Gas Prices rising again

[HEK]

[baddog671]

time to... BURN THE MOTHERS DOWN!!!!!..

or,um, more staying at home

[baddog671]

Noo, we dont need to overthrow the government, just the big oil companies...

Find the Mobil/Exxon, Shell, etc. head departments and burn them down!!!

[88HF]

It will put the crunch on police vehicles too though. Imagine that the only person in the neighborhood who can afford gas to drive around is the neighborhood crack dealer.

[baddog671]

Originally Posted by HEK

Now that's really sick!!

Makes me want to run out and buy a Hummer right now!

Europeans laugh at us when we complain about $3 and $4 gas. They have been closer to $10 per gallon for years now.

Grrr, I hate it when people talk about the USA vs. Europe thing, its nothing alike. That is like comparing apples to oranges. Ok, yes, Europe gets raped on fuel and its mostly taxes but they have options. They can take a bus, they can get a taxi, bicycle, trolly, subway, walk, etc etc. What option do I have? There is no bus, no taxis, no trolly or subway. The nearest establishment is 6 miles away so biking and walking are out of the question. Europe is more tightly packed than America, the commutes are much smaller and public transportation is more abundant.

I dunno about you city folk, Im in the hills

And dont even get me started on Japan, thats like, the pears in the whole equation...

And my dad drives a hummer

[DracoFelis]

Originally Posted by baddog671

Grrr, I hate it when people talk about the USA vs. Europe thing, its nothing alike. That is like comparing apples to oranges. Ok, yes, Europe gets raped on fuel and its mostly taxes but they have options. They can take a bus, they can get a taxi, bicycle, trolly, subway, walk, etc etc. What option do I have? There is no bus, no taxis, no trolly or subway. The nearest establishment is 6 miles away so biking and walking are out of the question. Europe is more tightly packed than America, the commutes are much smaller and public transportation is more abundant.

Sad, but true!

It's been over 30 years since I've been to Europe, and I was a kid at the time, but I still remember just how good the public transportation was (it blows away the public transportation available in the USA). Europe has reasonably priced passenger trains (between countries), buses, electric trolleys in some (many?) cities, etc. Now, I would love decent public transportation in the USA, but its going to be years in coming (even assuming that the current gas prices actually help fuel a general demand for better public transportation)...

BTW:
I'm willing to Hypermile, but both me and the wife are currently stuck with some serious commuting (in our own cars). While the city (where I work) itself has buses (although not necessarily bus schedules/routes that fit in well with getting to/from work), our house is sufficiently "out of town" that taking the bus in town is a little silly (as we still have to use our own cars to get to/from town, even if we could "in theory" take the bus once we get to town).

NOTE:
Doesn't Europe get a lot of their tax revenue from gas taxes (thereby having lower taxes in other areas)? I actually like that model if/when it's combined with decent public transportation (because it helps encourage FE, as well as lowering other taxes needed for government services). However, in the USA, where we often have to drive many miles AND there is often no viable public transportation, it really sucks (essentially being a regressive tax on working people)...

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by 88HF

It will put the crunch on police vehicles too though. Imagine that the only person in the neighborhood who can afford gas to drive around is the neighborhood crack dealer.

Well, it will make it easier to spot the crack dealers, I guess... :-)

[baddog671]

Bingo, right on the head Draco..

[baddog671]

"WHAT! Why are you pulling me over?!!"

"Sir, you are driving when prices are over 5bucks a gallon. You obviously sell crack...now bite the curb!!!"

[Snax]

To answer the original question, the price increase is probably due to a supposed refinery or two that has been taken off-line due to profit mongering - I mean flooding. :P

[Telco]

No, Europe is heavily taxed anyway. In Germany they are taxed by the number of rooms in their houses, including closets, which is why they have large lockers and no closets in their houses. They are taxed by the amount of rain the roof of the house catches (sewer system). Their fuel taxes do help pay for their public transportation though.

Why do the cops drive full size cars? They have a lot of equipment to carry, they sometimes have to carry suspects with no warning on when, and they sometimes have to use their cars as battering rams. Some of them do drive econoboxes though, the ones in my own town drive Impalas, which are large enough to carry their gear and a couple of perps, and still get 25-30MPG. And you don't have to outrun the radio, you just have to beat it over the next hill.

