Gas Prices

[oldnslo]

How about 'em? Today the local station was 2.50 for regular, about 2.85 for premium, just under 3.00 for diesel.
In addition to being raped by our allies, the oil-producing countries we are sworn to protect at all costs, companies like Conoco Phillips, Chevron Texaco[both increased profits in 2004 by 77%], Occidental Petroleum[63%], and others with indecent profit pictures, the oil industry continues to pick our collective pockets.
An informal survey shown on NBC TV this morning said that 33% of drivers had already started cutting back on discretionary driving due to gas prices, but there was a 6% segment of the interviewees who said they didn't care how high it went, they would never change their habits.
I'll sure be glad when the weather improves, so I can use the bike more. The pickup is going bye-bye, I hope.
Also, Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawaii have the highest prices in the US.

[TechTMW]

Did you know Venezuela subsidizes its Gasoline prices?

It's 15 US Cents per gallon there.

in a car that makes 30 mpg, that's 4,000 miles on a $20 bill.

[Skier]

*sigh* Go Washington.

I think I'm part of the small number of people that won't change their driving habits regardless of how high gas prices get. This is probably because my daily driver gets 40 MPG and my bike only gets better than that if I don't flog it... which is rare.

[oldnslo]

I don't know if $6/gal would turn your head, and don't know how much you HAVE TO drive, but people in general in the US never plan trips to minimize fuel usage. I can say with confidence that as fuel prices rise, the prices of other things will too, and it will not really matter that your car gets 40mpg if your food costs increase by 25%, along with every other thing you buy to support your life.

I have heard that about Venezuela, Tech, and aren't there some other countries doing something similar or the same?

[9000white]

lets look at the bright side of this gas price tragedy--the higher prices are the more our beloved chief executive makes.would you deny Barbara and Jenna their birthright to live a life of splendor just to save a few bucks??

[oldnslo]

I wonder how much oil stock George and Dickie have bought in the past 18 months?

[9000white]

probably not near as much as they have been given by their friends at Haliburton.

[old-n-slow]

Back in 1965 I had a part time job that paid $0.65 per hour. A gallon of gas cost 45 cents. That meant 70% of my hours work went to pay for a gallon of gas.

Tradespeople today (in Victoria) are earning about $25.00 per hour and a gallon of gas (US gallon) today would cost $3.85 at the current price in Victoria. That means 15.4% of an hours wage goes to cover a single gallon of gas.

SOMEBODY TELL ME AGAIN HOW EXPENSIVE GAS IS……………..

[9000white]

let's get in touch with the worker that makes $7.00 an hour and get his input.

[oldnslo]

True, but right or wrong, we have been conditioned by decades of inexpensive gas, budgeted for it at accepted price levels, and become accustomed to it. Sudden changes always send us into spasms, and this is no different.
Plus, not everybody is a tradesman here in the US, and I presume the same applies to Canada. We don't see "made in USA" on any products anymore. So, somebody outside the country is now making most things, and the guy that used to make it here is vacuuming the floors in an office building. With the departure of many skilled jobs, our society is becoming more service oriented, with a ton of 7 to 10 dollar an hour people. Suddenly going from 1.79 [still posted on a price board of a gas station closed in late 2003, and that was at least 25 cents high for the period] to 2.65 is a big jump. I'm sure you can analyze and explain away and demonstrate that everything in our lives costs less now with all the economics factored in. The real question should be "what does this price event or trend do to people's quality of life?" In this case, the jury is still out, but the effects will become visible in time in the form of inflation in all things purchased by people. Visualize the $10 loaf of bread, hamburger $20 a pound.
You were really getting screwed making .65, even in 1965. Unless Canada's $ was practically worthless against the US$ back then....