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Gas Prices: How High Is Up?

Show Me The Money!!!

Duo said:
I hear what you say but is not like things are any off better. Western Europe is a place where the cost of living is very high. Taxes here are way higher than those in america. For example Belgium has very high taxes, 40% or more. Plus with the introduction of the Euro prices have gone higher but wages have not. People here buy smaller cars, so why can't the same be true in America? Why can't americans who live in big cities ride the public transport but have to buy cars at all costs? Why do ppl need 8 seats suvs for a couple with v8 engines burnin gas like crazy?

Don't tell me that all americans who dont live in the cities are farmers and need trucks for supplies. Why can't americans drive smaller city cars or regular 5 door cars like? Im sorry about your difficulties but I am overall lookin at the broader spectrum of the effects of too much gas pollution in the globe. Why should I suffer your pollution and your desire to buy gas for a dollar to the gallon so you can make my world less safer. It is insane that america which has 1/4 the population of china pollutes more. If all the chinese people went and got cars imagine what would happen. THey are entintled to having cars just like americans are, so why is there this difference in perception that it is ok for americans to have cars but not for the others. I'm sorry but even at 4 dollars a gallon i think gas in America is way cheaper than here. I think there is a real culture in America of having your own space and not sacrificying your comfort for the benefit of the community. This attitude is too individualistic, the hell with the world, i'll ride in my monster truck SUV, why should europeans cram in trams, buses, trains and what not and americans ride in nice spacy spaceships that are slowly decaying our precious environment ? Why do 16 year old kids need cars? Just answer me that crazy policy. All this gas dependancy is makin us hooked and prevents us from searchin different alternatives to fuel sources. Individialistic attitudes such as this are the bloodline of corporate greed in america that prevents the betterment of the nation and improvement of the life of American citizens. Just look at the smog over LA for example.

I was not directing this at you, but just as a general critique of American dependancy on low gas prices.

Oh I understand how you feel about it all Duo, and don't worry there is no offense taken on the issue. When I made that rant I wasn't really directing it towards the gas prices as it may have seemed. It's just the fact that with all the difficulties my family has been having, the cost of higher gasoline isn't helping much on relieving the pressure. I'm sure there are Europeans in the same boat I am, so I know they have the same feelings as I do right now. My Father used to make over $45,000 a year. Then just last year his company decided to cut costs by abolishing overtime because of the disaster their foreign outsourcing has turned into.

That means over $10,000 and maybe more has been cut out of my Father's annual paycheck every year from here on out. The health insurance is so expensive that it cuts a big portion out of my Father's check, as well as, other costs from the company. Let's not forget Social Security either. As for my Mother she hasn't had a raise in over four years because she's too cowardly to ask for one. Somehow she has it hardwired in her brain that they'll just give her one eventually. Plus the woman who writes her check out will sometimes wait over a month before giving it to her. That means two more pay checks will be a month late just because she had to wait for the first one.

Plus my Mother is also a part time real estate agent, and with the higher interest rate values, selling houses has been very slow. Also my Mother literally has to drive anywhere from 50-250 miles a day on long trips just to finish all of her errands for the company. So with the higher gasoline price and tight wages our family has had to really squeeze by some months. Then there's me with college. I've been lucky that I have free tuition until the end of the semester, but I still have to pay cash on various other dues. Considering that I do well over 18 credit hours a semester, and I'll be transferring to another university next semester that's kind of taken a toll on the pocket book as well. So what I'm getting to is that no matter whether you live in Europe or America, being in the working class sucks badly.

I live in a rural town in the middle of nowhere. My Father drives a four door sedan, my Mother a pickup truck, and me an SUV. However, My Father's job is in town so his car can stretch out on gas for quite a few weeks despite being a V8 (he only has to go about a mile, mile and a half to get to his job). My Mother's truck has a straight six in it (one of the last cars to ever have one), and it has dual tanks. Due to her job she drives around the most, and naturally pickup trucks suck up gas like crazy. Then there's me with my SUV. It has a V6 in it, and considering I only have to travel 12 miles a day, I can make the gas hold out for well over 2 and a half weeks.

