May 19th has been declared "Stick it " day for gas companies
(sorry for all the capts)

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED
STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A
NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF
THE OIL COMPANIES.

THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT UP THEIR behind DAY" AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.

REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE
GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES,TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC.

WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!

Well, considering in Calgary, gas is currently 88 cents / litre (about 18 cents more then it should be), I'M IN! :D

Hehehehe,

Boycotts DONT EVER WORK!!!!!!!!!!

People dont care enough to stick to it unfortunetly......

Your intent is good,but it wont work im afraid!!!!!

The Dude :(

this could be the 1st time ... ?
:)

Petrol (gas) is around $0.90 - $1 AUS where I live........

would't they just raise prices even higher to cover the loss?

I burn premium, its $2.12 gallon and I live in the shadow of a Oil refinery

Ah stop your moaning, I live in the UK, do I need to say more? :P

Andrew

It has been calculated that if everyone in the united
states did not purchase a drop of gasoline for one day and all at the same time, the oil companies would choke on their stockpiles.

At the same time it would hit the entire industry with a
net loss of over 4.6 billion dollars which affects the bottom lines of
the oil companies.

Therefore may 19th has been formally declared "stick it up their behind day" and the people of this nation should not buy a single drop of gasoline that day.

Remember one thing, not only is the price of gasoline
going up but at the same time airlines are forced to raise their prices,trucking companies are forced to raise their prices which effects prices on everything that is shipped. Things like food, clothing, building materials, medical supplies etc.

Who pays in the end? We do!


There ya go.

Sounds good to me.

This is extremely resembling what happened when President Roosevelt was in Presidency.


The steel company wanted to raise their prices, which would endow cause all other companies which used steel to raise their prices. Which would eventually lead into a depression again.

Which is happening with the gases, all compaines that use gas have to raise their prices or else take a loss on the job. Which will eventually cause our economy to fall.

I honestly think its time for President Bush to step in a cap these prices

gas co. have too much power (money) for even the President.

Originally posted by grace5
I burn premium, its $2.12 gallon and I live in the shadow of a Oil refinery

You're over by Ashland, right? So, it's $1.92, $2.02 and $2.12 over there right now?

It's odd. Over here near Lexington, we usually have lower gas prices than you all every time I've driven though there, even though we're farther from the Ashland refinery. Doesn't seem to be the case at the moment though, because we're at $2 still.

Originally posted by The Dude
Hehehehe,

Boycotts DONT EVER WORK!!!!!!!!!!

People dont care enough to stick to it unfortunetly......

Your intent is good,but it wont work im afraid!!!!!

The Dude :(

heh, try getting 500 million people in the United States to do the same thing on one day....

Try getting over 6 billion in the world to do the same thing...

Wont work. Sorry, but that is a really good idea.

Not convinced this would work. It's not like you're asking America to not consume gas for one day. People are still going to drive their cars. And so instead of filling up on the 19th when their tank is 1/4 full, they'll fill up on the 20th when they're down to 1/8 tank. So overall, how have you hit the oil companies? On the other hand, if everyone just does not drive for the one day (ha, good luck with that one), then collectively, we would consume less gas, and it would hit them in their wallets.

The only other way of having an effective boycott is to boycott a specific brand of gas station. For example, if here in Canada we wanted to protest the fact that PetroCanada is charging prices that are too high, we could all still drive our cars, still gas up as usual, but on a specific day, we would gas up elsewhere. They would effectively lose an entire day's revenue.

Or am I missing something?

Vito

You guys should spend a week in the UK then you'd truely have something to complain about.

Originally posted by MattF
You guys should spend a week in the UK then you'd truely have something to complain about. What? The locals?

:)

Geez you guys have cheap fuel over there is the US. It's around 78p/litre over here now and about to hugely increase!

It's so heartwarming when these old ideas come back after being away for a few years. I think this one is from 1999. Back then it was marketed better, with a catchy name: The "Gas Out."

