Ripped off at the pump ?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Yea, pretty much. One will especially be able to say that when Obama gets re-elected. I say when because the bounce since Clinton's speech at the DNC seems to be holding. If I hadn't been straddling two states (part of my life in each) when the 2008 election rolled around, I would have voted for him. I now agree with him on some things, and disagree with him on most. However, the choice in 2012 is simple and it has nothing to do with the content of any issue. The president only has to do one thing before taking office.....SWEAR TO UPHOLD THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. He is the only U.S. president ever to unilaterally disregard the constitution with an action after admitting---the words coming out of his own mouth---that he didn't have the authority to make the change he wanted. He supports the Dream Act and if congress passed it people might not like it but it would still be properly codified law until challenged by others and overturned by the SCOTUS. Obama admitted that this is something that congress needed to pass, that he didn't have authority to act on any of it alone.....then he later enacts the 'Mini Dream Act' as an executive order. His support should have immediately dropped to zero after this. IMHO it isn't moral to support the re-election of a president who now essentially uses the constitution as toilet paper. I've changed the focus of the trip I'm about to take because if Obama wins, my plan is to never again visit any state that goes majority Obama in the 2012 election and therefore will cast their electoral votes for him. Such states don't deserve my tourism and tax dollars. I've been amazed that citizens aren't outraged about this. He's subject to constitutional checks and balances. He's the President of a constitutional republic, he isn't a king. Again, it has nothing to do with what the issue is, just his lack of respect for the one document he has sworn to uphold. A few days ago I saw Ben Stein in a group discussion on one of the financial channels. Finally, someone seemed as outraged as I am about this. He referred to Obama's base as his "constitution ripping up base".

I don't understand the 20 MPG car thing either. If you have 10 dollars or 10 million dollars in the bank or in a brokerage account why would you want to hand one cent more of it to a gas station than you have to?

The only exceptions I'll make to this are California, as I still have personal belongings there and most of my family is there....New Mexico -- that I have to drive through to efficiently get to California (but i'll try not to buy gas or food).....and any request to go to one of these 'Obama' states made by my little cousin re a family vacation. In the 80s The O'Malley family did something re the Dodgers that teed me off and I told my friends from that moment on I'm not going to be directly responsible for putting another dollar in the pocket of an O'Malley. I didn't set foot in Dodger Stadium again until 2007....after they had sold out to Fox.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

I have an unpopular view (I think). I think it should be HIGHER. Cost is the only incentive that will get people to change their purchasing and driving behavior.

Cost is the only thing that will get SOME people to change their purchasing and driving behavior. I want the highest possible MPG while still being comfortable and this applies whether gas is $1.80 per gallon or $5.00 per gallon.

I might feel the way you do if I lived in Sweden, but here in the U.S. I don't trust any level of government to use the extra revenue that would come their way with those higher prices to efficiently use those dollars toward the best interest of the general public, or, in some cases, use those extra dollars toward the best interest of the general public at all.

You do realize, as a small business owner, that some people might take a dollar they were planning on spending at Micro Image and and use it to buy that more expensive gas instead because they don't have the money for both.

[cali yaris]

You do realize, as a small business owner, that some people might take a dollar they were planning on spending at Micro Image and and use it to buy that more expensive gas instead because they don't have the money for both.

I'm perfectly fine with that. Especially if four million (random high number)\ other people who never heard of me moved closer to work, and we became less dependent on foreign oil.

We are 30% less dependent on foreign oil than we were four years ago.

No thanks to my black Hummer-driving, no-turn-signals, speed-on-my-street, take-up-two-parking-space neighbors.

[DevilGirl]

Originally Posted by edmscan

That is one thing I have noticed from YW, the commutes for many people in the US is very far. The most you would see in the city I live in is about 40 KM (24 miles) and that would be going from one edge of the city to the other edge.

Realistically that wouldn't happen anyways as we have a ring road that goes around the city which would cut down the mileage substantially.

I think I would really hate such a long commute .. but that's just me.

Havn't been to Canada in years, and I honestly don't remember much of it from that one visit, but I know in my area, depending on what you do for a living, there may not be a job locally for you (especially in this economy).

So why not move to where the job is? That would mean I'd have to live in a very large city (such as Philadelphia, where I work). Some people are just not cut out for city living (I know I'm not. I actually like trees and grass and nature).

So move closer to, but not inside the city? The cost of housing is actually a lot higher just outside the city. Yes there would be nature, but there was also be a high cost to live there.

I have found it is actually cheaper for me to live farther away from work (75mile drive) and commute than to live closer to the job.

