Gas prices go up.
Lots of media attention about alternative energy sources.
Gas prices go up.
Public begins to notice, more alternatives are investigated.
Gas prices go up.
Flood of stories of alternatives, most of which are scams.
Gas prices go up.
Public finally gets the message. Funding begins on alternatives. People begin to conserve.
Gas prices go down.
People forget what they were doing, buy gas again. Alternate energy sources are ignored.