Gas prices and Katrina

[Stitches12]

While I agree releasing the reserves will have little impact at least it shows the government is TRYING to help the situation... Just for morale we need to have faith in our government that they will try to alleviate some of the stress on it's citizens...

Okay - putting on my flame proof suit here

Have faith in a government that has done nothing to adopt a real comprehensive energy policy and has done nothing but help line the pockets of the big oil companies ?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we as citizens have to help ourselves and not rely on our government, most of them haven't a clue what it's like out here in the real world. We've all got to make a conscious effort to stop being such gluttens with our natural resources. And, no, I'm not one of those tree huggers, but it concerns me that we all just keep using and not thinking about the consequences. Not saying I'm perfect here either but if our children continue to see us doing this what will be THEIR incentive when they get older ?

Said my 2 cents - hope I didn't offend anyone

 

[Luv2trav]

Okay - putting on my flame proof suit here

Have faith in a government that has done nothing to adopt a real comprehensive energy policy and has done nothing but help line the pockets of the big oil companies ?

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we as citizens have to help ourselves and not rely on our government, most of them haven't a clue what it's like out here in the real world. We've all got to make a conscious effort to stop being such gluttens with our natural resources. And, no, I'm not one of those tree huggers, but it concerns me that we all just keep using and not thinking about the consequences. Not saying I'm perfect here either but if our children continue to see us doing this what will be THEIR incentive when they get older ?

Said my 2 cents - hope I didn't offend anyone

No offense here! I agree with your post....I try to stay optimistic.... I am definately NOT a Bush supporter... In fact I LOATHE him... If anyone is trying to protect the big oil companies it's him...

I would just like to have faith in other parts of our government that can make a difference to help their citizens... Whether or not it happens only time will tell.... In the mean time we have to do what we can to protect ourselves and not rely solely on the government.. Take for an example Hawaii... They have put a cap on gas prices. I would like to see other States take those measures to protect their citizens.

 

[Stitches12]

No offense here! I agree with your post....I try to stay optimistic.... I am definately NOT a Bush supporter... In fact I LOATHE him... If anyone is trying to protect the big oil companies it's him...

I would just like to have faith in other parts of our government that can make a difference to help their citizens... Whether or not it happens only time will tell.... In the mean time we have to do what we can to protect ourselves and not rely solely on the government.. Take for an example Hawaii... They have put a cap on gas prices. I would like to see other States take those measures to protect their citizens.

Thanks for not flaming me
I try to keep the criticism bi-partisan but I'm afraid my dislike sometimes shows. With that said, Republicans AND Democrats alike need to get a grip and start working TOGETHER to solve this problem. I'm afraid we're in for a real rough stretch here and it could just be a real test of our abilities as a nation to pull together and survive. The news is not good in relation to gas prices. My brother-in-law is a district manager for a gas station chain in TX and he's seen the WHOLESALE price go from $2.50 on Monday to presently $3.26 today with no relief in sight. Releasing the strategic oil reserve, although meant to look good, will really do us no good since this is unrefined oil and 90% of the refineries are offline right now.

With all that said - it's STILL THE BEST country and I'd never wanna live anywhere else

 

[Luv2trav]

Thanks for not flaming me
I try to keep the criticism bi-partisan but I'm afraid my dislike sometimes shows. With that said, Republicans AND Democrats alike need to get a grip and start working TOGETHER to solve this problem. I'm afraid we're in for a real rough stretch here and it could just be a real test of our abilities as a nation to pull together and survive. The news is not good in relation to gas prices. My brother-in-law is a district manager for a gas station chain in TX and he's seen the WHOLESALE price go from $2.50 on Monday to presently $3.26 today with no relief in sight. Releasing the strategic oil reserve, although meant to look good, will really do us no good since this is unrefined oil and 90% of the refineries are offline right now.

With all that said - it's STILL THE BEST country and I'd never wanna live anywhere else

Yep!! Agree..... BTW I am a republican so my Bush comment does not mean I'm a democrat.... Not that any of that matters when national disasters occur.

