Cost of gas in your area?

[tater]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Oil companies can pretty much charge whatever they want, and we'll pay it. We always do. It's not like we have a choice.

And what "they want" is grossly lower than prices in Europe, and pretty much the rest of the developed world.

Having an energy policy apparently means $6-10/gal gas.

Just sayin'.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Personaly, im amazed it hadn't hit 5 yet. If i remember correctly It hit 4 dollars already a few years back. Or at least it seemed to. I tend to round upwards with my expenditures and round down my income.

A wise policy. However, even five dollars to the gallon is a steal compared to what our forward-thinking friends in Europe pay, especially given their ownership of and proximity to oil they actually use as opposed to the US. As far as I can tell, the only European country benefitting from oil policy is Norway, which foolishly has half its GNP tied up in oil alone. Better hope they don't run out.

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Oil companies can pretty much charge whatever they want, and we'll pay it. We always do. It's not like we have a choice.

That's the popular theory, but it is incorrect. Even with our heavy dependence upon oil and our comparitive (although still far too heavy, imo) lack of macroeconomic regulation in the petroleum industry, the US consumer is far from being as exploitable as you might suppose. It is correct to say that the price of fuel as a percentage of personal income has increased. It is also correct to say that the oil industry can charge us more than what most of us would consider a "fair" price in the short-term. It is incorrect to say that oil companies can charge whatever they want, and I don't mean that in the sense of semantic hair-splitting.

If you will recall, this is not the first time gas prices have risen sharply. Don't take my word for it, though. Ask the US auto industry. Their business model was all but destroyed by increases in fuel prices. The evidence of the preparedness of the American consumer to adapt and overcome is all around you. People drive lighter cars with smaller engines. They carpool. They make fewer trips. They price-hunt for the cheapest gas; something which most successful fuel-station chains have used to their advantage by offering gas for less than a cent on the dollar (or even a negative profit) whilst offering overpriced "conveniences" of almost every variety to make up for the lack of profit.

People have even gone so far as to demand alternative energy or energy "policies" from the government. The proof of that is all around you as well. At least 10% of your gasoline is corn-ethanol, despite the fact that corn-ethanol contains water (which is bad for your engine), is less efficient than gasoline, and is extremely expensive to produce in terms of land requirements and capital. People buy subsidized "hybrid" cars. Billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars have been thrown at the problem of solving consumer discontent with the price of fuel with a layer of environmental feel-goodness thrown on top by those willing to provide such peace of mind for a small fee. Though I disagree with most of the measures in the last paragraph, they serve as an adequate gauge of the determination of the US populace to rein in fuel prices.

Oil companies know all this and more. They have legions of well-compensated and often well-motivated employees working to understand these factors every day. They also employ regiments of lobbyists to ensure their competitive viability when consumers call the government in. Rather than an agency for regulation, the government becomes just another battlefield, save that we don't have a vote.

What oil companies are doing is charging what yields the most profitability. You can't blame them for that. Their investors expect it of them. When was the last time anyone here stole money from their boss to donate to charity? When was the last time anyone here took a pay cut to allow someone else to donate to an unspecified charity? When was the last time anyone here paid someone for costing them money, friends/relatives aside? Probably never. Most companies have about the same level of morality, or amorality, however one wants to describe it.

All that said, we in the US generally enjoy considerably lower fuel prices than our forward-thinking betters across the pond, so which is to blame? Is it the market, or the state?

[nikimcbee]

now up to ~$3.60s/ gallon

[Ducimus]

Think I paid 3.75 last week.


As per the oil companies. There is no argument that can justify how much profit they were (are) making while at the same time they raised gas prices. Im referring to the last time gas went up. I know it was in the 4 dollar range. I know this because at the time, i was driving 70 miles per day, filling up every 4 days, at.. now that i think about it.... 4.35 or so? It was in that ball park.

