Fun Friday (a little early): Gas Prices Are Still Rising, and It’s Time for Commuters to Revolt
May 22, 2008 by Kristen King
Filed under Leadership
I’m doing this week’s Fun Friday post a little early because I filled up my gas tank this afternoon on the way home from taking this little guy to the vet for the second time in one week with a mysterious gaping wound on his back, and it was $62.16 at the pump. At first I thought I was seeing things. Then I thought I was going to throw up. That’s the most it’s been yet, and we’re only paying $3.79 a gallon near my house. (Only? Ha!)
But the best part, the thing that really made me swoon, is that I heard a news report secondhand saying, “Don’t be surprised if gas hits $12/gallon this summer.” I have never been more glad to work from home in my life.
LISTEN UP, EMPLOYERS. It’s time to start aggressively promoting telecommuting in your organization, because your people won’t be able to afford to come to work if prices keep trending the way they have been. Get with the program, corporate America. The days of 9-5 in the office are over, and it’s time for you to get on board. Stop forcing people to drive back and forth every day when they can be just as productive, if not more so, in the non-gas-guzzling comfort of their own homes.
EMPLOYEES: If you’re commuting even a short distance, it’s time to talk to your employer about working from home at least part time. In my opinion, 90% of white-collar jobs require little to no actual time in the office, and with no end in sight for astronomical fuel costs, IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO FORCE PEOPLE TO COME TO AN ARBITRARY LOCATION JUST TO MAKE THEIR BOSSES FEEL BETTER. Don’t let them tell you it’s the only way. They’re wrong.
MANAGERS: If you don’t trust an employee to get her work done without the threat of you walking into her office or cubicle at any given moment to catch her in the act of slacking, you should fire her anyway. And if you want to keep the good employees, let them work from home, where they will be able to get more done in less time without sucking their bank accounts dry to keep the gas tank full. Say it with me, people: Telephones. E-mail. Video conferencing.
We talk endlessly about reducing our dependence on foreign oil, and then we sit in traffic for hours to make just enough money to drive to and from work. Carpooling is NOT ENOUGH. Taking public transportation is NOT ENOUGH. Driving a hybrid is NOT ENOUGH. We need to drive less, and we need to do it NOW.
We’re spinning our wheels here, people, both literally and figuratively, but THIS makes SENSE. So what are you waiting for?
Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King
(hat tip to Gabe Goldberg for getting me riled up about this at FBB last month; photo from Newscom)
Tags: women and business, women in business, women, woman, business, gas prices, fuel prices, cost of gas, cost of fuel, commute, commuting, commuter, telecommuting, telecommute, work from home, remote work, remote employee, work remotely, reduce dependence on foreign oil, solve the gas crisis, reduce gas costs, biz chicks rule, kristen king
i completely agree with this…even if we still came into work 4 days a week instead of 5, it would make a difference
We only have one car, and that helps, too. You can’t fill the gas tank of what you don’t have…
But I agree. My husband has to go in to work. To do things he could do at home. It’s a research assistantship with his Ph.D. program, but they could still let him telecommute…
I heard on the news the other night that some places in really rural areas are planning to change to a 4-day school week instead of 5 because of the gas expense to the school district. Crazy stuff!
I have never been so glad to work at home as since the gas prices started going up.
Well, not entirely true since the kids do make me pretty happy about it most days, but I love avoiding that financial strain. My husband and I have been a one car family for nearly a year and a half now. Thank goodness it mostly works for us.
A new day is dawning on America! Cars will no longer be built in Detroit, they will be built by the aerospace industry, from carbon fiber, not heavy steel, with solar, plug in, battery, drives and refined bio-diesel fixed rpm serial charger engine on board, instead of multi-cylinder poured block monstrosities with all the heavy suspension they require. They will be ultimately recyclable and will only change models when science and technology dictates advantage, They will bounce off of each other and may even take flight instead of trying to absorb the energy of an impact. They will get 150mpg+, and cruise at 90 mph .
As politically and socially entrenched as the auto industry is, and in spite of a constipated legislature, these cars will be ushered forth Carte Blanche by the pressure of the price of oil!
Maybe the US should take a look at the way it runs things. The prices you pay for gas now are the same prices we paid in europe 20 years ago.
When i fill up now i pay 140USD on a car with a 16 gallon tank.
If you cant take the price bump then somethings wrong with the distribution of wealth.
-concerned
Why is everyone in such an uproar about gas prices? Have you looked at your tax bill lately. Not just your income tax, all of your taxes (don’t forget the hidden ones). With wages being held down, I really can’t afford the municipal tax and social security tax, forget the federal and state. At $10 per hour it’s tough driving into work. I can’t cut back on that cause I can’t afford to pay all of my bills as it is.
How about a tax revolt instead? Get congress out of office. They have more power than the President.
OMG, you said it, girl. Everytime I look at the freeways in LA, I wonder where people are going, and how they can afford to spend hours and hours on the road, driving Hummers, SUVs, etc. I filled my small economy car, and even that’s over $45. Now, either I walk or I take public transporation as much as possible.