The VOLT - synonym for Unintended Consequences?

First thing: consider, please, that Volt is the generic name here for hybrids of all the companies whether it be Prius, Escape or whatever. (It'll be like Kleenex on these pages.)

Anyway, after writing about it last night, there was an editorial in the local paper today talking about the need for more electricity when the time comes that we would have hundreds of thousands of them on the road. For the rest of the day the topic of conversation in our home was a game of "what if."

What if they really do become ubiquitous by 2016 as Obama decrees? How do we make up for the gasoline taxes that won't be collected at the pump? And when those reveues decrease, where will the money come from to build and repair roads? And how do we tax only the drivers of Volts when some drivers are still driving gasoline powered vehicles? And if they decide to put a "car tax" on energy bills, how will it be a fair and progressive tax so folks who don't drive won't have to pay?

And will there have to be a special type plug so folks can't just plug into their neighbor's power supply whenever they are away? If so, how much will it cost? And will hotels have to have special adapters so just anyone can't park in their lot and steal energy? And how much will they cost? And will they be interchangeable? No way-that means travelers can use the adapter from the Holiday Inn when they go to the Ramada or the Crowne Plaza. Every time a guard has to be put on duty or an adapter has to be supplied it is another cost increase. Service stations and car repair businesses and after market stores plus others I can't think of right now will all have extra expense. And how will it be passed on?

The opportunity for just plain cheating and criminal activity is just waiting to be exploited. Right now there aren't enough of them to make crime pay, but if they become really prolific we're just asking for trouble.

Michigan, the land of the automobile. Sure hope someone has the answers to these questions and starts sharing the answers.

God bless...........