Hey look, if you think you're going to organize some even that might really have an effect on gas prices (or, really, any other issue), sorry... but you'll have to take steps that will involve some sacrifice and inconvenience. Instead here's a nice lazy way to feel like you're "sticking it to them" without causing any disruption to your life whatsoever. Unless, in a complete disaster, you forget to tank up the Hummer on the 18th!

Snopes says: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/nogas.asp

maybe if you all brought more efficent cars instead of gas guzzelers that you use in the us you would spend less on fuel. facts are fuel prices WILL rise, the less of a product the higher the cost. moaning and screaming about it wont change that fact. you want the prices not to increase every so often then it is up to everyone to use the fuel more wisely. there isnt a endless supply. untill we find newer ways of powering cars and such like the prices will continue to rise. one day it will cost you a few $100 a litre

Originally posted by Xshare
Snopes says: Snopes also says: The material on this web site may not be reproduced without permission
What, you've never heard of a hyperlink? :stickout:

Fine. Happy?

COACH

You're over by Ashland, right? So, it's $1.92, $2.02 and $2.12 over there right now?

Has alway been that way(cheaper in lexington ky and area) they say its a bigger market over your way...

Originally posted by Rich2k
Geez you guys have cheap fuel over there is the US. It's around 78p/litre over here now and about to hugely increase!

Yep... you guys have it good over there in the USA, nothing to complain about. Lets put it into context and put UK prices it into Gallons and Dollars. Please forgive me, this won't be pretty.

1 US Gallon is Approx 3.79 Litres.

Average price of a litre of fuel in the UK, I, like Rich2k, would estimate around 78p - I've even purchased at 84p in some places.

So that works out at £2.96 a gallon.

Based on todays exchange rate of $1.75 USD to £1 GBP (from xe.com) we pay a whopping $5.18 a gallon.

That's $5.18 a gallon folks :angry:

So don't let me hear about anyone complaining about paying any less that that! :D

I'm with Vito, there's no point at all trying to get everyone to stay away from the pumps on a particular day, if you're still going to use your cars on that day it's not going to hurt the oil companies one bit.

Of course, you could always leave your car at home & walk

Originally posted by KualoJo
Yep... you guys have it good over there in the USA, nothing to complain about. Lets put it into context and put UK prices it into Gallons and Dollars. Please forgive me, this won't be pretty.

1 US Gallon is Approx 3.79 Litres.

Average price of a litre of fuel in the UK, I, like Rich2k, would estimate around 78p - I've even purchased at 84p in some places.

So that works out at £2.96 a gallon.

Based on todays exchange rate of $1.75 USD to £1 GBP (from xe.com) we pay a whopping $5.18 a gallon.

That's $5.18 a gallon folks :angry:

So don't let me hear about anyone complaining about paying any less that that! :D


At $1.95 a gal, i guess i'm pretty lucky then...

Based on todays exchange rate of $1.75 USD to £1 GBP (from xe.com) we pay a whopping $5.18 a gallon

WOW :eek:

but what is the price of other things...

wages (income per month)

Based on todays exchange rate of $1.75 USD to £1 GBP (from xe.com) we pay a whopping $5.18 a gallon

WOW :eek:

but what is the price of other things...

wages (ADV income per month)

(besides that you guys all live on a little island that can be walked acrossed in a short while )





:D


I'm kidding of course

Originally posted by Cloudmaster
Of course, you could always leave your car at home & walk But that won't happen. It's what I touched on in an earlier post -- this thing has been around for years and always gets enthusiastic support wherever it's posted, but it's just an easy way for people to feel like they're doing something, without the sacrifice that anything that might really help would require. If you could get people to park their cars for a week or so, you might have some impact; but that wouldn't be easy.

And what it shows is the same thing that some of these comparisons with other parts of the world show -- our gas prices aren't that bad in the US. They might seem like it but they're not so high that they're making people look for other answers, whether that might be public transportation, a bicycle, or just smaller cars. I've never paid $2 a gallon in my life before this week, but when I was filling up today there was no shortage of SUVs at the pumps alongside me.

