Jump to content

Gas Prices


77017

Recommended Posts

  • 4 weeks later...
  • Replies 125
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Do you honestly know what would happen if everyone tried to take mass transit? There would be thousands of people lined up at bus-stops for hours.

What about those who have to use their car (like myself to bring all my gear to and from the firestation, or a self-employed contractor who brings all his own tools to work)?

Besides, once we get outside all the major-metro areas, what about the other 90+% of America, who doesn't even have access to public transportation?

Either way, in your car or on a bus - its going to cost the same amount of fuel. The best we can hope for is that in the densest areas, public transortation & mass-transit usage will increase, only in an effort to reduce traffice congestion and parking issues.

i have to agree with you. i think public transportation is great. unfortunately here in houston, it does not go where i need it to go, and it doesn't go QUICKLY enough. until we solve that issue, i am afraid mass transit is gonna be a hard sell. for example, i goto the woodlands daily and there is just NO OTHER WAY to get there but by car. sure i could take a bus and do some other transfers, but it would take me about 3-4 hours (no kidding!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally I would love to take the bus or carpool to work but as far as I know right now I am the only one in my office living in my area and the Metro buss service does not come out to my area at all.

As for a boycott Gas day that would not work either simply becasue gas is not the only thing that the oil is used for. If you really want to hurt the oil cartel then stop using so much plastic and other products made from OIL!

That is where you will hurt them. Below is a list of products. I will let you choose which one we will boycott.

Clothing Ink,  Heart Valves,  Crayons,  Parachutes,  Telephones,  Enamel,  Transparent tape,  Antiseptics,  Vacuum bottles,  Deodorant,  Pantyhose,  Rubbing Alcohol,  Carpets,  Epoxy paint,  Oil filters, Upholstery,  Hearing Aids,  Car sound insulation,  Cassettes,  Motorcycle helmets,  Pillows,  Shower doors,  Shoes,  Refrigerator linings,  Electrical tape,  Safety glass,  Awnings,  Salad bowl, Rubber cement,  Nylon rope,  Ice buckets,  Fertilizers,  Hair coloring,  Toilet seats,  Denture adhesive,  Loudspeakers,  Movie film,  Fishing boots,  Candles,  Water pipes,  Car enamel,  Shower curtains,  Credit cards,  Aspirin,  Golf balls,  Detergents,  Sunglasses,  Glue,  Fishing rods,  Linoleum,  Plastic wood, Soft contact lenses,  Trash bags,  Hand lotion,  Shampoo,  Shaving cream,  Footballs, Paint brushes,  Balloons,  Fan belts,  Umbrellas,  Paint Rollers,  Luggage,  Antifreeze, Model cars,  Floor wax,  Sports car bodies,  Tires, Dishwashing liquids,  Unbreakable dishes,  Toothbrushes,  Toothpaste,  Combs,  Tents,  Hair curlers,  Lipstick,  Ice cube trays,  Electric blankets,  Tennis rackets,  Drinking cups,  House paint,  Rollerskates wheels,  Guitar strings,  Ammonia,  Eyeglasses,  Ice chests,  Life jackets,  TV cabinets,  Car battery cases,  Insect repellent,  Refrigerants,  Typewriter ribbons,  Cold cream,  Glycerin,  Plywood adhesive,  Cameras,  Anesthetics,  Artificial turf,  Artificial Limbs,  Bandages,  Dentures,  Mops,  Beach Umbrellas,  Ballpoint pens,  Boats,  Nail polish,  Golf bags,  Caulking,  Tape Recorders,  Curtains,  Vitamin capsules,  Dashboards,  Putty,  Percolators,  Skis,  Insecticides,  Fishing lures,  Perfumes,  Shoe polish,  Petroleum jelly,  Faucet washers,  Food preservatives,  Antihistamines,  Cortisone,  Dyes,  LP records,  Solvents,  Roofing, Compact disks, Mini disks, Computer parts, Cups, ETC, ETC.

