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Sue Sack and her son, Andy, both from the Philipsburg area, park and ride the bus into Dayton. Jim Noelker/Dayton Daily NewsClick to enlarge

ENGLEWOOD — Sue Sack and her son, Andy, were sitting at a National Road bus shelter a week ago waiting for the No. 16.

"It would be very easy to moan and groan about the rising costs of fuel of all sorts and to feel rather bitter and put upon by this," said the Phillipsburg woman who has three children in college and one family income. "But I would really prefer to look at the good side of these things.

"My family has always tried to live in an Earth-friendly manner, and if we are now forced by surrounding circumstances to do things like grow more of our own food, lower the thermostat and ride the public bus system, then this is all to the good."

A full-time student at the University of Dayton, Sack figures she's shaving 40 miles of driving off her commute by being dropped off in Englewood and riding the bus to UD.

"If I have to rework my schedules so that I am at the bus stop at a certain time — or wait another hour for a ride — well, in a very self-indulgent and spoiled society, learning a bit more discipline is not a bad thing," she said.

Karen Williams of Wilmington said her intergenerational family — she and her husband are raising a grandchild — has made many cutbacks as a result of gas prices and expects more to come.

The Williamses have canceled their long-distance cell phone service and instead purchased a pay-as-you-go cell phone.

They're cooking more at home and planning meals around grocery specials. They've drastically reduced their out-of-town weekend trips to festivals and visits to parents.

They also have dropped their YMCA membership and are renting videos instead going to the movies.

Williams said one of the most difficult decisions she's made was to stop having her hair done at an upscale salon in Centerville.

"It was one of the few things I did for myself," she said. "I have been a client there for going on 12 years and my stylist was more than a stylist — she became a friend. But with no end in sight to rising gas prices, I felt I could just no longer afford this luxury."

Retirees Kenneth and Penny Polyak of Clayton have always enjoyed eating out a few times a week, and never concerned themselves about the location of the restaurant. That's all changed.

"We went out last night for the first time in a month. Now we split meals, and we don't go as far," said Kenneth Polyak.

He said they are also grouping errands to save gas.

"We're eating less and exercising more."

His granddaughter wants an MP3 player for her birthday. In the past, Polyak said he'd have stopped at a number of stores before buying. "This time, I called on the phone to find out which store had the best price."

Sue Sack said riding the bus has had some real benefits.

"It is really lovely not to have to deal with traffic, and most people don't realize how quickly a community forms on the bus," she said. "I am constantly amazed and touched by the generosity of riders — giving up seats, watching after riders who have dropped or left various items."

She said everyone is very respectful and the drivers "are great."

"It would seem that the American way of life in the past has been to adapt to circumstances," said Sack.

She said a bus ride makes her realize "we are all in this together."

"This current situation, then, really does just become the opportunity for growth in new directions. And growth is what it's all about."