Who's benefiting from high gas prices? Me.
By John Stechschulte, Baltimore - Baltimore Sun
I have a confession to make: In a recent story about perpetually increasing gas prices, The Sun quoted Susan Sutter as saying "someone is lining their pockets, and it sure isn't me" ("Gas-pocalypse?" Jan. 7). I must admit — it's me.
Am I among the 1 percent? An oil company executive? A Saudi prince?
Nope. I'm just a normal Baltimore resident. Well, mostly normal. I am a little unusual in that I don't have a car (in fact, a third of Baltimore households don't). Instead, I go everywhere by bicycle and transit. I've been car-free for three years now, and in that time, I have saved more than $15,000.
What am I doing with all that pocket lining? Mostly, I've been saving and investing it. I've even bought stock in oil companies. I'm hoping for and working toward a world in which drilling for oil is not nearly as profitable as it is now. But in the meantime, someone's going to make a buck off of it, and it might as well be me.
So when gas prices head skyward you might see a smile creep across my face. Those high prices will add a few more bicyclists to Baltimore's streets, and a bit more lining to my pockets.
Of course, when I'm on my bike I'm usually smiling anyway.
John Stechschulte, Baltimore