I know that this does not cover everything so if you can think of some more then please fell free to add to the list!

like we're really gonna stop (or cut down on) using all of those product?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just filled up my personal car for the first time in two weeks. It helps to be out of town during the week for work with my car just sitting at an airport parking lot most of the time!

Of course I've been paying over $2.50 a gallon to fill up in Philadelphia every Friday before returning the rental car. At least that gets reimbursed to me by the company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just filled up my personal car for the first time in two weeks. It helps to be out of town during the week for work with my car just sitting at an airport parking lot most of the time!

Of course I've been paying over $2.50 a gallon to fill up in Philadelphia every Friday before returning the rental car. At least that gets reimbursed to me by the company.

i saw this suv filling up at h.e.b. this afternoon. they put 26 gallons in the truck and paid $55. if they are filling up 4 times a month (at the low end) they are paying over $200/month in gas. however, i suspect they are filling up more than once a week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll gladly pay $2.30 for the premium before I pay $4 or $5 like in Europe. And they still have horrible traffic and building new freeways left and right to have large trucks transport their goods. Europe is planning on regional highway system. Many parts are under construction. Greece built a large part of theirs for the Olympics. France is in the middle of theirs. It's very much like Trans Texas Corridor concept without the rail. The big thing is that the high prices of gasoline and highway tolls in Europe doesn't discourage drivers one bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This article shows gas prices are 34% cheaper than 1980 with inflation.

Is it all relative? Maybe oil prices aren't so bad, after all

Interesting article

well yes, if you look at it that way, a lot of things are relative. i mean, a loaf of bread USED to be a nickle at some point. you could get a complete breakfast at a lot of places for 20 cents.

but i am talking now. not 1910.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

even the army realizes that it cannot keep using vehicles with poor gas mileage. and they have a much bigger budget than most of us.

thoughts?

************

Hybrid Could Fill Humvee's Boots

By John Gartner | Also by this reporter Page 1 of 1

02:00 AM Apr. 21, 2005 PT

Wired.com

For a transport vehicle to be all it can be, the Army says it needs to run far on a tank of gas and provide portable power. To meet this goal, the military is developing a hybrid Humvee alternative that could boost the market for combination combustion-electric vehicles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's the point he was making. The value of the dollar and what it can buy has changed. That fact that gasoline prices are not indexed to inflation shows how good we have it here in the US. Oil Companies could just charge a price that is adjusted for inflation and rake in tons of money, but they don't. They charge a price that is much cheaper now than in 1980.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The big thing is that the high prices of gasoline and highway tolls in Europe doesn't discourage drivers one bit.

I am usually in complete agreement with what you write, but this comment isn't quite true. While the gasoline prices may not discourage the amount of driving Europeans undertake, the prices certainly influence the kinds of cars they buy and where they drive. Aside from the occasional Land Rover or G-Wagon, you rarely see SUV's on the road, and most cars get incredible gas mileage---partly because the cars there are smaller, but also because a large majority of the cars run on diesel. For example, I rented an Audi during an extended tour in Spain and often got 40 to 45 mpg. Also...because of the wonderful public transport systems in Europe, no one "has" to drive their car in and around downtowns.

Personally, I'm in favor of higher gas prices. We need prices in the $4 range to finally prod cities into developing effective public transport options and to encourage consumers to stop being such environmental pigs. Plus...if energy costs are high, ideally people will start building more energy-efficient buildings (and ideally...) closer to where they work and play. High gas prices could be the catalyst needed to stop the mess of suburban sprawl and start downtown revitalization.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

$4 dollar gas will happen when it has to. When the market dictates the gas prices to that amount, you'll start seeing more changes. Then again, if people keep paying for the gas and their habbits don't change, you might not see much of a difference.

