Gas Prices Are So High That One Man Decided To Start Driving A Barbie Van
ALPA PROD | ShutterstockGas prices have steadily climbed since the beginning of the Iran War, which has made the cost of living crisis even more unbearable for a lot of people.
Many Americans are now driving less when possible to avoid the expense that comes with filling up their gas tanks, but a man from Ellenwood, Georgia, was determined to find a way to keep getting around somehow. His solution brought new meaning to the adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
The man fixed up a Barbie van someone threw away so that it’s now a viable form of transportation.
Mali Hightower, a 30-year-old contractor, told Reuters that his usual ride, a 1996 Mercedes-Benz convertible, costs $90 to fill up with gas, which is just “too much.” Instead of admitting defeat and turning to public transportation or even a more conventional alternative like biking, he found a unique answer to his problem that’s going viral.
According to People, Hightower found a Barbie Dream Camper abandoned as garbage on the side of the road, so he put his handyman skills to work. “I chopped all the stuff that I didn’t need out of it, put it on top of my go-kart, did some welding here and there, upgraded the motor, added brakes, and lights, and music and horns, everything that you need to make it a real car,” he explained.
With the help of a power washer engine, the bright pink toy van can actually reach speeds of 55 miles per hour. It costs just $3 to fill the gas tank that lasts for 40 miles, and he argued it’s quite “reliable.”
Hightower warned it’s best to “leave this to the professionals,” though. He has experience doing this kind of retrofitting work, meaning he felt comfortable enough to do so, and his neighbors don’t really question it.
The Iran War has brought gas prices up to new heights, which is making people desperate to find relief.
Apparently, it’s so bad that a grown man is even willing to contort himself into an extreme squat to drive around what’s meant to be a battery-powered children’s toy.
According to data from AAA, the current average price for a regular gallon of gas is $4.49. A year ago, it was $3.18. Jake Sullivan, a former National Security Advisor, explained why the war with Iran is impacting the price of gas.
Olga_Gelt | Shutterstock
“20% of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “And because of the war in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz is currently blockaded … Until the strait opens back up and oil can flow more freely, we’re going to see a continued elevated price environment.”
The Strait of Hormuz situation is pretty confusing. Technically, it’s not completely closed, as Iran has allowed ships linked to some of its allies to pass. As for the rest of the world, President Trump said a deal to reopen the strait had been “largely negotiated” on Saturday.
While we wait for the results of those negotiations, people have been forced to make tough choices.
Americans are cutting back their spending across the board, including on fuel, although some seem to be spending less on other things to afford the higher price of gas.
Hightower’s Barbie van solution is unconventional, but it could appeal to people who are really in a bind. Unfortunately, the legality of driving a toy car on the road is questionable. For a car to be considered street legal, it must meet certain requirements, like having seatbelts, mirrors, lights, and a certain level of ground clearance.
Artyom Malyukov | Pexels
It’s not clear how these criteria would specifically apply to a Barbie van, even if someone did some major work on it. It’s possible that the locals are so used to Hightower building contraptions like this that they’re willing to turn a blind eye, especially when they know how expensive gas is themselves.
The Barbie van method is probably not advisable in general, although it is highly entertaining.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
