Opting Out of High Gas Prices

"This is maddening," a Dallas commuter told MSNBC correspondent George Lewis. "I'm going to park it. Get on a bike or a horse or something."

You might be making similar plans. So it might be surprising that this quote comes from a story reported more than two years ago, when gas prices edging past the $3-a-gallon mark (downright cheap!) were inspiring even L.A. residents to get off the freeway and onto mass transit.

Today, Keith Johnson over at Environmental Capital writes that Americans have hit a breaking point: Commuters are now opting out of bank-breaking gas bills and not only taking the train, but actually moving closer to work or public transit. Johnson offered this explanation:

People tend to deal with pain at the pump with short-term fixes—driving a little less, experimenting with bus lines and the like. But it takes the expectation of sustained high gas prices to drive a shift as permanent as moving house.

Are you one of these gas nomads? Have rising gas prices forced (or inspired) you to put your lifestyle on a greener track? Tell us how.