Gas here in Caracas, Venezuela is $.12 a gallon. Oh wait... I just woke up, I live in the U.S. Maybe our government is planning to invade like their dictator said.
If it reaches $100 dollars like some are expecting, I would expect to pay in the mid to high $5.00 range. You'd also see $6.00 in some locations. It's all a bunch of B.S. If the oil company's would of retooled the old refinery's we wouldn't be having this problem because Saudia Arabia, said they can provide as much oil as the world can consume. :surprise: I also find it amusing but sad at the same time that president Bush said their isn't anything he can do to control gas prices. He told us all to basically buy hybrid cars and is leaving it all in our own hands. I know he doesn't believe the free market will resolve this problem and he is throwing up a cloud of smoke and mirrors and is trying to avoid the issue all togeather. Imagine that.....:confuse: The Oil Cartel buils McMansion, and go from Alpo to store brand for a meal :mad: It's sad when a old person is going to have to choose between puting petro in the car or cuting his/hers life saving prescription drugs in quarters.
For now in the San Jose, CA area it ranges from $2.93 (Arco) to $3.22 (Chevron). People complain but nothing's really changed. I think less people will be buying gas guzzlers as their next car - they'll need more justification in their mind to do so - but I wouldn't say anyone's lifestyle is changing.
A couple of my coworkers are riding their bikes to work now, but cycling was already a hobby of theirs.
It almost doesn't matter what it costs, we'll pay for it. Almost anything is cheaper than scrapping our way of life (as in sprawl) and starting over in well planned urban areas. Or building subways at hundreds of millions of dollars per mile, that people can actually get to without sub-commutes just to the station (no one walks to BART stations in the Bay Area - they drive, sometimes from 30min away).
At the point where people do change their lifestyles over the price of gasoline... that'll be its "true market value." I'm nervous that we're used to artificially cheap gas, but it's starting to go up to the price point it deserves. Since oil companies pay the same per barrel, there isn't much competition between them. All the competition will be between gasoline and other energy sources.
And when the next great fuel comes along, I don't expect anyone to drop their price to significantly less than whatever the price of gasoline will be at that time.
We'll know the gas prices have started to hurt when we don't see people using their expensive cellphone talk-all-you-want packages while driving!
We'll know the gas prices have started to hurt when the pick-em-up drivers and SUV drivers slow down to the speed limit to get better gas mileage. I drove to Cinci last Friday and the fastest cars on I75 were the biggest ones--and they weren't being used for work; they were being used for commute with ONE person in each. The cars that were driving closer to the speed limit were the ones that already get good mileage-smaller or efficient like my 3800 getting 30+ at 62 mph.
in the big 'ole pick-em-up trucks and SUV's are really more important than you and I. They're bigger, like Texas, and more important than you and I so they've got a reputation to uphold. And that takes work.
Don't expect that cell phone to go into storage just because they're behind a 5,000 lb.machine, either. Oh no, that cell phone's gotta be right up there to their important ear, because, remember, they're more important than you and I. And they've got to work to keep that reputation. So get that gas-miser out of their way. They've got someplace to go and they've got to get there fast. And burn gobs and gobs of fuel while they're being more important than you and I.
The USA is not cutting back on highway speed, vehicle sizes, or the amount they drive so our US Congress has determined that we shoud have fuel shortages like those in 1973 & 1974.
Have you forgot about the private meeting Congress had with the Oil Companies?
...SUVs and pickups haven't really disappeared from the roads yet. Fortunately, mosy pickups I see are used for some sort of business or other. SUVs, however, are mostly driven by vacuous trophy wives with cell phones. They seem to be driving them with the attitude, "I don't car how expensive fuel is! Nobody's making me compromise my lifestyle!"
There were a few gas stations out of fuel last night. The Exxon and Sunoco at Roosevelt Blvd. and Welsh Road had no gas. I heard a lot of stations in S. Jersey were out of gas as well. This is due to some changeover in the fuel and the underground tanks need to be cleaned. They could've done this sporadically, but it seems the all did it at once. Man-made fuel shortage?
By the way, our watered-down "ultra?" 93 is now $3.15 a gallon. My Seville and Brougham are still topped-off with the real stuff.
They still drive at a high speed (20-25 miles) overlimit)on I95 from DE to PA despite high gas price, this is why car manufacturers built more HP & Torque cars with wide and low profile tires. Here in DE gas is 2.94 (87) and 3.19(93).