[Hockey4mnhs]

yup they use impalas were i am 2 i didnt know they got that good of fe

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by Snax

To answer the original question, the price increase is probably due to a supposed refinery or two that has been taken off-line due to profit mongering - I mean flooding. :P

Ya, not a good time of year for a refiniery to go down.
http://www.ogj.com/display_article/2...ille-refinery/
They will be out of business for a few months, at best.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by HEK

I'm not into paranoid conspiracy theories........ but they are all in it together. Government and big oil.

lol no ya think? the bush family is in oil big time and all his littl ebuddies have a huge role in the oil companies... just another greedy politician wanting to line his own pockets at the cost of the american people

[cmhj2000]

Originally Posted by theclencher

If expensive gas reduces the amount of motoring retards polluting up my neighborhood, I'm all for it.

I'll go for that. There are few idiots out here that have to race from stop sign to stop. sheeeeeesh

[tonydal]

What about Canada if I convert litres to gallons I'm paying $3.94 a gallon not considering your dollar is worth a little more. If I factor that in we are paying $4.26 US a gallon.

[tjts1]

If you have to worry about the price of gas for your own personal consumption, you are doing something wrong in life. I'm interested in fuel economy as a technical exercise. If I wanted to save money, I wouldn't have 3 cars.

[Rick Rae]

Originally Posted by cmhj2000

There are few idiots out here that have to race from stop sign to stop. sheeeeeesh

I was coming in to work just before sunrise yesterday morning at the edge of town, 45MPH limit and I was doing about 40. There was slowing-to-turn-right traffic ahead, so I was in the leftmost of the two lanes. Up behind me rolls another driver, and I don't want to give the wrong impression: He wasn't speeding massively (if at all), he didn't tailgate, he didn't seem overly anxious to get past me, nothing wrong with his style in the least.

When the traffic allowed I moved right. He accelerated smoothly and fairly gently (i.e., "just driving," no road rage) and went on past me...

...as I continued to slow on the coast I'd started before I moved right because A) the speed limit had just dropped to 35, and B) there was a red light not 30 feet ahead of us!

I used to lean on the go pedal pretty good once upon a time, but I don't think I've ever actively accelerated when there was a red light just a few car lengths ahead.

Of course I'm sure my (new) driving style doesn't make sense to him, either.

Rick

[Raccoonjoe]

Originally Posted by tjts1

If you have to worry about the price of gas for your own personal consumption, you are doing something wrong in life. I'm interested in fuel economy as a technical exercise. If I wanted to save money, I wouldn't have 3 cars.

I'm not entirely sure that I agree with that statement. For instance: I commute ~35 miles (one way) to work, my wife commutes 10-15 miles in the opposite direction. Due to schedule differences, we cannot carpool.

Yes, I drive a Jeep Cherokee. I know that it's not the best for FE. However, it *is* big enough to carry tools/ladders/equipment when needed, something a Geo cannot handle. (Renting a truck is virtually impossible around here if you're under 25) My wife drives a Blazer...doesn't get the best FE, but she's over EPA ratings at least....most importantly, she's safe.

Both my wife and myself are just out of college. It's been roughly 1 year now, so our students loans are coming due. We continue to drive these vehicles because they are cost-effective.....no car payments, and minimal maintenance (plus cheap insurance).

I guess the point here is that I'm concerned about fuel prices. I'm driving for FE mainly as a challenge to myself, as I know there's not too much I can cost-effectively do to these vehicles. However, I don't feel that there's anything wrong with my life choices....all told, I think we're doing OK, without going extremely far into debt.




Sorry, a little pissed from watching fuel prices jump $.30 today (and still climbing)
*steps down from soapbox*

[Gary Palmer]

Originally Posted by tjts1

If you have to worry about the price of gas for your own personal consumption, you are doing something wrong in life. I'm interested in fuel economy as a technical exercise. If I wanted to save money, I wouldn't have 3 cars.

I'm glad to hear you have enough $ to not be troubled by it. Don't presume that everyone else does because you do, it is not so.

