"You are addicted to oil."

[Mav]

This quote from American President George Bush has been around for a while now, if I recall he made this originally during his State of the Union speech.

 

It's recently come back into the media light as he's used it again a couple times, and ya know by now I've just had to comment on it.

 

Firstly he's speaking about just America obviously, though I'm sure it could "apply" to the rest of the world.

 

That aside, how the frak does one become "addicted" to oil? He makes it sound like the population of our country (or any country for that matter) has an active choice in this matter.

 

It's not addiction, it's a simple matter of nesscessity. Our modes of transportation are fueled by oil. Sure there are alternative forms being researched every day, solar power and electric cars are starting to break into the market and there's always public transportation.

 

But even with those "options" it's still not economically wise. Not every town has a city bus system, or even one that would take you remotely close to where you work. Not everyone can afford to run out and trade in their gas powered car for a electric powered one or even a hybrid. And even not everyone has options for "car pooling".

 

Does this mean I, or even the generic population, think it's ok to waste fuel, keep using it like an ever lasting source or just not care? No of course not. Obviously it's an issue, the cost itself is a slap in the face that some serious $h!t i s going down with our worldly supply of the stuff.

 

Though I do think declaring a population to be "addicted" to it is highly unnesscary. We the average joes of the world have no control over this. The best we can do? Maybe start a car pool with our co-workers, at the best. I don't know anyone who can afford a new hybrid or electic powered car. And I sure as hell know I'm not taking the city bus to work, which would entail probably walking many blocks in the downtown city area in this kind of weather (and that's even assuming a bus runs anywhere toward where I would work or if my city offered such a service).

 

I do think we as not just a nation but a world, are too reliant on oil. I think by this year, 2006, not only should we have expanded our space program ALOT , but we should have found a much cleaner, renewable cheaper form of fuel to be used daily. I think honestly, oil is a lynch pin in most nations. Imagine if the US suddenly went into an oil crisis where it was damn near not avaible. People would then walk to work? Sure maybe in a few select cases. But what about those people who travel a good 10-20 miles to work every day? Are they supposed to travel on foot that far, assuming they could even get to work "on time"? What of the people who live say, really far north or really far south? Can you imagine walking to work in a gas crisis, in Canadian or Northern America weather? below 0 temperature, with several feet of snow and so much fog/snow coming down you couldn't see five feet infront of you?

 

Addicted isn't the best word. We aren't graving oil like heroin junkies needing a fix at three in the morning. We don't need detox centers to treat us if we can't fill up our cars in the middle of the week. However as said I think we as a world not just a nation, are very reliant on it. We depend on it. That isn't our "fault" per say, but I do think every nation's government by now should have been into a plan to work on cheaper more avaible fuel.

 

I say give it another 5 years maybe 10, and we'll see even higher prices, scarces, etc

[maverick]

well the oil companies tend to buy up plans for any green sources of energy. they are gonna supply us with energy whatever happens.

 

perhaps bush is saying that you guys are addicted to oil becaus he needs to justfy himself for.......

[maverick]

well the oil companies tend to buy up plans for any green sources of energy. they are gonna supply us with energy whatever happens.

 

perhaps bush is saying that you guys are addicted to oil becaus he needs to justfy himself for.......

[Tenebrae]

The West - America especially - IS addicted to oil. It's all very well to say "we have no choice" but really, that's more a reflection on your denial. Admiting you have a problem is the first step towards beating it ;) It's important to realise that it's not that we NEED all these things we have - it's because life is so much easier with them.

 

America's cities were built with the car in mind. That's the inherent problem. From there on in, it becomes somewhat self-perpetuating. I mean, look at the greater Los Angeles area - that's basically 100+ miles of urban sprawl. Even the best public transport system in the world would struggle with that... and beyond that, there is this kind of ethos in America that a car is a sign of freedom and buses are "for the poor and very poor alike" (according to Lisa Simpson).

 

Anyway, I think it's fair to say that addicted IS an accurate word. Oil is so integral that we just can't imagine not being able to hop in a car or partake of the thousands of products that are produced from the fractional distillation of crude oil is unthinkable... it's a problem that can only really be solved by the collective action of individuals.