Originally posted by grace5
WOW :eek:

but what is the price of other things...

wages (ADV income per month)

(besides that you guys all live on a little island that can be walked acrossed in a short while )





:D


I'm kidding of course

Average monthly income in the UK is $2,125 USD, compared to $2,783 USD in the USA. Figures from the World Bank.

Whilst we might be a smaller country, I would estimate the majority of people in the UK travel similar distances to work to those in the USA. Afterall most people won't live too far from where they work, send their kids to school etc. We tend to drive more fuel efficient cars which don't need as much fuel to run as those in the USA, which is why European cars are on the whole a lot smaller (much fewer SUVs etc.). Advantage of all this is that it is a hell of a lot better for the environment!

If people did not get gas for one day they would just get more the day before or after. If you really want to hurt the industry, and save the environement, how about people stop buying gas guzzling cars. If people switched from 20/mpg to 40/mpg it would cut the need for gas in half. Or buy alternate fuels in protest of the prices. Many cars can now run on ethanol which is a much cleaner fuel. I am surprised they have not made a hybrid ethanol engine yet.

Originally posted by alvinks
If people did not get gas for one day they would just get more the day before or after. If you really want to hurt the industry, and save the environement, how about people stop buying gas guzzling cars. If people switched from 20/mpg to 40/mpg it would cut the need for gas in half. Or buy alternate fuels in protest of the prices. Many cars can now run on ethanol which is a much cleaner fuel. I am surprised they have not made a hybrid ethanol engine yet.

I'm in 100% agreement with you there, I've never understood the need for all the massive cars which exist in America. Sure, they look great, but they're awful for the environment and twice as expensive to run as they need be.

Not sure of what the status of this is elsewhere, but in the UK there is a small but increasing number of people that use LPG fuelled cars. It's much friendlier for the environment, much cheaper (they say around 40%), quieter and an average sized tank can do around 300 miles, which isn't terrible.

I'm not 100% sure whether this will be the way things will go, but its sure as hell tempting sometimes to get a bi-fuel car next time around, and there are quite a few available nowadays. Anyone know if this exists elsewhere yet?

Why can't we make this INTERNATIONAL?

I wish we could spread the word!

Lebanon DOES suffer big time from this!

It could have an affect if the date was further and some decided to make sure the word got out, contacted all the news stations setup a website everyone involved that had a website linked back to to get good search ratings, and everyone used word of mouth to there neigbors locals etc... If it was something someone put effort into and everytime they saw a human body they expressed the need for the boycott. Maybe not everyone but a good majority. People have contacts with tv or radio personalitys and you promoted it about 2 -3 months I think you could come pretty close myself.

I hope it works!

All the luck!

You need to look at how much tax you are paying per gallon too. Between federal and state taxes quite a bit of what you pay per gallon is taxes. Federal tax is 18.3 cents per gallon and state taxes vary. Some places even have local or county taxes as well. Then some states charge sales tax as well as gasoline tax, so you get hit even more when prices go up. There's a list of each state and the taxes at http://nj.npri.org/nj99/01/usgastax1.htm , taxes as of 1998, so they might be different now, but it will give you a good ball park idea of what you are paying in a particular state just in taxes per gallon. It would seem to me that the governments (federal, state, local) are probably making as much or more money per gallon than the actual companies producing it and very much so more than any local gas station owner who is selling it to you.

I personally think that if people started using less gasoline, the taxes would be increased to maintain the income level from the taxes. Same as with cigarette tax. As soon as there was a noticeable drop in the number of smokers buying cigarettes, they raised the taxes on them.

Didn't Kerry push to increase federal gas tax up by or to 50 cents per gallon a while back to try to get people to use less gas?

