WARNING! THIS POST WAS WRITTEN BY A PERSON IN ASBESTOS! DONT TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY!

Okay, suppose we make it 2000 alive and well. Then the embedded chip problem starts to kick in...power failures here and there but everthing's back on in about a week...bank runs begin but the FedGov gets tough and orders all the banks to close until the hysteria dies away...food and goods are scarce but there just is enough to go around...

The REAL PROBLEM is gasoline and petroleum. Numerous failures in the chain of supply make gasoline all but extinct. These failures are mitigated, but even by the end of '00 gas is tres expensive at 5-10 bucks per gallon.

The consequence?? DRIVERS OF THOSE OBNOXIOUS, PHONY, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES CANT AFFORD TO DRIVE THEM ANYMORE!! No more idiot fratboys to tailgate you and run you off the road because they're "bigger" than you!! No more pontificating ex-hippies using them as a sign to show the world that they still love the outdoors in the midst of their midlife crises!! No more money-drenched yuppies looking down on you from on high, muttering to themselves, "Those inferior peon-drivers are in my way!!"

Thank heavens. The stupidist, phoniest trend in automaking since the Edsel will finally be brought to an abrupt close!! YEAY!!

-- Harrison Bergern (coprolith@rocketship.com), January 29, 1999

Answers

You must not be able to afford one. Bummer.

b

-- b (b@b.b), January 29, 1999.

Hmmmm, even us peons can't afford Gas at $5-$10 Bucks a Gallon, :(,However I guess my Bike Shop will do OK, :)

-- F. Marion (curtistradin@earthlink.net), January 29, 1999.

F Marion ("Swamp Fox" ?)

Try to get people to invest in a bike trailer - as an alternative to driving (then, as well as now, weather permitting).

Our bike trailer was the "second car" for twelve years - and the kids loved it! fell asleep many times as they cruised along behind me - snug, under cover, looking out the the clear windshield, or open if the weather was nice. (Belted in with helmets of course) Carried two kids and two groceries bags real nicely.

You can comute also on bike - even through most Northeast CT and CA storms.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), January 29, 1999.

Harrison,

If you're looking for a solution prior to that, I have found that NRA and GOA Life Member stickers clearly displayed in rear window solve tailgating problems - not only works with yuppie liberals, but with gangmobiles too...or maybe it's the combination of those, and the bumper sticker of the ICTHUS (Christian fish symbol) chomping on the darwin bug...anyway, you get the idea...

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 29, 1999.

Buying bicycles now is one helluva good idea. Buy lots of them, and spare parts also.

-- dave (wwootendave@hotmail.com), January 30, 1999.