Gas in L.A. is $5.09 per gallon this week, and that’s not including the immeasurable cost of the loss of human life in Iraq. I ride the MTA, where a day pass fare is now $5, soon to increase again; and as the middle-class get out of their cars and onto the buses, L.A.’s poor are being pushed to the back.
In 1979 in a suburb in Pennsylvania, gas stations were torched when gas rose to $1 per gallon.
Jamaica had three violent days of gas riots in 1999. In 2003, Tehrananians rebelled in response to fuel rationing.
I’m surprised at the ambivalence people are exhibiting at today’s fuel costs. L.A. seems more likely to riot if the Lakers lose the NBA Finals than over gas prices. But another $1 per gallon increase, or ‘fuel shortages’ during this long, hot summer could spark some rebellion.
After watching my city burn in 1992, I don’t necessarily want to repeat the experience, but setting shit on fire does make people sit up and take notice.
Now that ‘going green’ is America’s hottest trend, I hope to at least see rashes of people vote with their feet – walk, jog, ride bikes, ride mass transit, trade in their Hummers for Prius’, sell their Escalades and buy Smartcars. Supply and demand cuts both ways, if enough people stopped buying so much gas the price would start to drop.
So please, fight fire with fire, or demonstrate in a non-violent fashion…just don’t encourage a future where the wealthy drive cars and the rest of us can’t afford bus fare.
word !!! that’s what I’m talking about. if folks don’t like how things are going it’s time to, as you said, literally, vote with their feet and get on mass transit. ultimately, it’s up to us…. and we need to support legislation to get suv’s off the road. they are killing the rest of us with their over consumption … thanks for the blogg … later
Comment by dcosby — June 16, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
[...] Pat Morgan wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Gas in L.A. is $5.09 per gallon this week, and that’s not including the immeasurable cost of the loss of human life in Iraq. I ride the MTA, where a day pass fare is now $5, soon to increase again; and as the middle-class get out of their cars and onto the buses, L.A.’s poor are being pushed to the back. [...]
Pingback by Start a Riot (Like Jamaicans Over Gas Prices) — June 16, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
great piece
been thinking along the same lines
I commute via MTA everyday ( been doing the voluntary “no car” since i was in high school)
and the rapid red bus has been a damn sardine tin…
With the way gas prices are going – i am bracing myself for more contact with more elbows, asses and backpacks by investing in comfortable headphones and a inflatable neck pillow (try to get the window seat early)
Comment by misterchane — July 6, 2008 @ 5:32 am