s waistline as well.

I have continued to drive the same way as I did when fuel was close to $4 a gallon;smooth and easy. It is easier on my vehicle, and easier on my pocket. So I have learned to not drive with a lead foot.

They haven’t changed a bit. I have nowhere to drive since I have no money to spend.

Re: Gasoline price difference in NY and NJ.

Combined federal, state and local taxes in NY add up to 60.9 cents.

In New Jersey, its 32.6 cents.

We have not changed our driving or fuel consumption habits as a result of the plunging prices. As a retired couple, being frugal is part of our lives. We’re not strapped for cash, merely leftover hippies wanting a better world. However, we do suspect that teenage drivers with simplified budgets would change their habits and drive more… unless they’ve been impressed with green goals for the future of our environment.

Glad to see the gas prices doing down but I still believe we need to be energy independant. Also with a little more gas money in my pocket, have more money to cover the higher cost of other goods.

Thanks

Hasn’t changed because the banks will not give me a auto loan so I still walk

It’s helped save money so we can buy food.

Not at all, still combining my trips, driving as if it’s $4.00 per gallon. We have to know this price drop is only temporary

Jack, lower gas prices mean I can sleep a little better. I have been tossing and turning, wondering how to afford fuel just to commute to work. I already replaced the old gas-guzzler with a wonderful new car (OK, a year old now) that gets me around on one tank of 11 gallons every two weeks (usually 29-31 mpg mixed driving).

But maybe now I can even afford to go out someplace nearby for recreation. When fuel was at $4 a gallon, I didn’t go ANYWHERE except work and back.

By the way – fuel is cheaper in New Jersey thanks to the presence of oil delivery terminals and ports, and a lot of refineries. There’s a reason that Ft. Lee smells so bad.

I am still monitoring how much and how I drive. This is a temporary situation – we aren’t weaned off foreign oil. On a related note, if a federal bailout of the auto industry only allows them to continue to put more SUVs on the road, I will be sick. It is well past the time for America to wake up and realize the situation we/the world/the climate are in. More SUVs are not the answer. If the bailout money is mandated to switching technologies and building green – truly green – hydrogen or electric vehicle, then I’m for it. Otherwise, it bad money after good money.

Since the gas prices have gone up, I have become more aware of my driving habits and keeping my car as energy efficient as possible. I believe most Americans have done the same, and because of this, gas prices have dropped. I plan on continuing to be as consevative as I can with my driving. Hopefully, this will keep the prices down and we won’t need to “Drill Baby Drill!”

I am a salesman and I have to drive to see my clients and that is regardless of the cost t the pump. The IRS incresed my milage deduction rate to .585 a gallon. That was when gas was $3 plus.
That rule has not changed as prices have dropped. How can I not love this?

Sarge
Indianapolis

Absolutely not!

Plunging gas prices haven’t affected my driving at all . I still drive my car only as a neccesity. I still ride a bike, take the bus or walk.tto go to work or to do the family chores.I need the exercise. I know in the back in my mind the oil companies will pull a fast one and raise the prices once again.

Gas prices in Alaska are still over $3.00 per gallon. And heating fuel is higher still. The only driving I do is to work and back. As for natural gas, we had bills last winter as high as $400 per month. My husband and I spent all summer splitting and stacking wood, and that new stove has already paid for itself. With no heating costs, I can still afford gas and groceries.

Yes, it’s great to have gas prices down again (I predicted this in August to most of my coworkers, as I compared the speculators in Real Estate, Commodities, etc. and how they always eventually fall and fail), BUT
I was laid off after 18 years with the same automobile dealer and cannot afford gasoline anyway.
P.S. I only drive American and Canadian-built cars:
Three Oldsmobile Toronados, Cadillac Eldorado, Buick Wildcat (one-of-a-kind 2007 version), Dodge Magnum, Oldsmobile Silhouette, Buick Park Avenue.

Even with cheaper fuel prices we are not motivated to drive anywhere to spend money that we do not have!

No. I’m still driving less and trying not to be wasteful in my gas usage. Just because the price of gas is falling there’s no reason to be complacent. I’m not falling so easily back into the same trap that helped get us here. Anyone who does is foolish indeed. This situation should actually increase development of alternative fuels rather than delay it. We would be idiots as a nation not to take advantage of the savings and the breathing space from something (higher gas and oil prices) that is inevitable anyway.

