Will you do anyting different because of the price of gas?

Are you going to do anything different now that gas is $3.00+/gal. and headed higher? Perhaps you're thinking about:
1.)Trading your MB for a Toyota Prius.
2.) Riding your bike more.
3.) Taking the bus to work.
4.) Buying a motorcycle or a scooter.
5.) Requesting a gas allowance from you're place of employment.

I'm considering a motorcycle or riding my bicycle to work. (Yea, I have the luxury of living only 6mi. from work.)

I will have to do something i paid $3.05 for 93 oct. yesterday at the cheapest place i know of in my area. Still cost 60 bux to fill it Everywhere else $3.19. I guess i will have to start driving the Rodeo more it gets better fuel mileage than the 560 and gas is "only" 2.89 for 87 oct. Wishin i had tags on the 300sdl .

I hate it for the average American. Yeah, I'm leaving my big displacement cars at home. I was at the convenience store buying chocolate milk, and this construction worker guy yelled out of his car, " get a F'n job like the rest of us you son of a B'"! I was embarrased to be in a 5.5 litre in this hard time. I should of had more consideration for everybody else.

So yeah, I'm going to be more thoughtful of those who are having a hard time with the fuel costs.

Charles

Seriously, for the first time in my life, instead of being proud of my car, I was embarrassed. I was pumping premium into a 55 with 1k in new Pirelli racing tyres next to a guy who was obviously having a hard time paying for gas. I felt like sht. I wish I could do something to help this country, but I feel like I'm the only one who cares. :( I have in the past "accidentally" dropped a twenty on the ground, when I'm around people who I think really need it, so they can find it, and they don't have to thank me for it, or feel they owe me anything. I want to help everybody, but I don't know how to handle it.

Charles.

Hey i look at it this way as long as u earned ur money legally u dont owe anybody anything though it is nice to help. U did what it took to be able to drive that 5.5 litre What do u have that has a 5.5 litre anyway? and that construction worker was the guy that f'd off in school and never made anything out of himself and i would be willing to bet the guy wastes his money on ciggs or booze or other vices that are not needed while u may not need ur 5.5 litre u have "earned it " just as in his mind he earned those ciggs or alcohol. I am 20 years old and have little remorse for those who did not take advantage of schooling and such. Like i said i paid $60 bux for gas and i got friends that can barely aford there gas though it hits my pocket i cant feel bad for those that didnt try to better themselves and then have the nerve to yell at those who have made it. I also can't feel bad for my friends that are going to college full time while working full time but then i see them wasting money buying alcohol to get drunk on the weekends yet they have student loans its called priorities. That does not mean that i will stop driving my 560 all together just will drive it less and drive the rodeo more. Oh and i see nothing wrong with ciggs or alcohol alone but if ur spending money on them instead of food or gas to get to work then once again get ur priorities straight. And be proud of ur car u earned it. And IMO only help those that are willing to help themsleves.

MDZ300sdl,

Actually, I still have every MB I ever bought, I get attached and never trade them. They have too many miles to be collectors cars, but they mean something to me.

Charles

I want still have the two that have ever had also. But i dont wanna steal this thread even though i know i almost did earlier. I gguess we should get back to the gas prices.

quote:

"get a F'n job like the rest of us you son of a B'"!

Why would someone say such a thing to you? It's not because you were driving a "55." Were you holding up a sign that read, I don't work but you do--HAHA--you poor SOB?

You were trying to make us laugh, but you're laughing because mbz300sdl fell for it, right?

... and tell me where you drop the $20s because I want to grab some up.

Lugnut, you're too much! I was laughing my head off while reading your post. I had similar thoughts about Blue Sliver's post. Why would someone say that? They might, out of envy, think it, but……And how did they know you didn’t work?
Also, the response, in my mind, to Blue Silver dropping those twenties..., “so that was you, thanks.”
I do think that Blue Silver brings up a somewhat valid point. If the price of gas is high partly because of consumption, then those who are trying to lower the price by trimming consuming will be pissed.
Does anyone think it’s true that if we lowered our consumption as a nation the price of gas would go down?
BTW, I think I’m going to add money to my personal gas fund by getting out of a storage facility (which is about ¼ full) at $90/month. That will pay for the high price of gas and more.

