I recently asked the following question to some Fairfield County residents, and posted a prompt on The Dailies' Facebook pages: Crude oil prices per barrel are rising. Speculation is rampant that gasoline prices will spike to $4, $5, even $6 or $7 per gallon by summer's end. How much are you willing to pay for a gallon of gas?

Erin Hedly of New Canaan, said, "It's outrageous. I wish I drove a hybrid." And Stamford resident Eduard Agosto, who works at Splash car wash in Wilton, agreed. "It's getting almost too expensive to drive," he told me.

Following are some of our Facebook readers' responses. Thank you all for posting.

Lindy Kline-Geertz, of Norwalk, said: "Willing to pay? I don't have an alternative method of transportation. Guess we'll have to pay whatever it requires, right? Of course, I'll be more mindful and frugal, but ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do."

Also in Norwalk, Jillian Keating writes: "I no longer drive to my job in New Haven but instead take the train and bring along my bike. It is not as convenient, but it feels good to leave the car (and the gas bill) behind. (At least until next winter.)"

Tom Reilly from Norwalk adds: "I used to pay 10 cents per gallon. Now I will not pay more than $4 for one."

Hilary Gale, who was born and raised in Westport, lives on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. She says, "Considering the current exchange rate, I pay $8.37 per gallon. The price of gas in Italy has always been high. And it's still going up with all the mess going on. It wouldn't surprise me if gas got up to $5 or $6 per gallon in Westport." But she adds: "While it's not exactly a fair trade-off, produce and wine here are very inexpensive."

Michele Siegerman Bennett, in Wilton, says: "We'll be forced to pay what we have to but it would be great if we can truly start to conserve by driving less."

In Stamford, reader Kelley Carta posted: "I am already paying more than I am willing to pay!"

Weston's John LaCava, says, "The sky is the limit. Are you willing to give up driving?"

There were responses from readers outside Fairfield County as well.

From Los Angeles, Susannah Molly Malmfelt-Frank said, "It's already $4 here. And I have to drive 20 miles each way to work!"

Alen Guy: "In UK we already pay about $8-9 per gallon. So my question is, what are you prepared to do once the price has gone beyond what you are prepared to pay? Recent stats here [UK] indicate that in 2010 congestion has reduced compared with 2009. Travel times are down as much as 10 percent on some roads because more people are car-sharing or just not doing silly short trips to a store for something frivolous, etc."

Another reader from England, Jane Woodburn: "Is that all? Crazy prices here!"

And finally, from New York City, the answer many of us wish they had. Karl Shefelman says: "I couldn't tell you. I haven't owned a car in 25 years."

Continue the conversation here with your thoughts and comments. Or email me, at .