Reply #1: In a way, you are right. And I think that same thing every day now about myself.

[kayakjohnny]

And have thought of offing my truck too since this happened.

But I also think that I have paid heavily to the tune of many thousands of dollars during my driving career for gas and oil. And it's not unreasonable to consider that much of that money went into safe methods of producing that product for my use. If they would have asked me in advance to pay even more to avoid this huge screwup, in order to prevent it, I might've either paid up, or considered a better way of getting around.

I like to think that the gouging that goes on for fuel also somehow includes certain protections. Obviously, that's not the way it works.