Gas Price Check...

[The Niggardly King 0]

fuck this if gas can't be like it used to be ain't no point of living in this world.

[EricMM 0]

People need to drive *less*, not *the same*

 

So the price that is going up as demand is going up is going to do its free market best to try and temper our consumption.

 

Now this.

[Dandy 0]

Everyone knows that we could all make the world a better place if everyone drove less, but it's also not like there are people out there driving around in mall parking lots for 8 hours honking their horn and yelling "I'm destroying the environment." People drive out of necessity, just like I do. I work from my home more often than driving the 28 miles to my office so I can save money. If gas drops 18.4 cents, I am not going to run out and fill up a couple of barrels for reserve and maintain my current level of driving. I will reap the benefits of dollars saved, as would the majority of people I know. Now if they dropped it to $2.00 per gallon, I'm sure people would resume their previous driving standards if they have scaled it back since the price surges.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Everyone knows that we could all make the world a better place if everyone drove less, but it's also not like there are people out there driving around in mall parking lots for 8 hours honking their horn and yelling "I'm destroying the environment."

Man, you've never been to Southern California or Texas, have you?

[Guest]

Demand for gas could not possibly be higher than it is now. Just wanted to get that out there. A gas tax holiday isn't going to increase demand, but I still think that a gas tax holiday is damn dumb and doesn't do a thing to address the problems that are currently plaguing our country.

 

All in all, a cut of 18 cents per gallon isn't going to change a thing. Some people don't fill up at all because they can't afford to do it, so what are they going to save when putting ten gallons into their car? Two dollars. Wow. What a holiday.

[EricMM 0]

Are you thick?

 

Numerous are the stories of people cutting their driving habits in the face of higher gas costs. They're all over the news. More people carpooling, etc.

 

Ergo, demand is lowering.

[Guest]

So, people in India and China are doing the same? They're picking up the slack, so no, I wouldn't really say that demand is going down. I'm talking about demand for oil around the world. Don't know if you are.

 

Demand in this country may be lowering, sure. But other countries are just pushing harder and harder for more fuel, and at the same time, an extra two or three dollars in somebody's pocket isn't going to lead to a big increase in demand, here.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Demand for gas could not possibly be higher than it is now. Just wanted to get that out there.

 

Um, yes. It could.

[Guest]

How so? Other than MUCH less supply and more countries becoming further developed, I don't see it. There's no country out there like India that will suddenly have the need for massive fuel supply.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Based on Energy Information Administration data

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Also, here:

 

According to the Department of Energy's newly released International Energy Outlook 2003-2025, world energy consumption is projected to increase by 58 percent over the next 22 years. World oil consumption is projected to increase by 1.8 percent annually over the 22-year projection period, from 77 million barrels per day today to 119 million barrels per day in 2025.

 

http://www.windsofchange.net/archives/003515.php

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Demand has stayed steady. Supply has stayed steady.

 

I am very skeptical of this statement.

 

Let me amend this and say that this is just flat out wrong.

[Guest]

Okay. But my point all along is that an 18 cent per gallon decrease in price (which wouldn't last very long, with the way gas prices continue to rise) isn't what would increase demand.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

According to the law of demand, when the price of something drops, the demand for it increases. You could argue, probably successfully I would say (I haven't look at this) that demand for gasoline is inelastic, but we're getting into boring economic issues here.

 

I think what we can pretty much agree on here is that this gas tax scam is pandering of the lowest order.

[SuperJerk 0]

Everyone knows that we could all make the world a better place if everyone drove less, but it's also not like there are people out there driving around in mall parking lots for 8 hours honking their horn and yelling "I'm destroying the environment." People drive out of necessity, just like I do. I work from my home more often than driving the 28 miles to my office so I can save money. If gas drops 18.4 cents, I am not going to run out and fill up a couple of barrels for reserve and maintain my current level of driving. I will reap the benefits of dollars saved, as would the majority of people I know. Now if they dropped it to $2.00 per gallon, I'm sure people would resume their previous driving standards if they have scaled it back since the price surges.

An easy way for people to decrease their demand for gas (and a reason they that they have 100% control over) is to buy cars that have greater fuel efficiency.

[Dandy 0]

So to save money, you would like me to go buy a new car? Right.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

According to the law of demand, when the price of something drops, the demand for it increases. You could argue, probably successfully I would say (I haven't look at this) that demand for gasoline is inelastic, but we're getting into boring economic issues here.

 

I think what we can pretty much agree on here is that this gas tax scam is pandering of the lowest order.

By the same token, the supply side would dictate that supply would increase along with price. OPEC has shown incredible restraint.

[Jingus 0]

Demand has stayed steady. Supply has stayed steady.