 

Also - governments? If you're hoping for governments to solve problems... you're be waiting a long time.

 

Prices are going to go up faster - apparently the total production levels of oil have plateaued and barring some massive finds of oil in the near future, that means that production can only drop. Decreasing supply and increasing demand = higher prices.

[bones2097]

he's putting the blame on the public for going to war for oil :)

 

who got then additiced to oil in the first place????

 

but it is a fair statement usa is the biggest consumer of oil per head than anyone...

 

Addicted isn't the best word. We aren't graving oil like heroin junkies needing a fix at three in the morning. We don't need detox centers to treat us if we can't fill up our cars in the middle of the week. However as said I think we as a world not just a nation, are very reliant on it. We depend on it. That isn't our "fault" per say, but I do think every nation's government by now should have been into a plan to work on cheaper more avaible fuel.

 

yes but if you couldn't drive your cars you would really really miss them especialy if you need it to work you won't have no means to support your self.....

 

 

[Mav]

 

yes but if you couldn't drive your cars you would really really miss them especialy if you need it to work you won't have no means to support your self.....

 

 

If it was one person or small group of people, I would agree. But as Tenebrae points out, our society in America is designed around the car or automobile as the means for transportation. Are we going to say to someone who is not able to physically walk/jog/run 10 or 15 miles to work "its your fault, we are all addicted to oil"? No, if you are a sane logical person you wouldn't even think that.

 

If we had options that were more within the realm of plausible we'd take it. Energy based cars for example, they work great. But they cost, alot. How many people can afford them, even if they trade in their current car?

 

People tend to forget that little things such as our bodies, are a large part in this. The current retirement age in America is 65, and the government already wants to up that to 70 or even 75. While it is true, we are living longer now thanks to modern medicine, we also still suffer aflictions that aren't cureable. I know plenty of people who are younger than 65, and have a hard time doing physical activity. Some of it's arthritis, some of it's diabeties, theres tons of reasons. Are we going to blame them or point the finger of "oil addiction" when we have no options to actually get around in such cases?

 

There's a huge line between addiction, and dependant. Humans, depend on oxygen to live. We aren't addicted to it. Addiction means either a concious or subconcious mental/physical need for something. Sometimes it could be a life or death thing, such as people who get addicted to crack often become dependant on it but they can often break the addiction and are no longer dependant on it. We can "live" without oil, society has done it for thousands of years. I'm just saying it will be extremely tough to do so, and pointing fingers at society claiming addiction isn't the best phrase to describe it.

 

[wahaha]

Blame Bush. He's the moron who deems it necessary to fly to new orleans 20 times on dork force 1, owns a ford f350 monster farm hick truck and has all his staff riding around in pimp escalades. He's a moron, and has no idea how to solve the problem. He's merely reading what others have written for him. I know because I sent the supreme boob an scathing letter, and his staff answered it with a nearly off topic reply that "he knows what he's doing and has plans."

 

The short term solution? Make cars smaller, maybe even to fit only 1 person, make it a damn diesel, because hybrid cars are a joke, and drive it 55!!!!! There is NO reason the speed limit needs to be 70. It's a waste of fuel, not to mention I don't like jackass and cart technology american cars driving that fast anywhere near me. I'm surprised they don't fall apart just by thinking about it. I'm SO hoping ford and gm drop dead and can let the German automakers rule the world, like they have in China. They've got their tech sht together.. it's every lame ass who copies them because they have no inspiration or desire.

 

There's also no reason that technology has to cost 1 single penny. If they really gave a damn they would do it for free to make society better. I can think of MAGLEV trains for starters.

[Tenebrae]

Then come up with a better one :P

[Megalith]

It isnt just cars that run on oil. The entire plastics industry needs oil.

Every time you buy anything it is made from an oil derived product, the transport of this product uses oil also.

It isnt 'an addiction' but it is a fact of modern life that evrything he eat/use is contained in or made from plastics manufactured from oil.

 

Ok there again are alternatives and plastics can be derived from plant oils but the machinary required to do this uses guess what!

 

It is probably the biggest problem of our age and one that we, not as america but as a world, need to address and resolve asap before this unsustainable resource becomes so depleted that it is not viable to use.

