Prairie Post (West Edition)

High gas prices hurting the spoiled affluent portion of society

- Frank Sterle Jr. White Rock, B.C.

A silver-lining could be extracted from the high gas prices via less gratuitous fuel waste. For one thing, I often observe parked vehicles idling for many minutes, even in very warm weather.

Sometimes I’ll also see the exhaust spewed by a vanity vehicle, a metallic beast with the signature superfluou­sly very large body and wheels that don’t at all appear used for work or family transport. They’re the same gratuitous­ly huge monsters that when parked roadside hazardousl­y block the view of short-car operators turning or crossing through stopsigned intersecti­ons; and they look and spew thick exhaust as though they might get about 25 gallons to the mile.

Inside each is the operator, typically staring down into their lap, probably their Smartphone­s. I couldn’t help wondering whether they’re some of the people posting complaints onto various social media platforms about a possible gas tax/price increase, however comparativ­ely small. Here in Canada, the carbon tax, though it’s more than recouped via government rebate (except for the high-incomed), induces much pastime complainin­g.

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