 

I am very skeptical of this statement.

 

Let me amend this and say that this is just flat out wrong.

 

Except you're completely wrong and lying out your ass. Do you not remember this:

::a graph::

Based on Energy Information Administration data

Holy shit, look at that, according to the graph YOU POSTED, actual production of gasoline has remained steady over the past four years.

 

Then there's this information here, also from the EIA. Scroll down a bit, and you'll find hard numbers saying that both the supply and the demand are now damn near identical to this time last year. And here's an article which casts some doubt on the alleged supply shortage. And here's another graph backing up my point: look at this year's demand line ending right on top of last year's demand line.

 

The situation seems to have finally hit a wall now, with a small drop in gasoline purchases and energy analysts predicting that refineries will drop production by2.5 million barrells. Google "gasoline demand", and you'll find a bunch of articles illustrating how demand has actually decreased a tiny bit over the past few months... months in which the prices have still skyrocketed. In fact, over the past few years, a graph of gasoline demand will not resemble a graph of gasoline prices. One is almost a mild incline, the other a steep jagged hill that doesn't seem to have a summit anywhere in sight.

[SuperJerk 0]

So to save money, you would like me to go buy a new car? Right.

People buy cars all the time.

 

Next time you're on the lot, maybe instead of looking at that F-150 or Explorer, look at the Focus.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Just wait until democrats ram Carbon taxes and Excess Windfall Profits taxes through Congress next year. Gas will be at least $10 if not higher.

 

 

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Jingus, I was referring to global demand, not US demand. Oil is a global commodity, and I haven't seen anything predicting that global demand is going to be slowing down anytime soon--which is part of the reason why it's crucial for the US to shift away from an oil economy. Even if we do cut back consumption considerably, demand from China, India, & other industrializing nations (along with the dwindling supply or "peak oil" that most analyses I've seen point to--although it could be wrong, I dunno) is going to keep prices high.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Just wait until democrats ram Carbon taxes and Excess Windfall Profits taxes through Congress next year. Gas will be at least $10 if not higher.

 

Except neither of the candidates has proposed carbon taxes. And all three candidates, including St. John, favor cap & trade.

 

[Jingus 0]

Jingus, I was referring to global demand, not US demand.

So what did you think I was referring to, in a post entirely talking about the possible effects of American gas taxes on American buying trends?

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

But you were arguing that demand was down and that, consequently, prices should have stayed down too. My point is that, while demand may be flat in America, that doesn't necessarily mean prices will stay low, since oil is a global commodity and demand isn't flat globally (as far as I know).

 

Global demand for oil affect prices in America, not just American demand.

 

We should stop arguing, I guess, since we pretty much agree on this.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

I should say, I think that's what you were arguing.

[Dandy 0]

So to save money, you would like me to go buy a new car? Right.

People buy cars all the time.

 

Next time you're on the lot, maybe instead of looking at that F-150 or Explorer, look at the Focus.

I have never, nor will I ever buy a new car. I paid cash for every car I have ever owned, and I have owned 14 of them now. Back when I had a full-sized 1982 Ford Bronco that was pulling down a whopping 6 miles to the gallon, gas was at $1.25/gallon. I thought that was outrageous, so I traded up with cash to get cars that were better on gas mileage. After doing so, there was a period of time where I paid $0.68/gallon. In my car. The kind of car that I have never bought new. The cars that have only been tainted by that '82 Bronco when it comes to gas mileage.

 

In other words, your argument is retarded, and spouting out shit you hear people say in barber shops while you get your hair cut really does't work if you don't know what you are talking about.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Just wait until democrats ram Carbon taxes and Excess Windfall Profits taxes through Congress next year. Gas will be at least $10 if not higher.

 

Except neither of the candidates has proposed carbon taxes. And all three candidates, including St. John, favor cap & trade.

 

 

Cap and Trade will still require oil companies to purchase permits for their co2 spewing gas which will be passed on to the consumer as a price increase, just probably not as high as a carbon tax would be. The biggest issue though is that the price of the permits will fluctuate more than a flat carbon tax.

 

Honestly I cant believe the environmentalists havent got their way with the carbon tax the way the Anti smoking people have gotten their way with taxes on ciggarettes.

The theory is the same - put a high tax on an item thats unwanted for a good cause to discourage the purchase of it.

[SuperJerk 0]

So to save money, you would like me to go buy a new car? Right.

People buy cars all the time.

 

Next time you're on the lot, maybe instead of looking at that F-150 or Explorer, look at the Focus.

I have never, nor will I ever buy a new car.