No I wasn't holding up any sign! But I might have looked like I had the day off, which I did, and he certainly looked like he had been working his butt off. And he was angry. I don't have anything to say to angry people because its a waste of time; I let them cool off. But it's not like my car was a 1929ssk or a 600sl, so I don't know why he said anything to me at all, and I'm pretty sure I make average income for my area.

Lugnut, you live in this same area. You know that some folks are having a really hard time with the rising costs. I can tell people are pissed off just by the way they drive lately. There are some folks having a really hard time, and I don't think its even their fault. I'm blaming the CEO, BUSH. He has to manage his oil war, but on a balanced scorecard, he's letting everything else go to hell. No need to list them, you already know.

My point is I'm a MB owner, but it is becoming uncomfortable for me to drive these cars around when others are going broke or having to rebuild their homes because the tornado etc. Take your 600 to the station and fill that bastrd up with premium, and seeif you get any political fallout. Dude, seriously.

Charles

quote:

I want to help everybody, but I don't know how to handle it.

Well, when ever I become overwelmed by the dire straights of so many in the world, I try to remember what the late Mother Theresa said, " In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."

Maybe its just the East coast? A few years ago I had a hotrod Cobra with a 5.8L and loud side pipes etc. Someone had stuck a sticker on my windsheild at the grocery store, which said, "Think Green". That's all it said. I interpreted it as, "I'm a radical environmentalist, and you should be more fuel effecient, or something bad is going to happen to this car." ok

It took a long time to scrape that sticker off. Man that thing really stuck, Thank goodness they didn't stick it to the paint. Everybody hated that car, the neighbors, the kids, the police, the environmentalists,and the rice burners. I was the only one who appreciated it, but I got so much grief, I couldn't enjoy it. And the Ford club, good grief, all they do is cut down each others cars ALL the time. The only time I enjoyed it, was when I was alone with it in the garage. I'm glad I sold it.

Charles

quote:

My point is I'm a MB owner, but it is becoming uncomfortable for me to drive these cars around

Why, exactly? By driving your car around, are you taking food out of their mouths? It's not exactly like we're in the desert and you're sitting there with gallons of water while everyone else is unable to get any. Like mbz300sdl alluded to in his post, when people can help themselves, I think we help them best by encouraging them to help themselves

Rock solid, Thank you.

I do want to do something. It will have to be small. I can't counteweight the actions of the government, or the world economy, that's for sure. I'm just saying that ALL of you in this forum need to be prepared for political criticism/fallout. You will filling up at gas stations, cars which are viewed expensive, next to folks who are losing their homes. And the feeling of that sucks. You'll see.

C.

What is that German word, for which there is no English translation which describes the slight good feeling you have when you see someone else fail? I can't remember the word, but it was politically controversial a few years ago. Whatever it is, I don't feel it.

Taking food out of their mouths.. No I don't feel that way. I guess I feel guilt. Why, I don't know. I just feel sad.

C,.

When they get rid of NASCAR in the South, I'll worry about wasting gas myself.

Georgia used to have the lowest gas prices in the nation prior to Hurricane Katrina. Then the prices recovered somewhat when the pipelines were reopened, but now the prices are zooming up again. It's a culture shock.

It "only" costs about $3 per gallon here for premium. I wonder how many people in California feel like you do when they fill up their Ferraris, Hummers, and Bentleys? Maybe they're dropping $100 bills for the "poor"?

If you can't stand the guilt of filling up, just put $20 per station in the tank and go to as many stations as it takes to fill the tank. Then you can say to the hecklers that they're spending more on gas than you are.

I think I'll take my Chevelle for a romp today. It's a nice cool day down here. The Chevelle loves this dense air.

Charles is right about people making comments about social class when i was in high school a teacher had the nerve to say to another student about me that well his parents bought him a Mercedes while i was in the CLASS and the teacher hated me because of it and when i drive back roads i do make sure i dont take one of the Benzes cause the people that live on the back roads give u this evil stare when u drive by. Another story in high school u had to have parking permits to park but there were about 10 spaces that did not need them but u had to get there early in order to get one. And one day a parent was there and said out of nowhere do u think u better cause u drive a Mercedes. This was a grown Adult women in her 40s i'd say "attacking" a 16 yo for the type of car he drives. And think about it this was a 1986 300SDL and the year was 2001 that hood star means so much in the minds of people the actual cost of the car doesn't matter. So, Lugnut i didn't fall for anything cause it has happened to me.

