Guys and Gals of MS,

I have a general question to everyone, which I'm hoping will help me answer it myself. At the outset, let me clarify, I assume that you guys use some form of personal transportation - and that form uses either diesel, petrol, LPG, CNG, or battery power.

Now, with oil touching almost $127 a barrel, and petrol prices in the US being at $3.87 a gallon (about a dollar a litre, since 1 gallon = 3.84 litres), what do you think is going to happen to the Indian road transport scene. I mean, for now the government has been election oriented and is supporting the price of fuel, but the oil marketing companies are already bleeding themselves to death, and suggesting measures such as regulations, capping of consumption, etc. to the government. My point is that when demand outstrips for supply (for anything, as any economics student would corroborate), prices rise, and then demand drops to find a new equilibrium with supply. So, petrol /diesel / road transport in general will become more expensive - that is a given.

My question(s) are -
1. How do you people think, at an individual level, (as individuals) we can trim our usage or dependence on the modern automobile, in the general overall economic interest? What are the available options to 'driving'? What do you guys intend to do in the (near?) future?

2. How do you think this increase price of fuel is going to impact the rest of life, as in cost of living, cost of the favourite things we do (like the cost of going to a movie, or buying an ice cream, or telecommuting, or anything else you can think of?

Your feedback would be really appreciated!

Thanks! and Cheers!

Dhruv