Monday, August 07, 2006

Oil Prices To Drive Up Bike Sales?

I got up this morning to the news that 8% of the U.S. oil supply was shut off overnight due to the leakage of a pipeline in the Alaskan oil feilds. I suppose that as I ride by the local gas mart on my way to work this morning that I might find some bigger numbers up on their sign for gas prices.

It's been hovering at $2.99 a gallon lately, so this will surely push it over the $3.00 a gallon line. Last time we saw this was last year during the Katrina disaster. That drove gas prices, and subsequently hundreds of people, into bike shops all across the nation. While it was only temporary and small in nature, this "mini rush" might be duplicated again by this latest developement.

Maybe there will be more folks like me. Riding a bike by the gas station everyday on their way to work while getting strange looks from folks filling their tanks with gas. Sometimes I wonder what they are thinking. Hmm..............

The other thing that I wonder about is how this affects the racing scene. I mean, it's already expensive enough to go and race for a weekend. Now, if gas prices stay up or go even higher, it's got to weigh on decisions to race or not. I know Mr. 24 has thought more along these lines lately.

How about you? Are you going to start commuting? Are you going to race closer to home or skip a few because of gas prices?

No comments: