WWTBAM Bored

Filled up yesterday for $3.94/gallon.

And didn't have to drive to NJ to do it.

When I complained to my family about the high price of gas, I told them I was considering breaking out the bicycle for the commute and getting some of those stretchy bike pants. Both my kids immediately offered to pay for the gas

mikehardware wrote:When I complained to my family about the high price of gas, I told them I was considering breaking out the bicycle for the commute and getting some of those stretchy bike pants. Both my kids immediately offered to pay for the gas

I passed a woman bicyclist this morning, apparently on her morning commute just as I was. Scary! We were all zipping by her at 60-65 mph. I'm all for biking to work, but for me to try it I'm gonna have to get about eight miles closer, and no highways.

I know you were joking, MikeHardware, but I hope you do decide to try it. When I worked a mile away from an old job, I often beat the time on my bike that it took me to drive there. Forget the biking pants, I bought a pair of clips about a million years ago that work great on regular slacks.

Jeemie wrote:Filled up yesterday for $3.94/gallon.

And didn't have to drive to NJ to do it.

Except for the place I stop on my way home from NTN, everything here is now over $4.00. The ones in town are $4.079. Last night I paid $3.939 though.

We had $3.99/gal a couple of weeks ago in Frankfort, but it has yet to break $4. It's $3.89 right now.

It's still a race to see which hits $4.00/gal first--gas or milk.

Bob Juch wrote:

Jeemie wrote:Filled up yesterday for $3.94/gallon.

And didn't have to drive to NJ to do it.

Except for the place I stop on my way home from NTN, everything here is now over $4.00. The ones in town are $4.079. Last night I paid $3.939 though.

It's the same around here, except for some reason, a little area between reading and Allentown always has gas about 10-15 cents cheaper per gallon than everywhere else.

Since we took a day off to go to Dorney Park (amusement park near Allentown), I knew I'd be passing through that region, so I held off until yesterday (my fuel indicator was down to one fast-blinking cube- which meant I had ~1 gallon of gas left in the tank! Usually, I won't run it down that far because it's bad for the fuel pump, but when it's 12 cents cheaper...!)

Jeemie wrote:

Bob Juch wrote:

Jeemie wrote:Filled up yesterday for $3.94/gallon.

And didn't have to drive to NJ to do it.

Except for the place I stop on my way home from NTN, everything here is now over $4.00. The ones in town are $4.079. Last night I paid $3.939 though.

It's the same around here, except for some reason, a little area between reading and Allentown always has gas about 10-15 cents cheaper per gallon than everywhere else.

Since we took a day off to go to Dorney Park (amusement park near Allentown), I knew I'd be passing through that region, so I held off until yesterday (my fuel indicator was down to one fast-blinking cube- which meant I had ~1 gallon of gas left in the tank! Usually, I won't run it down that far because it's bad for the fuel pump, but when it's 12 cents cheaper...!)

Hmmm, save $2.40 on twenty gallons of gas, or risk an $800 car repair. Lemme think on this.

I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

eyégor wrote:I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

It will be a very good thing for the states and the federal government, since they are the beneficiaries of the taxes, the largest portion of the price.

Gosh, Annie, what has Evil Squirrel been doing to you now, to have you griping about taxes?

MarleysGh0st wrote:Gosh, Annie, what has Evil Squirrel been doing to you now, to have you griping about taxes?

I'm not griping. I don't pay taxes. I don't have any money.

I just read stuff. Sometimes I read stuff that makes me think.

/:P\

gsabc wrote:

Jeemie wrote:

Bob Juch wrote: Except for the place I stop on my way home from NTN, everything here is now over $4.00. The ones in town are $4.079. Last night I paid $3.939 though.

It's the same around here, except for some reason, a little area between reading and Allentown always has gas about 10-15 cents cheaper per gallon than everywhere else.

Since we took a day off to go to Dorney Park (amusement park near Allentown), I knew I'd be passing through that region, so I held off until yesterday (my fuel indicator was down to one fast-blinking cube- which meant I had ~1 gallon of gas left in the tank! Usually, I won't run it down that far because it's bad for the fuel pump, but when it's 12 cents cheaper...!)

Hmmm, save $2.40 on twenty gallons of gas, or risk an $800 car repair. Lemme think on this.

I think I've run it down that far TWICE...I'm not too worried about a fuel pump busting just yet...

AnnieCamaro wrote:

eyégor wrote:I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

It will be a very good thing for the states and the federal government, since they are the beneficiaries of the taxes, the largest portion of the price.

In at least some states, the state tax is a constant amount, not a variable dependent on the base price of the gasoline. If less gasoline is purchased, revenue is decreased.

Serious conservation programs and alternate energy research won't happen until the screams of the general populace are louder than the ear whispers of lobbyists for the special interests involved, e.g., oil companies, car companies, power companies, corn growers/ethanol fermenters, etc.

gsabc wrote:

AnnieCamaro wrote:

eyégor wrote:I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

It will be a very good thing for the states and the federal government, since they are the beneficiaries of the taxes, the largest portion of the price.

In at least some states, the state tax is a constant amount, not a variable dependent on the base price of the gasoline. If less gasoline is purchased, revenue is decreased.

Serious conservation programs and alternate energy research won't happen until the screams of the general populace are louder than the ear whispers of lobbyists for the special interests involved, e.g., oil companies, car companies, power companies, corn growers/ethanol fermenters, etc.