 

[cobbler]

Well they jacked it up here again in MI. Yesterday around 1pm. 2.56, around 5pm it goes up to 2.99. I left this morning at 930am and it was up again to 3.19. That is the cheapest around my area right now - 3.19. It ranges anywhere from 3.19 to 3.49 in the city of Holland and Muskegon, MI.

This sucks and it sucks hard. This HAS to have a major impact on our economy. I can't see how it possibly won't. Pretty soon it will hit a brick wall and our economy will have no choice but to go into recession or depression.

 

[rmb]

Gas is $3.51 in Indianapolis - needless to say I will be canceling my plans to go to Chicago this weekend. Guess I will stay home and watch the cable TV I pay way to much for a month. Will it ever end!

 

[cobbler]

Gas is $3.51 in Indianapolis - needless to say I will be canceling my plans to go to Chicago this weekend. Guess I will stay home and watch the cable TV I pay way to much for a month. Will it ever end!

You know, we did the exact same thing, we planned a day in Chicago and a day at the beach on Lake MI. We are definatly NOT going to Chicago and we may go to a closer beach.

 

[Local_Girl]

We're in Holland, MI too...DH had to drive to Muskegon today on the job and called to tell me about how gas prices have spiked up. We were planning on driving 2-1/2 hours north to visit family this weekend, but that's off. I'm really concerned about how much this situation will continue to deteriorate...and what long term effects may be felt as it ripples through the economy.

Still, my thoughts and prayers are with those living in the devastation left by the hurricane. Their losses and challenges are enormous and ours seem so small in comparison.

 

[kelscross]

Gas is 3.09 here in Dayton Ohio. It was 2.59 just this morning. I am going to post a copy of an email I received from my mother in law yesterday. I hope it doesn't get me in trouble to post it though...if so just delete it. - I don't know where it originated and I can't vouch for the validity of the calculations, just seems like if you have to do something it's better than sitting around complaining and not getting anything done.

It has been calculated that if everyone in the United States and Canada did not purchase a drop of gasoline for one day and all at the same time, the Oil companies would choke on their stockpiles.

At the same time it would hit the entire industry with a net loss of over 4.6 billion dollars which affects the bottom lines of the oil companies.
Therefore September 1st has been formally declared "stick it up their behind” day and the people of these two nations should not buy a single drop of gasoline that day.

The only way this can be done is if you forward this e-mail to as many
people as you can and as quickly as you can to get the word out.

Waiting on the government to step in and control the prices is not going to happen. What happened to the reduction and control in prices that the Arab Nations promised two weeks ago????

Remember one thing, not only is the price of gasoline going up but at the same time airlines are forced to raise their prices, trucking companies are forced to raise their prices which effects prices on everything that is shipped. Things like food, clothing, building materials, medical supplies etc. Who pays in the end? We do! We can make a difference. If they don't get the message after one day, we will do it again and again. So do your part and spread the word. Forward this email to everyone you know. Mark your calendars And make September 1st a day that the citizens of the United States and Canada say "enough is enough"!

Pass this along to your friends!

 

[Luv2trav]

Gas is 3.09 here in Dayton Ohio. It was 2.59 just this morning. I am going to post a copy of an email I received from my mother in law yesterday. I hope it doesn't get me in trouble to post it though...if so just delete it. - I don't know where it originated and I can't vouch for the validity of the calculations, just seems like if you have to do something it's better than sitting around complaining and not getting anything done.

It has been calculated that if everyone in the United States and Canada did not purchase a drop of gasoline for one day and all at the same time, the Oil companies would choke on their stockpiles.

At the same time it would hit the entire industry with a net loss of over 4.6 billion dollars which affects the bottom lines of the oil companies.
Therefore September 1st has been formally declared "stick it up their behind” day and the people of these two nations should not buy a single drop of gasoline that day.

The only way this can be done is if you forward this e-mail to as many
people as you can and as quickly as you can to get the word out.

