Anyone else notice?

[sunshine2777]

Truckers won't "park" their rigs until people stop buying.

Its hard to think they would but it is a very real possibility. Not that they even want to but they may "have" to. If diesel keeps rising and, say they have to pay $1500 a week in diesel just to run the routes plus any truck payment they have, insurance and upkeep, etc. that would be $6000 a month (*this is hypothetical of course). If they only make $3000 or $4000 or even $5000 a month, they cannot feasibly keep them on the road. They would be literally "forced" to park them.

Knowing how consumer oriented this country is, especially with the "I want it now generation", its an easier bet that the rigs will stop running BEFORE people stop buying rather than people stop buying and then they park. Especially since the necessities and staples are moved by the big trucks.

But where the "breaking" point is who knows..... :faint

[Legacy]

Its hard to think they would but it is a very real possibility. Not that they even want to but they may "have" to. If diesel keeps rising and, say they have to pay $1500 a week in diesel just to run the routes plus any truck payment they have, insurance and upkeep, etc. that would be $6000 a month (*this is hypothetical of course). If they only make $3000 or $4000 or even $5000 a month, they cannot feasibly keep them on the road. They would be literally "forced" to park them.

Knowing how consumer oriented this country is, especially with the "I want it now generation", its an easier bet that the rigs will stop running BEFORE people stop buying rather than people stop buying and then they park. Especially since the necessities and staples are moved by the big trucks.

But where the "breaking" point is who knows..... :faint
This breaking point is closer than most realize. :ohno

[christianmom]

Its hard to think they would but it is a very real possibility. Not that they even want to but they may "have" to. If diesel keeps rising and, say they have to pay $1500 a week in diesel just to run the routes plus any truck payment they have, insurance and upkeep, etc. that would be $6000 a month (*this is hypothetical of course). If they only make $3000 or $4000 or even $5000 a month, they cannot feasibly keep them on the road. They would be literally "forced" to park them.

Knowing how consumer oriented this country is, especially with the "I want it now generation", its an easier bet that the rigs will stop running BEFORE people stop buying rather than people stop buying and then they park. Especially since the necessities and staples are moved by the big trucks.

But where the "breaking" point is who knows..... :faint

Well, I am saying this because my husband drives his own rig. He pays more than 1500/week for diesel and I know where our finances are. His loads have not dwindled at all (not saying they won't). The ones that are in trouble are the ones that have their own authority and get no fuel surcharges paid to them by a company because they are not leased or "contracted" on with them. I'm not just speculating here; we are living that.

As you stated yourself necessities and staples are moved by big trucks. However, not only necessities are moved by the rigs--everything is. The higher the diesel goes the higher the groceries or "necessities" will also rise. It is all relevant. Until people stop buying...whether it be food, clothing, whatever...rigs will keep hauling them. It will just cost more.

Everyday I wake up and praise the Lord because we are not in the financial bind that many people are in at the moment. I'm not by any means saying we won't be but I do know where my faith is and am not afraid of that. God is an awesome God and He will take care of His children--He promised us that and I trust in His word. :)

[JenGC]

We have private school that offer homeschooling. You would homeschool the child, but use their information. Pretty much like online classes. You come in once a week and have PE and things like that and submit some homework every so often.

I have the best boss in the world. He offered me a 10 hour/4 day work week. The other co-worker didn't take advantage of this because he lives like 5 miles from work. I, however, live 50 miles round trip from work. I am sure most of you guys think that is nothing, but it saves me bout $20 a week. I can take that $100 and put it toward food :rolleyes

[Hunger for More]

In January, my dh and I were driving east into Little Rock on I-30 on a weekday. We were amazed at the number of 18wheelers on the road in the west bound lane. We started counting, and in 1 mile there were 100 trucks. I'll try to count it today and see what I get.

Shocking!!!

I started counting trucks like I did before in January. The first mile I counted 12. I thought it had to be a fluke, since in January I had counted 100 in a mile. So I counted the next mile - 16, and the next mile - 14. This is an 85 % reduction in trucks on the interstate in this very crude experiment.

[writesinme]

I'm in the Atlanta area, and as someone already said, traffic is still very heavy. I see no change--12 lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic and very few cars carry passengers. The suburb I live in is hopping along as usual. I don't know what the breaking point will be.

Last week, I traveled from Georgia to upper east Tennessee--the roads were quite busy, with plenty of truckers. Here in the southeast, folks seem to keep on keeping on as though these prices just aren't hurting at all. I just wonder when it's going to catch up with us. As already mentioned, truckers will keep hauling as long as people buy--I just wonder how much consumers will be willing to pay in months to come. And how do they keep up with the rising costs? Things don't even stabalize, thus you don't have time to adjust your budget before prices are higher.

[christianmom]

I see no change--12 lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic and very few cars carry passengers. The suburb I live in is hopping along as usual.

Yep...absolutely...the traffic here in the DFW area is just mind boggling; especially when they have built all these new HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that very few are even using. You look around and see these SUVs on the road with one person in each.

I am blessed enough to be able to stay home with my children (again I praise the Lord Jesus Christ for this "luxury") and I avoid the stores on weekends at all costs. So, I go do my shopping during the week and as early as I possibly can because by noon the parking lot at the several Walmarts in my area as well as the mall and all shopping centers are so packed it's hard to even find parking space. Bumper to bumper traffic is a daily thing here and not just during rush hour either. We are definitely blessed. :)

[writesinme]

I, too, am blessed to be at home with the children (although my "babies" are now in high school and middle school! Where do the years go?) ...so, like Christianmom, I see traffic during the non-rush hour times, and it's bad even then. You don't even want to leave home during Atlanta rush hours and weekends!

[HSmomto4]

While traffic may still be heavy, we are driving less. AAA came out with their report yesterday saying we are driving 11 BILLION fewer miles, the sharpest drop in history.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/26/gas.driving/

[christianmom]

While traffic may still be heavy, we are driving less. AAA came out with their report yesterday saying we are driving 11 BILLION fewer miles, the sharpest drop in history.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/26/gas.driving/

That's even better news! Maybe our air will be cleaner because of it. :) I try to look at the positive side of things no matter the circumstances.