....every time I see a grumbling SUV owner filling up at the gas stations, and I make sure they know I'm laughing at them, all while I'm filling up my gas sipping Corolla. BTW, IF, and that's a big IF, crude hits $100 a barrel, that wouldn't correspond to $5-$6 a gallon gas. Crude is $75 a barrel now, so $100 would be a 25% increase, which would correspond to $3.50-$3.60 gas.
iluvmysephia
I know what you mean about the pompus SUVers. My job requires me to spend a lot of windshield time (approx 2500-3000 miles a month). I generally run about the speed limit +5 and I could count the number of SUV's I've passed over the last year on one hand. They are all mega speeders (men and women alike), and about 70%-80% of the ones passing me have a cell phone stuck to their heads. If there's any type of a silver lining to these high gas prices it's the fact that the pompus SUVers are really getting their wallets pounded! It would make me even happier if Uncle Sam started to make them pay a luxury tax of $1 a gallon for these dam apartments on wheels. I absolutely hate SUV's and would love to see them go the way of the dinosaurs!
you: He told us all to basically buy hybrid cars and is leaving it all in our own hands.
me: well I guess the government could force us into hhigher mpg vehicles by raising the CAFE standard. But couldn't people have done that on their own. How many people drive the most fuel efficient vehicle to meet their needs. I don't. I will pay the extra money for gas for power, comfort, or safety. Do you drive the most efficent vehicle you could? Do you know people who just drive to go out somewhere? Then you're looking at a big part of why gas is so expensive. By the way Saudi Arabia's claims that they can increase production again may be true to a point - if they have more rigs, more workers, more pipelines, and more ports and ships. And yes we need more refineries. But Saudi Arabia has no interest in flooding the market with oil if they could. They want the highest price they can get without hurting the world economy. They don't want $100/barrel if the world economy would go into recession. That would decrease demand and thus the price, and meanwhile they would have lost billions off their investments. Remember for the last 30 years OPEC countries have been investing in western companies. They do not want to hurt their investments.
you: They could've done this sporadically, but it seems the all did it at once. Man-made fuel shortage?
me: I doubt it, unless there are several refineries supplying an area. Think of it this way, if the refinery is making MTBE gas on Fri. and on Mon. starts using ethanol, that means all the shipments to the stations will occur within a few days. So yes it is likely that all the stations in an area will be affected in a short time period. That time period is based on how often the stations are replenished.
So get that gas-miser out of their way. They've got someplace to go and they've got to get there fast. And burn gobs and gobs of fuel while they're being more important than you and I.
Yep, us SUV owners are the cause of all our problems. BTW, I'm willing to bet a tank full of gas, I burn less fuel in my Suburban each week than the avg. fuel efficient car owner. Last week I drove the burb 100 miles, which is about avg. That's approx. 7 gallons of gas. Oh the horror. 80% of the miles come from vacation trips towing the boat. Can't quite do that in a Prius. My wife burns probably 5 times that in her car. Which is the gas guzzler?
In my experience I drive the Suburban much slower than when driving my wifes car. The burb just isn't fun to drive fast, so I just drive the speed limit. When ever I'm in the wifes car I find myself going 80+ w/o realizing how fast I'm going.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and certainly not everyone is guilty of not making the best use of their SUV, but you've gotta admit there are A LOT of SUV owners on the road who are the only occupant in their vehicle and could just as easily make the trip in a smaller, fuel efficient vehicle. And if you don't think all the gas guzzlers in the U.S. aren't contributing heavily to these high gas prices then you must live under a mushroom!
The point isn't how much that particular vehicle is driven. You're saying you don't use it much. BUT the point is that when it is being driven, it uses fuel at an alarming rate compared to an economical vehicle and my point is that many of those are not sitting all week but rather are being used to commute 50 miles to Cinci and vs/versa at high speeds consuming even more gas at 75 and 80 mph.
At $75 a barrel (42 gal per barrel) the cost for the barrel is $1.7857142 per gal. At $100 a barrel (42) the cost is $2.3809523 per gal. This is before all other costs plus taxation.
Go figure. There is a combination of costs between coming out of the ground and tax per gallon. Also, demand is starting to play a role for the same product.
In reviewing several articles from Edmunds and other sources, I see several car and truck companies trying to increase the mpg. Those same companies are giving everyone a choice to switch to a hybrid and/or a flex fuel auto.
I guess you live in NE Philadelphia from the comments about no gas a Welsh and Roosevelt Blvd. I used to live (and my mom still does) across from the NE auto outlet at Grant and Academy. Hearing those intersections, brings back memories since I haven't been back to Philly in almost a year (I live in central PA now). I finally have a vehicle that can carry my dogs, so hopefully I can get back there soon.
