It won't be too hard. This will be a very temporary blip. If the prices go up much more, people will start using less fuel. The government will step in and smack the gas distributors and dealers who are gouging and causing 'artificial' shortages, and things will get back to what passes for normal.
Absolutely the last thing that the oil industry wants is for Americans to start thinking conservation. That would be the death knell of an already battered industry. The eco-nazi's have crippled the nation with ecological mumbo jumbo leading to less refining capacity, increased dependence on foreign oil and the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia (original design called for CFC foam and the replacement foam doesn't have the same properties as the original resulting in the destruction of the Columbia and endangering the Discovery on her last flight). A sea change against these liberal whackos is long overdue.
I've made one concession already to the higher price of gas, I've taken the bike rack off my car to improve my mileage. The next step is to ride my bike to the store. Work is a bit harder, but with a little time and cooler weather on the way I'll probably ride my bike to work several times this fall.
Tachyon