Is there anyone NOT bothered by the price of gas?

[MoniqueU]

I try not to think too much about the cost of gas other then watching it like a train wreck. My husband drives an hour and a half to work one way. They give him a car and he can get some gas on the company car but he chooses to drive his truck as it has XM radio in it.

We traded in our landcruiser back when it it was a bit over 3 bucks for a highlander. I didn't like the new car much but now when I look at all the huge SUV's I feel better.Before we were filling up 3 times a week with a bigger tank. We are now down to two times a week BUT we are not in football/cheer yet for the year. Once the games start we could be all over several counties. We only have water polo going right now. I strongly strongly believe in sports or some other activity for children so I feel that is something I can't cut out. However as much as I believe in that I may be forced to skip some games or worse pull my kids out if prices keep going up at the rate they are. I am hoping it only goes to 4.50 a gallon here in CA and then starts dropping. That is what I think will happen but I never thought it would go to 4 a gallon so what do I know?

 

[IluvKingLouis]

That's what I keep telling people! I actually WANT gas to rise a little. Don't get me wrong - my pocketbook HATES it! However, I was reading interviews with the heads of the major car companies and they all pretty much said the same thing; Until our gas prices rise and stay around $6 a gallon, they're not going to market the more fuel efficient cars from Europe in the U.S.

I hate how much it costs, but unless gas prices rise, people aren't going to change. I think that in the long run, the price hikes are going to help our country become more "green."

You and I are on the same page. I just hate how it has impacted groceries and everything else.

I feel bad for families who moved to the suburbs to find affordable housing and have no choice but to commute. We're fortunate in that my DH telecomutes and I too work from home. But a lot of my neighbors are struggling...but then again, most of them are driving vehicles that get 11 mpg. We have a car that gets 44-46 mpg and we are never in a position where we *have* to drive.

It's the rippling effect that I hate, and I really feel for folks that have no other choice.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I guess I am in the minority here but thats okay with me.

Even though the price of gas (or oil per barrel) does not effect us financially it definitely effects us emotionally. To see grown men who work and then cry, because they are embarrassed to be at the food pantry and then to see the volunteers cry because there is no food is absolutely devastating.

The price of oil will effect everyone, whether it's the higher cost of gas, food, heat, rent/mortgage or TAXES it will financially effect everyone, whether we want it to or not.



Off of my soap box now....

 

[CarolA]

What about our kids and theirs? Do you think things are going to be better for them if we don't do anything?

Well I am pretty sure that if we use ALL the oil now then that's not going to help.

I am pretty sure that if we do damage to the earth then that's not going to help.

There are posters on this board saying "we could get enough oil from Alaska to last 20 years" (I don't think they have posted that on this thread yet) Then what? We need a long term outlook not a "I have to have more oil now who cares about the future outlook"

 

[NancyIL]

It's not just what I pay at the gas pump that is bothersome. Diesel gasoline costs even more, and trucks use diesel. The price of goods that are shipped by truck keeps going up - from food that is transported across country to anything else that isn't produced in your neck of the woods.

Our income is high enough to absorb the increase in prices. Many others are not so fortunate.

 

[HunnyPots]

I hate that gas prices are so high but I have to put it in the category of "things I can do nothing about so why worry".

 

[karinbelle]

Not flaming!! I definitely agree that we need to stop depending on foreign oil, but drilling here would ruin a lot of the environment. Plus, what happens in another 20 years when our supplies run low? Personally, I think that we need to work harder on finding alternative energy sources not just for our cars, but to heat our homes as well. Hopefully the high gas prices will start to help move the process towards a whole different way of life faster. If the whole country is suffering with the high costs, then the whole country is more likely to help find the solution.

ITA! The answer is a push toward alternative energy and adjusting our habits - not harming our natural irreplaceable resources. Who wants to live in a world without our wild areas?

 

[bdcp]

Gas prices are what they are. We are in no danger of using up all the oil. There are pockets of oil all over the US, Canada and beneath the oceans, but the fantatical wacko environmentalists dont' care about facts. We need to be able to access and process the oil that is within our reach. China is drilling off the coast of the US and will profit from the oil found there. The price of gas is not changing our lives. I would not have bought the SUV I have if the price of gasoline was going to change my life. I filled up today and spent $63. I used to spend $40+ regularly to fill it up. If $23/fill up was going to break me, I've got bigger problems than the price of gasoline. The majority of Americans will not go hungry or lack for anything because of the cost of gasoline, which is much, much cheaper here than in Europe, Canada and quite a few other places. Most people using the "buying gas or eating" argument are just being dramatic. Very, very few people have that problem.