As far as gas prices, regular is $2.89 here, and I hope we don't start seeing shortages. I am glad I have a fun to drive car that is good on gas (around 30 mpg), and still has the utility to carry things around (Mazda3 hatch). I doubt we will see prices that would make me drive less...I'll just have to cut back on eating out less etc.
When your gas sipping Corolla gets smacked by a large SUV such as a Burb or Dition, hope you are not in it because the SUV will penetrate the cabin of your Corolla decapitating those inside. It happens when your hood ups and goes through the W/S at the time of impact. The dead don't laugh!
bott: A LOT of SUV owners on the road who are the only occupant in their vehicle and could just as easily make the trip in a smaller, fuel efficient vehicle.
me: and pickup owners. My wife uses our Silverado to commute bback and forth to work and run all her errands on the weekends. We have a few horses and use it to haul dirt and wood and such 1-2% of the time, and its really good in getting thru our unplowed roads. She wants to get rid of it, for an SUV to have more interior room. I asked her if the higher gas prices bothered her, and she said "no", that the benefits outweighed the extra cost.
I think that is what you will find with many people, is that they will not change until the cost really begins to hurt them. What'll happen is that those at the bottom of the economic ladder will be hurt most, and will be forced to curtail or reduce their driving. This already is the case in this country, and is more prevalent in many other countries. There are people who can't afford to drive, because people who have more money are willing to pay higher prices for that gas.
There has never een enough as for everyone in the world to drive how much they want. The world population keeps growing and the world economy keeps growing. If you want to be able to afford gas long-term, you better face the facts that you are going to have to increase your income (or put more of your income) towards gas.
It is bad for the economy - all of us - to buy manufactured foreign goods in the quantities that we do. We are shipping what used to be good paying jobs here in the U.S. to other countries where people are now using our money to increase their life style. You're wealth is going down while foreigners is going up. Who's going to get the gas if that continues?
We are in an economic battle for the resources of this world. We as a country need to do well, and you as an individual need to be smart, hard-working and productive. If you're not, someone's going to eat your lunch. And if you think the government is going to bail you out, or take some action, you should go watch some tapes of the non-evacuation of New Orleans.
The censors will delete that one...but I've gotta add, do you live in Bellevue? Sounds like a mirror image of what I see most of the time I drive here.
Yes....It is funny how they bash SUVs....as if they were the problem for increasing gas prices. And they do it while they are filling up their own gas tank.... :sick:
Prices will increase no matter what, due to China and India and other countires coming into the western way of life....
Sure, SUVs use more gas ....like a large sedan or a sports car..... but in general, larger vehicles are safer than smalller vehicles.
SOme people would rather buy safety, some would rather economize and buy economy car. IT is a fact of life.
Gas usage by all .....ALL Americans and the rest of the world....is the reason why prices are high. People buying houses in the suburban sprawl , and drive solo to work when they could have made other choices...is the reason why gas is high.....
There are multi factors ...and all add to the increase of gas prices. \
OK....there are two that does not...
1- riding bicycles 2- walking.
both are better choices. But those are hard to make...and it is easier to demonize one group , rather than face reality.....
WOW./....sounds like a lot of suppressed anger and looking for a scapegoat...eh ?
1-....people drive what they want, what they can afford. IT is their right....in this free country. Just like it is your right to drive....or take a bike...or take a hike....
2- When oil goes up to $100 or 150 per barrel, most rich can still afford to drive what they want....IT is us commoners and the working class that will have to cut back...way before anyone else has to. I do think most will cut back...
OK...I was fillling up my minivan yesterday at $2.99/gal....and this guy with a cell phone drives in inside a dodge ....leaves the engine RUNNING....and starts to pump gas. I asked him if it would be a good idea to turn off the engine when pumping gas...since there is a latent hazard of sparks and it is an unnecessary usage of gas....but he said there is no problem....so I let him be......
People will burn and use gasoline if they pay for it. Whether it is responsible or not ...like the Iraqi supporters of Saddam Hussein burning oil wells,....or the above mentioned guy , it is all a judgement call. It all depends on the particular circumastances of each situation.
One has to be able to see the other side, and if you do not walk in the other persons shoes...you will not see their need.
OK...I was fillling up my minivan yesterday at $2.99/gal....and this guy with a cell phone drives in inside a dodge ....leaves the engine RUNNING....and starts to pump gas. I asked him if it would be a good idea to turn off the engine when pumping gas...since there is a latent hazard of sparks and it is an unnecessary usage of gas....but he said there is no problem....so I let him be......
It would have been tempting to lock him out while he was busy paying for the fuel.
LOL, it's not just Bellevue, but all over. OTOH guys I like the new SUV's. They are the perfect all around vehicle for a family that likes outdoor activity's like diesel and his wife. What's diesel going to pull his boat with and take all his gear ? This is why SUV's have became very popular and their size advantage doesn't hurt in the protection of your family.
Anyways Gas is $2.89 yesterday at the corner Valero gas station in Dumas, Tx. I'm not sure about the rest of the town ? The Shell station, on the North end of town in Amarillo is still perched at $2.83 a gallon and is getting lots of traffic because of us out of towners that is paying more. I usually drive by since it's only $0.07 more in Dumas and I don't have to wait behind 3 or 3 cars and spend 10-15 minutes waiting my turn.
What's diesel going to pull his boat with and take all his gear
I think they want me to be a tree hugger living in a tent.
Honestly, I'm 100% for energy conservation. If I were to build a house that I would be living in for a long time, I'd be willing to pay extra (even if it was cost prohibitive) for energy saving features such as high efficiency windows, geothermal heating/cooling etc.
I'd also love to have a compact car to run errands in. But I can't justify spending $10-$20k, plus insurance, license fees, maintenance etc, just so I can save 3-5 gallons of gas a week. That makes absolutely no sense.
"It would have been tempting to lock him out while he was busy paying for the fuel"
You should have!
I see the phone talkers here all the time, pumping gas and yapping away. I've always suspected the cellphone/sparks bit was an old wives tail, but I don't feel safe enough to say for sure.
Whenever I see a these bitches driving behind the wheel of an SUV or a mini van, they're always on the cell phone. These women think that they are "Queens" and "Princesses" just because they own and drive an SUV or a mini van. Most of these women are driving alone and are by themselves inside their trucks and there is enough room in their vehicles to fit an elephant. A lot of these women don't respect other drivers and they like to speed and cut people off.
that's the American way, man. Cell phones to the ear and just them and where they need to go. Would they consider stopping and helping someone who needs help?
Hell, no, they wouldn't because they and their 5,000 lb.pick-em-up truck or SUV are on the road, yapping about nothing on their stupid expensive cell phone and they have someplace to go.
Would you just get out of their way and let them get there? How dare you drive your Honda Fit, Kia Rio or Toyota Yaris with a...what is that thing...stick...shift?
Hurry up and get out of their way, they've got an automatic, they don't know what a manual tranny is, much less how one uses it and they've got somewhere to go. Out'a'their way, now, you small little nuisances!
Yesterday, driving my Mazda 626, I tried in vain to keep up with a lone driver in a huge white late model Yucon (Suburban equivalent) on route 528 in central Florida, but could not keep up for very long because at times this driver exceeded 100 MPH! At never dropped below 90 MPH. Way to go America. So this is how we conserve fuel. One person in a 6500 lb vehicle, with aerodynamics of a shoe box doing triple digits speeds, with A/C blasting (it was 90 degrees outside). Getting over 10 MPG fuel economy at this speed in this vehicle is virtually impossible.
Several months ago, a Lincoln Navigator almost rolled in a panic braking maneuver about 300 ft ahead of me because the driver was doing close to 100 MPH on Florida turnpike.
You know, these idiots are going to wreck sooner of later and get seriously hurt or worse in the wreck. If they had any common sense, they would realize that these vehicles were not designed for 100 MPH speeds. I just do not want to be around when it happens.
I got out of the SUV and helped two people change flat tires ...all within one week.... !!
whether someone helps others has nothing to do with what they drive...but with where their heart is and how they view the world.
It is kinda disappointing to see that people would villify what other people drive...and then with a self righteous look , hop into a vehicle and drive around , be it cruising or just to the corner store for cigarettes/milk.
So the question is : do you waste more gas cruising around in a econocar, or in a large car that is used to run errands efficiently ?
so you were trying to keep up , in your 626, by yourself...solo driver....and using up gas too...eh ?
DOes it matter what vehicle one uses...if it is the people and culture that is causing this gas wasting ?
Yes...larger cars may have worse mpg than smaller cars...but they also have more safety.
You make your choices and pay your dues.
I can only see a person who mainly uses bicycles and public transportation, to really self- righteously complain about cars.
It is the culture of car usage and wasteful "" hey , I can get into my car and do anything I want, whereever I want"" attitude that is causing a disproportionate use of energy , with gas in particular.
SO while one complains about gas....remember who is burning it ? EH ?
I have nothing but respect for these cars....and they are made safer each day.
Energy conservation is going to take downsizing from everyone...not just SUVs...or sports cars, or large sedans. Any unneeded driving, idling of engine...going to the store that is only 5 blocks or 1 mile away....all may be considered a waste of gas , if more practical means/alternatives exists.
What's wrong with going 100 mph ? If your car was originally built for the autobahn like a BMW 3, I have no problem with them doing 100 mph as long as thir car can handle that speed. The new SUV's can easily handle 90-100 mph. Geez it's not like they are tinaments on wheels like the Rio, Yaris, Fit. :P If they hit a dog, they will most likely have to have the jaws of life to come save em' and at the very lease a can opener to pop the top off of em' Everytime I see one of those "Tinaments", VCR's on Wheels, Sardine Cans, I get the imagine of a can of soup or fruit, and one using a electric or manuel can opener to unpackage the condiments inside which will more than likely be splattered body parts like a fly getting splattered after being swated by a fly swatter.
I have a large 4 door pickup, but I use it primarily for hauling and towing my boat. I drive my Mazda 626 5 speed manual with 143K miles to work and most places.
I have nothing against large SUVs and pickups if the people who buy them have a need for them (ie, large families, contractors, people who frequently haul and tow a lot of stuff). However, when these vehicles are bought as a stupid fashion statement, driven by only one person aggressively, intimidating other smaller vehicle drivers, while the SUV/pickup driver is yakking on his/her cell phone, well, I tend to get a little irritated.
I agree they are safer than they were 10 years ago, but they are still unsafe enough to be banned from the road. A Civic sized car is the smallest car that one should beable to drive. Anything smaller is unsafe.
> Several months ago, a Lincoln Navigator almost rolled in a panic braking maneuver about 300 ft ahead of me because the driver was doing close to 100 MPH on Florida turnpike.
Things sure have changed on the Turnpike. Long ago my wife got a ticket for going 62 onthe turnpike. I swore we'd never give Florida money again. We flew back to see my sister who lived in Boca the next times. Haven't done any tourist things there since!!!
Earlier in the trip we'd been on I95 near West Palm with traffic flying at 80-85 in 55 zones. And up near Orlando a cop is looking for out-of-staters.
No, most oversize new SUVs cannot handle the 100+ MPH speeds safely. They can do OK in a straight line, but under emergency conditions, such as panic braking, they become extremely unstable and a menace to other drivers. Most SUVs do not come with speed rated tires either. I am talking here about Suburbans, Navigators, and Excursions. Not exactly high speed safe vehicles.
Believe me, I have a new '06 siverado crew cab Z71 pickup, and any emergency braking in this truck, even at low speeds is scary! So I tend to drive it very conservatively.
I'm all for the guy/gal yapping on there cell phone being punished, but I don't neccessarily agree it's just the folks that own SUV's. BTW do you want to ban Mercedes S-Class cars because they aren't as fuel efficient as your 626 ? Hell some aren't as fuel efficient as the large SUV's I'm just saying it's not just the guy who wants to own a Cadillac Escalade because of it's Bling Bling factor, and it's long list of creature features and the convience of being up high and driving a large vehicle that should be expelled from the road. A 403 hp. 6.2 Vortec V-8 Cadillac Escalade is capable of getting almost 22 mpg HWY. The Hybrid version will get better gas mileage than most cars with half of the weight this fall with the introduction of the hybrid motor and I also read the 6.2 might also get the DOD feature to further improve effciency.
Comments
If the oil company's would of retooled the old refinery's we wouldn't be having this problem because Saudia Arabia, said they can provide as much oil as the world can consume. :surprise: I also find it amusing but sad at the same time that president Bush said their isn't anything he can do to control gas prices. He told us all to basically buy hybrid cars and is leaving it all in our own hands. I know he doesn't believe the free market will resolve this problem and he is throwing up a cloud of smoke and mirrors and is trying to avoid the issue all togeather. Imagine that.....:confuse: The Oil Cartel buils McMansion, and go from Alpo to store brand for a meal :mad: It's sad when a old person is going to have to choose between puting petro in the car or cuting his/hers life saving prescription drugs in quarters.
Rocky
:sick:
A couple of my coworkers are riding their bikes to work now, but cycling was already a hobby of theirs.