Originally posted by peilo
It could have an affect if the date was further and some decided to make sure the word got out, contacted all the news stations setup a website everyone involved that had a website linked back to to get good search ratings, and everyone used word of mouth to there neigbors locals etc... You're missing the point that's been made many times in this thread.

It can't work.

What if nobody bought gas on that day? It wouldn't matter a bit. People who normally would have done so will either buy it the day before or the day after. The statement that "It has been calculated that if everyone in the united states did not purchase a drop of gasoline for one day and all at the same time, the oil companies would choke on their stockpiles" is plainly silly. What's the idea behind that? Yeah I get it... I suppose delivery trucks would arrive at gas stations and find that there's no place to put the gas because the tanks are already full (because in our fantasy world gas station storage tanks must be refilled every day). They'd have to go back to their terminals with full tanks! Meanwhile the refineries cranked out gasoline all day and now there's no place to put it because all of the tanker trucks are still full from yesterday! Oh No! Suddenly the industry is choking on its stockpiles!!!

Yep, that makes sense...

Truck drivers have tried this for years, and they have communication with each other via radios......it's failed every time. You cant seem to get the info out good enough. You cant get owner operators to do it on the same day as company drivers.

If the trucks on the road stopped for just ONE day, it would have a much larger effect than if everyone in the US simply didnt buy gas for one day.

So here's what really needs to happen. The general public needs to get in communication with the trucking industry. You would need people picketing at every truck stop possible in the US urging truckers not to run that day. Truckers cant do it alone, they need the public's help. If we could get even 50% of them to stop running for one day, the ones that have stopped can handle the ones that dont.

Law enforcement could help also, as gas prices are affecting them also. They can stop the trucks that continue to run. Even on a brand new truck, it's well known that DOT can still find something wrong that can put it out of commission for 24 hours.

The owner operators want fuel prices down as they have to pay their own fuel. Company drivers want fuel prices down because it effects their pay. The companies however, that's what they are afraid of. The companies (Swift, Steven, Snieder, JB Hunt, etc, etc) are greedy and dont care as much about fuel prices. They simply lessen driver pay raises, and up their shipping rates to cover the fuel hikes.....which in the end, affects the public. So the public needs to stand behind all the truck drivers and help them make it happen.

So some people here need to get together and build a site for this that we can all link to. Even companies in other countries. A lot of the stuff shipped on trucks in the US comes from YOUR country, so it's going to effect YOUR economy too. While much of the stuff comes from your country, a lot of what's on our trucks is going to ocean ships to be shipped to YOUR country. If all 18-wheelers in the US stopped rolling for one day, it would not only affect the United States, but it would also affect most of the world. The shipping industry is barely keeping up with world demand as is. You put a one day delay (the mighty wrench) in all that and you create a critical ripple that spreads out to finally get to the point where it gives OPEC a nice big black eye for their greed.

Our free hosting serves about 35 million ads per month. Any site we have advertised grew at an amazing rate, some here can testify to that. If people are willing to do their part, we can start it here, and I will do MY part. I just wonder how many others will do theirs? Our 35 million is a mere drop in the bucket in the world of the internet, it would take everyone here, and everyone who sees that site, to do soemthing about it.

We CAN do soemthing about it, but everyone has to actively work it. Keep it in the forefront of WHT, get some magazines to put some free ads, get the attention of the media, etc, etc. You only have to start the ball rolling until normal media picks up on it, then you will see major changes start happening.. but it all comes back to this. Whos is willing to forego some of their normal time to link to the site, and actively promote it so things could get to that point? It is correctly said that OPEC has too much power, even for the President. This is because the world cant seem to stand up united and tell OPEC where to go.

After all, once the world sees it happen once, we would then know it can happen again.....and for a longer period with much harsher effects on greedy corporations like the oil companies and government.

But you know what, I dont think people here are worried enough to actively do it.. I seriously dont, and that's pretty sad.. I dont think everyone can, or wants, to work tegether..

