Confused by the media about what's happening with oil prices and how we might sensibly respond? Here's a quick look at what the some economically conservative voices are saying.

The North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority held a symposium to identify issues as it prepares to write its Regional Transportation Plan for the next 25 years. Among the main messages was that the old assumptions about what parts of the state will grow and where transportation dollars should be spent have been thrown out the window because of the volatile situation with oil prices and supplies.

Two years ago, when Portland created the Peak Oil Task Force, it sounded apocalyptic. Not anymore. Summer of 2008 may be remembered as the moment we awoke from our long national gas binge. Whether oil production has peaked or will do so in a few decades is almost academic. Every fill-up knocks home the realization that we can't afford to go on like this.

Cities everywhere are looking for ways to deal with high fuel costs. In Missoula, the city's vehicle maintenance superintendent is approaching the issue with ingenuity, efficiency, and strict rules enforcement.

The wide open spaces of Oklahoma's cities and towns mean that their residents are heavily reliant on cars to get around - part of the reason that Tulsa and Oklahoma rated last on Common Current's rating of US cities' readiness for high gas prices. Commuters find themselves carpooling and counting the gallons in ways they haven't since the 70s.

Demand for public transit is rising everywhere -- but can we really make transit a viable mode when our cities and suburbs have been completely built around the private car? Daniel Lerch responds to a reader's comment about the realities of quickly upscaling transit, and whether or not next-generation electric vehicles are the answer.

Hilly terrain may deter some from cycling in Stuttgart, Germany. But that obstacle is surmountable: the city is piloting a program a plan that would put electric-assisted bikes in the hands of citizens, and appropriate infrastructure around the city.

"You measure what you care about," and according to a new law in New York, the Department of Transportation now cares a lot more about pedestrians and cyclists. Intro 199 creates a framework for DOT to set goals for traffic reduction and the growth of cycling and bus ridership.

Schools across the country are looking for ways to economize on their fuel bills. In Minnesota, one school district will be moving to a four-day school week. Mississippi's athletes will be traveling to fewer games. Every little bit counts as administrators seek to balance programs and the rising cost of busing.

During the gas crisis in 1979, there were riots at the pumps in places like suburban Levittown. While there haven't been riots due to prices in the U.S. yet, there have been protests both in the U.S. and abroad, and riots in some countries.