Don't forget to stay green

I try to keep this blog focused on our two wheeled fun, and not so much on the serious world around us. Riding is a joy, an escape from the world. When you ride all you see is the beautiful world around you, and all you hear is the wind in your ears. There is no real world when you ride, there is just you and the road. I write all this as a preface to the fact that I am going to get serious in this entry. I don't like to, but every now and then my anger at the process needs to be expressed, and this time it happens to relate to the scooter life.

Over the past 3-4 years we have seen gas prices sky rocket to record levels culminating at $4-$5 a gallon this summer. These prices got to a point of absurdity and the people got angry. Why they got to this point is not up for debate in the entry, I frankly don't care why, and Republican Bill will blame Democrat Jim and visa versa and they'll blame each other and those they elected while the true villans will get away scott free as the peasants squabble amongst themselves. That is the nature of our political system, but thats a whole other rant.

So we were being gouged for gas and the people were angry. Some of those angry people sought out ways to offset their financial burden from petrol. There were small personal steps like scooters, motorcycles, and hybrids, but there were larger steps too. They say necessity is the mother of invention and so it was that real steps were taken to move towards alternative power sources. Real companies, real money, and real investors were put forth to develop wind, solar, bio fuels, nuclear, geothermal, clean coal etc etc etc. It has even become a big part of this year's Presidential Campaigns, but don't hold your breath because each of those idiots since Nixon has promised energy independence from the middle east, and here we are 40 years later.

The need was there, the reason was there, the people were there, the money was there, full steam ahead and away from oil! And then it happened. I'm sure you noticed it. The gas station you drive by on your way to work everyday, well look at that?!?! ... its prices are coming down!?!? Penny by penny, day by day, gas prices are coming down. Suddenly and miraculously the suppliers realized oops we had way more supply than we thought we did, we can lower the price now.

Reader stop, stop now, fight the urge to tell me that this is supply and demand and the market naturally correcting itself. If you feel this way please go get a rolled up a newspaper, stand in front of a mirror and repeat "no no" as you strike yourself with it until these idiot thoughts leave your head.

This IS market manipulation at its best! There are natural market forces at work here but they are the result of OPEC's need for self preservation. Lets think as if we were them. Oh the world is angry with us about our prices, the world is seeking ways to free themselves from our product. So much so they are starting to put serious and concerted efforts behind these tree-hugging ideas. What actions can we take to quell this anger and stop these efforts? We can play a little game of dominos ... gas prices go down, more dollars in wallet, anger goes down, people become comfortable and complacent as their budget is eased, complacent people don't make waves, without waves there is no force to push for alternative energy, investors sense the slowing of enthusiasm and pull their money, and finally our endeavors into alternative powers sources and fuels get moved to the back burner until the next crisis. Think I am wrong? Think this isn't happening today as we speak? Go read a newspaper. Many alternative energy projects are loosing their funding as we speak, because we have been sated by cheaper gas.

In the end all I want to say to you is this: Don't forget why we did and do the things we do to remove ourselves from oil. Don't forget what $4 a gallon gas feels like. Don't forget how important it is to explore these alternative energy sources. And most importantly, no matter which useless politician gets to be president, don't let them forget what they promised you to get there.