An article ran today in the NYTimes talking, again, about the price of diesel and the effect it's having on the trucking industry. Companies are cutting the fat out -- they are making adjustments and layoffs and hard decisions. But truckers, according to the article, are also forced to decide what money goes :
"Stunned by the high prices, businesses are trying to cut fuel consumption any way they can. Farmers are buying more fuel-efficient equipment. Truckers are putting off maintenance and packing lunches."
Notice the way putting off maintenance is just slipped in there.
When the really tough decisions come down it always comes to safety eventually. People have to choose between heat and food or food and medicine... gas and brakes.
There was an article in the LA Times last month that said if consumers changed the oil in their cars every 7,000 miles instead of every 3,000 miles, we could save 21.6 millions of gallons of oil waste per year. Now, I think that's probably right -- that oil ratings have improved and the dealerships and engine oil makers have resisted -- but last year I almost burned out my engine... I'm still not altogether sure how that happened -- I happen to think there was something wrong with the car, but it could just be denial.
We have a lot of highways with a lot of cars and trucks.
Maintenance is one of those funny things -- exercise, sleep enough, eat right... oil change, new wipers, check the breaks... meditate, call your mom, change the timing belt...
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