[Raccoonjoe]

theclencher: She feels safe, and that makes her happy (that's what counts). Plus, with how she drives?? If she slides off into a ditch someday, I know that I can fix the Blazer enough to get it back on the road....

[slurp812]

Originally Posted by theclencher

SUV- safe

small car - accident avoidance

[tjts1]

I stand by my previous statement. If you are worried about the price of gas now, you are doing something wrong in life. You need to change the car you drive, where you live, where you work, the hours you work... etc before its too late. The cost of transportation is only going to get more expensive from here on out. This isn't just a money issue. Its a quality of life issue. We have become accustomed to planning the way we live and work on the implicit assumption that transportation is cheap and it will continue to be cheap. Thats simply not true anymore.

Originally Posted by Raccoonjoe

My wife drives a Blazer...doesn't get the best FE, but she's over EPA ratings at least....most importantly, she's safe.

The Chevy Blazer is the most dangerous vehicle for its occupants.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/19/i...ikely-to-kill/

You can read the study for yourself.
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/iihs-...driver-deaths/

[VetteOwner]

lol
but reliable unliek its ford counterpart(lol good ole exploders..)

lol i hate to say it but if shes worried about sliding into ditches and her safety maybe she should drive better...its not like they magically appear in front of you...

[skewbe]

"she feels safe", yah but now everyone else needs a tank to feel safe.

[cfg83]

skewbe -

Originally Posted by skewbe

"she feels safe", yah but now everyone else needs a tank to feel safe.

Same thing happened to a friend of mine. His wife got T-Boned while she was driving her Lexus SUV. The SUV was totaled, but she swears that it saved her life, so it was off to the Lexus dealer to get another.

Perception can be 9/10ths of the law in some states of mind,

CarloSW2

[Raccoonjoe]

Originally Posted by theclencher

The worse the driver, the bigger the battering ram they should be armed with. Totally.

LOL!! I was expecting some feedback from my comments earlier...but not the part about the Blazer!!

Honestly, the only thing that concerns me about the Blazer is that my wife has to sit so close to the steering wheel (she's pretty short). I had some scrap steel laying around once, and her father and I basically rebuilt the bumpers, inside door panels, and major suspension components. That thing truly is a tank now.....



tjts1: Your link specifically mentioned 2 door, 2WD Blazers. My wife drives a 4 door, 4WD Blazer....crash test ratings here http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testin...ecific+vehicle

[skewbe]

Originally Posted by Raccoonjoe

...That thing truly is a tank now.....

I wish it were cute or funny, but wastefulness in america is a disease.

People buying SUVs for their own "safety" are not thinking about the safety of the people they will hit. In fact, they essentially terrorize the other drivers on the road by wielding so much mass, and at a large environmental cost. Ride with me in the Metro when mrs suv is on my tail and see if you don't feel a little terror (I'm used to it)

Throw in the rampant inattention (i.e. cell phones) and you have a strong case for "dang, we must all be idiots, how did it get so wasteful and stupid?!?"

[88HF]

Skewbe: I wish it were cute or funny, but wastefulness in america is a disease.

People buying SUVs for their own "safety" are not thinking about the safety of the people they will hit. In fact, they essentially terrorize the other drivers on the road by wielding so much mass, and at a large environmental cost. Ride with me in the Metro when mrs suv is on my tail and see if you don't feel a little terror (I'm used to it)

Throw in the rampant inattention (i.e. cell phones) and you have a strong case for "dang, we must all be idiots, how did it get so wasteful and stupid?!?"

I agree skewbe. Not to say that people can/want to realize their flawed rationale. I had read somewhere that women who drive daily have a 1% chance of dying in an accident. Too bad there isn't clean, affordable public transportation.

VetteOwner: but reliable unliek its ford counterpart

I've actually been quite amazed how well my ranger has held us since I've owned it. I just hate driving it because I know how inefficient it is to drive. I love small cars.

[Rick Rae]

Originally Posted by cfg83

...a friend of mine. His wife got T-Boned while she was driving her Lexus SUV. The SUV was totaled, but she swears that it saved her life, so it was off to the Lexus dealer to get another.

Exactly the same situation here with a co-worker who refuses to drive anything but a Chevy Suburban now.

Rick