I believe that only 12 states have a gas tax that is not a set amount per gallon. The federal tax is a set amount.

Currently, on a $4.00 gallon of gas, about 47 cents is state and federal gas taxes.

My state is raising its rate by 3 cents on July 1.

Oh, BTW, I haven't hit $4.00/gallon either. NH station is at $3.929 as of this morning. MA station, though, may be over $4.00 with the extra taxes involved. Haven't been to that one since last week. With our 5% rebate for using the gas company's credit card, we're effectively paying about 20 cents less.

eyégor wrote:I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

I think so, too. However the reality may take longer to realize. For instance for years our public transit system, as inadequate as it is, has been begging for increased ridership. Well, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. They have indeed had increased ridership because of fuel prices. But those same rising fuel prices are affecting the transit company. They had a contract for diesel fuel at $2.40/gallon, but that contract expires on June 30 and the new contract will lock in a price of over $4.00/gallon. So they have had to curtail some routes and change service on others, meaning that people who want to take the bus may not be able to, and people who reluctantly began may stop.

Besides, one of the reasons for high oil prices is the so-called "Enron loophole" which has driven speculation in the oil market.

I paid $4.49 a gallon on Monday. It was the first time that I spent more than $80 to fill up my take. I felt bad about it until I saw the prices when I was out and about today. $4.69 a gallon.

I don't have the quiz bowl trip to Huntington Beach thrice weekly, so I should probably be able to get away with only filling up every 2 1/2 weeks during the summer.

Yesterday, I filled up my van and gas was $3.82 a gallon. So far this year I haven't paid more than $3.85.

My van gets pretty good mileage. I have an Odyssey and I love it. My mom has a Civic hybrid and it is great! As soon as Honda starts making a hybrid Odyssey I'm geting one.

earendel wrote:

eyégor wrote:I don't know where to post this opinion, and didn't want to give it its own thread because, well, I don't want any mail bombs.

So, after giving the matter some thought, and out of the box thinking.....

If fuel prices continue to rise, and don't sink back to historic levels after peaking, I feel that the high price of oil will ultimately be a GOOD thing for the US.

I think so, too. However the reality may take longer to realize. For instance for years our public transit system, as inadequate as it is, has been begging for increased ridership. Well, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for. They have indeed had increased ridership because of fuel prices. But those same rising fuel prices are affecting the transit company. They had a contract for diesel fuel at $2.40/gallon, but that contract expires on June 30 and the new contract will lock in a price of over $4.00/gallon. So they have had to curtail some routes and change service on others, meaning that people who want to take the bus may not be able to, and people who reluctantly began may stop.

Besides, one of the reasons for high oil prices is the so-called "Enron loophole" which has driven speculation in the oil market.

I was thinking a little more globally. With the price of oil skyrocketing, so is the price of transportation. Suddenly, the profit from having thing manufactured in China isn't so great. Manufacture closer to the market place starts making sense again. The JIT business model is not always superior to the carrying cost of inventory. Investors see opportuniy in moving products overland more efficiently (trains) than over the road trucks.

However, the short term cost of filling the tank being equal to the mortgage payment clouds the vision of everyone, making such opportunities unlikely.

I am a bit lucky as there is a gas station near where I work (Pompton Plains, NJ) that has a deal right now for a discount of several cents for cash payments, which today came out to $3.88 a gallon. (I always pay in cash anyway; it's easier that way when all gas is pumped by attendants.) Its credit price is about the same as other nearby stations, which run about $3.95--$3.99 right now.

It's pretty easy, though, to find gas over $4, especially in "prime real estate" areas in Morristown and Princeton, where I spend most of my non-working time. Still, I know we're better off than a lot of other states; my mom would love to retire to the San Francisco area, but the cost of living in general and the price of gas in particular make me wonder if moving there would ever be feasible.

I have to use 89 octane gas (was told to when my car was far younger, even) so I've been above $4.00 for a while now. Most expensive I've seen was in Connecticut last weekend ($4.50 or more) but I waited to buy 'til I was back in Mass, where it was $4.15.

However, the good news is that my '87 car, which once got 37 mph highway, 27 mph city, now gets around 30 mph highway (sometimes 34 mph). But the bad news is it generally gets 20 mph city. The badder news is that the price of repairing it constantly is such that I'm not saving anything here.

Yeah, I know. A few years ago an acquaintance traded in their Corolla at 100,000K because the air-conditioning was on the fritz, which made them think "it was time". My jaw dropped. Of course, they told me after the trade. My car now has 218,000K. And never did have AC.

JBillyGirl wrote:I am a bit lucky as there is a gas station near where I work (Pompton Plains, NJ) that has a deal right now for a discount of several cents for cash payments, which today came out to $3.88 a gallon. (I always pay in cash anyway; it's easier that way when all gas is pumped by attendants.) Its credit price is about the same as other nearby stations, which run about $3.95--$3.99 right now.

It's pretty easy, though, to find gas over $4, especially in "prime real estate" areas in Morristown and Princeton, where I spend most of my non-working time. Still, I know we're better off than a lot of other states; my mom would love to retire to the San Francisco area, but the cost of living in general and the price of gas in particular make me wonder if moving there would ever be feasible.

Well if you ever get back to North Brunswick on a Tuesday night, I'll show you where my secret Exxon station is.