As fuel prices continue to rise it will test the market theory that as the price goes up it will drive economy in the use of fuel i.e. people will consider using their cars less and not take unnecessary journeys, switch to public transport (if it is more cost effective) and the benefit will be a reduction in our carbon footprint and that is good for the environment.
Living in a rural area we don't have a bus service every twenty minutes, not even every four hours - some routes are once a day each way. So many of us have no choice but to use our cars. I live three miles from the nearest post office, seven miles from the nearest town, fifteen miles from the nearest "high street". I guess that is the advantage, and the economic cost, of living in such a beautiful place.
The other evening I drove my son to cubs and my daughter to cricket practice and with the dropping off and picking up it was a 60 mile trip. It is a good job I have a Skoda with such a good fuel economy! If you calculate what it would cost to drive a car with a fuel economy of 20 miles to the gallon it is quite frightening. That is only one evening when you multiple that by all our trips we take in a week the cost has risen quite alarmingly.
People are already saying to me that instead of going to the supermarket three times a week to buy food, they are now only going once and hoping the fruit and vegetables will last. This is bound to have an impact on impulse purchases. The current situation really shows how much we rely on fuel and the fact that in rural areas we have to use our cars for so many activities.
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