Gasoline prices still have a ways to go before they hit the levels of the early 80's when prices are adjusted for inflation. I still don't get how people complain about gas prices, but not about all the other crap they waste money on. Calculate the cost of bottled water, foo foo Starbucks coffee, milk, etc. per gallon. And to make things worse, the media, of course, goes ape about it. "Gasoline prices are at an all-time high"... no they're not. Besides, many energy funds are up 40-70%. That would've been a good way to get back at those "insanely high" gas prices.
I know this has been posted before but it might come in handy to some http://www.houstongasprices.com/
You're in Vancouver, right? On the east coast, the highest price I've seen is $1.05 (for the regular stuff) and I thought that was super high. In Toronto this summer I saw prices as low as $0.74! I noticed as I was driving across the country that the price of gas would keep rising by small increments the further east I got. Maybe the same thing happens as you drive west.
All that STUFF you list that is more expensive by the weight is all STUFF we can decide to NOT buy for as long as we want to. Can you say that about gasoline? The thing is, is that Gas prices are NOT reflecting a rising of cost due to a rise in Oil Companies cost. It is not in line, only profits are being reaped more abundantly. And I dont care what the Brits pay. They also pay 17 percent tax on everything, what do they have to do with me.
The US auto industry has spent the last 6 years seducing Americans with horsepower even though it has been quite evident that our gasoline prices were unsustainable. Now they can sell mass quantities again when they convince everyone their gas guzzler is obsolete and must be replaced. Probably only a few people will actually calculate how much gas they can afford if they just keep their paid for gass guzzler rather than taking the depreciation and finance hit buying a new gas-miser or Hybrid. I guess that's why TV is free. It's the loss leader that fuels mindless consumerism.
That's the point! People can decide not to buy Starbucks, but they buy Starbucks and still b**** about gas prices. I just pumped Exxon Supreme for $2.79 in the Dallas area. Yay.
I don't drink caffeine or coffee, so I don't buy Starbucks (never have) I don't buy bottled water - I have a reverse-osmosis filtration system in my house. I don't drink soda (well... okay, about one a week, and I get it free at my office). I go to movie theaters only about once a year, and when I do, I don't drink soda or buy any food. and ya know what? ... since I live 7.6 miles away from work, I'm serious considering riding a bike to/from work (it's just so damn hot outside!). Drinks, in general, have become a complete ripoff. They used to not be, but damn, they've gotten WAY out of hand.
That's only something they can answer. How about giving up a vacation in the summer or having one locally? How about not buying a battle tank for a vehicle? How about not eating out 2-5 times a week? How about not paying $60-$150+/month for cable? How about not sending little Lisa to kickboxing, dance, and softball practice? How about not living on the cell phone to the point you pay $50-$100/month for the service? How about skipping a movie and just watching tv? How about not being a husband and wife with 1 or no kids and having a freaking 4000 sq. ft. house and then b**** about your $300-$500/month utility bill? Again, so many ways people waste money and not realize it. The average savings rate in the US was pathetic a few years ago when it was hovering around 5%. Now I'm reading it's around 0%. Can it be "patheticker"? There are people who honestly can't afford gas - they can b****, but I can't stand it when middle-class America b****es about it (I'm just making a general statement - I don't know what "class" any of you are). Near where I live, I see people in their $250,000 - $750,000 homes b****ing about gas prices. Jesus. Give me a break! I feel for the people that make some paltry hourly wages and a large chunk of their money is eaten up by a car. But middle-to-upper-middle-class America b****ing about gas prices is pathetic. Take the whining to your spas and Starbucks.
well, my car doesnt really accellerate up hills, but that crappy engine gives me great gas mileage! on another note, shouldnt there be a lot more concern about getting more money to researching hybrid cars and alternative fuel sources? if these prices are really here to stay, someone needs to get busy and find us some different fuel!
Have you seen the crap they ride around in Europe? Get real! We can't afford those prices here in the US, where people NEED (not just want) a bigger car with a bigger engine. You can't compare our lifestyle to the Europeans, we can't live like them.
Honda, Toyota, and GM squeeze very good mileage/gallon out of their powertrains. Other companies have ways to go, IMO.
Some cars - not many - built recently can run on ethanol fuel. I think you pay less for ethanol, but then you get less mileage as well, so I don't know if that evens out - I've never looked into it. The other problem is actually finding ethanol pumps. I think there are sites on the 'Net that you can use to find one. Hybrids are just now starting to roll off. At least these have some kind of punch to their engines and aren't like the old Prius and Insight models that had hamsters spinning wheels for engines.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2133421 No charges after Rodman pays half-price for gasoline Associated Press GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- Police have declined to file charges over Dennis Rodman's unpaid gas bill after an anonymous female basketball fan stepped in to help keep the former NBA star out of trouble. Rodman allegedly failed to pay the bill last month at a gas station while he was driving his gold-and-black Lamborghini through Colorado in a charity rally race. Police Chief Terry Wilson said authorities were preparing paperwork on the case, but contacted the store to see if Rodman had paid the bill and found that a woman, who did not identify herself, had covered it. "Since they accepted payment, that was the end of any involvement by this department," Wilson said. "As long as our local business was made whole and they're happy with that, I'm happy too." A clerk at the Tomahawk Auto Truck Plaza told police that Rodman tried on a cowboy hat, said he liked it, signed an autograph, then put $20 on the counter for gas. However, his gas bill was more than $40 and the clerk told police Rodman didn't pay for the hat either. Neither Rodman nor his agent, Darren Prince, had heard that someone had paid the bill. Rodman had offered to pay the gas station, but Prince said he never heard from the store or police. Rodman was ticketed twice in western Colorado, once for speeding and once for speeding and reckless driving.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050814/ap_on_hi_te/hybrid_tinkerers_12 Experimental Hybrid Cars Get Up to 250 Mpg