Drilling here would not ruin the environment. There are a lot of ways to drill safely and they are being used everyday. More oil leaks from beneath the ocean naturally than has ever been leaked by accidents.

 

[Stitch'sGlitch]

I am glad the weather is starting to warm up. It's time to park the car and bring out the bike. Now that I have been riding my bike, gas has not been as big of an issue. We will see once it gets cold again, but for now no worries.

 

[pilgrimage]

The cost of fuel for school buses has local budgets soaring.
Our local community is thinking of raising property taxes
15% to help. I feel esp. for seniors on fixed incomes
with high fuel costs to drive and heat, high medicine costs
and grocery dollars being stretched.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I manage a group of 20 people who use vehicles to make deliveries every day. My job has become that much more difficult as our decrease in sales and increase in costs have effected everyone, including 40% employee turnover in 1 month alone.

Hopefully the standard deduction for business mileage is raised for 2008, that will help a little.

 

[lovepurple]

I have no problem with the gas and even food prices going up, just adjust the budget accordingly.

It is really hard to adjust the budget when, unlike the federal state and local government, I cannot increase someone's taxes to increase my income. Our property taxes are getting a huge increase next year because our local government needs more money. Wages are not keeping up with the inflation. My budget is super tight right now and I am budgeted to the penny for necessities. I think more people are in the same situation than people realize. My car gets great gas mileage and I don't commute, so it isn't the gas price that bothers me as much as it is the prices of other things affected by the gas prices.

 

[DVCajun]

I wish I could afford to live and work in Celebration. It's my dream.

As far as gas prices are concerned, does anyone else remember the gas crisis in the 70's? Everyone was freaked out by the rising gas prices and the "gas shortage." That's when mini cars made their debut. Well, guess what. Gas didn't continue to rise in price and in fact went back to normal for the time. That's exactly what I think will happen this time.

I *do* think we should pursue alternative fuel technology, but I also think it's ridiculous to ignore the oil we have within our own borders. Yes, it's a nonrenewable resource, but since we're pursuing other energy sources, that shouldn't be a huge deal, right?

Maybe that's why I'm not an economist.

 

[CowboyCO]

High gas prices may benefit us in the long run.
There is only a limited supply of oil and this will encourage people to be more mindful of how much they use.
Also, China and India are industrial now and this will also limit what they can use.
Higher oil prices will slow their pace and/or have them considering alternative fuels early in the game.

Not really feeling that it benefits anything. We use less, China and India use more and the price stays high.

When it comes to alternative furels for cars that is actually useful in the American culture -- ie -- range, availability and the cost of the technology, there isn't anything on the horizon.

Hydrogen fuel cells has a higher carbon footprint to create hydrogen than burning gasoline and it takes more energy to create it than gasoline.

Ethanol causes food inflation due to farmers switching to grow corn, causing shortage of supply in other food grains. Dairy and meat products are higher priced due to incresed feed costs.

Hybrid doesn't pay for itself for 4-6 years and really isn't alternative, it's supplemental.

Electric may work in urban areas, but won't really work for the 'burbs or commuting due to short range. Plus batteries are expensive to replace like for hybrids.

I think the best hope is for CNG (natural gas), as that is plentiful and we have huge domestic reserves.

 

[karinbelle]

Gas prices are what they are. We are in no danger of using up all the oil. There are pockets of oil all over the US, Canada and beneath the oceans, but the fantatical wacko environmentalists dont' care about facts. We need to be able to access and process the oil that is within our reach. China is drilling off the coast of the US and will profit from the oil found there. The price of gas is not changing our lives. I would not have bought the SUV I have if the price of gasoline was going to change my life. I filled up today and spent $63. I used to spend $40+ regularly to fill it up. If $23/fill up was going to break me, I've got bigger problems than the price of gasoline. The majority of Americans will not go hungry or lack for anything because of the cost of gasoline, which is much, much cheaper here than in Europe, Canada and quite a few other places. Most people using the "buying gas or eating" argument are just being dramatic. Very, very few people have that problem.

Drilling here would not ruin the environment. There are a lot of ways to drill safely and they are being used everyday. More oil leaks from beneath the ocean naturally than has ever been leaked by accidents.

