To paraphrase William Burroughs, gas price surges can be like one of those moments where everyone sees what's on the end of every fork. High gas prices force us to make decisions based on what matters most, and force us to be cleverer, and more efficient.
The environmentalist point of this is obvious -- when prices were high in the 1970s, we started to make cars more fuel-efficient. (One has to think that this can only be good news for the trend toward hybrid-fuel vehicles.) But can we also make our purchases more cost-efficient?
On that note, here's something I found this in the latest issue of BusinessWeek. It doesn't seem to be online and it's short enough, so I'll transcribe:
With pump prices over $3 a gallon, it's not just consumers who are paying more. Gas stations are, too. The credit-card-processing fees they pay are figured as a percentage of a purchase, and last year, the National Association of Convenience Stores says, those fees surged 22% to $6.6 billion - partly because high gas prices also drive customers to use credit cards instead of cash.
National Payment Card, a two-year-old startup in Boca Raton, Fla, aims to bring down both prices and fees with a card customers already have: their driver's license. NPC lets them go online to enter their license number and bank account information, turning the license into a debit card that can be used at the pump with a swipe and a PIN at participating stations. The incentive: a discount of up to 10 cents per gallon.
[snip]
In January, NPC began piloting its technology at a handful of gas stations in Central Texas. Since then it has signed contracts to roll out to five regional convenience store chains starting in June.
Is it safe to give out a driver's license number online? "We urge people to be careful," says Tela Mange, a spokeswoman for the Texas Public Safety Dept., "just as they would with any online transaction."
What a cool idea. If any Kossacks here are in Central Texas and have tried this, or know someone else who has tried this, please do share. I hope this comes to my area soon
Even if you don't drive, higher gas prices mean higher pizza prices, higher grocery prices, etc. It's all connected. And as my recent diaries show pretty well, anything that undercuts the current credit card regime has to be a good thing.