Gasoline the reality for most folks

[Revolution9]

I'd love to have your problems. =D

Here in Europe the price for regular gas is at ~1,45 €/litre which is ~ 7,34 $/gallon if I didn't mess up the units...

The distances needed to drive to get from here to there are much smaller in scale. You can drive across Europe in the time it takes to cross two midwestern states. Someone I just spoke with up here drives 2.5 hours to work daily. That is just a few towns over 'down the road'. It costs me forty bucks to drive to Atlanta for client meetings. It cost ten bucks to go to town for groceries.

Rev9

 

[Orwell]

The distances needed to drive to get from here to there are much smaller in scale. You can drive across Europe in the time it takes to cross two midwestern states. Someone I just spoke with up here drives 2.5 hours to work daily. That is just a few towns over 'down the road'. It costs me forty bucks to drive to Atlanta for client meetings. It cost ten bucks to go to town for groceries.

Rev9

Yep...the average commute distance in Britain, for example, is less than half of what it is in California, and they have mass transit. Taking a bus to work would take me 2-3 hours.

 

[neverseen]

Oil goes up. Dollar goes down. COME ON SILVER



PS. The wife and I combine for about 1 tank a week. We've reduced the 350z from 93 to 87 (runs great still ) and the BMW from 93 to 89 (she refuses to put the cheapest in her tank lol). This saves us a good amount over time. *shrug* Turns out both cars run fine and have been since the last time gas was at $4 a gallon.

 

[TheNewYorker]

I have a non fuel efficient vehicle (about 13-15mpg) and I drive 20 miles to work every day and 20 miles back. I go through a full tank of gas in about 3-4 days. It has a 19 gallon tank, I'm spending about $120 a week on gas. It's killing me. I can't really afford paying $480 a month for gas. That's almost half my mortgage. $480/month for gas is 1/4 of what I freaking make at my day job.


I know what you're saying. Get a fuel efficient vehicle. Carpool or something. Blah! When I bought this vehicle gas prices were not even half what they were now and it was affordable for me. Now, I can't afford to go out and spend $10,000+ for a fuel efficient vehicle. My credit has gone to shit because of the economy and having to borrow, borrow, borrow so I won't be able to finance. Carpooling out of the question. I live in the outskirts of town, not in the city. None of my co-workers live near me and I'm the only one on my weird shift.

Gas prices need to go down. If they don't, I'm going to be out of a job and out of a house. Then I'll just life in a homeless shelter or something. I'm sure I'm not the only one. If this isn't fixed, you're going to see unemployment go even higher. If gas prices keep going up, and it gets to a point where it costs more to get to your job every day than what you make at your job, you're going to see a lot more unemployed Americans.

 

[rpwasright]

You know I hear all this and all I can think of is how much better off we would be if Hemp were legal. Not only can it be made into fuel but a lot of the plastic that consumes American lifestyle can be made from it thus freeing up that oil to be used for transportation fuel. Then just invest heavily in Thorium power and free up all the oil currently used in oil product burning power plants (as well as coal plants) with a cheap, abundant, and clean Thorium nuclear power. The market would naturally want to adopt these technologies as they are cheaper if the US gov't would stop tampering with both. You allow those things to happen and the energy crisis will resolve itself. It gets resolved and we quit sending our troops to protect big oil's profits (as well as politicians that do the same with regulations and illegalization).

 

[Bossobass]

If Americans really worried about the price of a gallon of gas, they wouldn't be driving the most ridiculously gas-sucking cars on earth.

I average 52 mpg. I drive less than 1/2 the average miles per month by mapping out my car needs. My car maker has a 3 cylinder version of my engine that gets 80 mpg, but it's not [allowed to be] sold in America because "Americans don't want that car".

One of my vehicles is a Golf TDI and it averages 50 mpg. The Golf BlueMotion version has been available in Europe for 10 years. For 5 years I've tried everything, including offering to fly to Germany, buy one and have it shipped here. They told me it would not get through customs [???] and that they have no way to honor the warranty in the US.