Just a little light reading for perspective.

http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=52&articleID=599

http://www.sierraclub.com/gasprices/index.asp

http://alaska.fws.gov/nwr/arctic/

http://www.incidentnews.gov/science

 

[runwad]

Gas prices are what they are. We are in no danger of using up all the oil. There are pockets of oil all over the US, Canada and beneath the oceans, but the fantatical wacko environmentalists dont' care about facts. We need to be able to access and process the oil that is within our reach. China is drilling off the coast of the US and will profit from the oil found there. The price of gas is not changing our lives. I would not have bought the SUV I have if the price of gasoline was going to change my life. I filled up today and spent $63. I used to spend $40+ regularly to fill it up. If $23/fill up was going to break me, I've got bigger problems than the price of gasoline. The majority of Americans will not go hungry or lack for anything because of the cost of gasoline, which is much, much cheaper here than in Europe, Canada and quite a few other places. Most people using the "buying gas or eating" argument are just being dramatic. Very, very few people have that problem.

Drilling here would not ruin the environment. There are a lot of ways to drill safely and they are being used everyday. More oil leaks from beneath the ocean naturally than has ever been leaked by accidents.

I was listening to talk radio yesterday and they were talking about "side drilling" I think thats the name of it? Where another country can go into international waters and do this side drilling process and get the oil that is under Alaska. Now wouldn't that be a kick

 

[TDC Nala]

It doesn't affect me much personally. I fill up the car about every two months (my commute is entirely on public transport and is subsidized by my employer), and I do not need to provide for a family. As far as I can see, the expenses for one person are not greatly changed.

That will change when I get taxed to provide money for folks with families, I suppose.

 

[TupperMom7]

Gas prices are what they are. We are in no danger of using up all the oil. There are pockets of oil all over the US, Canada and beneath the oceans, but the fantatical wacko environmentalists dont' care about facts. We need to be able to access and process the oil that is within our reach. China is drilling off the coast of the US and will profit from the oil found there. The price of gas is not changing our lives. I would not have bought the SUV I have if the price of gasoline was going to change my life. I filled up today and spent $63. I used to spend $40+ regularly to fill it up. If $23/fill up was going to break me, I've got bigger problems than the price of gasoline. The majority of Americans will not go hungry or lack for anything because of the cost of gasoline, which is much, much cheaper here than in Europe, Canada and quite a few other places. Most people using the "buying gas or eating" argument are just being dramatic. Very, very few people have that problem.

Drilling here would not ruin the environment. There are a lot of ways to drill safely and they are being used everyday. More oil leaks from beneath the ocean naturally than has ever been leaked by accidents.

It is true that the high price of gasoline alone will not make the majority of Americans go hungry or do without, but when you add it to the high cost of everything else we have to pay for, it is starting to hurt. Of course, we can charge gas, groceries, clothes, and just about everything else. We will just leave our credit card bills to our children in our wills instead of an inheritance.

Don't people in Europe have socialized medicine and more options for mass transit? If so, then they are not spending a lot of money on doctors and they don't have to drive a car to get to work, etc. I also believe that they get part of their college education paid for.

 

[brooklynheights]

I am able to walk to work ,grocery store, to get my hair cut ,to the shopping mall strip , there are 10 places to eat within walking distance ,2 pharmicies a dry cleaners and my doctors office where I live we have an indoor pool, jacuzi ,sauna ,2 gyms a tennis court,a party room and if we have overnight guests there are 2 guest suites we can rent if they are open if not 2 hotels within walking distance so I don't drive I only need a car to go to the movies(we hope they will build one on the empty lot near by) or to the dentist (couldn't find one I liked in walking distance) but the price of gas still affects all of us in the prices we pay for everything I don't dwell on it but it still is a concern we all need to be aware of

 

[momto2girls]

It is true that the high price of gasoline alone will not make the majority of Americans go hungry or do without, but when you add it to the high cost of everything else we have to pay for, it is starting to hurt. Of course, we can charge gas, groceries, clothes, and just about everything else. We will just leave our credit card bills to our children in our wills instead of an inheritance.

Don't people in Europe have socialized medicine and more options for mass transit? If so, then they are not spending a lot of money on doctors and they don't have to drive a car to get to work, etc. I also believe that they get part of their college education paid for.

Sure, but they pay super-high taxes for it. No thank you. We already pay a ton in taxes. I'm not interested in signing up for any more.