I know I've been using this word a lot lately. But after seeing the gas prices today, RIP OFF is the only good one to describe the feeling I get when I pull up to pump some gas. We have officially crossed the $4.00 per gallon line here in the Bay Area. So what's next? Are we shooting for the $10 per gallon price tag? Is anyone going to say anything? Or better yet, do something?
It seems to me the gas prices are like the weather. They change with it. Say, today is warm and windy, so the price for gas is going to be in the mid 3-ish per gallon. But tomorrow is hazy and hot, so let's make it $4.19. When I asked a gas station clerk why the prices went up so much, he said “I don't know.. we received a fax this morning with how much the prices should be.”
Photo of the Shell Gas Station in Redwood City, CA on March 7, 2008
I still remember when the price per gallon was $1.50 and it wasn't that long ago. There is a lot of talk about how much it costs to produce and deliver gasoline and how it affects the price. I'm not buying it. What I see is opportunity to make money, since everyone is so busy with elections, lay offs, real estate crisis, war and economic recession. And I see someone taking advantage of this opportunity, meaning RIPPING US OFF.
And we let them.
While I don't enjoy paying more for anything, ever, I do think some good can come out of these outrageous gas prices. Namely, people will start thinking twice about driving places they could walk/bike/mass-transit to instead. We've grown very accustomed to our vehicular lifestyles, to the point where we're dependent on them. It's not a sustainable way of life though. Sooner or later something is going to break, and the most likely candidate is oil.
The day the oil officially starts running out is the day gas prices will skyrocket ($4 a gallon is cheap, I assure you) and people will suddenly need to find alternative ways of getting around.
Here, a nice website to feed everyone's paranoia — http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/
I don't see the current gas prices causing any changes in day to day driving behavior… I mean, figure it this way. If your car gets a mere 15 miles per gallon and you work 5 miles away and maybe hit the grocery store youll be right at 15 miles… I know this estimate is low for a lot of people who commute, so lets actually take me as an example. I drive 11 miles each way, go to the gym which is 3 miles away and go to the store on the way to the gym. This comes up to less than 30 miles a day. My car averages 19-20 mpg so figure 1.5 gallons of gas. At current prices it costs me 6 dollars a day since I need super unleaded. Now, even if gas prices double and I need to pay 12 dollars a day it's not going to strain my budget. I may however at that point streamline my gym and shopping outings on the way home from work to save 6 miles. In the end, if this price increase does put a strain on your budget you may find yourself having 1 less mocha a day wich may actually be good for your health.
Now as far as travelling… Now that's where I see people cutting back the most…
Well, taking public transit is only possible in few places where it is available and convenient enough to use. In most places it is not. And in most cases, people still have to drive to it (like Caltrain or VTA). I, for once, enjoy having a car. It gives me freedom of transportation. I can get to places without having to rely on someone/something else.
I don't think the latest spike in gas prices has anything to do with oil running out. But I could see someone using that as an excuse to raise them. I think we are only dependent on oil and gasoline as much as we make it so. We don't have to be. But some sort of power is necessary to power anything, including cars.
If it's not oil, it will be rice… Ok, i'm kidding. But whatever it is, we consume a lot, so we will be running out sooner or later. And there will be someone charging more for it every time.
Unless…. this is where I'd say the line:
If I were the president… I would:
Establish price control for basic human needs:
a) power and fuel
b) housing
c) food
d) medicine
I agree… Living in the south bay is the typical californian suburban lifestyle, and having a car is a necessity… I live within a 5 minute walk of both Caltrain and Lightrail, but both are such linear methods of transportation… So unless your destination is on the train line, expect to be hassled with finding a cab when you reach your train stop…
Here's an interesting thought on human powered transportation… If everyone suddenly decided to become active, could this cause a food shortage? If for example you rode your bike an hour each way to work, this could be an additional 1500 or so calories you would need to consume daily… It may also be quite a shock to see so many people in shape…
My travel agent in the attempts to explain the spike in prices for airline tickets said it is because of the gas prices. I said “oh well, we'll have to find another way of fueling the planes then” to which she said “it is the gas buyers that keep the prices up. Because they can. It has nothing to do with oil running out”…
The scary thing is after this past weekend of oil at 139/barrel prices will almost certainly get much worse before they get better.
With the current global financial crisis, you will probably see Mercedes Benz parts cheaper than the gas… It is a paradox… the car will get cheaper abd the gas more expensive…
to hoom it may concern the price of gas in canada has been a rip off from the time they swiched over to metric .when the price is down they cut the barrels produced to get the price up again. when cold weather comes up oit goes, when it gets to warm and you need air conditioning up it goes. what we need is a gas strike don,t buy from the dealers buy from independents see how they like us setting there profets.
It was interesting to read, and I liked your joke that if it's not oil, it will be rice. fox news
Do you think subsidizing oil is the cause of the high price of gas?
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