Parties Seeking to Blame Each Other’s Policies for Gas Prices

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Reducing use of gasoline would reduce wear and tear on roads. So even if there's less tax income (which I doubt) there'd be reduced maintenance costs.

Its not linear. I would wager the majority of maintenance costs (at least in the north) are a consequence of feeze thaw cycles.

[Hauldren Collider]

Reducing use of gasoline would reduce wear and tear on roads. So even if there's less tax income (which I doubt) there'd be reduced maintenance costs.

I read in a physics book that virtually all of the damage on roads is caused by trucking because damage to the road is proportional to something like the third power of the weight of the vehicle on the road, so passenger vehicles are insignificant apparently.

[Hauldren Collider]

Its not linear. I would wager the majority of maintenance costs (at least in the north) are a consequence of feeze thaw cycles.

Yes, after the blizzards last year VDOT spent months fixing all those potholes. There was literally a statewide "pothole fixing month" or something.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I read in a physics book that virtually all of the damage on roads is caused by trucking because damage to the road is proportional to something like the third power of the weight of the vehicle on the road, so passenger vehicles are insignificant apparently.

The accruing reduction in economic activity due to the increased costs and loss of disposable revenue (demand) impacts freight. Making a distinction to passenger verses freight transportation may or may not be a worthwhile activity.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Fortunately as far as energy policy goes, these impacts are mostly felt in the transportation sector. Other aspects such as reliable clean electricity generation are on more firmer footing with little to no politics playing a role.

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/05...pagewanted=all


or not.

[DaShi]

If only we had high speed rail.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Japan does

[DaShi]

You can walk across Japan faster than the trains.

[Felch]

Its not linear. I would wager the majority of maintenance costs (at least in the north) are a consequence of feeze thaw cycles.

That's certainly true. But as far as use taxes go, the gas tax is better than any other ideas I've heard. It's the easiest way to put the burden of supporting roads on the people who use them.

I read in a physics book that virtually all of the damage on roads is caused by trucking because damage to the road is proportional to something like the third power of the weight of the vehicle on the road, so passenger vehicles are insignificant apparently.

That's true, but trucks also pay much more per mile than passenger vehicles. An 18 wheeler only gets about 5 miles per gallon.

As far as rail goes, we have it. It's great for cargo across great distances, but who the hell wants to ride it? A train ride from DC to NY will set you back 75 bucks. Driving a passenger car, figuring 20 mpg, at $4/gal will only cost about 45 dollars (plus tolls on the NJ turnpike). Even if you spend 10 bucks on tolls and other bull****, you're still 20 dollars cheaper driving than riding the rail, and you don't have to deal with train schedules or trains that can't meet their schedules. High speed rail is almost twice the price, and only shaves about 20% of the time off.