According to a report from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, Americans drove 3.7% less in May 2008 than in May 2007. It may not sound like much, but that equates to 9.6 billion fewer miles driven during a month particularly significant as a big vacation travel time. The report notes the decline is primarily due to high gas prices, but it's being used as a rallying cry for alternative infrastructure funding: With less fuel usage, gas taxes alone won't pay for desperately needed roadwork and bridge repair. We bet you Prius owners out there didn't think about how you were screwing over the rest of us, did you?
That's right, for every extra smug mile you travel on a gallon of gas, that's less money going into the federal highway coffers. And you bicycle riders...don't even get us started. If you're not going to buy gas, even just to squirrel away, Unabomber-style, then you shouldn't be riding on public roads. You gotta pay to play, boss. So don't complain when your Honda Fit falls into a pothole and we gotta come haul you out with our asphalt-financing Expedition EL — "Extra-Long" — because we just like what that says about us. You gotta burn gas to lay pavement, and if you don't like it then just swim your ass back to Russia, ya commie. [Green Car Congress; Photo Credit: Free-StockPhotos.com]