The soaring price of gasoline is more than a trivial annoyance to Doug Cavit, who commutes most weekdays from Silvana to Redmond.
So, with prices above $2 a gallon, Cavit has switched from driving to work in a larger vehicle to the Toyota Prius he and his wife, Pat, have owned for less than two months.
The hybrid gas-electric vehicle gets 50 miles per gallon – double that of their larger car, also a Toyota.
“That has made a big difference,” Cavit said. “We also look to combine trips as much as possible.”
While thousands of Snohomish County residents believe they can do little more than gripe as they fill up their gas tanks, a growing number are taking steps to save both gas and dollars.
By last week, fuel prices were setting new records daily, according to AAA. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area was about on $2.14 Friday.
That was nearly 25 cents above the average a month ago, and well above the $1.97 a gallon average last Labor Day, the last time the region set new record prices.
For some, the gasoline-related inflation isn’t a cause for anxiety.
John Monroe of Everett said he still considers $2 a gallon a bargain.
“I am doing nothing different, nor do I plan on changing my driving habits,” he said, adding that he has two cars, including a gas hog. “I think only a true gas shortage would force me to change what I drive, where I go and how often I go.”
Connie Lewis of Mill Creek echoed that sentiment.
“Let’s face it – we’ve had it good for so long that getting hit with the lower end of European gas prices is not a surprise,” she said. “As long as we foster our dependence on foreign oil and forgo developing our own oil reserves in America, we can expect to pay foreign prices.”
On the other hand, some readers expressed frustration at the big oil companies, at the nation’s energy policy and at the fact that transit isn’t more readily available in parts of Snohomish and Island counties.
Mary Ann Baggenstos of Snohomish said she also hasn’t changed her driving habits, but that doesn’t mean she’s taking the rising prices in stride.
“All I am doing is complaining about it and wishing for a gas war like gas stations in the area did when I was a young driver,” she said.
Many drivers in the area, however, said they’re making adjustments to reduce the amount they’re spending on filling up.
Syd Zenger in Edmonds said he’s taking the bus or Sounder train more often on his commute to Seattle. He grumbled a little about having bought a sport utility vehicle a year ago, just as gas prices first began going up dramatically.
Debbie Richey of Camano Island also is taking advantage of transit these days to get from Stanwood to the Boeing Co. plant in Everett.
“Two dollars a day vs. $8 a day for my car makes a lot more economic sense. I sure like not having to fill my tank every fourth day,” she said.
Dave Somers said he and his wife aren’t using their pickup, which gets just 11 mpg, opting instead for their Honda Civic, which gets 42 mpg.
“I also try to use my motorcycle and sidecar (36 mpg) as often as I can,” the Monroe resident said. “My wife already takes the bus to work in Seattle each day from Monroe, but she has always done that.”
Somers added that he’s thought about getting a hybrid vehicle to replace the aging Civic.
Adam Farnham of Machias said he would like to get to work via rail or bus, but it’s not available from where he lives. He also hasn’t had much luck finding a carpool.
“I have instead started biking about a third of the route, between Woodinville and my office in Redmond” via the Sammamish River Trail, Farnham said. In addition to putting him in a good mood, the daily bike ride actually is about 15 minutes faster than driving. “I look forward to that part of the commute every day.”
Others are just paying more attention to keeping their cars maintained or combining those gas-guzzling errands around town.
“Even the simplest thing like going into downtown Everett, or going to Alderwood Mall for some shopping, or something fun to do,” said MaryKaye Bredeson of Everett, who drives a Lincoln Navigator. “I now think, ‘Do I really need to go there?’ “
Anita Rutherford of Marysville said she hasn’t cut down on her miles, but she has gotten aggressive about shopping for fuel.
Dave Ferguson said he and his wife are buying gas from Safeway instead of their local station.
“The price is about 3 to 5 cents a gallon cheaper,” Ferguson said. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it does add up over a year’s time for a two-car family.”
For small business owners such as Shelli Olin and her husband, high gas prices have a magnified effect. The two own a plumbing business, and they’re having trouble keeping their bids low.
“Before, we didn’t have to figure in the price of gas,” she said. “Now, depending on where the job is, adding the price of gas in is a must.”
Olin added that they’ve told their children that cruising just for fun in the car is a no-no right now.
Keith Stocker at Snohomish’s Stocker Farms said he can’t change how much fuel he uses in the equipment on his farm, so the added cost will have to be passed on to customers.
While driving to and from work isn’t an easily changed choice for some, a fair number of people said they’re altering their travel plans this summer.
Arlington’s Todd Wilburn, who is looking into using biodiesel – a fuel made out of recycled cooking oils – said his family may camp closer to home this summer.
Kathy Hayes said she and her husband had planned a road trip to Alaska. They’re now going to sail their boat to Canada instead.
“We can use the wind, which is free, instead of pulling into the pump every couple of hundred miles on the road,” the Edmonds resident said.
Patricia Wall, a full-time RV traveler with her husband, Bill, said their friends are canceling road trips as diesel prices rise higher than unleaded gas in many places.
“We will still attend most of the rallies we desire, but I think we will be sitting a lot more than normal and not going as far as normal,” Wall said.
Vacation spots and recreational areas close to home may be busier, based on the number of people who said they’ll be trying to avoid long highway journeys.
“Parks are within walking distance, so we may go there,” said Amy Chavez of Everett. “But other then that, we only drive if it’s a necessity.”
Reporter Eric Fetters: 425-339-3453 or fetters@heraldnet.com.
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