Originally posted by Hiccups
Didn't Kerry push to increase federal gas tax up by or to 50 cents per gallon a while back to try to get people to use less gas? "Let's cut income taxes by 10% and finance it with a 50-cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax. . . .

Cutting income taxes while increasing gasoline taxes would lead to more rapid economic growth, less traffic congestion, safer roads, and reduced risk of global warming--all without jeopardizing long-term fiscal solvency. This may be the closest thing to a free lunch that economics has to offer."

Oh no, wait... that wasn't Bob Kerry. Who was it? Gregory Mankiw, chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers -- in 1999, in Fortune magazine.

Yeah, Kerry once floated the idea of increasing gas taxes, too -- ten years ago, when the average price per gallon was around $1 . But "push" for it? No. Don't believe everything you hear in campaign ads.

Hello Everyone,

I must say of some of the information given in this thread is very misleading. The end consumer is the only person who directly is going to experience the increase in gas prices. Larger companies will have signed gas contracts with their local supplier so in no way will this influence them. I know companies who have 5+ year contract and pay nowhere near what we pay at the pumps. So the end result is by gas prices going up it effects only our pockets not necesasrily the large market conglomerates.

If you think rally a would be in the best interests of the us or anyother part of the world think of how that is going to effect the economy.


EDIT: Maybe the Canadian dollar might come close to par with the US dollar. :D

~TAB

They pay an average of 20 to 50 cents less than we do at the pump. However, when their contracts end and are up for negtiation, their costs go up.

One day of shipping stopping wont kill the world, and really wont effect the economies that much, but it will send a messege to people that control such things. It would be my bet that if the movement got popular, you would see a quick drop in prices before the day came. You cant schedule something like this a mere 20 days away, you have to schedule it for about 6 months away. If it got going good and enough people knew about it, anough people talking about how they'll be out picketing truckers, you can bet the people at OPEC and everyone else is going to know about it. It may never actually have to happen, simply the wide credit the movement is getting may be enough..

And if gas prices were to shoot up, well, that would only serve to harden the cause. Gas prices will go up as long as you sit there and do nothing, and simply "hope" they wont continue their upwards spiral. Hope and negativity wont stop the continuous price hikes. It will only serve to tell OPEC there is indeed nothing the world can do to stop them...

Originally posted by JayC
"Let's cut income taxes by 10% and finance it with a 50-cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax. . . .

Cutting income taxes while increasing gasoline taxes would lead to more rapid economic growth, less traffic congestion, safer roads, and reduced risk of global warming--all without jeopardizing long-term fiscal solvency. This may be the closest thing to a free lunch that economics has to offer."

Oh no, wait... that wasn't Bob Kerry. Who was it? Gregory Mankiw, chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers -- in 1999, in Fortune magazine.

Yeah, Kerry once floated the idea of increasing gas taxes, too -- ten years ago, when the average price per gallon was around $1 . But "push" for it? No. Don't believe everything you hear in campaign ads.

I didn't hear it in a campaign ad. I give little attention to those from either side. If campain ads aren't biased, nothing is.

I could have been wrong using the word "push". I guess "floated the idea" would have been better. It doesn't matter to me if it was 10 years ago and the price was $1.00 then, if it had happened, it would still be 50 cents higher now.

OK, so Kerry wanted a 50 cent hike. A Bush adviser wanted a 50 cent increase along with a 10% cut in income taxes. I don't know about anyone else, but if I were going to get stuck with a 50 cent increase per gallon, I'd sure rather it came along with a reduction in my income taxes to offset some of it. I hope it never happens regardless.

What if nobody bought gas on that day? It wouldn't matter a bit


I beleive if selling millons of gallons per day and then one day - zero - ,I think I would at the very least have to investagate the cause.
That will at least raise eyebrows... it will matter

You are correct, I do not think that would cause to gas prices to lower,but it will make a statement

I know I have no right to complain, but some people in other regions of the US can get a gallon of premium for cheaper than I can get a gallon of regular. Right now around Grand Rapids, MI its at anywhere from $2.15-$2.08 for a gallon of regular.