Waiting on the government to step in and control the prices is not going to happen. What happened to the reduction and control in prices that the Arab Nations promised two weeks ago????

Remember one thing, not only is the price of gasoline going up but at the same time airlines are forced to raise their prices, trucking companies are forced to raise their prices which effects prices on everything that is shipped. Things like food, clothing, building materials, medical supplies etc. Who pays in the end? We do! We can make a difference. If they don't get the message after one day, we will do it again and again. So do your part and spread the word. Forward this email to everyone you know. Mark your calendars And make September 1st a day that the citizens of the United States and Canada say "enough is enough"!

Pass this along to your friends!

While this is a great idea it is virtually impossible. To do this you are asking people who depend on gas for their income to stop buying it... I know this because I work for a FedEx division and gas/fuel is a daily neccessity to keep functioning. Not to mention airlines, cabs and basically everything in our economy depends gas/fuel. I know when you say don't purchase for 1 day it doesn't seem as much but say that to those who are waiting for emergency supplies.

 

[NJBlackBerry]

Yeah, boycotting the purchase of gasoline. Sure. That's a good one.

Watch Hawaii. Setting a cap on prices is screwing with natural market reactions (Business 101). Soon there will be long lines and shortages. Why? Because caps don't work.

Americans don't care. We all drive SUVs (we know they are bad and gas guzzlers but boy, are they big). We don't car pool and mass transit, unless you live in one of a handful of citieis, is a joke.

We do not have a comprehensive energy policy, and if I said right now that I wanted to build a new refinery to help with the current shortage, everyone would scream BANANA. They used to scream NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), now it is BANANA (Build Abolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone). Stop blaming Bush, or Clinton or any politician. We are the problem. We are addicted to our big cars and lousy fuel economy. Myself included (well, one old Honda, but one big old SUV).

Fuel Cells are a decade away, and will be expensive. And hydrogen is not exactly the safest fuel around.

And our gasoline prices are still less than any other (non oil producing) country.

 

[cosmicdaisy]

About that email......

From one of my favorite sites: snopes.com

Pain in the Gas


Claim: Participating in 1- or 3-day boycott of gasoline in September 2005 will cause oil companies to "choke on their stockpiles" and bring down the price of gasoline.

Status: False.

Examples:

[Collected on the Internet, 2005]

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES.

THEREFORE SEPTEMBER 1st HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT UP THEIR BEHIND " DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THESE TWO NATIONS SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.

THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT.

WAITING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?

REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE SEPTEMBER 1ST A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Collected on the Internet, 2004]

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES.

THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT UP THEIR BEHINDS DAY" AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.

THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT.

WAITING ON THIS ADMIINSTRATION TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?

REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Collected on the Internet, 2000]

Last year on April 30, 1999, a gas out was staged across Canada and the U.S. to bring the price of gas down, and it worked. It's time to do something about it again.

Only this time lets make it for three days instead of just one. The so-called oil cartel decided to slow production to drive up gasoline prices. Lets see how many Canadian\American people we can get to ban together for a three day period in April, NOT TO BUY ANY GASOLINE, during those three days.

LET'S HAVE A GAS OUT. Do not buy any gasoline from APRIL 7, 2000, THROUGH APRIL 9, 2000. Buy what you need before the dates listed above, or after, but try not to buy any during the GAS OUT.

If you want to help, just send this to everyone you know and ask them to do the same. We brought the prices down once before, and we can do it again.

Come on North America lets stand together. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Even if you receive this 100 times keep passing it around, this way you know everyone is being informed and no one will forget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Origins: The above-quoted pieces advocating one-day gasoline boycotts are proof that some bad ideas never go away; they just keep getting recycled year after year.

