not sure i completely agree you seem to be assuming rational behaviour on the part of consumers whereas we often buy goods and services on the basis of irrational choices cigarette anyone the result of this is inelastic demand for goods and services to which people have some sort of emotional attachment or addiction that is if gas prices go up by consumption may only drop the big increase in gas prices in the uk in the s caused protests but gas consumption and miles driven by car drivers continued to increase indeed the trend in the uk is now towards large and inefficient wheel drive vehicles