I was considering a fuel efficient car but now I’m going to buy a big SUV! Yeah baby – Cheap oil is here! In all honesty, I believe we are headed down the same road we’ve traversed before. We have a reprieve but will crash into an even worse oil crisis down the road. The smartest thing we could do would be to tax oil so that it results in $3.25 a gallon. Everyone could get a tax credit to compensate for the cost.

It won’t be long before those in charge of oil production figure a way to get back thier profits, and stick it to America. I’m a believer in reducing our dependancy on foreign energy suppliers, and focusing our attempts on domestic prodcution of solar, wind, NG, and other alternatives. Our collective future, plus those in auto industry, and other supporitng industries depend on our resistance to return to the mass consumprion of fossil fuels. I will not return to preivous driving habits, untile it contirbutes to the succes of a new energy policy.

I’m a freshman in college living about three minutes from school but 3 hours from home. Before the decline in gas prices i couldn’t afford to visit friends and family but once a month; now i can visit every other week if i want to.

i have changed my driving habit, that is to drive less!
I hope thay have to drink the stuff!

No Jack. When gas prices soared, I limited my driving to Mondays and Fridays to grocery shop, run errands, etc. Even now that gas prices are low, I still only drive on Mondays and Fridays. I am doing more with less………………………who would have thunk that???

Not anymore then the high prices did. What I want to know is why the price of food has not come down like it went up because of “high fuel prices”.

For pleasure travel, we’ll be driving more with the cost of gas down low. But that doesn’t mean we are spending money as if we really have it. We still look at cutting costs in our budget in these hard economic times and conserving for tougher times ahead.

And for business travel, I’m taking shorter, more regional trips and avoiding long distance travel where the airlines are concerned. With their nickle and dime charges, I refuse to fly when I can avoid it.

Jordan Dane
Oklahoma

My habits havn’t changed since the drop in gas prices. When prices soared earlier in the year I invested in a bike and it sure has changed my driving habits so much that I hardly have to worry about gas prices. I personally dont think that the trend in falling prices is going to last. Whats more, we must remember that the goal is to eventually ween the country off gas, not use when its cheap and slow down when it isnt. We must all change our habits to drive less even if the price is low. People shouldnt rush to drive more now that the price of gas is back to where it originally was almost 4 years ago, but instead look at it as a much needed break and a chance for saving up for the bike that will come in handy when the prices soar again.

They haven’t changed at all. When prices were over $4 per gallon I cut drastically back on my driving, and I have continued that as prices dropped. I refuse to go back to wasting gas unnecessarily, and this way I save a little extra as well.

The gas here in California is $2.29! (I’ll have to move back to NJ) Makes no difference how low it gets for people who are losing their homes or out of work! Being retired with a limited income, it’s a drop in the bucket! We’ve cut as far as we dare but prices on everything are still going up What are they going to blame it on now. Can’t be the gas!

While gas prices plunge, food prices soar. You may not break the bank driving to and from work, but you most certainly will driving to and from the grocery store.

Basic economics states the more you sell, the lower the price and the less you sell, the higher. Can someone explain to me why economics 101 does not apply here?

Jack,

Nothing has changed for us yet. Gas is still too high and we’ve had to pay even more for so long now that we are still trying to recover from it and aren’t driving any more than we have too. Still, it is nice to pay less for it.

I am still monitoring how much and how I drive. This is a temporary situation – we aren’t weaned off foreign oil. On a related note, if a federal bailout of the auto industry only allows them to continue to put more SUVs on the road, I will be sick. It is well past the time for America to wake up and realize the situation we/the world/the climate are in. More SUVs are not the answer. If the bailout money is mandated to switching technologies and building green – truly green – hydrogen or electric vehicle, then I’m for it. Otherwise, it bad money after good money.

Varoom, Varoom. How quickly we forget.