It almost doesn't matter what it costs, we'll pay for it. Almost anything is cheaper than scrapping our way of life (as in sprawl) and starting over in well planned urban areas. Or building subways at hundreds of millions of dollars per mile, that people can actually get to without sub-commutes just to the station (no one walks to BART stations in the Bay Area - they drive, sometimes from 30min away).
At the point where people do change their lifestyles over the price of gasoline... that'll be its "true market value." I'm nervous that we're used to artificially cheap gas, but it's starting to go up to the price point it deserves.
Since oil companies pay the same per barrel, there isn't much competition between them. All the competition will be between gasoline and other energy sources.
And when the next great fuel comes along, I don't expect anyone to drop their price to significantly less than whatever the price of gasoline will be at that time.
We'll know the gas prices have started to hurt when the pick-em-up drivers and SUV drivers slow down to the speed limit to get better gas mileage. I drove to Cinci last Friday and the fastest cars on I75 were the biggest ones--and they weren't being used for work; they were being used for commute with ONE person in each. The cars that were driving closer to the speed limit were the ones that already get good mileage-smaller or efficient like my 3800 getting 30+ at 62 mph.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Don't expect that cell phone to go into storage just because they're behind a 5,000 lb.machine, either. Oh no, that cell phone's gotta be right up there to their important ear, because, remember, they're more important than you and I. And they've got to work to keep that reputation. So get that gas-miser out of their way. They've got someplace to go and they've got to get there fast. And burn gobs and gobs of fuel while they're being more important than you and I.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Have you forgot about the private meeting Congress had with the Oil Companies?
There were a few gas stations out of fuel last night. The Exxon and Sunoco at Roosevelt Blvd. and Welsh Road had no gas. I heard a lot of stations in S. Jersey were out of gas as well. This is due to some changeover in the fuel and the underground tanks need to be cleaned. They could've done this sporadically, but it seems the all did it at once. Man-made fuel shortage?
By the way, our watered-down "ultra?" 93 is now $3.15 a gallon. My Seville and Brougham are still topped-off with the real stuff.
Here in DE gas is 2.94 (87) and 3.19(93).
iluvmysephia
I know what you mean about the pompus SUVers. My job requires me to spend a lot of windshield time (approx 2500-3000 miles a month). I generally run about the speed limit +5 and I could count the number of SUV's I've passed over the last year on one hand. They are all mega speeders (men and women alike), and about 70%-80% of the ones passing me have a cell phone stuck to their heads. If there's any type of a silver lining to these high gas prices it's the fact that the pompus SUVers are really getting their wallets pounded! It would make me even happier if Uncle Sam started to make them pay a luxury tax of $1 a gallon for these dam apartments on wheels. I absolutely hate SUV's and would love to see them go the way of the dinosaurs!
me: well I guess the government could force us into hhigher mpg vehicles by raising the CAFE standard. But couldn't people have done that on their own. How many people drive the most fuel efficient vehicle to meet their needs. I don't. I will pay the extra money for gas for power, comfort, or safety. Do you drive the most efficent vehicle you could? Do you know people who just drive to go out somewhere? Then you're looking at a big part of why gas is so expensive.
By the way Saudi Arabia's claims that they can increase production again may be true to a point - if they have more rigs, more workers, more pipelines, and more ports and ships. And yes we need more refineries.
But Saudi Arabia has no interest in flooding the market with oil if they could. They want the highest price they can get without hurting the world economy. They don't want $100/barrel if the world economy would go into recession. That would decrease demand and thus the price, and meanwhile they would have lost billions off their investments. Remember for the last 30 years OPEC countries have been investing in western companies. They do not want to hurt their investments.
me: I doubt it, unless there are several refineries supplying an area. Think of it this way, if the refinery is making MTBE gas on Fri. and on Mon. starts using ethanol, that means all the shipments to the stations will occur within a few days. So yes it is likely that all the stations in an area will be affected in a short time period. That time period is based on how often the stations are replenished.
Yep, us SUV owners are the cause of all our problems. BTW, I'm willing to bet a tank full of gas, I burn less fuel in my Suburban each week than the avg. fuel efficient car owner. Last week I drove the burb 100 miles, which is about avg. That's approx. 7 gallons of gas. Oh the horror. 80% of the miles come from vacation trips towing the boat. Can't quite do that in a Prius. My wife burns probably 5 times that in her car. Which is the gas guzzler?
