Folks, do not, I repeat, do not fuss at me about the price of gasoline. Do not even talk to me about it. I do not want to hear it.

Do not get your back up at this newspaper about the prices. Times-Enterprise employees pay the same prices. Our company pays the same prices. We are not immune to the fuel fiasco.

I am tired of people complaining about how much gasoline costs here and how little elsewhere. If you like the prices better elsewhere, go there and buy your fuel.

Better yet, if you don’t like the prices here, do something about it. Travel as little as possible. Sell your gas-guzzling tanks and drive sensible vehicles.

The next time you drive by a business where gasoline is sold, check out the vehicles at the pumps. Count the SUVs and big pickups. Then count the sensible sedans — if you see any.

A recent study on my part convinces me people are more determined to drive gas-guzzlers than they are in doing something about the price of fuel. If you choose to drive something that costs $100-plus to fill with fuel and you have to do it often, don’t cry to me.

On a recent weekday morning between 7 and 8 a.m. on a one-mile stretch of Broad Street, I counted 64 huge pickup trucks in traffic. A few days later on the same stretch — between 8:15 and 8:35 a.m. — I counted 141 SUVs.

Granted, my study is far from scientific, but I can count. Also, I know a gas-guzzler when I see one.

Do people who like to point out the price of gasoline in Valdosta and Tallahassee travel around the area conducting price comparisons? Think about it.

Several people I know went on extended, out-of-state trips at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They drove.

As long as big oil companies make big contributions to politicians’ election campaigns, those we elect to represent us are not going to do anything about high fuel costs. They are going to blame it on foreign lands and their respective leaders or anyone else who happens to be convenient.

Each time a storm begins to brew in the Gulf of Mexico, gasoline prices increase because oil company officials fear their drilling operations will be damaged. When the storm goes elsewhere, the price of gasoline does not go down.

As any major holiday approaches, gasoline prices increase. Americans reveal their nonchalance by getting into their gas-guzzlers and going places.

During the ongoing water shortage, state government issued a water-use ruling and dispatched water police to enforce it. If water were produced by big businesses that contribute big bucks to political campaigns, water consumption would not be an issue.

I have had people get in my face and become downright rude about gasoline prices and about stories the newspaper has published on the subject. Consumers don’t like the prices, and those selling gasoline don’t like the stories.

As long as people are willing to pay the ridiculous prices and drive the vehicles that drink the fuel, prices will go higher and higher.

A revolt against the prices and Americans’ refusal to pay them would get oil company officials’ attention. Price reductions would follow in a hurry.

If you don’t like fuel prices, contact elected officials, preferably your U.S. congressman and senators, and tell them what you tell me. They will pretend to listen and be concerned, but don’t expect any miracles.



Patti Dozier is senior reporter for the Times-Enterprise.