The calm was eerie. What was striking was the owners' stoicism. He shrugged and dug out a plastic card. But nobody railed against Al Gore or Bill Clinton, or damned the oil sheiks, or cussed the government, or howled at big oil companies. They've gotta have their cars.
Crazy prices are a way of life.
There are plenty of villains, including lackadaisical pols and greedy Big Oil. But maybe we should check our car mirrors. We're suckers ripe to be fleeced in a rigged game. Sure, blame Middle East oil sheiks. For thanks, OPEC cut crude oil production to jack up U.S. prices.