In my experience I drive the Suburban much slower than when driving my wifes car. The burb just isn't fun to drive fast, so I just drive the speed limit. When ever I'm in the wifes car I find myself going 80+ w/o realizing how fast I'm going.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
At $75 a barrel (42 gal per barrel) the cost for the barrel
is $1.7857142 per gal.
At $100 a barrel (42) the cost is $2.3809523 per gal.
This is before all other costs plus taxation.
Go figure. There is a combination of costs between coming out of the ground and tax per gallon. Also, demand is starting to play a role for the same product.
In reviewing several articles from Edmunds and other sources, I see several car and truck companies trying to increase the mpg. Those same companies are giving everyone a choice to switch to a hybrid and/or a flex fuel auto.
We all have to make a choice.
As far as gas prices, regular is $2.89 here, and I hope we don't start seeing shortages. I am glad I have a fun to drive car that is good on gas (around 30 mpg), and still has the utility to carry things around (Mazda3 hatch). I doubt we will see prices that would make me drive less...I'll just have to cut back on eating out less etc.
Regular still less than 3 bucks around SW WA.
(I don't drive an SUV & I would not laugh.)
The dead don't laugh, but the injured can sue and otherwise destroy the lives of errant SUV drivers. It needs to happen more.
Cheapest gas today in Bellevue is an ARCO at 2.81. Most expensive in Seattle is a Unocal at 3.19
me: and pickup owners. My wife uses our Silverado to commute bback and forth to work and run all her errands on the weekends. We have a few horses and use it to haul dirt and wood and such 1-2% of the time, and its really good in getting thru our unplowed roads. She wants to get rid of it, for an SUV to have more interior room. I asked her if the higher gas prices bothered her, and she said "no", that the benefits outweighed the extra cost.
I think that is what you will find with many people, is that they will not change until the cost really begins to hurt them. What'll happen is that those at the bottom of the economic ladder will be hurt most, and will be forced to curtail or reduce their driving. This already is the case in this country, and is more prevalent in many other countries. There are people who can't afford to drive, because people who have more money are willing to pay higher prices for that gas.
There has never een enough as for everyone in the world to drive how much they want. The world population keeps growing and the world economy keeps growing. If you want to be able to afford gas long-term, you better face the facts that you are going to have to increase your income (or put more of your income) towards gas.
It is bad for the economy - all of us - to buy manufactured foreign goods in the quantities that we do. We are shipping what used to be good paying jobs here in the U.S. to other countries where people are now using our money to increase their life style. You're wealth is going down while foreigners is going up. Who's going to get the gas if that continues?
We are in an economic battle for the resources of this world. We as a country need to do well, and you as an individual need to be smart, hard-working and productive. If you're not, someone's going to eat your lunch. And if you think the government is going to bail you out, or take some action, you should go watch some tapes of the non-evacuation of New Orleans.
Rocky
P.S. I love that slang term "Trophy wife". It comes out of the mouth very funny.
Pocatello, ID 1.98
Kailua Kona, HI 3.89
Prices will increase no matter what, due to China and India and other countires coming into the western way of life....
Sure, SUVs use more gas ....like a large sedan or a sports car..... but in general, larger vehicles are safer than smalller vehicles.
SOme people would rather buy safety, some would rather economize and buy economy car. IT is a fact of life.
Gas usage by all .....ALL Americans and the rest of the world....is the reason why prices are high. People buying houses in the suburban sprawl , and drive solo to work when they could have made other choices...is the reason why gas is high.....
There are multi factors ...and all add to the increase of gas prices.
\
OK....there are two that does not...
1- riding bicycles
2- walking.
both are better choices. But those are hard to make...and it is easier to demonize one group , rather than face reality.....
1-....people drive what they want, what they can afford. IT is their right....in this free country. Just like it is your right to drive....or take a bike...or take a hike....
2- When oil goes up to $100 or 150 per barrel, most rich can still afford to drive what they want....IT is us commoners and the working class that will have to cut back...way before anyone else has to. I do think most will cut back...
OK...I was fillling up my minivan yesterday at $2.99/gal....and this guy with a cell phone drives in inside a dodge ....leaves the engine RUNNING....and starts to pump gas. I asked him if it would be a good idea to turn off the engine when pumping gas...since there is a latent hazard of sparks and it is an unnecessary usage of gas....but he said there is no problem....so I let him be......
People will burn and use gasoline if they pay for it. Whether it is responsible or not ...like the Iraqi supporters of Saddam Hussein burning oil wells,....or the above mentioned guy , it is all a judgement call. It all depends on the particular circumastances of each situation.
