The continuing rise in gas prices has led to even more residual problems than those on Wall Street and in Congress. Families, especially teens, are feeling the dramatic effect of these rising prices in many different areas. Aside from their depleting social life, commuting students have a very difficult time keeping up with the pace of oil prices, since most of them only work part-time jobs. As for commuting teenagers in college, this scenario can be devastating to the already rigid budget that most college students experience. These rising costs need to be taken seriously, as some students have conducted protests. Although civil disobedience has been avoided thus far, the idea that teenagers would begin stealing gas and the effects of such actions loom as far more than mere speculation.
Part-time work is all that some teenagers have to sustain themselves. Families can compensate for the teenagers’ inability to afford the necessary means for fuel. However, everyone is experiencing these same difficulties. As such, the entire family is struggling to get to and from work, let alone assist their children’s finances. Moreover, these same teenagers need fuel to maintain their part-time job, which in turn creates more stress as fuel prices keep going higher. Teenagers face a double-edged sword; they need fuel to get to their jobs, yet fuel prices continue to increase with inflation, while their workplace only offers minimal wage advances.
Furthermore, perhaps more strenuous is the idea that commuting students need transportation to get to their respective institutions. Of course, this problem affects college students more so than other teenagers. However, some school districts do not offer public transportation for any number of reasons, and thus students must find transportation to and from the schools. This burden is only amplified by what seems to be indefinite increases in fuel prices. There is not a clear-cut answer for this problem. Although, having the state or federal government refund fuel consumption in the aforementioned areas would certainly be a start. This is certainly no less feasible than the idea of driving around the battery or solar-operated vehicles on a nationwide, even worldwide, basis.
Additionally, these rising fuel costs can have much more damaging residual effects than some might care to think. Civil disobedience is not out of the question, especially considering the dire need teenagers either do or believe, they have. Police officers would find it a little more difficult to quiet teenagers with rubber bullets and tear gas. Aside from civil disobedience, simple theft is definitely an area of concern. Other fuel shortages and scares from the past did not elicit the same response that teenagers, today, are willing to give. As such, fuel costs should be considered much more dangerous with the knowledge that teenagers will go to the extremes to get what they think they deserve.
Rising fuel costs have created widespread criticism in many areas of society. Teenagers, however, have felt the brunt of these costs. Since they need transportation to and from their part-time job, which barely leaves little more than fuel money, teenagers definitely argue for the need to lower fuel costs. Commuting college students feel this burden more heavily than any other, based on their complete reliance on fuel to provide transportation while attending classes. Finally, civil disobedience and theft are two areas that community leaders always focus on preventing. Yet, rising fuel costs will eventually become the driving force behind such instances.