Published: May 20, 2007 09:32 pm            

Going green, saving green:

High gas prices drive search for cheaper, more efficient travel

PRINCETON — Seeing prices at the gas pump approach and even exceed the $3 a gallon range is encouraging more motorists to seek more fuel-efficient ways to get where they need to go.

In other countries, bicycles, motor scooters, and the hybrid of the two, a mo-ped, are more common than cars, said David Sexton of Bluefield. When visiting Southeast Asia with his wife Ai Kimi, a native of Vietnam, Sexton quickly noted the differences between the American and Asian attitudes towards mo-peds.

“In Saigon, there are between 9 and 10 million people, and at least one mo-ped for every one of those people,” he said.

And these small motor and pedal driven cycles are not used simply to transport a rider and a few of his or her belongings. In Vietnam, riders use their mo-peds for tasks Americans usually assign to cars or pick-up trucks.

“I’ve seen pizza deliveries,” Sexton said, recalling one visit. The rider would keep pizzas balanced with one hand and drive with the other. Another delivery carrier was using his mo-ped to haul televisions; again, strapped to the cycle’s back and balanced with one hand while he drove with the other.

“Yet here in America, we would never consider that a workhorse,” Sexton said.

What is more, the mo-peds are driven “New York style” on roadways in Thailand and Vietnam: High speed, bumper-to-bumper, and no turn signals, Sexton said. The only real signal is loudly honking your horn to announce “Here I come!”

Despite this aggressiveness, Sexton saw only two wrecks in the 30 days he spent in Southeast Asia: One crash in Thailand, another in Vietnam. Even when driving at high speed, the Asian drivers were aware of the situation around them.

Sexton hopes to find a mo-ped for his wife to use around Bluefield, but has not learned whether they can be used on the city’s streets. Chief Joe Wilson with the Bluefield Police Department was not available Friday.

The Sextons are not the only local people thinking about using cycles to save on gasoline expenses.

“That’s the reason they’re buying: Because of the price of gas,” said Donald Poe, general manager of Hillbilly Cycle Sales in Princeton. “We’ve been selling scooters, too.”

Depending on the model, the weight it must carry and the hills it must climb, a scooter can average 100 to 150 miles a gallon, Poe said. Motorcycles, depending on the “cc” or cubic centimeters of their engines, can get good mileage, too. For instance, a motorcycle with 250 cc to 450 cc can get 65 to 75 miles per gallon. Big cruiser motorcycles average 45 to 55 mpg.

Teresa Guill, marketing director for Cole Harley-Davidson in Bluefield said “You will probably see more motorcycles on the road” as gas prices stay high.

One employee rides his motorcycle from Camp Creek to save on gas.

“He has a truck and he has a motorcycle, so he rides the motorcycle,” Guill said.

Motorists are seeking more fuel-efficient cars, too. People visiting local dealerships have sought out standard cars and newer hybrids that offer better mileage than other vehicles.

Consumers have been looking at models like the Prius, a hybrid car capable of getting 55 mpg. Hybrids combine both gasoline and electric drive.

“Whenever [gas] prices go up, there’s a flood of people who come in,” said Jason Shaffer, a sales consultant for Ramey Toyota. In rural areas like southern West Virginia, the Prius has an average of 48 to 50 mpg.

“And that’s doing a mix of highway and city driving,” he said.

Another dealership, Cole Honda Nissan Subaru, has been seeing interest in hybrid models as well as fuel-efficient models like the Civic, said sales consultant Ronnie Pike. Hybrid versions of Honda models like the Accord have become available, and have mileage in the 51-mpg range.

What is good about hybrids is that the electric motor’s battery does not need a plug-in recharge, Pike said. It recharges while the gasoline engine is running.

There are companies that are encouraging employees to consider hybrid cars. First Community Bank, N.A. recently announced that employees who chose to purchase a hybrid vehicle will receive a $1,500 allowance toward the purchase, plus a discounted auto loan rate.

“In today’s environment, it is important for our company to seek opportunities to support conservation efforts,” said John M. Mendez, President and CEO, First Community Bankshares, Inc. “We are encouraging our employees to join us through our hybrid vehicle purchase program.”

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.