Jack – I traded my Z71 and the Blazer for two gas savers, a Honda and a Nissan. I then started driving slower and smarter and was amazed at the savings in gasoline. Now that the prices are down I still conserve and really enjoy doing it. I will never return to my gas guzzling ways. With that said, I’ve been around long enough to remember that we’ve been in this situation before, gas prices going sky high and then when conservation and alternative fuels were all the sudden popular, gas prices went down and we all went back to our old guzzling ways. It’s different this time, prices are down but I don’t believe were going to buy it this time.
Rich, Owasso, OK

Since the gas prices have gone up, I have become more aware of my driving habits and keeping my car as energy efficient as possible. I believe most Americans have done the same, and because of this, gas prices have dropped. I plan on continuing to be as consevative as I can with my driving. Hopefully, this will keep the prices down and we won’t need to “Drill Baby Drill!”
Jessica Z
Melbourne, FL

I have to admit to hopping in the car for an errand or two a bit more readily now that gas prices have fallen. But I would strongly support an increase in gas taxes to give us a floor beneath which gas prices would not fall. Without the pain of high prices, Americans do not have the resolve to push for alternative energy sources or to demand that auto makers manufacture the energy efficient vehicles which should have been produced years ago.
Judy in Manhattan, KS

My new Wife and I are sill driving less than we were 18 months ago. While we have put our plans to buy at least one hybrid on hold, we have not put the idea on the shelf for good. I believe car companies, Toyota and Honda leading the way, will continue to move in an alternative energy or hybrid technology direction. Automakers are far less short sighted than John Q Public. For now we will drive our current cars less and plan our routes efficiently.

The good news is that people can afford to drive again, the bad news is that means more people talking away on their cell phones while driving…

Why is gas in NJ cheaper than anywhere else? One simple answer. The sales tax is lower.

I can say that I don’t have a car yet, but my Parents do. They don’t seem to have changed habits while driving, but they’re now talking less about Gas Prices while at the pump. However, I still can’t say the Prices are what they used to be, at $1.XX on average at Gas Stations oh so long ago. Even me, a 13 year old notices that.

Am I the only one who’s noticed that as soon as people start talking seriously about alternative sources for fuel, gas prices drop? It lasts just long enough so that the movement never gains much momentum and people become complacent again. Of course, we never have to wait long before the prices go up again. When they do this time, I guess we’ll suddenly be all about going green and energy independence again.

Plunging gas prices haven’t changed my driving habits at all. As a person very concerned with environmental degradation, I long ago stopped all unnecessary driving. The dramatic rises in gas prices only added to my reduced-driving life-style. If lowering gas prices lead people back to their Hummers, we’re a nation of idiots, and very selfish ones at that.

Jack, how much CAN my driving habits change? I go to work,I go home. There’s nothing else left anymore. The government wants me to change my driving habits? How about they send me my paycheck to my home every week and I’ll SELL the car and walk where ever I need to go? Fat chance, huh?

The decrease in gas prices hasn’t changed my wife and I’s driving habits one bit. We still carpool everyday possible, and will in the future, regardless of price. Besides, it is only a matter of time before OPEC cuts production by a million barrells, but it will likely be much more than that, so that they can obtain the price they want. In the short term, we are happy to see relief at the pump, and we try to take that savings and put it towards other bills.

Lower gasoline prices have not changed my resolve to drive less and/or practice fuel efficient driving habits. We have a long way to go to recover the money BIG Oil and OPEC have gouged from us.

now that the gas prices have gone down, iam able to drive to jersey to fill the tank. Mark ,The Bronx

The new, wonderfully low gas prices has not really enticed me to drive more. I have always been one to conserve. I definitely do feel better when I fill up my CRV now, though. I hope this nation goes ahead with plans to stop importing our oil from other countries. Natural gas seems like a good way to go.

No change in driving habits, got a Honda hybrid over a year ago, get 50+ MPG.

Gas prices are totally artificial. They dropped before the election in an effort to sway the vote. I’m surprise they haven’t already gone up again now that the oil companies lost their Spokesman.

Jack oil prices has changed my driving habit forever. I own a 1 Ton pickup truck and recently purchased a Chevy Aveo, The pickup is parked and I am deciding what to do with it next perhaps sell or maybe leave it in the driveway on display. My family an I only take absolutely necessary trips and that is it. I refuse to be held hostage again and driving will never be the same for the family.

my drving is the same as it has been for the past six months .
im so scarred from paying five dollars a gallon that i have really become disgusted with fossil fuel as a whole(the necessary product) and the people who produce it i can only hope there are other people that feel the same as i.
this is a prime example of why we should let the auto industry burn rite to the very ground. we need a new henry ford and a new william chevrolet….ie a new approach to building vehicals that dont run on this crap.
george
chester,ct.

Personally, I feel that these record low gas prices are too good to last. That is why I am trying to curb my bad, gas-wasting habits, i.e. driving too fast and maintaining my car for optimum performance. Like Aristotle said in his Ethics, “We are what we repeatedly do…” so I am habitually trying to save as much money for rainy days with exorbitant gas prices.