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

At least you don't have to get gas in New York or Connecticut. I have occasionally waited until crossing the border into PA to get gas.....not wanting to pay NY or CT prices and not wanting to deal with the 'unlawful to pump your own gas' scenario in NJ (which, as much as I love New Jersey, drives me nuts).

This is true. Jersey does have lower prices (which I really like), but they insist upon pumping the gas for you. So it always screws up my numbers since I always stop at the first click, and, in my experience, they always push it to just before overflowing.

As for NY or CT prices, I'll avoid those at all costs as well. I have family still living on the east end of Long Island (the extreme end). Thankfully I can make it there and back on 1 tank of gas (depending on traffic through NYC). Their prices out where my family is, is a consistant $1 to $1.50 higher than here at home.

[Damo]

Right now in Western Australia Im paying near-on $1.50 per litre.
To you Americans, thats around $5.68 per gallon.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by DevilGirl

This is true. Jersey does have lower prices (which I really like), but they insist upon pumping the gas for you. So it always screws up my numbers since I always stop at the first click, and, in my experience, they always push it to just before overflowing.

I live in NJ and feel your "cant pump my own gas here pain".

I tell the attendent "Fill it and the dealer says not to fill it past the first click. I have a credit card."

That works for me.

If I had the option of buying gas where its cheaper than where I live thats what I would do.

If everyone who lives in NY CT etc bought gas in NJ (where its cheaper) NY and CT would have to charge what NJ does.

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by Damo

Right now in Western Australia Im paying near-on $1.50 per litre.
To you Americans, thats around $5.68 per gallon.

That's about on par with the highest prices I am seeing here in Canada. Not as bad as some places (ie Europe) but still overall pretty high.

I would love to see gas at a better price like in some places in the US. Oh well .. maybe someday.

[12 yaris]

I really do not mind the price of gas in Pa.,I need it so I buy it.
If the price climbed to 8 bucks a gallon we would still buy it.
What is the alternative riding bicycles(for me 35 mi. one-way to work)?
Would we have to give-up some of the things we need such as perscription meds,
grocery shopping,the i-phones some of us can't live without,internet service,cable tv?
We do not no how to function without gasoline(the oil companies know this,OPEC knows
this).
Well there is always the horse and buggy(oh wait,you have to feed the horse too).

[edmscan]

Just thought I would post some information. I found it interesting ...


(U.S. dollars per gallon, including taxes)

Date-------Belgium---France---Germany---Italy----Netherlands----UK------US
09/10/12 --- 8.26 ----- 7.70 ----- 8.54 ---- 9.13 --- 8.82 ---------8.39------4.12

Yikes .. now those are high gas prices.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by DevilGirl

Havn't been to Canada in years, and I honestly don't remember much of it from that one visit, but I know in my area, depending on what you do for a living, there may not be a job locally for you (especially in this economy).

So why not move to where the job is? That would mean I'd have to live in a very large city (such as Philadelphia, where I work). Some people are just not cut out for city living (I know I'm not. I actually like trees and grass and nature).

So move closer to, but not inside the city? The cost of housing is actually a lot higher just outside the city. Yes there would be nature, but there was also be a high cost to live there.

I have found it is actually cheaper for me to live farther away from work (75mile drive) and commute than to live closer to the job.




This is true. Jersey does have lower prices (which I really like), but they insist upon pumping the gas for you. So it always screws up my numbers since I always stop at the first click, and, in my experience, they always push it to just before overflowing.

As for NY or CT prices, I'll avoid those at all costs as well. I have family still living on the east end of Long Island (the extreme end). Thankfully I can make it there and back on 1 tank of gas (depending on traffic through NYC). Their prices out where my family is, is a consistant $1 to $1.50 higher than here at home.

Great info re gas prices at the east end of Long Island! (Avoid!) I'm planning to include North Fork and Montauk on my upcoming trip. I once asked someone in Oregon why the no pump law was enacted in the first place. He said the state feared that the unemployment rate would increase to a higher than desired level if they didn't enact the law. IMHO the no pump law is one of the dumbest laws enacted within any state and only New Jersey and Oregon have seen fit to codify this policy into law.

IMO, the area where you live is seeing growth because other logical people are coming to the same conclusion you did.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

Just thought I would post some information. I found it interesting ...


(U.S. dollars per gallon, including taxes)

Date-------Belgium---France---Germany---Italy----Netherlands----UK------US
09/10/12 --- 8.26 ----- 7.70 ----- 8.54 ---- 9.13 --- 8.82 ---------8.39------4.12

Yikes .. now those are high gas prices.

