Just Walk On By

As I walked past a couple of gas stations yesterday, a song title came to mind, a title which could represent a modern day attitude for combating high fuel prices. It was sung by Leroy Van Dyke in 1961, and was named the biggest country single of all time by Billboard Magazine in 1994. Just Walk On By has a catchy melody, a memorable guitar lick, a clear strong voice, and is about a man, a woman and their secret affair.

While our high octane love affair with this old flame is by necessity, it is fueling anger in many people. Money is getting in the way of this relationship. We can cool the unhealthy connection by walking to the corner store, the pharmacies, the gym, the park, to visit friends, and so on. Sure, we're no strangers to gas pumps, but the relationship can be slowed down to put everything into perspective. The song suggests to act as if you don't know the "other woman".

Just walk on by,
wait on the corner
I love you but we're strangers when we meet

Love affairs can be hard to break, but sometimes in relationships, the financial issue becomes a source of trouble, an incompatibility issue. Sometimes one party changes, and the other has to adjust. Until some other attractive, more compatible alternative comes along, we'll probably always have an ongoing association with petrol, however, estranged we become with it. As a matter of fact, the last part of the song expresses a similar point of view.

In a dimly lit corner in a place outside of town
Tonight we'll try to say goodbye again (goodbye)
But I know it's not over, I'll call tomorrow night
I can't let you go, so why pretend.

With warmer weather coming it's a good time to be petrolling alternate modes of mobility. It might not be a total good-bye from our fuelish love affair, but merely allowing ourselves more personal freedom to pursue other interests.
------------
Here are some gas saving tips.
The tips were put together exactly two years ago, and $74 a barrel of oil was considered very high - now's it's over $120. Fuel inflation will keep inflating if demand remains high.