 

Bush however is being Bush 'Its not my fault things are getting worse its yours' but hey wait a minute isnt he the president.... wasnt he elected by the people and for the people.... well sorry GW that means it IS your fault and it IS your job to fix this problem but hey in another 1000 ish days the people can replace him by another knob jockey unprepared to do anything about the oil crisis.

[Tenebrae]

Politicians like to do that though.

 

Anything goes wrong - not their fault. Something goes right - all their doing.

 

Gordon Brown is a great example of this but most politicians do it.

 

And good point on plastics, the distillates of oil are used for everything plastic to petrol to jet fuel to roof insulation. It's a supremely versatile substance - hence its value.

[motoxjesse]

Here in canada a friend of mine was working along side a fellow uni student, they were compleating their last year of industreal design, he helped his friend design a carburator blueprint on his computer, i have personally seen the doc. the concept was a new design that more then doubled fuel efficiency(however u spell that). so he dumped his own money into the project to make a prototype......then that was it, he was gone.....school said he droped out....my friend never heard from him again. So weather you believe me or not thats up to you, and im sure you can give tons of reasons why he would drop out/leave, but still the last year of a 4 year course, they were basicly finished...i wouldnt leave would you...if so why?

 

yeah i know u think its a bunch of bs, and if you want i might still be able to get some of the plans to try to show you that this kind of stuff is real

[MrDad]

Here in canada a friend of mine was working along side a fellow uni student, they were compleating their last year of industreal design, he helped his friend design a carburator blueprint on his computer, i have personally seen the doc. the concept was a new design that more then doubled fuel efficiency(however u spell that). so he dumped his own money into the project to make a prototype......then that was it, he was gone.....school said he droped out....my friend never heard from him again. So weather you believe me or not thats up to you, and im sure you can give tons of reasons why he would drop out/leave, but still the last year of a 4 year course, they were basicly finished...i wouldnt leave would you...if so why?

 

yeah i know u think its a bunch of bs, and if you want i might still be able to get some of the plans to try to show you that this kind of stuff is real

I would rather see a working prototype but the plans would be a start. The myth of the super-carburetor has been around nearly as long as the carburetor itself, perpetuated by people more conversant in conspiracy theories than automotive engineering.

[Mav]

Oh the "super carburator" (forgive the misspelling) conspiracy has been around as long as I've been alive easily. You think it's not coicedence we've been using the same style carburator's for many decades? Someone, somewhere, has designed one that at the very least is 50% more efficient than standards of today.

 

Granted i'm not huge on conspiracy theories, I still think this is one the government has helped keep a lid on along side the car industry for many years.

[MrDad]

Oh the "super carburator" (forgive the misspelling) conspiracy has been around as long as I've been alive easily. You think it's not coicedence we've been using the same style carburator's for many decades? Someone, somewhere, has designed one that at the very least is 50% more efficient than standards of today.

 

Granted i'm not huge on conspiracy theories, I still think this is one the government has helped keep a lid on along side the car industry for many years.

By what standards? There is no carburetor that will beat a modern fuel injection system for efficiency. That is why they have been abandoned. There is no more proof for it than there is for angels.

[Steveo]

I read this topic and thought, "Oh, not again Mr Frakes, look what the addiction to snorting the powder out of strip lights did to your face."

 

Seriously though, modern fuel injection beats carburettors, easily, when combined with common rail systems for diesel engines or variable valve timing for petrol engines.

 

I don't see why diesel isn't a bigger fuel in the US, it's more efficient than petrol in terms of miles per gallon, and modern common rail turbo diesel engines, in my opinion, are better than most petrol rivals.

 

Driving, as I do, a Ford Mondeo 2 litre TDCi, I'm faster 30-80mph than the 3 litre petrol engined Mondeo, and I know which one is cheaper to run as well.

 

Come on people of the colonial backwater, start taking lessons from Europe for a change.

[MrDad]

I read this topic and thought, "Oh, not again Mr Frakes, look what the addiction to snorting the powder out of strip lights did to your face."

 

Seriously though, modern fuel injection beats carburettors, easily, when combined with common rail systems for diesel engines or variable valve timing for petrol engines.