Jack take the 700 billion and divide it by the number of people who got the 600 dollar stimulus checks last time. Now that is a stimulus check and people would buy cars, pay off their homes, buy new homes, TVs,cloths, go on trips, Over night we are up and running. But I guess that is to simple for the idiots on the Hill.

Lower prices have caused me to drive LESS – that’s right, less. They say never kick a man when he’s down, but in point of fact, that’s the best time to kick him. By saving fuel now, I deprive OPEC of the weapon it is using to hurt my country, and the best time to hurt them is when they are already hurting.

My advice to Mr. Obama would be this: Use this opportunity to slap on a one dollar per gallon federal tax on fuel. This will cause people to drive less and the price of oil will go down further, maybe negating the tax altogether. Take the money you get and put it one hundred percent into a Manhattan Project to get us off foreign oil within the next ten years.

Hello,
The prices of oil coming down is a good for consumers especially these days when economies have downward trend. But in the mean time, goods prices must be cut down because their production cost already comes down. In this way , sale & produtcion will be increased, more jobs and no recession.

Faisal
Toronto, Canada

It has not changed. I work for transportation company, and the gas prices are too damn high. How is that demand goes up so much from 1999 when gas was .79 to over $4. people should not get complacent with prices falling until it is under $1 and even then we should only increase our driving by 25% from the present. The only way to truly get the attention of energy companies is to help them see that the way forward is renewable energy.

Lawrence
Detroit, MI

It won’t be long before those in charge of oil production figure a way to get back thier profits, and stick it to America. I’m a believer in reducing our dependancy on foreign energy suppliers, and focusing our attempts on domestic prodcution of solar, wind, NG, and other alternatives. Our collective future, plus those in auto industry, and other supporting industries depend on our resistance to return to the mass consumprion of fossil fuels. I will not return to previous driving habits, untile it contirbutes to the succes of a new energy policy.

Jack

At $55.00 a barrel these crooks are still making a killing! Yes our driving habits are derailed just in general. However we need to know who killed the electric car and run them out of town!

What’s left of manufacturing (Autos) need to be rescued and Sen. Levin said it correct the CEO’s must resign and let a new regime be liable for the monies they receive from us taxpayers.

Love you & your work Jack & sorry about your wife!

My driving habits remind the same before and after the barrel of gas has declined. I am very conservative with everthying – gas, lights, food and other expenses Jack. Now since gas has declined, I can buy brakes and get my pedicure…..

The falling gas prices have not changed my driving habits in any way. Do you think I’m crazy enough to think they will stay that way? The large retailers, like Wal-Mart, need folks to have some money for the holidays. So the gas companies lower their prices, the foolish public spends their money, and finds the gas prices back up by March.

A few months ago it cost me $80 to fill up my tank. Today it costs me less than $40. This is the only type of bailout that us normal people are receiving.

Absolutely am sticking with the fuel saving methods I learned to incorporate after the runup of gas prices throughout the year. These methods (driving slower, buying only what is needed, walking, and cycling when possible) combined with the lower gas prices are helping me break even for 08′. Also am certain an inevitable runup will occur next year as OPEC makes efforts to get prices back up. Lastly will continue to support and look toward automakers for more fuel efficient models in addition to all electric vehicles to continue weaning our country off our addiction to oil.

When prices were at $4 I had to dig into my savings to get back and forth from work and school. Now that the prices have come down, I don’t have as much money to spend to enjoy the reduced prices
Unfortunately, for me and I’m sure for many other, if you factor in inflation, then many don’t feel any relief.

Great question Jack! It was a great feeling the last time I filled up my car. Spent less then 1/2 then what I was before our money market went to hell in a hand basket. I still plan my trips to town because I’m still paying off my credit card that has gas charges on it from a year ago.

I’m currently unemployed so I don’t drive very much. The lower gas prices don’t help me. I’d rather see gas at $5 per gallon because it would get Washington & Corporate America off their asses to invest & create new jobs in new green industries.

It hasn’t changed my driving habit (of which there was very little in the first place), but it has given me a little bit of peace-of-mind. When gas prices were sky-rocketing, food prices were going up, airfare was going up, just about all aspects of businesses were being affected and having to raise prices. Housing prices are still plunging and many people are still facing foreclosure, but now that oil is going down we should see our food, airfare and basic costs of living follow the trend. Eventually there will be a balance, but for now, this is a good sign.

