Could lower gas prices dupe Americans again?
National gas average below $4.00Today, more Buicks are sold in China than in America. Hummers are hot and overall SUV sales are up 43 percent compared to last year. "In China, size matters," says Zhang Linsen, the 44-year-old founder of a media and graphic design company. "People want to have a car that shows off their status in society. No one wants to buy small."
Just 15 years ago, there were no private cars in China. Within 20 years, China could be consuming more oil than the US, and the majority of Chinese would still have yet to own a car. And it isn't just China. India and the Middle East are also seeing huge increases in oil consumption.
Today, however, gas prices are dropping and the national average now sits below $4.00. If this decline continues, will more and more Americans forget their fuel efficient concerns, or have the US auto industry and consumers finally hit the point of no return?
Labels: gas prices
posted by Dahcredyns at
6:54 AM
11 Comments:
link
I hardly think that these gas prices are going to have people running out and forgetting what clearly looms ahead. I think people are finally getting a taste of the volatile market and know, for the first time, perhaps, that this is a just a calm before the storm.
amy-
what does link mean? if you're looking for a link to the quote, it's highlighted in red in the article.
i hope your right, suspended. considering the past, however, i can't help but be a little worried.
China, India and still California alone consumes more gasoline than any other country in the world, except, of course, USA.
China and India have yet to emerge as real energy consumers, but as their economies continue to strengthen, and their middle classes continue to grow, these countries have the potential to quickly dwarf US energy consumption.
Chinese oil consumption defied expectations over the last decade. If China, India, etc. continue to defy expectations, the worse in gas prices has yet to hit.
Wow..I didn't realize the Chinese were really THAT stupid.
What would possess people to live in filthy, disgusting, polluted environments like where many Chinese live?
What would possess them to go and buy these huge cars in areas where there isn't even a proper infrastructure to drive them and they are spending most of their time going nowhere?
Plus, where the hell are they getting all that money from to buy such toys these days?
The Chinese have a phenomenal chance to show the world that they can build an infrastructure and transport system that is based on new and alternative energy methods.
But frankly I dont think they give a shit.
What is even more disturbing to me is what GM is doing though. And this is why I think GM deserves to self-destruct.
In the midst of all these disastrous environmental issues we are facing, GM selling cars (SUV's and Hummers no less) to the Chinese is absolutely criminal. While they are showing a pathetic face of "green" here, they are screwing everyone else from behind by continuing to sell their environmental disasters to countries like China and India.
There are no words I can say regarding how vile I think GM is for doing this. It's truly criminal.
Indigo Incarnates
I've noticed that gas prices fall just before an election. Of course the powers-that-be are able to make short-term manipulations in world markets.
And yes, I think people are stupid enough to not think beyond the next NFL game.
Nozferatu, the main pollutants in China are coal power plants and factories that produce various crap consumed in US and Canada.
Ignoring that remark regarding stupidity of Chinese people (I am sure all other nations do no better), I would say that China and India are unlikely to be that bad as US in the nearest future, because both countries have public transportation.
Face it.
There are some 300 dialects of Chinese.
Take your pick...
You have about 30 years to learn the language.
By that time, they won't be burning coal,
As we used to.
They won't have air pollution,
As we still do.
They won't be a second-rate nation.
We will.
otto-
i think china will still have air pollution and lots of other problems, but i agree that they won't be a second-rate nation. and, without some fundamental shift in american psychology, we definitely will be. one way or another ignorance does have costs, and the american ignorance of the last few decades is catching up. sad. so much potential, yet so much stupidity.
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