Here's an example of the BS responses I get when I ask why the hell it isn't available here for purchase:

They’re [Americans] not ready to buy something as environmentally focused as a Golf BlueMotion yet, and their Clean Diesel is in fact just a 2.0-litre TDI, roughly similar to a mid-range European Golf that achieves 58.9 mpg on the well-known and much-maligned combined cycle – 68.9 mpg on the extra-urban one.

Environment my ass. I want the economy. I don't care how long it takes to go from zero to 60 mph, what color it is or if it has gadgets and doo-dads. Fork it over.

Alas, I'm on my own it seems. As long as Americans keep buying the TV commercials instead of demanding real cars I'm stuck in gas hog hell. My neighbors just brought their new Mercedes SUV over to show off its sound system. WHAT? Who gives a flying fuck what the stereo sounds like? That thing is as big as a school bus and gets 17 mpg! And, worse yet, I had to tell them what its fuel efficiency was... they did not know.

So, when I hear Americans whining about gas prices, I just look at their woefully inefficient vehicle and roll my eyes.

Just a rant. Stop whining and pay up, or stop using and drive the price to the basement. Free market FTW.

Bosso

 

[azxd]

If Americans really worried about the price of a gallon of gas, they wouldn't be driving the most ridiculously gas-sucking cars on earth.

I average 52 mpg. I drive less than 1/2 the average miles per month by mapping out my car needs. My car maker has a 3 cylinder version of my engine that gets 80 mpg, but it's not [allowed to be] sold in America because "Americans don't want that car".

One of my vehicles is a Golf TDI and it averages 50 mpg. The Golf BlueMotion version has been available in Europe for 10 years. For 5 years I've tried everything, including offering to fly to Germany, buy one and have it shipped here. They told me it would not get through customs [???] and that they have no way to honor the warranty in the US.

Here's an example of the BS responses I get when I ask why the hell it isn't available here for purchase:



Environment my ass. I want the economy. I don't care how long it takes to go from zero to 60 mph, what color it is or if it has gadgets and doo-dads. Fork it over.

Alas, I'm on my own it seems. As long as Americans keep buying the TV commercials instead of demanding real cars I'm stuck in gas hog hell. My neighbors just brought their new Mercedes SUV over to show off its sound system. WHAT? Who gives a flying fuck what the stereo sounds like? That thing is as big as a school bus and gets 17 mpg! And, worse yet, I had to tell them what its fuel efficiency was... they did not know.

So, when I hear Americans whining about gas prices, I just look at their woefully inefficient vehicle and roll my eyes.

Just a rant. Stop whining and pay up, or stop using and drive the price to the basement. Free market FTW.

Bosso

And you do this because you ignore the ROI of getting rid of an inefficient vehicle to purchase a new more efficient vehicle.

There is a huge difference involved IF you factor in the payment for that newer/more efficient vehicle.

But, you are right about one aspect,
When we start seeing skinny (low rolling resistance) tires on all new vehicles, then we wil start to see bigger improvements in MPG ratings.

And your Golf TDI can do much better ... So stop complaining about only getting 50mpg - http://ecomodder.com/

Read !
Learn !
Stop preaching - http://www.google.com/#hl=en&output....,cf.osb&fp=9615cf4d726fcad1&biw=1227&bih=880

 

[3kgt]

I agree with an earlier poster, my car gets about 20 mpg and it runs 93.

However I bought it when gas was $2+ a gallon and that was fine for me.

Now my commute is twice as long and gas is twice as much, its absolutely killing me and I can't sell my car because no one wants a sports car in this economy. I'm kicking myself about as hard as I possibly can

 

[ILUVRP]

Oil goes up. Dollar goes down. COME ON SILVER



PS. The wife and I combine for about 1 tank a week. We've reduced the 350z from 93 to 87 (runs great still ) and the BMW from 93 to 89 (she refuses to put the cheapest in her tank lol). This saves us a good amount over time. *shrug* Turns out both cars run fine and have been since the last time gas was at $4 a gallon.

i drive a 97 nissan 240sx , best car made --timing chain--rear wheel drive--not drive by wire

i get ( city mixed ) 24mpg on 87 , 22.5 on 93 , reg gas burns slower , keep car tuned up and 34-36 psi in tires.

i think people are getting to know who runs this country , i am 74 years old , i remember when people counted for something , those days are gone , it started about 1980 with the trickle down which i am still waiting for.

