How much is gas in your area?

[maggiethecat]

kenina said:

I'm just going to put this out there and see what others think. Mine is not a popular opinion, but I like the prices this high for societal, not personal, reasons--oil companies' monstrous profits notwithstanding. I think it's the only way to curb Americans' energy consumption.

I'm with you all the way, but I'm also (barely) old enough to remember all the similar arguments from the gas crisis of the early 1970s. We should all be driving at 55 m.p.h., we should be driving smaller more fuel-efficient cars, we should be looking into alternative sources of energy. Sigh. Second verse, same as the first.

I can suggest that all of you who might be putting mid-grade or high-test in your cars call your dealership and find out just what your car requires. I'd been treating my Acura Integra to mid-grade under the foolish notion that it was better for the car. I called Acura last week. "Those cars were designed to run on regular and 87 octane is just fine for your engine," said Peter my guru. So regular it is from now on . . . which cost, last fill up, $3.17. So I shouldn't complain.

[mlm828]

maggiethecat said:

kenina said:

I'm just going to put this out there and see what others think. Mine is not a popular opinion, but I like the prices this high for societal, not personal, reasons--oil companies' monstrous profits notwithstanding. I think it's the only way to curb Americans' energy consumption.

I'm with you all the way, but I'm also (barely) old enough to remember all the similar arguments from the gas crisis of the early 1970s. We should all be driving at 55 m.p.h., we should be driving smaller more fuel-efficient cars, we should be looking into alternative sources of energy. Sigh. Second verse, same as the first.

I don't disagree in principle. I wonder what it will take to change people's behavior on a long-term basis. The earlier gas "crises" didn't do the trick.

In some parts of the country, many people don't have a lot of options. In Southern California, for example, many people live far from their work, because they have to in order to find affordable housing. Public transportation is non-existent in many of these outlying areas, and buying a more efficient car may not be an option if you're already on a tight budget. Now they're really in a crunch.

I have a hard time viewing the oil companies' profits as anything but unconscionable. After the so-called energy "crisis" in California a few years back -- which was created by supply and market manipulation -- I suspect the oil companies are following the energy companies' example.

[shmeep]

kenina said:

I'm just going to put this out there and see what others think. Mine is not a popular opinion, but I like the prices this high for societal, not personal, reasons--oil companies' monstrous profits notwithstanding. I think it's the only way to curb Americans' energy consumption...Unfortunately, I think this is the best way of changing people's driving and consumption habits.

Hmm...I seem to recal another person on this board implying much the same thing not too long ago. Who was that? Oh! Here it is:

admin said:

As much as I hate paying more for gas, it has been too cheap for far too long and that is what has prevented us from developing new technologies to break our ties with the Middle East. I think these increased prices may eventually force us into finding cheaper and better alternatives that will benefit our economy.

[kenina]

maggiethecat said:

I'm with you all the way, but I'm also (barely) old enough to remember all the similar arguments from the gas crisis of the early 1970s. We should all be driving at 55 m.p.h., we should be driving smaller more fuel-efficient cars, we should be looking into alternative sources of energy. Sigh. Second verse, same as the first.

I didn't live through the early 70s crisis, but I've heard enough about it to realize there are many parallels. *But* I'm approaching it a bit differently: I think Americans did start to change due to that crisis. We started building and buying "economy" cars and the huge gas guzzlers became less common. And they imposed the national 55 mph standard. But then prices dropped again, and that's when we went back to our old, bad ways--buying SUVs with gas mileage as bad as the Buicks and Cadillacs of 30 years ago, and speed limits have crept up, etc etc. I think it wasn't that the crisis didn't work--just that we undid a lot of the progress once prices dropped again.

One other small point I didn't mention before: we are paying the highest gas prices we've ever paid right now, accounting for inflation. But that's just in the last year or so, since we went over the $2.00 mark. Before, when we were paying $1.50 or even above that, we were still paying less in real terms than we did in the 70s. While everything else had gotten more expensive over the 30 years, gas prices stayed low--which is contrary to market principles. So the way I see it, we're just catching up and it's a shock.

And shmeep, I'm happy to see I'm not the only person with this unpopular opinion! I wondered if someone had brought it up before, but obviously didn't read back very carefully.

[bjobsessed]

I woke up this morning and heard on the radio that gas in Flamboro Ont--which is near Toronto--was .67/liter! That's about $2.68/gallon! (multiply the number by four). They didn't know how long that would last, but my guess is not long. The only thing long would be the line waiting to fill up. We are paying .91/liter where I live which is a lot cheaper than last summer.

I don't feel too bad because Natascha told me she is paying $1.50/liter.

[bluedelft]

bjobsessed said:

I woke up this morning and heard on the radio that gas in Flamboro Ont--which is near Toronto--was .67/liter! That's about $2.68/gallon! (multiply the number by four). They didn't know how long that would last, but my guess is not long. The only thing long would be the line waiting to fill up. We are paying .91/liter where I live which is a lot cheaper than last summer.

I don't feel too bad because Natascha told me she is paying $1.50/liter.

$2.68/gallon is what I saw it yesterday and was shocked. Coming back from New York I paid $3.29/gallon so it's dropped quite a bit since only a couple of weeks ago. Curious to see if it goes up since it's the holiday weekend.

[Duchess of Lashes]

Regular gas in our area was $2.93 a gallon yesterday, down from $3.03 on Monday. For the first time all summer, I managed to fill up for less than $40.00. Hope it's a continuing trend!

[awlrite4now]

Regular is $2.53 as of yesterday. Been dropping steadily for a week. Reports are that a lot of oil was sold off recently, driving the price down. Works for me!

[mlm828]

According to a local watchdog group, Utility Consumers' Action Network, the average price for regular unleaded in the San Diego area is $3.07/gallon. Some of the "cheaper" stations have crept below $3.00 for the first time in a long time. The year's high was $3.44, in May. The price at the beginning of 2006 was $2.26.

[hoosier]

$2.59 a gallon for regular as of today. Not bad, considering what its been !

[Eyphur]

I paid 2.49 a gallon today. I heard on the radio yesterday that two stations in Cleveland are having a gas war and have driven the price down to 2.19! The radio announcer also said that the price could drop to 2.00 by Thanksgiving.

[bluedelft]

eyphur said:

I paid 2.49 a gallon today. I heard on the radio yesterday that two stations in Cleveland are having a gas war and have driven the price down to 2.19! The radio announcer also said that the price could drop to 2.00 by Thanksgiving.

$2.00 by Thanksgiving - Whoo Hoo - wouldn't mind that at all.

[Duchess of Lashes]

Down another 5 cents today - only 88 centrs to go until we reach that magic number! I'll believe it when I see it.

[bluedelft]

Drove by a station today and it was down to $2.39. Getting closer and closer to that $2.00.

[hoosier]

bluedelft said:

Drove by a station today and it was down to $2.39. Getting closer and closer to that $2.00.

Thats the same price as here!