However, my schedule has changed around this semester and all my classes are at night except one. Due to that and my Mother's bad back, she naturally refuses to drive her truck any longer, and in turn takes my car instead. Now it does help save on gas considering that there is now one less car to be driven, but she drives all over the place and that doesn't help much for me. I've tried to get them to trade in one or two of the cars, but they refuse to do so. Come to find out because of all the local area dealerships, it'll actually cost us more money in the end to buy one economy car because of the high rates on loans than it will just keeping what we have for the time being. Considering that my folks are both in their fifties, they naturally don't want to be a slave to debt till the day they die which is understandable (however, I have a funny feeling I'm going to have to pay for some of their loans one day when they do eventually leave this mortal coil which hopefully won't be for another 30-40 years).

Add in all the bills that we have to pay, and then you end up in the situation my family is in. Most people in my town have to drive 100 miles every day just to get to their job in the city. Add in all the different elements including hurricane Katrina destroying many of the oil rigs in the Gulf, and then you come to a situation where higher oil prices can have a strain on those living in the Midwest (especially for farmers and truck drivers). I do agree with you Duo on people living in cities. I can't understand why people refuse public transportation. I guess it partly has to do with the radial gap between the rich and the poor, and many upper class citizens don't want to lose their dignity by riding in public transportation. Plus I think it's a whole power issue thing too. You know the more wealth you have, the more you need to show it off. You know stupid BS like that.

What really drives me up the wall are all these jerk offs who drive in those big V8, V10, and V12 SUVs, sports cars, luxury cars, and various other expensive vehicles who complain about the higher oil prices. Hey listen you can afford it, we (as in the working class) can't. Shut the **** up, get back into your stupid Mercedes Benz, and stop dragging down the collective mentality of society, and getting Europeans pissed off at us all because you're rich and can afford the gas, but don't want to pay for it while it's over $6.50 in Europe and $4.00 where I live; assholes. You know the moral majority of Americans who can afford the gas I would just love to force them to live a life like I am in currently, or those in similar situations in Europe and America, and see how it feels not to have the luxury of having a disposable income to pay for all the high prices in gasoline/petrol. Maybe then they wouldn't ***** so much, stop buying the gas gouging cars, and buy more economical and environmentally friendly vehicles, while also helping to support in the research for alternative fuel sources.

God I can't take these morons anymore. You know car pool, ride a bus, a train, or a taxi cab for once! I car pool, my best friend car pools into work (before he got fired), and several other people do too. Why can't you? Oh that's right because you want to show off your flashy *** new BMW. Yeah I hear they gave it five stars; how about I give it one finger instead you jackasses. Stop bitching and help people instead by setting an example for society by buying better cars that actually help the national and global economy, as well as, the environment. *sigh* I don't think we'll ever get through to these people. Does anybody have any ideas because I'm all out? Oh and one last thing Duo, you made some excellent points in your post. :)

Doc 🙂
 
I Got Rid Of My Gas Hog !!

3 years ago I had a 1990 Dodge Ramcharger with a big 318 CI V-8. It set way up high for a good view and made me feel like I was driving an indestructable tank. It had a 32 GAL gas tank and only got 7 MPG. Man , I loved that truck and took me in & out of some real rough driving in the Maine woods and got me to my patients homes in the worst Maine winter storms. I decided it was just to much of a gas hog to keep and switched to a Subaru Forester. The Forester may not sit up as high, but it hauls a big load and gets me to camp as good as the truck did. Best of all it gets 23 MPG and is terrific in snow & ice. If I had that ol truck these days, I would have to take a second mortgage on my house to fill the tank.

