I don't feel sorry for any of the SUV owners now that crude oil has reached its highest prices since 1990.

However a recent survey by USA Today states that people would not change their SUV purchases unless gas prices reached about $3.25 per gallon.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-03-18-bigsuvs_x.htm

"A survey by CNW Marketing Research shows that about a third of consumers would consider eventually buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle if gas prices hit $3.25 a gallon. Not until gas reached $3.75 a gallon would a third of those surveyed say they would immediately consider trading in for a more fuel-efficient vehicle. "

"At $2.25 a gallon, just 10% said they would consider eventually buying a more fuel-efficient car or truck, and virtually no one said they would immediately consider such a purchase."

"Even in California, where unleaded regular gasoline averaged $2.152 Thursday, dealers say that while demand is high for the Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid car, SUV buyers are barely flinching."

This is incredible. While anyone who can afford to is certainly free to spend their money anyway they choose, SUV's in my opinion are so incredibly wasteful. The average person never hauls more than 3 people in their vehicle at a time. The SUV craze is based on sitting up higher in a vehicle and social status - pure and simple. I feel no sympathy for the owners of these gas guzzling vehicles and hope they enjoy paying $50 to fill the tanks of the 8 mile per gallon vehicles.

It is so unfortunate that hybrids and alternative fuel methods are not being developed as rapidly as they should. There simply isn't a demand or a will by the automakers to do so. Reducing America's dependence on foreign oil would be so beneficial in the long run.