There are many things people are being forced to do due to the incredible rise in gas prices. I see many more people on motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. In fact, I saw one man, in what appeared to be a uniform city water works employees wear, on a bicycle this morning near my home. If that were the case, he had about a 10 mile bicycle ride to get to work. There are a lot of people using alternate forms of transportation. People are carpooling more, using city transportation and making all their trips count when they use their vehicle.

I have a ’95 Nissan Truck that I bought brand new in September of 1995. That truck has never given me a problem. I can’t tell you the number of times I have been caught up in terrible rainstorms, cold, icy interstates and suffocating heat with my little Nissan truck. It has brought me through them all when a bunch of other vehicles were broken down on the side of the road. The 12 month battery that came with the Nissan truck lasted 5 ½ years. And it was still starting up the truck when I decided not to test it another winter. The alternator is the original and still going strong. The only expense I have made on that truck is having the timing belt replaced two years ago after it had gone over 130K miles. You’re supposed to replace it after 60K. That was my biggest and, mostly, only expense. It has sentimental value also since my mother loved that truck. I know people can’t understand how you can get sentimental about an inanimate object. But, something like a truck or a car grows on you after a number of years if it has been good to you. I have always maintained any vehicle that I owned. My theory on that is if you take care of it, it will take care of you. That isn’t always the case (such as with my ’88 Pontiac GrandAm…my last American made vehicle). But, for the most part, this is true.

But, due to rising liability insurance rates (my liability insurance on the truck has gone from $130.00 to $205.00 in less than twelve months…no accidents) and rapidly rising gas prices, I have got to sell my trusty old truck. I just don’t drive it enough to justify keeping it due to those factors. It’s not an easy thing to do. The gas mileage was never a factor until gas started edging up to $4.00/gallon. But, now, it just doesn’t make good economic sense to keep both my truck and my ’06 Honda Civic. I had actually considered selling my Civic until I realized that gas prices aren’t going to come down any time soon. I know as soon as I sell my truck, I’m going to regret it. It seems you always need a truck for something. But, if it comes down to that, I guess I’ll just rent one.

I may change my mind again and just hang onto the little truck. But, realistically, I don’t see how I can afford to keep both the truck and the Civic. I didn’t think I would ever consider selling my little truck. But, if a man comes this afternoon and actually agrees to pay the price I set, I will probably part with the truck. Maybe I’m just a sentimental old fool. But, it will be hard to watch him drive off with my truck. Damn. I may just talk myself out of it again.