Mass market gas price hysteria- $12 a gallon gas

[Moe Ghoul]

I don't think things will get affordable, just profitable.

 

[deadheadskier]

What about laws that encourage conservation to bring our energy demand way down?

Re-establishing a national 55mph speed limit? This would suck for most. I spend 6 hours a day driving for work, much of it on the highway going 70-75. It would be a inconvenience for me to slow down, but if it meant 10% lower prices at the pump, I'd do it.

Outlaw idling of vehicles. Again it would be inconvenience for me as I need the engine to power my laptop while I'm doing work on the road side, but I would I would do it.

Mandating bottle bills in ALL states for recycling. Currently only 11 states have bottle bills. This is INSANE when you it costs 5% the energy to produce an aluminum can from recycled material compared to producing a new one.

Alternative energy resources aside, there is a lot that can be done with relative easy that will bring our demand down and hence the price.

 

[ctenidae]

Oil company profit margins are around 8%. That doesn't qualify as greed in my book. But I've covered that.

I hope we see $6 gas. At that level, a whole host of alternatives become viable NOW, with fairly rapid price declines once infrastructure is up and running.

Car companies seem to me to be the biggest holdup. If they could agree on a common format for things like hydrogen hookups or electric plugs, a whole lot of things could move forward.

 

[andyzee]

Oil company profit margins are around 8%. That doesn't qualify as greed in my book. But I've covered that.

I hope we see $6 gas. At that level, a whole host of alternatives become viable NOW, with fairly rapid price declines once infrastructure is up and running.

Car companies seem to me to be the biggest holdup. If they could agree on a common format for things like hydrogen hookups or electric plugs, a whole lot of things could move forward.

On a serious note, I agree with ctenidae (even though she made fun of my pants). This has happened in the past. In the 70s there were long gas lines and price increase due to a "gas shortage". This forced people to become more conservative and by smaller cars. Suddenly the gas shortage went away.

 

[ctenidae]

I don't think things will get affordable, just profitable.

Is there a practical difference? If you can't sell an alternative for the same as or less than petroleum, then it's not affordable, and if you try, it's not profitable.

 

[ctenidae]

On a serious note, I agree with ctenidae (even though she made fun of my pants).

I'm not a girl, adn I made fun of your couch, not your pants.

Geez. No repsect around here.

 

[tjf67]

What about laws that encourage conservation to bring our energy demand way down?

Re-establishing a national 55mph speed limit? This would suck for most. I spend 6 hours a day driving for work, much of it on the highway going 70-75. It would be a inconvenience for me to slow down, but if it meant 10% lower prices at the pump, I'd do it.

Outlaw idling of vehicles. Again it would be inconvenience for me as I need the engine to power my laptop while I'm doing work on the road side, but I would I would do it.

Mandating bottle bills in ALL states for recycling. Currently only 11 states have bottle bills. This is INSANE when you it costs 5% the energy to produce an aluminum can from recycled material compared to producing a new one.

Alternative energy resources aside, there is a lot that can be done with relative easy that will bring our demand down and hence the price.

We could start with something a little easier like stop drinking bottled water. 30 million gallons to make the bottles not including shipping them around the stuff to the stores.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Scary times right now. If gas gets to $6-$7, I'll probably be out of a job as my business is so dependent on the transportation of goods and such increases would price us out of the market in everywhere but NYC.

.

Wow..you really should start looking for a new job...we have fuel surcharges up the Yazoo..for all the granite that is shipped to us...and the delivery truck gets under 10 miles to the gallon @ $5..a gallon for diesel. We're looking at a 10-15% price increase for 2009..if gas hit $6-7 per gallons compared to a typical 5% price increase..but all of our competition will have to raise prices as well..since they're buying from the same suppliers and using the same trucking companies for freight.

 

[ctenidae]

Outlaw idling of vehicles. Again it would be inconvenience for me as I need the engine to power my laptop while I'm doing work on the road side, but I would I would do it.

You need one of these:

http://www.xtremepowerinc.com/RemotePower.htm

 

[andyzee]

I'm not a girl, adn I made fun of your couch, not your pants.

Geez. No repsect around here.[/quote]

Exactly :lol:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The bigger resorts will do fine and border states as well, you'll just hear more mandarin, russian, european and french canadian

I also think local mountains like Sundown, Blue mountain, and Wachusett could do better because people aren't going to want to drive to Vermont..

I'm just going to keep squirreling away money..err-day..that's the only thing I can do..

 

[Moe Ghoul]

I also think local mountains like Sundown, Blue mountain, and Wachusett could do better because people aren't going to want to drive to Vermont..

I'm just going to keep squirreling away money..err-day..that's the only thing I can do..

Definitely more domestic travel and keeping it closer to home.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Less driving = less CO2 = less warming = colder temps = more snow + more manmade snow!! = more people driving to go skiing = more CO2 = warmer temps = rain.

Terrible, vicious cycle.

 

[deadheadskier]

Wow..you really should start looking for a new job...we have fuel surcharges up the Yazoo..for all the granite that is shipped to us...and the delivery truck gets under 10 miles to the gallon @ $5..a gallon for diesel. We're looking at a 10-15% price increase for 2009..if gas hit $6-7 per gallons compared to a typical 5% price increase..but all of our competition will have to raise prices as well..since they're buying from the same suppliers and using the same trucking companies for freight.

I'm not looking....yet. With the economic climate we are facing right now, a big part in my decision to move was to be within commuting range of a major metropolitan area should I need to seek alternative employment.

Prices will go up from our competitors too, but eventually these price hikes are going to put many restaurants out of business as they simply won't be able to charge their patrons what they need to to make a profit. It's a double edge sword as the rising gas prices will crimp consumer spending at restaurants to. MANY distributors are already starting to go out of business because of this reality.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Regular unleaded in parts of Europe is up to about $9/gallon (at EUR 1.42/liter).

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Less driving = less CO2 = less warming = colder temps = more snow + more manmade snow!! = more people driving to go skiing = more CO2 = warmer temps = rain.

Terrible, vicious cycle.

Well less driving in the US..but there's a heck of alot more fuel consumption abroad..part of the reason why even if demand in the US for oil goes down..the price will not drop..

Moe..I see the price for a barrel of oil is down a bit today:lol:and so is gold

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Regular unleaded in parts of Europe is up to about $9/gallon (at EUR 1.42/liter).

That's due to their taxes..which accounts for more than 50% of the cost of fuel in most Western European countries..

 

[ctenidae]

That's due to their taxes..which accounts for more than 50% of the cost of fuel in most Western European countries..

And explains why they have mass transit that works.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

And explains why they have mass transit that works.

Well over there there are alot of people in a small area...here people are much more spread out as population density is alot less..Are you willing to pay double as much for a gallon of gas for better mass transit? Are you willing to pay more in federal taxes for universal healthcare...I like the way it is here..totally capitalistic..not socialized.

 

[ctenidae]

Well over there there are alot of people in a small area...here people are much more spread out as population density is alot less..Are you willing to pay double as much for a gallon of gas for better mass transit? Are you willing to pay more in federal taxes for universal healthcare...I like the way it is here..totally capitalistic..not socialized.

Your questions are poorly phrased. Should be "Would you pay more for mass transit if it worked?" and "Would you support universal healthcare funded by current insurance premiums?"

Yes, to both of those.