Our markets will adjust and so will we. I don't worry about it. If a couple of years of suffering will ensue because of high prices, so be it. The president or congress can lower the prices. Only the oil companies and their capcity. Congress can enact legislations to allow the building of new refineries and upgrading old ones to increase capacity and supply. Currently refineries can produce the gas needed eventhough the oil is sitting their waiting.

I agree better fuel efficient cars will be better. That day will happen. Hybrid SUVs are being built right now. We are moving in the right direction. Just takes time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Well I don't think IMO that it will be long before we do see $3 a gallon for gas since the price of oil per barrel is $59.37 as of today according to the chronicle.

So yeah, I see rail quite worth it, just like VelvetJ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The price of a barrel of oil and the price of gas aren't directly linked.

The primarily reason for gas price hikes is that the EPA and environmental groups won't let the oil companies build new refineries to replace the old ones. The new refineries will be a lot more efficient than the 30 year old ones. Theses groups are also stoping the rehabilitation of these facilities.

Chicago is experiencing the high gas prices because they don't have many if any refineries left to produce gas. The have to ship it from Houston, Louisiana and New Jersey.

THe truth is that oil refineries are turning away oil because their reserves are getting full. The can't process what is coming to them. If we would allow more refineries to be built, the oil can turn into gas and therefore lower gas prices.

Most of the extra oil that is coming into this country that can't be refined is either being stored or sold to plastics, polymers, and composites manufacturers to make things that use these materials.

After all this, I'm still for rail. I'm just not all weary about this oil business.

You have to realized we are held to a cartel similar to drug cartels that control the price. Imagine if the US sold potable water to the middle east, but arbitrarily kept the price high. Many people would be claiming bloody murder. Oil is the lifeblood of the US and any modernized country. The majority of the recyclable materials in the world is made from oil (i.e. plastics). Also, we as the world have barely tapped the amount of oil that exists. We won't be experiencing a shortage for many years to come.

Also, we people talk about reducing foreign dependance on oil, they mean to drill for our own and to search out for our own oil without going to through a cartel for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, we people talk about reducing foreign dependance on oil, they mean to drill for our own and to search out for our own oil without going to through a cartel for it.

I personally think if they open up ANWR they will be sorely disappointed with the reserves found. I did my masters work analyzing what data had been taken in the region and absolutely nothing indicated a big play. I've also worked both the Colville Delta and Prudhoe Bay and there is just no comparison.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in an article this past year (either HBJ or The Villager) George Mitchell was quoted reiterating this very fact lowbrow has mentioned. anwr would be cheaper to drill but would not provide enough oil to provide significant results. however, he also said that using new and emerging technologies the gulf of mexico could make the middle east insignificant to us where oil production is concerned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Capitalism dictates that if they got it, and we want it, then we pay for it. That's why the price is where it is at.

ANWR is the promised land for every person too ignorant to understand oil dynamics. Lowbrow is right. It will take 10 years to even start pumping ANWR. And you don't pump full speed the first day.

The most optimistic estimate I've seen for ANWR is 10 - 12 Billion barrels. Sounds good until you do the math.

US consumption - 20.5 million per day = 7.5 Billion per year.

US IMPORTS - 12.3 million per day = 4.5 Billion per year.

If ANWR replaced foreign imports, it would be dry in just over 2 years, if it could be pumped that fast (of course, it can't).

The gov't should quit lying to us about energy independence. It won't and can't happen. We COULD, however, use less oil. The 2 two ways to do it are to drive efficient vehicles and develop more mass transit.

The costs are not just the price of concrete. Those that argue mass transit is too expensive just don't have their facts straight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is right RedScare. My numbers differ from yours but not by more than +/- 10%. If ANWR were to do as good as the USGS predicts then we could add 1-2 million domestic per day. About the amount we were importing from just one middle eastern country, Iraq, before the war.

So basically there may be some oil up there but you are never going to see more than 1 or 2 million added to the domestic market per day. Not to mention the 7-10 years needed for lease sales and environmental impact studies to be done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...