It really hasn’t changed my driving habits at all. If we havn’t learned by the 1970’s gas crunch then why should this be any different? It appears that until the government takes it seriously why should we. I believe we should all do our part and save gas by reducing our consumption but its hard to take it seriously when you see so many government cars on the road in gas guzzleing vechicles. It’s a poor example in my book.

well I’m able to actually fill my tank without taking money out of my food budget, but I’m not stupid,before it’s all over with it will be like were in the movie the road warrior w/ Mel Gibson but the only difference this is for real so plan your trips accordingly like back and forth to work and other than that just for necessities.

The difference in gas pricing is most dependent upon the individual state taxes imposed on gas and diesel fuels.
NJ gas tax is 14.5 cents per gallon.
NY gas tax is 41.2 cents per gallon
PA gas tax is 32.3 cents per gallon.
I believe that OK has the lowest at 17 cents per gallon, while
CA has the highest at 45.5 cents per gallon.

I have a heavier foot. By the way, the gas prices in NJ are lower since their are several refineries in that state which are relatively close to many gas stations.

They’ve made me nervous that – once again – we won’t bother to do the right thing and make the hard decisions and investments that will lead towards a reduction of our dependence on oil. Instead, I fear we’ll do what we do best – pay attention to the short term and forget there’s a problem …

Not really. I’m still shell shocked from the $4 per gallon just 2 months ago. I only wish I could by barrels while the gas is so low. Because I just know it will start rising again soon after the holidays. I lost my job in September, right around the time gas prices started falling. But with the cost of food higher, and so many loss of jobs, I am feeling very frugal.

Not at all, I’m still driving less. I love the small fuel bills. What also hasn’t changed is our need to find another way to fuel our cars. Oil sucks!

Lower gas prices allow me to buy more…. gas! Just because I can fill my tank again, doesn’t mean I can spend money on luxeries. Go out to dinner, and pay for it with… WHAT? Go to a movie? HA! Let’s see some lower prices in groceries and utilities. THEN lower prices might affect my ability to DO anything but sit at home and watch CNN.

I drive 80 miles round trip each day. When gas hit $3.50/gal, I started commuting. Gas is now $1.85/gal and I continue to commute. Whether gas is $3.50/gal or $1.85/gal, commuting cuts my gas bill in half. It’s doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math!

Not at all, I’m still driving less. I love the small fuel bills. What also hasn’t changed is our need to find another way to fuel our cars. Oil sucks!

Scott
Larkpsur, CA

The price of gas has not affected my driving one bit.
As a small contractor in a small town I have to drive long distances for jobs and materials. When the price was high it was like getting robbed every other day. Now it’s like my own little bail out.
I’ve gone from $115.00 a tank to $65.00 a tank.
Now if only the price of materials would go down, but that may be asking too much.

Habits haven’t changed. Have you thought about this? Why not ask the oil companies to foot the fill for the auto industry bailout? They certainly make enough money to do it.

Better enjoy it, it will not last, this is just a big oil company trick to get you to feel good and drive more with your big SUVs and Trucks.

The reason that the gas prices vary from state to state is the state gas tax. Everybody pays the federal gas tax which is a little less than 19 cents right now. Each state sets its own gas tax and New Jersey’s gas tax is lower than Pennsylvania (about 62.5 cents) and New York’s tax is around 60 cents also. The federal gas tax funds bridge and road repairs and public transit. This is the tax that John McCain and Hillary Clinton wanted to declare a holiday on this past summer.

I cut back when the price went up and discovered it was not difficult and I learned the lesson, I don’t “need” everything I sometimes think I do. And also . . . . it can happen again so don’t get carried away and as they say in New Orleans . . . “Let da Good Times Roll!!” Be smarter than a rock for a change!

My husband and I, both college seniors, decided last minute to make the 21 hour drive from Brownsville, Texas to Cape Canaveral, Florida to see Friday night’s Space Shuttle Endeavour launch. The 2600 mile round-trip only cost us $200 in gas and the memory will last a lifetime! We would never have even considered doing it before the gas price nosedive!
Layla F. Garcia
Brownsville, Texas

Hopefully we all learned a lesson from last years record gas prices. I found a job where I can walk to work, greatly reducing the expense of owning and operating a car. I want to limit my contribution to OPEC and the oil companies. They are laughing all the way to those banks that are getting bailed out. Hang on to your wallets!

