America's Thirst for Gasoline May Not Recover After Iran War

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/business/economy/gasoline-demand-destruction.html

America’s Thirst for Gasoline May Not Recover After Iran War
People drove less and bought more-efficient cars when fuel prices surged, habits that could stick over the long term.
By Lydia DePillis
June 23, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET

Judy Vassallo, an 89-year-old retired art teacher who lives on her own in a leafy neighborhood just north of Center City in Philadelphia, used to take her 2002 Honda CRV to the suburbs for a visit with friends, or downtown for doctor appointments and Pilates classes.

But since gasoline prices shot up after the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February, she couldn’t stomach paying nearly twice as much to fill her tank. Instead, Ms. Vassallo started taking the city bus, which is free for seniors. She found that she liked it — saving on gas and parking tickets.

“Once it becomes a habit, it’s not an onerous thing, it’s built into the pattern of my behavior,” Ms. Vassallo said. “You’re going into the city, you’re going to take the bus. And I’m finding that it’s so much easier.”

Americans are powerfully attached to their cars, and their spending at gasoline stations jumped 21 percent from February to May. But that ability to spend has limits. According to Dow Jones Energy, consumption was 6.1 percent lower in May from a year earlier. Some of that is a long-running trend owing to the increasing efficiency of passenger vehicles, said Denton Cinquegrana, the company’s chief oil analyst, and about half is probably a consumer response to higher prices.

Much of that response comes from people forgoing discretionary driving, like road trips and grandchildren’s traveling sports games, particularly those with lower incomes. But in recent years, Americans have also gained greater ability to adapt, as more employers have allowed for telecommuting and more electric vehicles have arrived on the market.



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[Happy Hoosier]

1. Here in Indiana, giant, stupid trucks are so common!

They piss me off. They block vision. They are loud and obnoxious. But I do get amusement watching them struggle to park in parking lots designed for orginary-sized vehicles. In my somewhat up-scale neighborhood, it's amusing seeing all the trucks in driveways instead of garages because the trucks are too big to fit into the garages.

[progressoid]

3. Just two days ago

Spouse and I are in a small parking lot for a local ice cream shop. And this old guy in his shiny new big ass, king cab pick up is trying to fit his 22 foot long truck in a spot built for average cars. So we all had to wait while he made a 15 point turn to park. Then finally after he parks, his wife can barely get out of the truck because it's so tall and she's like 5'2".

AND now his truck sticks half way out into the parking lot when he could have parked on the side road.



Fucken assholes and their big trucks piss me off too. What a waste.

[Jersey Devil]

2. Been seeing a lot of ebikes on the road

I bought one myself and like to use it to run local errands like trips to the convenience store for coffee or milk. I also see a lot of others using them for short local commutes and similar activities. They're fun, save money and even provide a bit of much needed exercise.