Americans turn to toy cars amid high gas prices — Report

Rising gas prices in the United States are forcing many Americans to rethink how they travel, spend money, and move around their cities.

In Ellenwood, Georgia, 30-year-old handyman Mali Hightower came up with his own solution after struggling with fuel costs. Hightower fitted a two-gallon, one-piston engine from a power washer into a broken pink Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper he found in the trash.

The small toy vehicle now takes him on short trips to the supermarket, with a grocery rack attached to the top. Hightower told Reuters that using his regular car, a 1996 Mercedes-Benz convertible, has become too expensive.

“That’s too much,” said Hightower. “I drive this when I can.”

The rising cost of fuel is changing habits across the US as Americans look for ways to save money. Many drivers are cutting back on road trips, staying closer to home, or switching to public transport.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gasoline in the United States reached $4.52 per gallon as of May 18, up from around $3 before the Iran war started. An Ipsos poll published by The Washington Post and ABC News on April 28 found that 44% of Americans had reduced how much they drive.

In Mashpee, Massachusetts, Camp Farley executive director, Renee Tocci, turned the situation into a marketing strategy after paying nearly $40 more than usual to fill her Buick Enclave.

“My colleague was like, ‘That is hysterical,’” Tocci said. “And I ​was like, seriously, I’m going to put it all over social media.”

She later promoted overnight camp as a way for parents to reduce transportation costs during the summer.

“Here’s a budgeting tip no one talks about: Send your kids to overnight camp,” one of her posts reads.

In Washington state, content creator Dafne Flores also adjusted her routine because of fuel prices. Flores, who often drives from Silverdale to Los Angeles, said she recently relied more on buses and trains during a two-month stay in Glendale.

“We’re used to expensive gas prices, but never this expensive,” said Flores.

She explained that filling her Toyota Highlander now costs at least $95, forcing her to keep trips within five miles and avoid stations near freeways where prices are close to $9 per gallon.

On public transport, Flores said she can work on editing videos while avoiding parking expenses.

“I’m seeing a lot of videos of people taking the bus,” she added.

Public transport systems in several parts of the country are also seeing more passengers. In Bangor, Maine, transit administrator Laurie Linscott said bus ridership has increased by 21% since January, especially during work hours.

“I started watching people and trying to get some kind of demographic,” said Linscott. “It was every walk of life.”

In El Segundo, California, drivers recently lined up for more than an hour at a gas station where Visit Las Vegas offered up to $100 worth of free fuel to encourage tourism.

However, many people in line said they were more focused on daily survival than vacations.

ALSO READ: US: Three shot dead as two teenagers open fire in San Diego mosque

Robert Jackson of El Segundo said the free fuel would only last for a short time.

“I have to walk and take the train now,” he said. “It’s tough. It really is.”

Segette Frank of Los Angeles also said she has reduced unnecessary travel because of fuel costs.

“I stay close now because ​I don’t want to run out of gas,” she said.

In Chicago, CityPoint Community Church plans to distribute $5,000 worth of gas cards to support families struggling with transportation expenses. Pastor Demetrius Davis said more than 70 cards had already been handed out after Mother’s Day services.

“Transportation is not a luxury for many families,” he said. “It’s survival.”

While high gas prices have not yet caused a major increase in electric vehicle purchases, according to Reuters, many existing EV owners say they now feel less pressure from fuel costs.

John Stringer, president of Tesla Owners of Silicon Valley, recently shared a TikTok video reacting to gas station prices while showing his Cybertruck.

“Oh man, wish that was a problem that I ​had to deal with,” Stringer says cheekily, before turning the camera toward his Cybertruck.

Although he described the clip as a joke, Stringer admitted he rarely checks fuel prices anymore.

“I don’t know the last time I looked at gas prices, except for that video.”

(Reuters)