Keep Driving Despite Record High Gas Price

There is some evidence that even truck-loving Americans are buying less gasoline as prices keep marching upwards. Common sense suggests they are going to buy even less if the gas price rises to $4.50 or $5 a gallon.
The Albanians, on the other hand, are proving they are even more stubborn, to say the least, than ‘supersize me’ Americans. Despite record high gas prices, Albanians are consuming the same amount of fuel as usual. The average gas price for the first quarter of 2007 was ALL 125 per litre while, during the first quarter of 2008, the average gas price rose to ALL 155 per litre, or 25 percent higher than a year ago. On Tuesday, the gas price rose to ALL 163 per litre. However, the poorest country in Europe sees no reason to change its habits. According to data supplied to us by the customs office, during the period January- April 2008, Albania imported 116,843 metric tons of gasoline and diesel compared to 117,037 metric tons of gasoline and diesel imported during the period January- April 2007. The data indicates that the increase of gas price has not forced Albanians to drive less.
The demand for fuel remains high, partly because Albanians have not changed their driving habits and partly because of the electricity crisis the country experienced during 2007 and the first couple of months in 2008. The majority of small and medium enterprises had to relay on small diesel-fuelled power generators for electricity during long periods when lights went out.