And Michigan is on the roads to regulating the gas prices so that smaller companies can compete with the larger ones.... So no more Meijer gas points aswell.

Originally posted by grace5
I beleive if selling millons of gallons per day and then one day - zero - ,I think I would at the very least have to investagate the cause.
That will at least raise eyebrows... it will matter

You are correct, I do not think that would cause to gas prices to lower,but it will make a statement Yeah, the gas companies would be really surprised to learn that people weren't happy with where prices are right now. :)

All that would happen is exactly what happens now when an industry spokesman makes a statement on it... they'd pass the blame and nothing would change. And the next day sales would be back (and up a bit to make up for what wasn't purchased during the Gas Out) and the whole thing would blow over.

Again, the only statement that might have an impact would be if people were to stop buying or seriously reduce consumption. Unless that happens, any complaints or "statements" are really meaningless.

Yeah, the gas companies would be really surprised to learn that people weren't happy with where prices are right now.

I was refering to the magnitude of the response (not as you put it above)

:D

Originally posted by grace5
I was refering to the magnitude of the response Sure. But my point is that it doesn't really matter how big the response is. As long as people are right back out the next day buying gas at the same rate, the producers, distributors, and retailers don't feel any impact (maybe the retailers a bit, but they're the ones with the least influence on pricing) so nothing will change.

It's not going to happen anyway, so I guess there's no harm in being optimistic that if only it [i]would[i] happen it would work. I just don't share in that optimism.

Theory is nice but in reality supply and demand will remain the same. They (gas co.) have economists that know just how much they can raise the prices before we all choke!

Somebody before me said something about gas guzzlers. I have a large family and need my 9 passenger vehicle. I'll give up my Suburban when they outlaw smoking.

Originally posted by KualoJo
Based on todays exchange rate of $1.75 USD to £1 GBP (from xe.com) we pay a whopping $5.18 a gallon.

That's $5.18 a gallon folks :angry:

So don't let me hear about anyone complaining about paying any less that that! :D

People are not necessarily complaining that the price is now $2.10 in the US, it's the fact they are complaining that prices raised 50% (was $1.40 not so long ago). I bet you would be complaining just as much if your gas prices went from $5.10 to $7.65 a gallon (ie 78p/litre to 117p/litre)

It wont work it has been done many times over the years. The gas companys are not going to lower the prices not to much lower. If they do they would loose money.

I wish it would work, but it will not. Though since I am crazy.. I am in! :D... Though you would have to get the word out a little better. Flyers work wonders in town. Where I live I can make 1000 copys for 6 dollars.

Tax SUV's and large gas users to a high extent. Boom drop demand for those cars which will decrease overall demand for gasoline which will lower consumption and increase supply in the long run or at least until hybrid cars can get into the general market.

Originally posted by pixel_fenix
Tax SUV's and large gas users to a high extent. Boom drop demand for those cars which will decrease overall demand for gasoline which will lower consumption and increase supply in the long run or at least until hybrid cars can get into the general market.

But that doesnt make sense to the government. Large vehicles have a higher price tag (ie more initial and luxury taxes) AND use lots of fuel (ie a continous source of income via fuel tax).

Although big SUVs and cars may be bad for the environment, it can be agrued that they are good for the economy.

The additional taxing will bring in more revenue which does make sense to the government. And people selling those suvs and buying new cars will incur more luxury taxes.

Ever heard of the tax credit that means that purchasers of many luxury SUVs essentially get them for free -- or more accurately get the rest of us as taxpayers to pay for them?

Under the 2003 Jobs and Growth Act, in fact, if you buy a Hummer for $100,000 you get that full amount back as an "Equipment Investment," also get back $1,000 for depreciation, and get a "bonus deduction" of $5,000. So your fellow Americans buy you a big gas-guzzler and give you another six grand that you can use to pay for gas.

