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Gas Prices Push Some To Drive Less, Others Keep On Truckin'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It seems it took $4 per gallon of gas to get more people to start looking for other ways to get around.

"I don't like the price of gas, I know that," said a guy pumping gas at Bobby's and Steve's in Minneapolis.

He's not the only one.

The price is high enough right now that a new poll shows 55 percent of Americans are now changing how much they drive. The higher price tag also means a lot of people are finding new ways to cut costs.

"I'm trying not to go extra places. Like no cruising just for the fun of it ... cause it cost too much," said one lady at a gas station.

Kija Humphrey, a mother of three teenagers, said she's "trying to stop running the kids around all the time."

"I make quick trips, so I'm using a lot of gas just doing that," said Humphrey. "But once it gets warmer -- bike."

Those quick trips can really hurt your wallet. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer, multi-purpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

Long trips can of course have an impact too.

"I'm on my way to New York right now," said one driver, who didn't want to give his name.

He's driving 1,400 miles and he said it's going to cost him about $240 but he's not letting that slow him down.

"You got to pay for it. Things still got to roll. The vehicles have still got to continue to roll no matter what the price of gas is. The big wigs (are) controlling it," he said.

WCCO-TV also found some frustrated fuel users on Facebook.

Some said that they do more biking, curse when they fill up at the pumps, and even use their parents' car as much as possible to save on fuel.

According to the latest survey, the people who are driving less make about $50,000 or less a year.

Drivers point to the violence in the Middle East or the oil companies for the high gas prices.

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