Price of gasoline heading to 4 dollars. How is it affecting you?

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Originally posted by A Clockwork Tomato ... I remember the original gas crisis in the Seventies, which actually wasn't anything very much, though people took it awfully seriously at the time.

My mom keeps referring to that time and wonders why no one is reacting like they did in the '70s. "They should lower the speed limit or ration gas. I remember when people had to wait in line for gas. I also remember when I was living in [town] people used to take gas from my car." Actually, I agree, lower the speed limit (though, I LOVE to speed) or ration the gas or something!

This reminds me of when we were watching the ending of Meet The Press a few Sundays ago where three gas companies were talking about the rising prices. They are the ones who don't want you to switch to the new or hybrid fuels or cars. We should be dependent they say. They also are partially behind the high prices, and I quote, "Because we won't make the profit we want to which is 30% higher than last year...and it's not about finding and alternative, it's about finding more supply." Actually, it looks like the video is on there under "NBC Video" titled "Oil Execs defend market forces." I believe that's the one we watched.

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As always, high gas prices are going to have the most impact on people who can barely afford to keep a used car on the road (like students), and will have little effect on people who can afford new cars. Car payments are a lot more expensive than gasoline, even at $4.00 a gallon.

I agree and I can see it just between my parents: Dad can afford the gas for his two cars (why he needs two cars I'll never get). Mom can barely make the important payments, much less buy the gas for her car! Ugh. I'm doing relatively well for a student with my car.

Later,
Pen1300

Since there's not enough incentive to make an alternative, we should send people into a panic.

Stop the war for gas, and announce to the world that there's no more.

At first everyone will panic, except for those who drive electrics or use biodiesel, or bike or another mode of transportation.

Now, if there's really no more gasoline left, people cant blame the government, they gotta deal with it themselves.

Give it a year, more people will be on bikes, or biodiesel cars and busses.

Sound stupid?
Its what Bush is doing.

Oh, god, please, not the 55 mph speed limit again! Now THAT was twenty years of hell. The basic idea was that "Your time isn't important but gasoline is, so go really slow and feel your life draining away."

Prices fluctuate. Right when everyone was convinced that the oil crisis of the Seventies would last forever, gas prices fell through the floor and stayed there for about 20 years. Maybe it's the same this time. Maybe it's different. No one really knows. But that won't keep every politician and reporter in the country from making ignorant, prejudiced statements on TV about it!

Well, my view on this, is that the major Oil companies in the US are making HUGE profits due to the speculators in the markets jacking up the price of crude to $70 a barrel or more. Due to this the companies are practically making a killing out of the market's fear of supply fluctuations.

Simply put, there needs to be a more stable market environment. Thing is with our proverbial nuts in a vice with the markets turning the screw, we're pretty much in this together.

I'll be glad when E85 becomes the standard. Then the Midwest will start getting a better economy overall. Although I'm all for a complete Ethanol conversion.

Oh, something funny I heard from an oil executive on a radio show yesterday. "Biofuels like Ethanol are unethical forms of fuel".

BS. America makes a SURPLUS of grains and what not that are convertible to Ethanol. Waste not, want not. It's these oil execs that are the unethical ones.

Then again, Bush doesn't want to raise taxes on the Oil companies. Even though their profits are doubling every fiscal quarter. To the tune of BILLIONS.

That, and we need to stop building SUVs that get only 10mpg. I think 35mpg should be the industry minimum for mileage. That is PERFECTLY attainible.

And yes, we should use mass transit more for in-city travel if it gets you there. I plan on it. Minneapolis has one of the best Mass Transit networks in the country. I can get pretty much anywhere in Minneapolis, St. Paul or Bloomington with it.

As for Bicicles, I have balance issues form early childhood ear-infections. No go there. Unless I get one of those 3-wheel recumbant deals. Those look just AWESOME.

The thing is, most of the cars that are advertised to get 35 mph or more per gallon don't, according to Consumer Reports.

Well, it does depend on which vehicle, the care of the car, the conditions it's driven in, and how it's driven.

Some cars DO get the mileage advertized.

