Idea of how to get gas prices down.....

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So getting people to not buy gas is just not a real option. So instead of protesting gas we should protest one company at a time. If everyone would for example say not buy any exxon/mobil brand of gas until they brought their prices down. Then just protest a different company until they all started to follow. They would not have a choice. The problem is getting enough people involved in this process. What do you all think?
 
Wouldn't work, and would only hurt the retailer (except that today's hurt would be tomorrow's profit).

My fuel comes from one of two refineries, even 'though there's five brands of fuel in the town.
 
There's no way out of this hole. Forget about "cheaper" ..worry about availability at a price you can afford.

We've just had it so good (from our "at the pump" view), for so long, that realistic prices are part of our future shock.

Ancient Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times.
 
I agree Gary. Availability will be the problem, and affordability comes later.
 
In which country that has lower gas prices than us would you like to live in?

United Kingdom $8.37
Netherlands $7.52
Norway $7.33
Belgium $6.95
Denmark $6.95
Germany $6.72
Portugal $6.65
Finland $6.57
France $6.50
Sweden $6.50
Hungary $5.63
Poland $5.63
Slovakia $5.59
Austria $5.40
Ireland $5.40
Slovenia $5.36
Switzerland $5.17
Spain $5.14
Czech Republic $5.10
Greece $4.91
Italy $4.80
Lithuania $4.72
Latvia $4.61
Estonia $4.30
Luxembourg $4.27
Japan $4.16
United States $2.88
Kazakhstan $2.75
Russia $2.68
Mexico $2.38
China $2.19
Nigeria $1.92
Saudi Arabia $0.45
Venezuela $0.19
Above from: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2007-04-19-world-gas_N.htm
 
I think some of the reasons for higher gas prices include:

- China and India becoming wealthier and increasing demand

- US refineries lacking adequate capacity [ especially for the Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel ]

- speculation and manipulation

The only way to bring prices down is to reduce demand.

The more people switch to fuel efficient vehicles, alternative fuels, and reduce driving the more likely prices will go down or stabilize.

Higher fuel prices make fuel efficient technologies and alternative fuels more attractive.

As a side note, I always get a kick out of half baked hippies and enviro celebrities putting a bio diesel in some piece of junk school bus and having to drive across to country to tout alternative fuels. Driving more than needed is part of the problem.

I make parts for turbo diesels and I like the technology. And Bio Diesel has some potential, but it isn't as simple as burning waste french fry oil.

We could be driving more vehicles that get much better mileage, and make them safe, clean, and affordable.

But no matter what else we do, we need to also reduce the amount of driving.
 
Well, I can remember when gas was 30 cents a gallon, about 1961 (local gas war). And I was a captain in the army, making about $360 a month!

And I can remember when I came home from Thailand in 1967 and bought a Plymouth full size wagon with all the bells and whistles for about $3600!! Gas then? Don't recall, maybe 45 cents?

Do you suppose inflation might have something to do with the price of gas, along with everything else?

The government makes more off gas than the oil company profits!. My local real estate taxes are more now than my monthly payment was back in 1967.

Yes, we've had it good for a long time, far as energy costs are concerned. And, compared to the rest of the world, it still is pretty good.

By the way, best I can recall, a qt of AMSOIL back in 1976 was about $4.50.
 
It would be more interesting to see how much of the gas price is taxes of various kinds, or subsidies in some cases. Europe has taxed gas in an attempt to reduce usage but are now hooked on the tax for government revenue.
 
would be equally as interesting to see how much gasoline is subsidised in terms of military support/protection, medical care, cost of maintaining strategic (oil) reserves.

Funny that the strategic petroleum reserve is 58 days, while the world grain reserves run around 40.
 
As Shannow (quietly - shhh) infers ..much of our costs of energy aren't paid for at the pump. We have the illusion of low fuel prices. Think of what most of the globe saves by not having the most advanced and powerful military on the planet to maintain
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A global strategic defense umbrella in selective locations isn't done free of charge. If you eliminate the hidden surcharges, $6/gallon would be a bargain ..and only be assessed on the end user on a per use basis.
 
I don't think gas prices are as big of a deal as people make it out to be. Say you drive 12,000 per year and your car gets 23mpg (not bad, not great). That means you buy about 522 gallons of gas per year. Even when gas jump from $2 to $3, your only spending about $500 more per year. Not exactly breaking the bank account.

But if you are really worried about being ripped off, just buy some oil company stock and hold on to it for the long term. That way, you hold a counter-position on the supply side to insure you against high gas prices.
 
Quote:


Lower the speed limit on freeways, and enforce it.
Done.

Dave




Ok... Then we'll have to add more tax to the price of fuel to pay the troopers and buy more patrol cars. And of course you know that any state govt will find a way to waste the money and never achieve the desired results.

In Iowa the combined Fed and State tax on a gallon is now $.68 And they can't build a new on ramp on the interstate as fast as the Empire State building was done from start to finish.

The only way for prices to stabilize or even drop is to get the Govt out of the way. Open up the drilling. The technology is such that, with drilling "sideways", a 5 mile wide area can be tapped using only a few acres of surface area. There goes the "environmental" argument.

The technology to produce fuels from coal has been around since before WW II. Germany used it extensively during the war. Many in that area claim that coal liquification fuels can be produced economically at the current selling prices. Again, the govt is putting the screws on this production. W Virginia's governor has been having a fit over the feds not letting them ramp up coal liquification.

It takes 10 years of red tape just to get approval for a new refinery, then it is usually not built because the cost recovery time line is too long.

I agree that most of us should slow down a little and conserve. Heck, even going 65-70 mph would not be a problem. It's the drag racing to the next traffic light, the constant weaving around in traffic, racing around that big truck just to get off the next off ramp (only a quarter mile away), etc that is wasting fuel. We see it every day. Driving a full sized SUV like it is a Corvette on steroids.

I would bet that if everyone just moderated their driving, we could easily save 10% of the fuel used. No telling how much that would stabilize or reduce the price. And no one would have to drive a Prius unless they wanted to.

I learned the "moderate" driving lesson years ago. That is why I consistently average close to 7 mpg with my semi while the other boneheads are only getting 5.5-6 mpg out of theirs. That equates to about $7K a year fuel savings for me at current diesel prices. And no... I don't limit myself to 55 mph.

It's in our hands.
 
The only way to implement a solution is to raise the price of gasoline. The real problem is that we are not only importing oil to refine but we are importing more finished gasoline. The restrictions on building more capacity here are unreasonable and will be cause for real trouble in the near future. With the higher price and more local capacity and drilling here will have the best of both worlds. The higher prices will put citizens and their business's back in business and alternate energy sources that are realistic will be developed. We might even have diesel passenger cars when our priorities get straight. Or we can continue, keep going down the same road and hearing politicians blow hot air and environmental groups run off at the mouth. In the end gas prices need to go up, way up.
 
Quote:


So getting people to not buy gas is just not a real option. So instead of protesting gas we should protest one company at a time. If everyone would for example say not buy any exxon/mobil brand of gas until they brought their prices down. Then just protest a different company until they all started to follow. They would not have a choice. The problem is getting enough people involved in this process. What do you all think?




I have heard of one of these schemes every summer for the last 10 years and they have never worked. At least in Canada the major oil companies have figuered out a way to hook customers with customer loyaly.

Petro Canada – Petro Points
Esso – Esso Extra Rewards or Esso Aeroplan
Shell – Air Miles
Husky – Husky Community rebate program

It seems that people are not willing to forego 50 cents worth of rewards to fight high gas prices. The fact that there is no competition at the refinery level is not helping either.
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