This year's e-mails (proposing a one-day "gas out" on 1 September 2005, or a three-day event later in the month) is a carbon copy of the e-mail that circulated in May 2004 (right down to the labeling of the putative boycott effort as "STICK IT UP THEIR BEHINDS DAY"), which was itself a recasting of similar messages that have been circulating since 1999. All of them are reminders that "protest" schemes that don't cost the participants any inconvenience, hardship, or money remain the most popular, despite their dubious effectiveness. A one-day "gas out" was proposed in 1999, and a three-day-long event was called for in 2000, but both drew little participation and had no effect on retail gasoline prices because they were based upon flawed premises. This year's version is no
different.

First of all, everyone's "not purchasing a drop of gasoline for one day" will not cause oil companies to "choke on their stockpiles." Oil companies run their inventories on a weekly basis, and since the "gas out" scheme doesn't call on people to buy less gasoline but simply to shift their date of purchase by one day, oil company stockpiles won't be affected at all.

Next, merely shifting the day(s) of purchase will not "hit the entire industry with a net loss of over $4.6 billion." Consumers won't be buying any less gasoline under this "gas out" proposal; they'll simply be purchasing gas a few days earlier or later than they usually would. The very same amount of gasoline will be sold either way, so the oil companies aren't going to lose any money at all.

By definition, a boycott involves the doing without of something, with the renunciation of the boycotted product held up as tangible proof to those who supply the commodity that consumers are prepared to do without it unless changes are made. What the "gas out" calls for isn't consumers' swearing off using or buying gasoline, even for a short time, but simply shifting their purchases by a couple of days at most. Because the "gas out" doesn't call on consumers to make a sacrifice by actually giving up something, the threat it poses is a hollow one.

Not buying gas on a designated day may make people feel a bit better about things by providing them a chance to vent their anger at higher gasoline prices, but the action won't have any real impact on retail prices. An effective protest would involve something like organizing people to forswear the use of their cars on specified days, an act that could effectively demonstrate the reality of the threat that if gasoline prices stay up, American consumers are prepared to move to carpooling and public transportation for the long term. Simply changing the day one buys gas, however, imparts no such threat, because nothing is being done without.

Moreover, the primary potential effect of the type of boycott proposed in the "gas out" messages is to hurt those at the very end of the oil-to-gasoline chain, service station operators — the people who have the least say in setting gasoline prices. As such, the "gas out" is a punch on the nose delivered to the wrong person.

Either apathy or an outbreak of common sense has made previous "gas outs" non-events with very low levels of participation, as documented by these snippets of news accounts from across North America:


Friday's gasoline boycott was an effort that sputtered, coughed, then died. Motorists continued to fill up gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles and trucks alongside smaller vehicles despite a one-day protest aimed to pressure oil companies to lower gas prices.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although a gasoline boycott that began as an electronic mail campaign kept some drivers nationwide away from the pump, dealers say they saw little, if any, effect on their traffic.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Seattle, there were so many cars waiting to get into [a] Texaco station . . . yesterday afternoon that it caused a backup five cars deep into [the] right-hand lane.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reports indicated few motorists paid attention to a nationwide boycott touted initially by Internet e-mail and later by word of mouth.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A planned nationwide boycott protesting the high price of gasoline didn't have much effect on local gas stations.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We were expecting something substantial," said Mark Johnson, the owner of a Chevron station. "We haven't really noticed much of a difference."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Irving stations in sunny Halifax said the boycott had no effect on business.

"It's been busy as a bugger here," said Bruce Riley, manager of one station. "We haven't been busier in the last two weeks," added the manager at another Halifax outlet.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gas stations [in Ottawa] reported "busier than ever" conditions at the pumps on the day of The Great Internet Gas-Out.

Gasoline is a fungible, global commodity, its price subject to the ordinary forces of supply and demand. No amount of consumer gimmickry and showmanship will lower its price in the long run; only a significant, ongoing reduction in demand will accomplish that goal. Unfortunately, for many people achieving that goal would mean cutting down on their driving or opting for less desirable economy cars over less fuel-efficient models, solutions they find unappealing.