Granted, it'll only work you can pull off calling it a business vehicle -- but if you can pass that test you can get these tax credits on any vehicle weighing over 6,000 pounds. So it's not really the case that those unfortunate people driving bug SUVs are taking on a big financial burden for the rest of the country.

I am not convinced any of this would work, but I'll give it a shot. I use premium only, so its about $2.80 US/Gallon here :(

Originally posted by jsjohnst
People are not necessarily complaining that the price is now $2.10 in the US, it's the fact they are complaining that prices raised 50% (was $1.40 not so long ago). I bet you would be complaining just as much if your gas prices went from $5.10 to $7.65 a gallon (ie 78p/litre to 117p/litre)

Of course I would... that goes without saying. All I am saying here is that perhaps it is time to think that you folks in the US actually don't have it that bad, that perhaps its time to be realistic and use less fuel than you are - it's not an infinite resource, and from what I can see, the prices you pay don't adequately reflect the preciousness of this resource. Personally, I don't actually mind paying over $5 a gallon over here because at the very least it means that we don't have as many cars which unnecessarily consume more petrol than is necessary.

Originally posted by NetHosted-Andrew
Ah stop your moaning, I live in the UK, do I need to say more? :P

Andrew

Well said, I would love to pay the price the Americans pay for petrol ;)

Originally posted by KualoJo
Of course I would... that goes without saying. All I am saying here is that perhaps it is time to think that you folks in the US actually don't have it that bad, that perhaps its time to be realistic and use less fuel than you are - it's not an infinite resource, and from what I can see, the prices you pay don't adequately reflect the preciousness of this resource. Personally, I don't actually mind paying over $5 a gallon over here because at the very least it means that we don't have as many cars which unnecessarily consume more petrol than is necessary.

While gas is cheaper here, there are a LOT of things in Europe that are a LOT cheaper than here in the U.S. I'll pay more for gas if you pay more for everything else like we have to. Otherwise, quit moaning about how you pay more for gas and that we have it coming.. You also have more technologies over there such as the newer cell phone and wireless technologies that havent hit here yet. In many places, you can get much larger internet connections than we can, and get it cheaper too. How much is your electric? How much is your monthly phone service? While prices are starting to come down here, I think in the end we were and still are paying a bit more..

So if you want to equalize all costs in the costs of living, it's gonna be people in Europe doing the most bitching.

in St. Louis, MO regular gas prices are at $1.97 for regular......you can count me in I'll see if I can start taking the metrolink to work.

the factors that make the gas prices so high are (in no particular order):

1. the criminal syndicate that is opec. they meet regularly to smoke their hookahs and decide exactly how badly they are going to fleece the west in the short to medium term.

you are correct - it is all about supply and demand. with that said, reducing the demand will do absolutely nothing to affect prices. the other side is ready, willing and able to reduce supply as well and raise their price per unit to recoup lost revenue.

such collusive, price-fixing behaviour would be illegal in every major economy that is paying for their palaces and their harems as well as illegal under WTO guidelines, yet they continue to engage in those practices unabated.

the british should have stayed put - that's all i've got to say about that.


2. the huge lobbying costs the oil companies have to write off. if the oil industry were not lobbying, they would have been legislated into oblivion by trigger-happy electoral prostitutes that are (amreican) politicians. see below.


3. a ton of bullcrap regulations - something or other about 'protecting the environment'. i, for one, have never voted for a politician that wanted to 'protect the environment'. tell me what exactly you are going to do, explain exactly what it is going to achieve and only if the latter is credible and logical will i give you my vote. instead, a lot of *real* environmental problems and problem-makers are swept under the carpet, while vital industries are being regulated out of existence and out of the market.

4. the greed and bureaucracy of the oil companies. 'nuff said.

got any more? post them here.

paul

Ok, time for my simple input to this thread :)

Im not happy about prices going up, theyre too high as it is and I would really like to pay less...