One has to be able to see the other side, and if you do not walk in the other persons shoes...you will not see their need.
:surprise:
Nope, I'm the trophy husband driving around in the Burb! LOL;)
It would have been tempting to lock him out while he was busy paying for the fuel.
Rocky
Anyways Gas is $2.89 yesterday at the corner Valero gas station in Dumas, Tx. I'm not sure about the rest of the town ? The Shell station, on the North end of town in Amarillo is still perched at $2.83 a gallon and is getting lots of traffic because of us out of towners that is paying more. I usually drive by since it's only $0.07 more in Dumas and I don't have to wait behind 3 or 3 cars and spend 10-15 minutes waiting my turn.
Rocky
Rocky
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I think they want me to be a tree hugger living in a tent.
Honestly, I'm 100% for energy conservation. If I were to build a house that I would be living in for a long time, I'd be willing to pay extra (even if it was cost prohibitive) for energy saving features such as high efficiency windows, geothermal heating/cooling etc.
I'd also love to have a compact car to run errands in. But I can't justify spending $10-$20k, plus insurance, license fees, maintenance etc, just so I can save 3-5 gallons of gas a week. That makes absolutely no sense.
You should have!
I see the phone talkers here all the time, pumping gas and yapping away. I've always suspected the cellphone/sparks bit was an old wives tail, but I don't feel safe enough to say for sure.
Rocky
Rocky
Hell, no, they wouldn't because they and their 5,000 lb.pick-em-up truck or SUV are on the road, yapping about nothing on their stupid expensive cell phone and they have someplace to go.
Would you just get out of their way and let them get there? How dare you drive your Honda Fit, Kia Rio or Toyota Yaris with a...what is that thing...stick...shift?
Hurry up and get out of their way, they've got an automatic, they don't know what a manual tranny is, much less how one uses it and they've got somewhere to go. Out'a'their way, now, you small little nuisances!
Now that's the Amer-i-can way.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Several months ago, a Lincoln Navigator almost rolled in a panic braking maneuver about 300 ft ahead of me because the driver was doing close to 100 MPH on Florida turnpike.
You know, these idiots are going to wreck sooner of later and get seriously hurt or worse in the wreck. If they had any common sense, they would realize that these vehicles were not designed for 100 MPH speeds. I just do not want to be around when it happens.
whether someone helps others has nothing to do with what they drive...but with where their heart is and how they view the world.
It is kinda disappointing to see that people would villify what other people drive...and then with a self righteous look , hop into a vehicle and drive around , be it cruising or just to the corner store for cigarettes/milk.
So the question is : do you waste more gas cruising around in a econocar, or in a large car that is used to run errands efficiently ?
DOes it matter what vehicle one uses...if it is the people and culture that is causing this gas wasting ?
Yes...larger cars may have worse mpg than smaller cars...but they also have more safety.
You make your choices and pay your dues.
I can only see a person who mainly uses bicycles and public transportation, to really self- righteously complain about cars.
It is the culture of car usage and wasteful "" hey , I can get into my car and do anything I want, whereever I want"" attitude that is causing a disproportionate use of energy , with gas in particular.
SO while one complains about gas....remember who is burning it ? EH ?
OTOH, one could argue and say these "tinaments" should be banned off the road because of safety.
Rocky
Energy conservation is going to take downsizing from everyone...not just SUVs...or sports cars, or large sedans. Any unneeded driving, idling of engine...going to the store that is only 5 blocks or 1 mile away....all may be considered a waste of gas , if more practical means/alternatives exists.
:P
Rocky
I have nothing against large SUVs and pickups if the people who buy them have a need for them (ie, large families, contractors, people who frequently haul and tow a lot of stuff). However, when these vehicles are bought as a stupid fashion statement, driven by only one person aggressively, intimidating other smaller vehicle drivers, while the SUV/pickup driver is yakking on his/her cell phone, well, I tend to get a little irritated.
Rocky
Things sure have changed on the Turnpike. Long ago my wife got a ticket for going 62 onthe turnpike. I swore we'd never give Florida money again. We flew back to see my sister who lived in Boca the next times. Haven't done any tourist things there since!!!
Earlier in the trip we'd been on I95 near West Palm with traffic flying at 80-85 in 55 zones. And up near Orlando a cop is looking for out-of-staters.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Believe me, I have a new '06 siverado crew cab Z71 pickup, and any emergency braking in this truck, even at low speeds is scary! So I tend to drive it very conservatively.
Rocky