 

[Invicta]

Gas prices are a very visible, daily reminder that your dollar buys less and less as long as the Federal Reserve continues to inflate the monetary supply. Gas isn't going up, the dollar is going down.

 

[Orwell]

But, you are right about one aspect,
When we start seeing skinny (low rolling resistance) tires on all new vehicles, then we wil start to see bigger improvements in MPG ratings.

Frightening considering how people drive in poor weather. I do not want to see skinny tires on the freeways in California...the difference in stopping distance alone is worth the MPG hit.

 

[Orwell]

double post

 

[GunnyFreedom]

As of Jan 2012 the average hourly wage was 23.29... so 15.6%

http://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm#eag_us1.f.P

BLS bullshyt. No way do I believe that's the average hourly wage. That's almost $50k a year. That may be fine for Massachusetts New York or DC, but that righteously sucks for most places in America:

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0104652.html

I don't believe the BLS for a minute.

 

[ILUVRP]

Gas prices are a very visible, daily reminder that your dollar buys less and less as long as the Federal Reserve continues to inflate the monetary supply. Gas isn't going up, the dollar is going down.

i get so sick and tired of people saying silver / gold , now its the dollar going down , 3 years ago the dollar index was about 90 , now its at 79.83 , lets call that about 13% fall in the dollar , 3 yrs ago gas was $1.85 /gal , now avg $3.85/gal , lets call that 210% increase.

i will add the US exports about 120 MILLION gallons of gas everyday.

 

[JenH88]

When someone's making close to minimum wage ($125-$175 a week, probably on the high end) working 40 hours a week, $160 a month towards the same amount of gas is a death knell.

exactly... 2 part time jobs, little more than minimum wage... about $200 take home a week... now take that situation, raise the amount for gas a week to $70 (that's currently).. tack on a stay at home mom, 2 kids, and one on the way... welcome to our family's budget. lmfao... its no pretty sight.. times are rough for a lot of people..

 

[AFPVet]

All energy costs (gasoline, diesel, propane...) add up considerably. Anything that we can do to offset this is beneficial. Perhaps all of these people who are siding with candidates who want war with Iran should consider the rise in energy costs once we do go to war....

 

[azxd]

Frightening considering how people drive in poor weather. I do not want to see skinny tires on the freeways in California...the difference in stopping distance alone is worth the MPG hit.

Only true if a vehicle is designed to wear steam rollers.
When the public actually starts asking for the trade between style and economy, the designers will deliver us performance pizza cutters.

 

[Roxi]

Minimum wage 7.25x40 = 290

subtract up to 20% in taxes taken that is 232

However most people who make minimum wage only get around 32-34 hours a week, so on the high end just under 197/week. Daycare expenses for one child is around 190/week. So that leaves a single mom with $7 a week.

$40 a week is insane, and I couldn't afford that increase for sure.

and you base your original figures on what size gas tank? What about the mpg for the car? Some people are stuck with cars that get 13mpg. Some people have 38 gallon tanks. This could be a lot more than $40 a week for many people. That doesn't even take into consideration people paying for 200-300 gallons for home heating.

 

[tom7126]

I never understood people who moan about gas prices. At worst, you're looking at an additional $20-30/week in family transportation expense. If that is such a burden, perhaps you should take a step back and reevaluate your financial situation and stop living beyond your means.

I am sympathetic for independently owned small transportation and logistics companies. These are the guys who really suffer. And unless we bring back railroads in a big way, the problems will roll over into the retail market.

 

[TheNewYorker]

Frightening considering how people drive in poor weather. I do not want to see skinny tires on the freeways in California...the difference in stopping distance alone is worth the MPG hit.

Skinnier tires are better in most snow conditions. They cut through the snow (think pizza cutter) vs. floating on the snow. They are usually better for icy conditions too. Wide tires are better for heavy rain/mud/ etc.