Charles-i know the world ur talking about but i cant remember how to spell it.

Lugnut,

watch out for those sticker sticking environmentalists.

The original post, "will I do anything different," and the event at the gas station combined to set something off.

I spent alot of time learning the German way, the Japanese way, the American way, the way of the Caribbean, the way of the Equitorial Indians etc, and foriegn language, and have seen alot of strange crap, but now that i'm here again, I don't really understand this culture. I'm suffering from major culture shock right now. Even though I was born here, I've obviously been gone so long that the cuture has changed, and I don't understand what is going on. What the construction guy said was actually a value judgement, and that set off questions that I don't have the answers to.


If, by the definition of Mercedes as defined in the history section of this very forum, is a car built for royalty, how did a loser like me, end up with four?

Does Nardeli think that anyone who earns less than 30 mil per year is "poor"

Mbz300 had mentioned that the guy probably f'd off in school and spent his money on alcohol, when that actually describes me.

Am I happier living in this town driving cars in the city, or was I happier living in the jungle. long story.

I feel sorry for you both (BlueSilver and mbz300sdl). I just don't know which one deserves more pity. You both worry about the wrong things. I never get the feelings you two describe when I drive any of my cars around. You must have some nasty-assed neighbors. Maybe that's the problem? It's not your cars, it's your neighbors and your desire to "fit in" with them.

Gotta keep an eye on those Greenies, I agree.

I apologize for bringing up such an ugly subject.
I'm not very comfortable around people.

C

Lug i could honestly care less what people think but i have also had my car vandalized cause the fact i drove it to a high school and it was the only Mercedes there. I went for a drive this afternoon in the 300sdl and people stared at it. Like it did not belong there and i have driven by those same houses b4 in the Rodeo and people don't even notice. Don't feel pity on me feel the pity for the people that can't handle someone else driving something that they feel is better than what they have. and as far as nasty ass neighbors don't get me started.

Well, you seemed to be saying you cared in your last post. And you care enough to notice people looking at you and try to figure out why they're looking and what they're thinking. I think you care a lot.

I get positive comments, when I get comments, when I drive the SL, Chevelle, or BelAir. It's usually a thumbs up or a stare. How can you tell that those people weren't admiring the 300 SDL? If a classic M-B drove past my house I'd watch it go by too.

What do you expect them to do, hold up ratings like Olympic judges do? If they don't hold up a "10" then you assume they want you to get your car out of town? And why the heck would they stare at a Rodeo going by? I wouldn't.

I've never had a negative comment or a thumbs down for the three cars I mentioned. So, maybe it's your ugly face? Yeah, okay. Just kidding about your face. I do pity you, though. Getting stared down by your nasty-ass neighbors can't be much fun... if that's what they're really doing.

Point well made. Sometimes i think i care also but at other times i don't might just be something in my crazy head. Cause i have gotten positve comments from people and negative. My parents always told me the negative comments are cause people are just jealous and i think i agree cause they come from people that normally are driving something less expensive and the postive come from people from both higher and lower social classes. What do u think?

I personally look at cars that look well maintained no matter what they are. Cause its obvious to me that the people care enough about there cars to make them look good if its an old truck or a new sports car.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lugnut

Well, you seemed to be saying you cared in your last post. And you care enough to notice people looking at you and try to figure out why they're looking and what they're thinking. I think you care a lot.

I get positive comments, when I get comments, when I drive the SL, Chevelle, or BelAir. It's usually a thumbs up or a stare. How can you tell that those people weren't admiring the 300 SDL? If a classic M-B drove past my house I'd watch it go by too.

quote:

... negative comments are cause people are just jealous... and the postive come from people from both higher and lower social classes.

It's jealousy for sure that prompts a negative comment. I don't think social class has much to do with it. A positive comment shows "class" that rises beyond any social class.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lugnut

A positive comment shows "class" that rises beyond any social class.

Thats the point i was trying to get across but u worded it better than i did.

AND once again u and i have stolen someone elses thread.