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What's your magic (fuel) number?

Petrol prices today reached $1.70 a litre in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

In Brisbane, bowser prices passed $1.60 for the first time.

Back in April, car insurance company Budget Direct interviewed 2500 motorists to see how far petrol price would have to rise before drivers would consider garaging their wheels in favour of public transport.

New South Wales motorists named $2.25 a litre as their magic mark, while Queenslanders were a lot less tolerant, saying they'd reconsider driving at $1.75 a litre.

You can read a bit more here:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=416712

What's your threshold? For Queensland drivers, their mark of $1.75 a litre is edging ever closer. For New South Wales motorists, there's still a good 50 cents to go.

Do you have a magic number? How are petrol prices making you rethink your car use? Or have you made your peace with ever-increasing prices?

Tags: fuel, petrol

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by LS on September 3, 2008 at 8:54pm

I think it's much like other power structures - such as big corporations and the Church - in that it attracts egomaniacal power-hungry maniacs. The kind of person who craves that kind of power is precisely the wrong person for the job. Unfortunately they're the only ones who put up their hands for it...

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Permalink Reply by AlRow on June 20, 2008 at 6:38pm

My magic number is 240 volts

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Permalink Reply by Mary M on June 23, 2008 at 11:45am

Mine was $1.50, so I am now officially sans auto. Cabs, walking, cycling are my options now and I've got to tell you - I'm fitter from walking and cycling, I'm spending less and I never have to worry about the usual driving hassles, be it parking spots, change for parking meters, parking fines, speeding fines, insurance, rego, drivers licence, etc.

What's more, I've shaken the "green guilt" I felt for killing the environment with my old car.

High petrol prices have been a blessing in disguise for me. Can't believe it took this for me to make the shift.

Mary M

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Permalink Reply by The Wah on June 23, 2008 at 1:06pm

At the end of the day I think real environmental thinking change will not come from the goodness of people's hearts but from the pain in people's wallets.

If that is what it takes to curb some of the damage we are doing to our planet then it might well be a blessing in disguise.

My advice is to not say it too loudly as your may be stoned to death by the grumpy masses.

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Permalink Reply by Spoiltgirl on September 3, 2008 at 4:57pm

Where I live a bus ticket to work costs me $2.90 one way and my partner would cost $2.90 too. To drive both of us to work involves travelling about 4.2km total and I get about 360kms from a 40L tank in city driving. (sounds like the beginning of a third grade maths problem, doesn't it?!). So even at $2.50 a litre, well above my fellow Qlders pain threshold, my morning commute costs just over a dollar in petrol, then the same to go home. I know there are other car costs but you're going to have them anyway as with ageing parents I don't want to be relying on public transport in an emergency. Plus - crowded buses filled with people coughing, i-Pods up too loud, schoolgirls loudly giggling about who they pashed last night... no thanks!!!! And I promise there will be no bitching and moaning about the price from me - hell, bottled water is more expensive per litre - and we do walk to markets / supermarkets to get our groceries with our little nana trolley. Not so much a petrol price issue but a walk is much better for you.