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Originally posted by Allenby Beardsley I'll be glad when E85 becomes the standard. Then the Midwest will start getting a better economy overall. Although I'm all for a complete Ethanol conversion.

The only issue with that is a lot of older cars (Carborated) will be obsolete and that poses a huge problem to those who can only afford the really cheap very old cars (or those who own the really NICE old cars). I think it'll take YEARS before the conversion is successful.

I agree with Travis Bickle that most of the cars don't get their advertised milage. Those cars getting 35 MPG are getting it on regular gas. You get less on Ethanol, though it's cleaner. And there are other factors like driving styles, stop and go traffic, ect.

I applaud the effort but worry to what it will do to those living in poverty because no one is thinking about how they might not have the money to buy an appropriate car or the gas (even though they can't really afford it now).

Later
Pen1300

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Originally posted by Allenby Beardsley Well, it does depend on which vehicle, the care of the car, the conditions it's driven in, and how it's driven. Some cars DO get the mileage advertized.

Also the overall weight of the vehicle too most of these SUV"S are body on frame chassis which is a body mounted on top of the steel chassis frame a design that dates back since the beginning of the automoblie. Now a days there turning to unibody cars with is a whole body with only the engine cradle and rear suspension being the parts they add to the frame. Not only is it lighter but more responsive to bumps and such. Working a car dealer I seen some dismal gas mileage on these suv's. Espically the ones they say they have 8 clyinder powder but only using 6 clyinders instead is a load of crap. Heres a example a Cadillac Escalade GMT800> with AWD says it does 14 City and 18 HWY MPG when I check this for inspections the overall average is below that in the 12's to 13.8 MPG. A Chevy Trailblazer <GMT360>with the four wheel drive package says it does 16 city and 20 hwy. Wrong the average is 13-14 MPG combine and this is a 6 clyinder engine. Yet we seen these dinosaurs running in the hwy doing what they shouldn't be doing going 20-30mph over the posted speed limit. Lately most of the manufactuers are installing displacement on demand technology in the engine in which on light loads a V8 will shut off half of its clyinders to make more fuel efficient and will put them back on when you need it. So far I heard this engine suposely makes 20 City and 28 HWY on regular gas.

*Brushes this thread's shoulders off*

Over the past couple of weeks, the price of gas has been declining greatly.

Like today, around here, I bought nearly a full tank of gas for $15 dollars for $2.25 a gallon.

Try doing that a month ago.
Peace.

I think it'll drop to about $1.95 before the next price gouge.

I think the last I paid was $2.40. Pretty good, I think, compared to last month.

Going to school requires no gas. Although, the food is just as expensive.

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Originally posted by 088nd Going to school requires no gas. Although, the food is just as expensive.

Lucky, I commute to school and back requiring the use of a car and thus, gas. And college food sucks.
Peace.

Huzzah! I live in Manhattan now and have no use for gas!
But I miss my car now...

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Originally posted by Mike Huzzah! I live in Manhattan now and have no use for gas! But I miss my car now...

Huzzah! $2 for a subway, $7 for a funpass, and $76 for a monthly. Plus there's all that walking. You always get raped with some sort of price in the long run.

Yeah but for $2 you could take the ENTIRE system if you so chose. And if you didn't want to eat for a couple days.

My best friend actually took every single line on the subway in two days straight. It was crazy. He has it all filmed too. I just have to find a link.

Living in a college out in the middle of nowhere results in no car, and the bus system being free for students.

Though, I have to walk about a mile each way to one of my classes. In 15 minutes half of the time.

Well campus is about...a block away from where I live, so it takes me at the most 15 minutes to get to my farthest class. Plus if I need to go anywhere I get to use the buspass which is $60 each year, considering it's about $1.25 for each ride. So no, I have no use for gas at the moment. Still, I'm glad they've lowered the price.

Yeah, I don't mind busses during the week, since it's only $1.50 Non-Rush and $2.00 rush hour. The reason I don't mind outside of price is the fact that during the week, I connect fairly well. That and any day the transfers have a 2.5 hour time limit. So I can hit many a line in that time.