[karmakaze]

> filling a car’s fuel tank is one of the most volatile and essential line items in a typical household budget

With work-from-home I'm finding that this is absolutely not the case anymore. I do walk a block every few days to buy simple groceries that I didn't used to do. This isn't about the car and mostly as a way of making up for the exercise I don't get by going to the office every day and associated incidental walking/meandering.

[caeril]

The FedEx/UPS/Amazon/Doordash vehicles still require fuel. The trucks bringing food and supplies to your local grocery store use fuel. The fertilizer used to grow your food required fuel. The construction and maintenance materials for your current dwelling require fuel. The plumbers, electricians, cleaners, trash collectors, locksmiths, etc require fuel. The container ships that transport good from China require fuel.

Literally everything you use in life, even if you're the most shut-in Hikikomori on the planet, is downstream of fuel. If the fuel cost increases are transitory, you might not notice it. But if they persist, you absolutely will.

[karmakaze]

Yes, the cost of energy has been important since the 1970's energy crisis. That fact doesn't add much to this conversation. I thought that the point being made was the direct use of fuel was a major line item in personal budget (or near-direct if substituting Uber rides for own car) which doesn't have to be the case.