 

I don't see why diesel isn't a bigger fuel in the US, it's more efficient than petrol in terms of miles per gallon, and modern common rail turbo diesel engines, in my opinion, are better than most petrol rivals.

 

Driving, as I do, a Ford Mondeo 2 litre TDCi, I'm faster 30-80mph than the 3 litre petrol engined Mondeo, and I know which one is cheaper to run as well.

 

Come on people of the colonial backwater, start taking lessons from Europe for a change.

The early diesel cars left a lot to be desired and that poor reputation plagues them to this day. It doesn't help that diesel and gas are still competitively priced in the U.S. either.

[Steveo]

Diesel is more expensive than petrol in the UK, but the fact of the matter is I can get 650 miles out of a tank when I do motorway runs (with cruise control set to 85mph).

[wahaha]

I can get 650 miles out of a tank when I do motorway runs (with cruise control set to 85mph).

And the A8 v8 4.0L twin turbo diesel Audi they test drove on Top Gear did 400+ miles on one tank. I have gotten 500 miles on a tank from my twin turbo 2.7L v6 Audi A6, with a 16gal tank. Of course like I keep saying, that is at 55 mph, the speed every one should be driving at to save fuel.

 

The reason diesel isn't popular here in the US is because it is still dirtier because of sulfur. But that is about to change, but should have happened long ago. You can't own a diesel in CA. Stupid American govt. always too slow to change and more concerned about the extra 12cents it will cost per car to implement better safety and design so your happy sack doesn't go through the rear window next time you're rear ended, or use that big pillow in the center of your Buick steering wheel for a nap.

[Beawulf]

It's unfortunate that the alternative energy cars are currently so expensive, and I think governments need to step in and do something about it. The manufacturing costs go down as the quantity produced increases...this is true for any manufacturing situation. Perhaps they should make the companies base their prices on future/desired production levels . The government should also be looking at subsidies and incentives for people to make the change in the meantime... might cost a bit for the government, but I'd imagine it wouldn't be as much as the 6 billion a week that Iraq costs the US.

 

These incentives should also be given to industries that replace processes dependant on oil, there may not be alternatives for every application but there sure is for many, and with incentives in place companies actually might start to look for an alternative where there was no need before. If they don't look, they wont find it.

 

Something also needs to be done about the car mentality in the US, and I'm not talking about catching public transport instead of driving (although that isn't a bad idea) I'm referring to the preference for big SUVs and cars that consume unnecessarily large amounts of petrol. Introduce a tax for owning an SUV, if you want to be a petrol guzzling jerk you will have to pay for it....plus the fuel you use.

 

 

Diesel is definitely a good intermediate choice, fuel efficiency is fantastic, and the fuel can also contain large amounts of bio-diesel without any adverse affects to the engine, while producing less emissions. and because it is made from waste plant matter (like from sugar cane) it would mean more money and jobs for American farmers! that's a good thing right? you get to keep a lot of the money in your own country. Diesel vehicles are also better for work applications as they have more torque than petrol engines.

 

 

and for the people who say it is all out of your hands... you live in a democracy right? well contact your government, tell them what you want and DEMAND ACTION, if you arent satisfied with the action they are taking DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, vote someone into office who will. lobby for change!...

[GhostShadow]

I say blame chuck noris. In his show walker texas ranger he drives around in that Ford F-150. Oh better yet, lets blame Xzibit for drving around in a pimped out escalade. Lets blame snoop dawg, and eminem, and who ever we want to. Lets blame every one in flipping America for fule problems. BUT GOD FORBID WE JUST BLAME TIME!!!!!! Oil is not gonna last forever, we are trying to find other ways to get around, we have found other ways to get around. But this is not gonna all happen over nite ya see.

 

we can play the blame game all we want, actualy all you want, I dont want to play. All that is gonna make happen is ppl hate other ppl. You are not gonna open up any eyes or make any huge movment like the civil rights movment. Ironicaly, this will take time. So ya'll just calm down.

 

EDIT: looking over a few more post...

 

to beawulf, I dont think that the goverment has any right to step in, I dont thik that even if they did that would accomplish anything. Its all about supply and demand, and right now these cars are not in demand.