Did you know they sell used cars on car lots, too. No, really! I know it sounds bizarre, but I've seen them. Somehow you got it in your head I was talking about buying new cars, when THIS is the first time I've put the words "new" and "car" together in the same sentence. So how about reading more carefully before jumping on my ass next time, huh?

 

I paid cash for every car I have ever owned, and I have owned 14 of them now. Back when I had a full-sized 1982 Ford Bronco that was pulling down a whopping 6 miles to the gallon, gas was at $1.25/gallon. I thought that was outrageous, so I traded up with cash to get cars that were better on gas mileage. After doing so, there was a period of time where I paid $0.68/gallon. In my car. The kind of car that I have never bought new. The cars that have only been tainted by that '82 Bronco when it comes to gas mileage.

 

In other words, your argument is retarded, and spouting out shit you hear people say in barber shops while you get your hair cut really does't work if you don't know what you are talking about.

 

WHAT...THE...FUCK???

 

So...I'm suggesting other people do exactly what YOU did...and that makes me retarded and not knowing what I'm talking about?

 

Although I'm now left wondering...if you've owned 14 cars...and none of them were new...why would you keep buying used cars? They don't seem to last very long for you.

 

**sigh**

[Dandy 0]

Jerk, I understand that you don't exactly have the best arguing skills, so let me sum up how this went down.

 

-I said that I scaled back my mileage per week due to the rising gas prices. This was obviously to save money. It costs me nothing to drive less.

 

-You suggested that buying a car that had better gas efficiency was something that should be done instead. You might not have meant me in general, but you quoted my post and made it look like you were saying that is what I should do.

 

-I pointed out that buying something that I don't currently have is not an efficient way to save money.

 

-You said that "people buy cars all the time." I can't argue that logic. You went on to say that perhaps I should look for a car that was not a full-sized truck or SUV.

 

-I said I didn't have one of those, but I did assume you were talking about a new car. You corrected me and said that used cars are available on lots as well. I haven't done so yet, but I could point out that you also have to purchase a used car from the dealer. I tried to just go and get them, but they wanted, like, money and stuff. In conclusion, driving less miles saves me money without putting money into it. Purchasing a car that is better on gas would take years to gain the same savings by simply not driving as much. If that doesn't make sense to you, ask one of the teachers you harass to show you a math book.

 

Oh, and I have been driving since 1995. I have owned 14 cars in that time period because I couldn't really go out and pay cash for a car that would last 10 years when I was 15. Four of those cars were cars I owned less that 3 weeks. I just included them in the total because I did in fact own them. I had my last car from 11/99 to 03/08. It's not like I have been trading every month.

[SuperJerk 0]

Jerk, I understand that you don't exactly have the best arguing skills, so let me sum up how this went down.

 

-I said that I scaled back my mileage per week due to the rising gas prices. This was obviously to save money. It costs me nothing to drive less.

 

-You suggested that buying a car that had better gas efficiency was something that should be done instead.

 

Actually, I said "people". I didn't say YOU.

 

You might not have meant me in general, but you quoted my post and made it look like you were saying that is what I should do.

 

No, I said "PEOPLE."

 

 

-I pointed out that buying something that I don't currently have is not an efficient way to save money.

 

-You said that "people buy cars all the time." I can't argue that logic.

 

No shit?

 

You went on to say that perhaps I should look for a car that was not a full-sized truck or SUV.

 

-I said I didn't have one of those, but I did assume you were talking about a new car. You corrected me and said that used cars are available on lots as well.

You left out the part where you called my idea (which, coincidentally, was the same idea you used in the past) retarded.

 

I haven't done so yet, but I could point out that you also have to purchase a used car from the dealer. I tried to just go and get them, but they wanted, like, money and stuff. In conclusion, driving less miles saves me money without putting money into it. Purchasing a car that is better on gas would take years to gain the same savings by simply not driving as much.

But, as I pointed out, if you're going to buy a car ANYWAYS, get one that's fuel efficient.

 

If that doesn't make sense to you, ask one of the teachers you harass to show you a math book.

 

I'll do you one better...I'll ask for some phonics software to send you so you can improve your obviously inferior reading skills.

 

Oh, and I have been driving since 1995. I have owned 14 cars in that time period because I couldn't really go out and pay cash for a car that would last 10 years when I was 15. Four of those cars were cars I owned less that 3 weeks. I just included them in the total because I did in fact own them. I had my last car from 11/99 to 03/08. It's not like I have been trading every month.

Even buying an average of 1.17 cars a year (14 cars divided by the 12 years it has been since you were 16) is no way to prove how smart you are by buying nothing but used cars.

 

Misreading my posts and calling me retarded for advocating the same thing you did yourself? You, sir, are a true genius. Thank you for enlightening us with your comments.