So im shelling out more cash, and the oil companies announce BILLIONS IN PROFIT. There is no justification for that. But there's a name for it. It's called GOUGING. No amount fancy corporate speak can tap dance around that.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Think I paid 3.75 last week.


As per the oil companies. There is no argument that can justify how much profit they were making while at the same time they raised gas prices. Im referring to the last time gas went up. I know it was in the 4 dollar range. I know this because at the time, i was driving 70 miles per day, filling up once a week, at.. now that i think about it.... 4.35 or so? It was in that ball park.

So im shelling out more cash, and the oil companies announce BILLIONS IN PROFIT. There is no justification for that. But there's a name for it. It's called GOUGING.

How much of that goes to Kali-fornia in taxes?

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

How much of that goes to Kali-fornia in taxes?

More then a normal state. Whatever your paying, its 10 cents more in california, at the very least. The reasons because the smog gestapo here demands a cleaner formula.

The end result is the oil companies price gouging, whenever someone sneezes in the middle east, all the more painful.

And yeah, given their profits, i see no justification for the prices other then pure corporate GREED. I mean seriously, are they using Libya as their excuse this time? I'm not "buying" that excuse, not for one freaking minute.

[Penguin]

I would say that the amount of money which us Europeans spend on petrol is about the same than the USAnians spend on gas.
Especially in the cities here you are much less dependant on a car than over the pond. The commute way to work is usually much shorter and the average mpg of the car fleet here is less than in the US. So I think with these adjusting factors the oils prices put the same hole in all our wallets.

Originally Posted by tater

The light rail in LA is so cost ineffective that all the lower income riders could be given a new Prius every 5 years, and have all costs associated with operating it paid for, and LA would still save money. Japan's rail system is also a known problem in terms of cost.

Nice idea, but it needs to at least break even with fares including a subsidy no greater than that given to roads per seat-mile traveled.

Do you have any statistics for that? I am really interested what pov the makers of this study have.
do they also regard the real vehicle operational costs? (repairs/tolls/taxes, etc)
And there is also the factor of costs which public transportation helps to avoid: Money lost through pollution and traffic jams (time, money and goods get wasted by jams)

Originally Posted by Ducimus

The end result is the oil companies price gouging, whenever someone sneezes in the middle east, all the more painful.

And yeah, given their profits, i see no justification for the prices other then pure corporate GREED. I mean seriously, are they using Libya as their excuse this time? I'm not "buying" that excuse, not for one freaking minute.

Hey, this is only "fair"! When you had the storms in the Gulf of Mexico, our prices here went up too - though we import only a few drops of the oil which is produced there.
Germany gets about 10% of its oil from Libya, I wonder how much you get from there, I bet it's much less.

[Platapus]

Perhaps I can get a good price for the Prius I am selling.

[I-25]

also on good old southern california... san diego to be exact

3.79 regular 87oct.
4.07 premum 91oct.
4.09 diesel...

and this is at a cheap'o gas station

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Perhaps I can get a good price for the Prius I am selling.

Someone outside of California driving a Prius? C'mon, you don't expect us to believe this! Does it run on snake oil?

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by I-25

also on good old southern california... san diego to be exact

3.79 regular 87oct.
4.07 premum 91oct.
4.09 diesel...

and this is at a cheap'o gas station

Joy. Im gassing up tonight. Ill be sure to remember how much it is in Upland.

[seaniam81]

dreading filling my 93 GMC at 1.20 CAD/ Litre

[Rebel]

3.57 scottsdale az

[sharkbit]

Filled up this morning on the way to work-
$3.60/gallon 87 octane.

The other options were-
$3.40 85 octane
$3.80 91 octane

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Someone outside of California driving a Prius? C'mon, you don't expect us to believe this! Does it run on snake oil?

I love my Prius. The only reason I am getting rid of it is because of my dog rescue stuff. I needed something a little bigger in the cargo area.

Comfortable car and the WORST gas mileage I ever got was 40.