I don't understand why someone would pay 800 dollars in gas....get a smaller car!/quote]
Didn't go through all the stories, so I don't know the detail on this one, however I'll give my comment (anyway
).
Spending a lot on gas sometimes is "required". Maybe the vehicle used is the "problem", but what if it's a "condition of employment" (e.g. working in construction) where you have to drive a great distance to a current construction site, and also provide your own "tools of the trade". I would think (for instance, an arc welder) could not get their "tools" in back of a Honda
....
Another reason for cost of gas, and was referred to by another person. You may have a distance to commute, not served by public transport, that you must drive to keep your job. Where I live, there are a lot of "transplants" from the northern NJ / NYC area due to the lower housing prices. You could sell your "shack" in those areas and get a McMansion here, simply by driving 50-75 miles (one-way). When gas was less than $3/gal and especially if you drove a small vehicle (that was good on gas) it made sense. Even more so, when you car-pooled and shared the cost of commuting. With job cutbacks some of those "NYC jobs" have gone away, and a few folks I know have to drive themselves (and also pay increased tolls to drive in the city).
Sometimes good intentions don't necessarily match reality. Of course, for those that really are acting "stupid" (such as renting a car for $200/wk, rather than by lease for $200/mo) you can't open their eyes to what they are doing.
- Ron