President of Shell Oil Company, in response to a question about high gas prices, said: "When our costs are too high for Shell we make choices about what not to do and one choice that consumers could make is to drive less."  As an advocate of driving less I applaud this comment if not the smirk with which - to me, at least - it was delivered.  Still, juxtaposed against an earlier story in which a long haul truck driver told of having to pay $900 every other day to fill up his rig, the answer did seem a trifle Marie Antoinette-ish.

On occasion I am so struck by a certain idea or turn of phrase that it results in some sort of purchasing reaction on my part.  I don't shop at Wal-Mart, although I realize that quite a few people who might choose not to shop there are forced to by economic circumstance.  I avoid Starbucks if I can - which actually is rather easy since I don't drink coffee.  I drive by Citgo gas stations unless the needle is pointing to empty because I'm not a fan of the Chavez government (sorry, this can't be a case where the enemy of my enemy - W - is my friend).  All of these actions, however, probably hurt the American citizens employed by these companies far more than they hurt the multinational companies that employ them. 

So, while I can easily and gladly comply with Mr. Hofmeister's request and buy as little gasoline as possible from Shell stations it doesn't really seem to be an appropriate response to his condescending, less than understanding remark.  Plus, he's right - unless, of course, one is a long haul truck driver, a person who lives in a distant suburb of a city without adequate mass transit, a poor person with a double digit dip being taken out of her/his pocket for gas or a small business owner in a fuel intensive industry like lawn care or delivery.  And there are myriad others who have legitimate needs for using large amounts of gas but I ran out of my allotment of commas that can be put in one sentence.

Regardless of one's belief or lack of belief in global warming, one's view on drilling in ANWR or one's thoughts on higher gas taxes, it cannot be denied that there are a lot of forces holding onto the short hairs of American drivers.  The government lacks the cajones to put together a consistent energy policy and only $4.00 prices at the pump seem to decrease our romance with big cars, SUVs, trucks and the open road. 

I have absolutely no sympathy for people who choose to drive vehicles so large and powerful that as one current commercial says "if it had a bathroom I would live in it."  Let the luxury car drivers who whip through my neighborhood at 50 miles an hour between stop signs pay ten bucks a gallon for gas; they should also pay hefty registration fees, road use fees and insurance.  And every once in awhile they should be arbitrarily stopped and charged $100 just for the hell of it.  I do, however, have enormous concern for those who must drive for business reasons and often drive older vehicles.  Also, America's economy depends on long haul trucking and despite what some of us may remember from Movin' On it's a hard way to make a living.

Since the only real tool drivers have against high gas prices is driving less and the only thing that apparently makes us drive less is a high price for gas, how do we solve the problem for the many who don't drive for the heck of it and who may not have the money required to drive at all?  Some sort of tax credit would seem to be the only answer but that road has lots of potholes.  We don't need another $30,000 business expense loophole big enough for big trucks and SUVs to drive through and the rapidly disappearing credit for buying certain hybrid models doesn't provide a solution for most drivers.  The fact that those hit hardest by the current gas prices may not be able to wait for relief offered via a tax credit narrows the highway even more. 

Would it be possible to have some sort of at the pump relief without causing wholesale riots?  How do we keep the pressure on for mass transit solutions, vehicle innovation and conservation while still recognizing that many people need to drive (and I'm not talking here about the need to drive experienced by sixteen year olds)?  Politicians are never going to address this problem head on, just like the mortgage crisis it requires telling people that driving isn't a right and yes, you have to have money to do it.  John Hofmeister has issued the challenge; damn, I would love to see American drivers figure out some way to take him up on it.