An event like a "gas out" can sometimes do some good by calling attention to a cause and sending a message. In this case, though, the only message being sent is: "We consumers are so desperate for gasoline that we can't even do without it for a few days to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with its cost." What supplier is going to respond to a message like that by lowering its prices? Those who really want to send a "message" to oil suppliers should try not buying any gasoline for several months in a row.

Other articles about gasoline prices:
Petition to President Bush
Call to Spurn Gasoline from Particular Suppliers to Cut Off Funding of Terrorists
Call to Spurn Gasoline from Particular Suppliers to Bring Price Down

Last updated: 29 August 2005


The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/nogas.asp

 

[TNKBELL]

While I agree somewhat because it will slow down our lifestyle and we will stay home a lot more. I am not sure how I can bike ride or walk when there is 3 feet of snow outside or 15 degrees this winter.

Of course NOT! I don't think that's what I'm trying to imply, you can't ride or walk everywhere or in every season! There are people that actually ride thier bikes to work(seasonaly) my husband is trying to transfer to a different station so that he can ride his bike to work, this is something he wants to do for his health and also because he enjoys it, now that the gas prices are so high, it's an added bonus. Riding bikes or walking won't work for everyone, but there are those that it could work for. I'ts hard to believe there was actually a time when there were no cars! As Americans it's our job to be more self reliant and not so dependant on government, technology, ect... MYSELF INCLUDED!

 

[cosmicdaisy]

hearing about the check writing at the gate of the airport is scary. If that were to happen to me I don't know what we would do! However, keeping my fingers crossed that that doesn't happen, it makes me glad I went with flying instead of driving and we are a lot closer (NC) than some of you that have stated you are driving.

Yesterday I filled up for 2.59...that same station is 2.89 today and there have been rumors about some stations in town being out of regular unleaded. Granted, these are rumors and I haven't found a credible source yet to know if this is indeed true.

And about the caps in Hawaii...aren't they just wholesale caps? Aren't they put in place to keep Hawaii up (or maybe I should say down) with the rest of the country? Don't the caps vary week to week or so depending on what the market is doing in select cities? And isn't it scary to think that the caps may drive suppliers away? Anyways, I know I read about the caps...just recalling some things from memory. Please correct me if I am wrong, maybe something has changed since I read my info.

 

[Chuck S]

...And all crude brought up in Alaska (or anywhere in the US) must be refined IN THE UNITED STATES (and not shipped to "Asia"). It's the law.

The oil export ban ended in the mid 1990s, and at least as of April 2005 had not been renewed. Alaska North Slope heavy crude was being exported to China, Japan and S. Korea.

 

[stschaefer]

Gas was $2.56/gallon last night when I filled up. This morning it was $3.50. At lunch it topped $4/gallon and limiting people to 30 gallons a purchase. I leave for Orlando on Friday - hope the prices are better along the way...

 

[lucyanna girl]

I just filled up at our local Citgo. Reg Unleaded was 2.49 per gallon. Across the street at the Pilot Truckstop it was 2.89 If this isn't price gouging I don't know what is!

 

[Stitches12]

I just filled up at our local Citgo. Reg Unleaded was 2.49 per gallon. Across the street at the Pilot Truckstop it was 2.89 If this isn't price gouging I don't know what is!

I never could figure that one out -- how there can be such a difference in gas at stations that are right next door to each other. The only explanation I was ever able to receive for it in New York State was that there is some kind of state law that says you must sell the gas in the underground tank for a certain percentage above cost. Once that gas is gone, then you sell it at your new price. So - maybe the guy across the street is still selling his "old" gas and the other guy had to fill his underground tank today and is selling it at the "new" price.

I think they do it on purpose just to keep us guessing !!

 

[swilshire]

Went by a Pilot on the way home and they were at $2.99. Even the expensive station down the street from me is only $2.69 (or at least an hour or so ago).

Pilot is the worst to have vastly different prices around town. I'm sure it's based on the competition from other stations, but it just seems weird that they can sell it for a dime or more cheaper a few miles away.

Sheila

 

[sarahsmom73]

Gas yesterday was $2.85.. Today it is $3.11!