AnonYmous

I think your estimates are conservative. We'll be lucky if our gas supply lasts that long. One of my colleagues (a mathematician) is trying to predict the world’s oil production peak. While he has no conclusive results yet, he informs me that some recent papers on the topic suggest that there is a strong likelihood that our crude oil supply will become quite thin in the next 1-10 years. By 2010, oil is not likely to be a viable source of energy any more. You see, I’m assuming that we won’t run the world completely dry of oil. The oil production rate is a function of the amount of oil left in the earth. It would be my guess that it will eventually become too difficult to extract oil in any large quantities, and so will lose its place as our major fuel source as other options become more economically viable. So you see, I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m not sure what people financial situation is, but my advice to everybody is to not get frustrated over the gas prices. Purchase gas with a bitter sweet feeling that the high gas prices will force companies to expand research in alternative fuel engines. This may just save your children or grand children or great grand children from a lot of hardship and perhaps even a painful death. Our brothers in the US are paying a terrible price right now for their lax laws regarding environmental safety. My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those killed or injured in the recent weather disturbances over southern USA. Many people are losing their lives because of the irresponsible decisions of the politicians and business men. Speaking as a physicist, gas powered vehicles should have gone out of style in the 80’s or even the 70’s. Alternatives have been around for a long time, but research was suppressed, because the corporate big-wigs were getting far too rich from the already well established oil market. Get rid of SUVs and Trucks if you don’t really need them. When the gas prices get very high, the vehicle will lose its value and you will not be able to sell it. And I’d hold off from purchasing a new gas powered vehicle, you just may see some interesting alternatives in the near future. Cheers and God bless.