That’s what I paid last week. It has since gone down a few pennies, but still.
I’m not really sure about the rest of you (except Gabe), but I’m getting pretty tired putting $40+ worth of fuel in my tank twice a week.
I don’t think it does any good to complain either. I mean, I feel a little better, but it doesn’t do any good. I also don’t think the ‘don’t buy gas on [enter date]’ works either. That especially, more than anything, hurts the retailers, not the oil companies. They have already been paid for the fuel in the tanks. Why would they care, right?
Heres the problem with the price of gas.
Gas has no competition.
Before you that live in the Bay Area, New York, Chicago or one of the other handful of cities that have better than average public transportation say anything, please keep in mind that you are an oddball for the most part. The majority of us don’t have decent public transportation available, so that rules it out for competition.
There are hybrids. Lots of ’em here in CA too. Yet the price of gas keeps going up and up and up.
The promise of electric cars might help, but at about $60KUS for them, I doubt it.
So, before the price drops, we either need to seriously change our driving habits to reduce our useage so much that the oil companies will be forced to lower prices to get people to drive again (yea, that’s not going to happen, is it Mr. and Mrs. SUV driver?) or someone needs to come up with a reliable, inexpensive replacement for gasoline.
I really don’t see that happening either anytime soon.
I know you have to have thoughts about this. Comment away. I’m very curious to see what all y’all think.
Yeah, I remember how bad the public transit was in SoCal from the 15 years I lived there. I was lucky for several years that there was a bus that ran from where I lived to where I worked, but after I moved it was impossible. Now that I’m in NorCal, I can get almost anywhere I need to go with public transit, although it sometimes takes twice as long. Since my MINI is only three weeks old I still drive every day, but that will change as the gas prices rise.
I’ve read that BMW is working on hydrogen as fuel for the internal combustion engines, that seems to me to have the most promise but the price will still be high due to the energy required to produce. We can’t win.
What percentage of that $3.72 goes to California? I’d expect them to be making more “profit” off each gallon than the manufacturers (that’s how it works in Europe, at least)
Gas taxes in the U.S. are zilch compared to Europe. It’s what used to explain the price difference.
Everything I read says its about ‘excess demand’ (oh yeah, and the gouging) so how can we reduce demand? To me, the least painful way is to drive slower. This isn’t such a big thing for us MINI drivers (though maybe it is more painful) but if the SUVs drove at 75 rather than 85/90 they’d use less gas and demand would go down.
In theory, I expect the gas companies will then have another excuse. But of course it is every American SUV owner’s right to drive at 90 with one hand on the cell phone.
Gave a look at the insane development in Dubai if you want to know where your gas money is going.
The companies band together to raise the prices. The government steps in because the politicians are strongly invested in the oil companies (especially you-know-who) and they will certainly put their own fortunes before that of the country.
At least we drive minis. The majority of the vehicles are still SUVs that have no purpose but as oversized coffee holders, and that shows the average person will complain, but not actually care enough to give up their barge on wheels.
I know many MINI owners delight over their supercharged and turbo power, but many of us prefer the 3 to 5 mpg extra we get from our normally aspirated MINI’s. My OBC reads close to 40 mpg when I drive at the speed limit.
I would see 35 if I drove at the posted speed limit… I still managed 30 driving to the Dragon, averaging around 75.
Yeah, dumping $40 into my tank is just crazy. One thing I plan on doing is moving closer to my job. 2nd thing is trying to talk my g/f into NOT getting an SUV and looking at MPG ratings on her next car. Electric cars sound nice, until you realize that you can’t actually go anyplace in them. I need a car that I can drive 13 hours to my familly in one night. If MINI made a gas/electric hybrid, I would buy it.
The lates price increase is due to a reduction
in production at the refinerys. What a crock
Here is what we need to do to stop this.
What we need to do is have a No Drive day. Dedicate the 1st Monday of each month to a No Drive day.
By No Drive I mean no buses, no cars, no trucks, and no planes.
Basically shutdown all travel for the 1st Monday of each month. Only emergeny and police vechiles would be allowed on the road.
If there really is an Oil shortage this is the only way to save Oil and drive prices down.
It would be best if it came from the government but I doubt that is going to happen. If it came from the government then companies would have to pay employees for the day and this would make it easier for everyone to comply.
The government could also post a $100.00 fine for anyone not complying and this money could be used to purchaes fuel oil for low income familes in the winter.
This is the only win/win solution I can think of.
The country would save oil and help the environment and the gas prices would come down.
I filled the Mini the other week.
Gas was Euro 1.349 per liter. Super bleifrei.
The exchange rate that day was $1.34501 to the Euro.
I put in 44.99 liters (it’s a 50 liter tank).
I think that works out to $6.87 per gallon.
And I think that works out to $81.63 to fill my tank.
Does this make you feel better?
I am currently showing 31.7 mpg on my OBC.
http://droptop.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/pleasant-morning-drive/