BUT

What happens when our wonderful little FINITE resource runs out??

That could be fun!

xt,

and *when* is that scheduled for, in the case of oil for example?

paul

Originally posted by rusko
xt,

and *when* is that scheduled for, in the case of oil for example?

paul

http://www.oilcrisis.com/summary.htm

;)

but you also have the new types of vehicle emerging in the world to resolve the high prices :D

http://www.oilcrisis.com/images/sportuv.gif

We would most likely never be as stupid as to let oil completely 'run out' so to speak, the problem is that there is a fast approaching date when the amount of oil that exists in the world cannot meet the increasing demand for it, so transportation etc. would need to have moved onto newer fuels.

The conventional theory is that the date when this crunch time will happen is 2050, however the most recent studies have shown that oil supplies are considerably less than had been previously thought (about 80% less). That means that the crunch point could be brought forward to as early as between 2010-2020.

We need to stop using oil as if its a resource which is never going to run out, because we are going to see problems, and probably in our lifetimes too.

well their is more testing on new gases for vehicals. Like I think it was corn they transformed into gas? In MT we have to gas stations that are called bio something that well costs more, but consist of corn I belive....

Gas is ridiculous, and I just got my own car a few weeks ago too :/

Yesterday it was 92 cents (I'm in Canada, we dont pay per gallon)

interesting how those reports don't include russia. not a case of misguided national pride mindy you, just bewonderment that a country with large reserves of both natural gas and oil, with much more lying undiscovered, would be omitted.

when opec is done away with, non-opec countries will carry it. 2050 sounds about right - i am positive that by then the technological advances will take care of most of our problems.

paul

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/price.html

A list of Gas prices around the world.

Gotta love to live in Venezuela ;)

A friend forwarded me a mail asking people not to get gas on the 19th to see what happens to the market. I mean if the message were to get to everyone.... And everyone follows.... What will really happen?

Unfortunately I find it funny but when I forwarded it to my peers... They are seriously not getting gas on the 19th. Is there any systematic effect?

another thing :)

Get a Hybrid, the gas prices are just gonna go up.

Did anyone see any of those tiny motorcycles in the street?

It wouldn't make a difference IMO. Lets say people don't fill up on the 19th, they will fill their tanks on the 20th which would mean they would need to put in more gas than usual, so basically no profits would be lost.

I think it would work like this:

Everyone don't fill up their tanks for a week or two and share rides in hopes of dropping prices. If it drops, everyone go fills it at that price. Then the market will know what everyone is trying to pull. :P

1) I can guarantee you people will never do that

2) The market is not going to drop their prices because people aren't buying, I would think they would even increase it to make up for the loss, leaving all the people who depend on gas left in the dust and it will also cause the price of food\clothing\etc to increase do to the increase in freight costs.

Heh, thats my theory.

I believe from the economic prespective, it is as IDS mentioned:

As demand will be lowered, there will be a price increase to make up for the loss.

Buy a diesel...you can go twice as far on the same amount of fuel, and in most areas (all of Canada at least) diesel prices are regulated due to commercial trucking.

I've had this discussion more than a dozen times with friends and family. No matter how you slice the arguement there is one very clear by-product of this kind of mass action: The economy suffers and so do we.

But just becuase of this severe by-product, it doesn't render boycotts ineffective. On the contrary, for all of you who think this kind of behavior is foolish why don't we take a look at Corporate behavior. Do your homework and you'll realise that economic boycotts happen every day in every sector of the American economy.

Boycotting of advertising is one the first strategies any company will use to motivate news agencies to not print stories, after they call the Publisher first with their demands.

Don't kid yourself. And don't buy into the lie that Boycotts are foolish. That is propaganda. Boycotts work. Why? Becuase in a capitalist society you vote with your money not your pen in a booth behind a curtain. We all cast our economic vote countless times everyday with every dime we spend. But during a boycott, the corporations have to suffer with us. Now imagine that. Sometimes behavior can change on a dime.