Actress Bette Midler apparently feels no sympathy for the millions of Americans who are feeling the pinch brought on by higher gas prices — especially if they aren’t driving compact or electric vehicles.
On Sunday, Midler posted a meme that featured an image of a pickup truck with an American flag and a Trump flag in the back.
The caption read, “You bought the gas guzzling truck.”
“Go ahead [and] whine about gas prices I swear I’m listening,” it added.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) April 3, 2022
What the meme leaves out is that while there are probably plenty of Americans who buy trucks and SUVs because they like the space and just want a bigger car, there are also individuals who essentially need them, whether they have larger families and need a vehicle with seven seats or workers who need more room to transport equipment.
According to AAA, the average national price for a gallon of gas is $4.18 as of Monday.
A year ago, the average price of a gallon of gas was $2.87.
If you were to put 10 gallons of gas — just to have a round number — in your truck today at the national average, that would cost you $41.80 — that’s $13 more than a year ago.
If you drive a lot and fill up your tank by that same amount every week of the month, that’s about $52 just gone.
It is also worth pointing out that it’s not just people who drive big trucks or SUVs that are feeling the pinch. Even if you drive a smaller car, you’re still going to be paying more.
Yes, you could say this would be solved if everyone just drove electric cars.
But as of right now, that is simply not a feasible answer.
As CNBC notes, “The average transaction price for an electric vehicle (EV) is $56,437, according to Kelley Blue Book — roughly $10,000 higher than the overall industry average of $46,329 that includes gas and EVs. In terms of pricing, an EV is equivalent to an entry-level luxury car.”
Then if you want to get a faster charger for the vehicle for your home, the outlet explains, that will cost you about another $2,000.
While the electric vehicle market has expanded from a few years ago, and is continuing to grow, right now, there is a lack of charging stations around the country.
As of today, it remains the case that on average gas-powered vehicles are typically cheaper to buy, quicker to refuel, and easier to rely on for longer trips.
And making fun of your fellow Americans’ pain at the pump probably isn’t going to help convince anyone to ditch their truck.
