Geologists are all over the ballpark on their estimates for when the finite supply of oil will put a crimp in our industrial lifestyle. Some say we’ve got decades before a real oil shortage will be a problem, and that’s time enough to gradually develop other ways of fueling the world’s economies. Other researchers say crunch time could come much sooner, that perhaps peak production has already been reached and supplies will flatten and then dwindle just as China and India are ramping up their own imports.

Whatever, rising gas prices right now could mean you’ll pay more for pizza delivery, flower delivery and other goods and services (but maybe you’ll get that nifty little $100 federal gas rebate to offset your pain).
Whatever happens, how are gas prices today affecting you? Europeans have long dealt with higher prices than Americans; they tend to think a lot before they pull the car out of the garage. Have you changed your driving habits? Would you at $5 per gallon if it gets there? And do you fear how all of this migh affect the economy? One last question: Are higher prices in the long run maybe good for us, forcing the kind of changes in habits and technological innovation that would set us on a course for sustainable fuel and a stronger economy?