Gasoline Prices: The Silver Lining

With gas prices nearing $4 per gallon, Americans are beginning to panic. They work extra hours, sacrifice other luxuries, and cry out for government intervention. The most obvious solution appears to be the least acceptable--use less gas. But high gas prices may be just what the doctor ordered for our country.

Motor vehicles, as much as I hate to admit it, are a contributing factor in several of our nation's biggest problems. When people finally begin to abandon their cars, we might make some headway in resolving the following problems:

1. Pollution--we've all heard plenty about this one. Smog, global warming, junkyards full of old cars and tires, etc.

2. Obesity--maybe people will drop a few pounds when they're forced to ride bicycles to work every day. (Although we might see an epidemic of hemorrhoids.)

3. Depression--exercise is helpful in treating depression. It's also good to have a few minutes of fresh air everyday without a nagging boss or client, the radio blaring, or the TV on.

4. Motor vehicle accidents--MVAs account for more deaths every year than all natural disasters combined. I'm guessing that bicycle collisions would be less fatal. And it's probably harder to ride a bike drunk than to drive drunk.

5. Health care costs--the movie stars all want to fight for AIDS awareness, but the biggest problem in American health care is obesity--a major factor in so many chronic illnesses. Depression is another big one, and so are motor vehicle accidents. Who pays for all of this? You do--taxes and health insurance go up with health care demands.

6. Consumer debt--the average American spends thousands of dollars per year on their cars. Because they are a status symbol, many people spend much more on their cars than they can truly afford. And then they have to pay for maintenance, fuel, and insurance all year.

7. Foreign policy--I can't help but think that we, the citizens of the United States, would be looked upon in a much more favorable light by the international community if we didn't need oil. And we could finally flip the bird to those corrupt middle-eastern governments. What else could we possibly need from them? Camels? Sand?