Extremely interesting! Mean for each country? Median for each country?.....or do these figures have some other basis? What is the figure for Canada?

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Extremely interesting! Mean for each country? Median for each country?.....or do these figures have some other basis? What is the figure for Canada?

Don't know .. it wasn't stated. But I can help with Canada .. typical gas prices range from $1.19 per liter in Edmonton (4.50 per US Gallon) to Montreal $1.53 per liter (5.79 per US Gallon).

However .. I have seen on GasBuddy.com that lower prices can be found.
For example .. people are posting gas prices in Montreal as low at $1.35 per liter.

For example in Edmonton people have posted gas prices (http://www.edmontongasprices.com/) as low as $1.14 per liter, however I can confirm that MOST stations are at $1.19 today.

So .. even the cheapest gas prices in Canada are more than the prices in the US, and as a result we continue to see Canadians cross the border to fill up. I know that my parents (who live in West Vancouver, BC), do fill up their tanks in Washington state when they go there on weekends.

I personally live way too far from the US border to take advantage of cheaper US gas prices.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I live in NJ and feel your "cant pump my own gas here pain".

I tell the attendent "Fill it and the dealer says not to fill it past the first click. I have a credit card."

That works for me.

If I had the option of buying gas where its cheaper than where I live thats what I would do.

If everyone who lives in NY CT etc bought gas in NJ (where its cheaper) NY and CT would have to charge what NJ does.

Geographically, it would only make sense for people in Rockland County, NY (Suffern, The Nyacks, Spring Valley, etc). People in Westchester County and people in CT would have to pay the toll on the Tappan Zee and that would negate much of the savings. In your area, I don't know how that would work as I've never purchased gas in Delaware or Philly....but I imagine that New Jersey has the cheapest gas in the NE section of the U.S.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by edmscan

Don't know .. it wasn't stated. But I can help with Canada .. typical gas prices range from $1.19 per liter in Edmonton (4.50 per US Gallon) to Montreal $1.53 per liter (5.79 per US Gallon).

However .. I have seen on GasBuddy.com that lower prices can be found.
For example .. people are posting gas prices in Montreal as low at $1.35 per liter.

For example in Edmonton people have posted gas prices (http://www.edmontongasprices.com/) as low as $1.14 per liter, however I can confirm that MOST stations are at $1.19 today.

So .. even the cheapest gas prices in Canada are more than the prices in the US, and as a result we continue to see Canadians cross the border to fill up. I know that my parents (who live in West Vancouver, BC), do fill up their tanks in Washington state when they go there on weekends.

I personally live way too far from the US border to take advantage of cheaper US gas prices.

LOL. I have some friends who live in Federal Way, WA and they make liquor runs in their minivan every two months or so to Portland because there is no sales tax in Oregon. Yes, the distance from Edmonton to the U.S, border would cancel out any savings for you...same for people east of the Hudson River going to New Jersey to get gas---savings from lower price would be wiped out.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Geographically, it would only make sense for people in Rockland County, NY (Suffern, The Nyacks, Spring Valley, etc). People in Westchester County and people in CT would have to pay the toll on the Tappan Zee and that would negate much of the savings. In your area, I don't know how that would work as I've never purchased gas in Delaware or Philly....but I imagine that New Jersey has the cheapest gas in the NE section of the U.S.

Well if your commute takes you on a regular basis into the Swamps of Jersey dont let the attendent scare you off!

[TPA5]

Gas prices are high, it sucks. But they're not going down, because they make an improbably large amount of money for both government a big oil companies. Of course, government has great interests in big oil companies and vice-versa.

So let's all be realistic, big oil and big money run the world. Not political leaders. So gas ain't ever going down.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by TPA5

Gas prices are high, it sucks. But they're not going down, because they make an improbably large amount of money for both government a big oil companies. Of course, government has great interests in big oil companies and vice-versa.

So let's all be realistic, big oil and big money run the world. Not political leaders. So gas ain't ever going down.

If we dont buy it the price will come down.

or

the more we buy the more the price goes UP.

[TPA5]

Originally Posted by bronsin

If we dont buy it the price will come down.

or

the more we buy the more the price goes UP.

The sad thing is, it is that simple. But no one can ever stop buying. We're caught in a weird death-grip, even if we could get even a fraction of the population to protest and stop buying gas even for a week, big oil wouldn't budge because eventually they know we'll go back to buying it because we need it. It's like a siege, and sadly big oil will always have the muscle to outlast us little guys.