Hi Jack
Are you kidding about lower gas prices.??
I am trying to drive even less.
CO2 is a mighty product from every gallon of gas burned while driving.
and CO2 contributes to global warming.
which has to one big issue for the new administration to tackle

love your show

marie reluga
West Granby CT

Boycott gas, tax gas consumption and let’s support green energy. Shelf items has gotten smaller in size for the same price! No, prices did not go down at all ….

I walk to work now and I only fill up my tank once every two week. I won’t change this newly formed habit! The American People have clearly been gouged by the Oil Companies. We’ve been ripped off for so long, why shouldn’t we suspect that the falling gas prices are merely manipulated by the Oil Companies? We the People, should not be tricked by these temporary “lower” prices. Stay focused America! Hybrids, Electric cars and fuel efficiency! No more foreign oil! Let’s make it happen!

Hold on to your money the gas will go back up and those crooks will get richer and richer.

Not one darn bit , Jack!
I still drive all over town.
But what I have done is install a 100,000 gallon tank under my house and am now stockpiling gasoline.
I might be living above a liquid ” Powder Keg”,
but what the heck, these are dangerous times.

I’m still planning my trips to town, because I’m still paying off my credit card that has gas charged to it from a year ago.

Jack, we have seen the reverse side of this trend before when gas prices surged beyond the reach of many Americans.I am not going to fall for this trick.I am keeping all the adjustments I made with regards to my transportation needs

I would say I’m pleased to see gas prices drop to a level they were back in March of 2005. Driving back and forth to work when gas was over $4.00 was nearly a monthly mortgage payment for me. Since gas prices have dropped it seems as though I have a new sense of freedom. Luckily enough I don’t have a gas guzzler so I might as well keep this vehicle until the wheels fall off since no credit will be available anytime soon.

Brian in NC

The speed at which gas prices are dropping will never compare to how high and quickly they have risen in the past, and could in the future. Why should we base our energy policy on such a fickle resource controlled by questionable factors? That would make as much sense as basing our economic policy on the presumption that banks would protect their shareholders (Famous last words from Alan Greenspan).

There’s no guarantee that gas prices would stay low for ever. Having learned some good habits [driving only when needed], it’s better to stick to those habits and try to save some money in the process. Many of us are losing a lot of money in the market. Let us at least save some money towards gas expenses.

I wish cities and towns would build more sidewalks and bicycle paths. That way you can improve the health of Americans by having us engage in more exercise and we could decrease our carbon footprints. The main reason I don’t walk or bicycle a lot is due car traffic.

It hasn’t changed anything…still greatly conserving. If we consume more because of the dropping prices, demand goes up pushing the cost up again…plain and simple! Thank you Jack…

Plunging gas prices haven’t changed my driving too much since I drive mainly out of necessity. What they have made me realize is how fragile our dependance is on foreign fuel and how we failed to get the message in the 70’s, the last time there was a fuel crisis. The rapid drop in costs has also made me realize how ignorant I am about fuel markets since I have no clue as to why I was paying 4.50 per gallon for something in August that now costs about 2.00 per gallon. They didn’t make it any better than it was and I now know that the source is limited. Shouldn’t it have stayed the same or continued to rise?

I have always combined all my errands into 1 trip to save gas. Also I take the bus whenever I feel it is the most effective way to get there.

Las Vegas has one of the best mass transit systems around and I use it when I go out. Especially at night and paking is a issue. Where can you get there and relax, not stressed out from all the crazy drivers…..Mass transit!!

You can’t beat the bus for price..And the best thing is not worrying about parking.

Plunging gas prices haven’t changed my driving too much since I drive mainly out of necessity. What they have made me realize is how fragile our dependance is on foreign fuel and how we failed to get the message in the 70’s, the last time there was a fuel crisis. The rapid drop in costs has also made me realize how ignorant I am about fuel markets since I have no clue as to why I was paying 4.50 per gallon for something in August that now costs about 2.00 per gallon. They didn’t make it any better than it was and I now know that the source is limited. Shouldn’t it have stayed the same or continued to rise?

I celebrate the lower gas prices here in CA by taking out my Porsche for joy rides and track days. At least my car gets about 18 miles to the gallon compared to other sports cars.