Frank

😊
 
I know what you mean Frank! I keep telling my folks I'd rather have a Honda Accord, a Honda Civic, or a Toyota Camery considering that they're better on gas and are built better too. Maybe one day my wish will come true. :)

Doc 🙂
 
I'm for the vegetable oil idea. 👍

One thing that I really do hope comes from this is that we do look into alternative fuels, and finally stop relying on fossil fuels. One could make the argument that the very use of the fuels is what caused the recent increase. Namely fossil fuels burning produces more greenhouse gas, more greenhouse gas warms the atmosphere, warmer atmosphere causes stronger tropical storms and hurricanes, a monster of a hurricane takes out oil refineries, gas prices go up. Cut out the fossil fuels and we could see a drop in global temperature, more stable ice caps, less powerful storms, no worry about gas prices, perhaps less instability in the Middle East (or at least less reliance on the region for fuel). I could be wrong, but I think it's worth a shot.
 
Not Easy !

Tsuyoiko said:
That would make me choke! Our Nissan Micra does about twice that!

It's very hard to find a good 4 wheel drive for here in Maine winters that gets over 20 MPG. I can't make it through the bad winter storms without 4 WD and my patients need me to be there. I may try a Hybred 4WD soon, Ford is coming out with one for 2006 that is under $30,000.

Frank

 
Frank D. White said:
It's very hard to find a good 4 wheel drive for here in Maine winters that gets over 20 MPG. I can't make it through the bad winter storms without 4 WD and my patients need me to be there. I may try a Hybred 4WD soon, Ford is coming out with one for 2006 that is under $30,000.
Yeah, you need that then. We don't get much snow, but when we do we can just stay home. Obviously, you can't do that. Sorry if I offended you! 🙇‍♂️
 
You know ExxonMobil is the only oil company here in the States that's looking for an alternative fuel source. It makes you wonder how long before everybody starts going to them for gas instead.

Doc
 
Speaking of ExxonMobile, do you know much their profits have gone up due to the trend of high gas prices? :?
 
Unfortunately I don't have those figures on me right now. I could search around if you'd like. :)

Doc 🙂
 
The Insider's Guide to American Cars and Fuel Consumption

Hey guys I was reading my latest edition of the Consumer Reports magazine, and noticed an article about fuel consumption on cars here in America. I thought it would go well with this topic so I scanned all four pages of the article, plus the added page on it all as well. I hope you enjoy! :)

Consumer Reports magazine article

Page 1
Consumer Reports Article Page 1

Page 2
Consumer Reports Article Page 2

Page 3
Consumer Reports Article Page 3

Page 4
Consumer Reports Article Page 4

Special Article
Consumer Reports Special Article Page 65

Doc 🙂
 
there are many reason for these mpg shortfalls such as the article suggests. Most notably that the manufacturers do not run the A/C when testing these cars...that definitely would throw off the consumption rates! Also (like the article states) the test drivers do not drive like the average American...rapidly accelerating and decelerating.
 
Ma Cherie said:
Speaking of ExxonMobile, do you know much their profits have gone up due to the trend of high gas prices?
The latest figure for Exxon/Mobile is 8 BILLION US Dollars ($8,000,000,000) NET profit (AFTER TAXES) last quarter while the CEO is making something like $35 million/year!

This years profits are projected to be $100 BILLION ($100,000,000,000) for all oil companies combined.

Anyone still say we (all countries of the world) are not getting ripped off and that they are price gaugung with a nod and wink of of the legislatures of all countries?

You can check out the story here.
 
So someone's making a profit off of our suffering. :p
Thanks for the articles by the way Doc. Now, I'm wondering will people begin to switch to more fuel efficient cars. :?
 
NE Wisconsin gas is 3$ a gallon.

We desperately need increased public transportation.
We need to build the infrastructure now. (or maybe 30 years ago?)
Even Wall Street has started to talk about the concept of "peak oil",
When production will peak. It peaked in the US in 1971 according
to the wikipedia article.

There is no reason we cannot have decent public transportation here
in the states. In Japan we rode trains all the way to Hokkaido
and our last stretch consisted of 2 cars with a max of probably one dozen
people on it.

Note: no national passenger rail system in the world operates soley on ticket
sales, so we have the "free market" fundamentalist opposition to convince
as we try to work towards nation wide public transportation.
 
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