Gas prices??? What are we to do??

[gmcclurelssu]

I just wanted to add a few things i didn't see addressed. First, everyone needs to realize that ethanol DOES NOT give increased fuel economy compared to gas. it is a smaller molecule with less high energy bonds to break during combustion, resulting in less energy for the same amount of fuel. to get the same amount of power off of ethanol, you typically loose about 5mpg.
now, ethanol could be good for getting us off of our dependence on oil. fortunately for us, corn isn't out of the game quite yet, as there are newer methods that convert all of the corn biomass (stalk, leaves, ect...) to fuel, yielding up to 10 units ethanol per 1 unit petrol put in to the production process (for comparison, current ethanol production here is 1.3 to 1, sugar cane is 6 to 1)

also, i havn't seen hydrogen cars brought into the discussion. i know they aren't ready for production yet, but by the time the gas stations are ready, the cars will be. i'm really looking forward to GM releasing their fuel cell cars

[Gloryhound]

Trying to get a job that comes with a company car and company gas card! Also a significant raise and less time spent away from home!

My personal solution to high gas prices!

[daniel1983]

Gas prices are putting a little hurting on me. I spend over $100 a week on gas to get to work. I spent around $60 when I got my job, so that is $40/month that has to be taken out of somewhere else in the budget.

We made the choice to live 35 miles from my job when we were shopping for houses. My house was around $150,000 cheaper 35 miles away from the city I work in. We made a CHOICE to live further away. So far the rise in gas prices from when I began my job costs us an additional $2500 a year. I figured that until gas prices reach around $6.50 a gallon, I will not reach a 'break even' point between the differences in housing costs vs. fuel costs.

I also made the CHOICE to drive a full size truck. I spend over an hour everyday on one of the deadliest roadways in the southeastern US. The thought of riding on this road in a small car scares the hell out of me. I fell 'safer' in a truck...so I pay for my own self assurance.

However, we have looked into a few things to help out with costs like trading in the truck. I bought it new, so considering the loss I would take on the truck if I were to trade in in for something a bit more fuel efficient......gas prices are not high enough yet to make that big of a difference. The increased payment per month is still greater than the increase in gas costs.

Oh well what can you do. We are gas dependant....so we just have to deal with it.

[kneepoles]

Maybe I'm crazy, but isn't the "oh well, what can you do" attitude what got us here in the first place? I mean standing by and just LETTING things happen typically leads to rather unfavorable results. I understand that they (the powers that be) appear to have us stuck between a rock and hard place, but what everyone doesn't seem to realize is that there is power in numbers. Significant numbers have significant power. I'm not saying to quit buying gas for a day, or a week or whatever. It's been hashed out too many times and it simply will not work. I mean, if everyone decided gas was too expensive, and they just quit driving altogether, then they couldn't work. If their employers had no workers, they couldn't operate,and would be forced to close. In short, the power to bring the entire economy to it's knees lies not in the hands of the few, but in all of our hands. The masses of people hold more power than they realize, or care to even consider evidently. I'll not go in depth here. But please, think about it on a grand scale, no cars or trucks driving, no workers working, no cash flowing, no government governing. I'm not advocating anarchy....I'm trying to open peoples eyes to possibilities.

Let the flaming commence!

[daniel1983]

You could even be advocating anarchy......but organization would still be required to achieve anarchy

People are no where near organized enough to have a stronger influence on our politicians than the oil corperations.

My wife and I are oil and gas dependant. We have no other options. We are in the 'oh well' crowd. Getting away from gas is expensive....and with the price of gas we can't really afford to explore other options. However, it prices continue to increase we will hit a point where it is economically beneficial to us to make a 'switch' to another fuel/method/etc.

Oil and gas energy is still one of the most cost effective forms of powering ANYTHING.

The best solution to the entire issue is to develop a cheaper form of power than oil and gas. But with a new system, how long will it take for that to get twisted the same way as oil and gas?

[kneepoles]

I can see your point about it being a personal economic issue. I have struggled with this issue in my own life. I also can see how what I said could be misconstrued as advocating anarchy. That's not the case at all. I just wanted people to think outside of a unified currency situation for a moment, and imagine a situation where people traded goods/services that they have as personal assets for someone else's personal assets that they need/want. For instance, I might be really good at electrical work (i'm really not) and I might need some food or something, SO I'll do some electrical work for you for some of your veggies that you're so good at growing. no currency involved in the transaction, just personal assets. But that gets off topic too far.
I just really wondered how the economy would react to a massive failure of the work force because they can't afford to work...which eventually led me to that thought. sorry for veering so far off topic.

[daniel1983]

It is an interesting idea. Back to the old days I like it.

Even more offtopic but on a similar thought process.....I alway thought it would be neat if all modern weapons disappeared and people had to fight with swords again. I think that would pretty much put an end to most conflicts with today's mindset against violence.

no currency involved in the transaction, just personal assets.

The reality is that personal assets aren't excepted by the bank for my mortgage though......at least not the personal assets that I am willing to give up

[elevatethis]

If you want gas prices to go down, its pretty simple - use less.

You can say things like, "oh, gas prices have been high in Europe for years", but what you don't realize is that 1) the govt taxes the crap out of it which accounts for a lot of the price, and 2) Europe is a much smaller place than the U.S. and thus lends itself to having a much more efficient public transit system.

The answer over there is that $8/gallon gas isn't a big deal because they have other alternatives.

Outside of the major cities, public transportation in the US is non-existant and the distances that most of america must travel every day to shop, work, vacation, etc makes using or creating public transit systems very expensive and inefficient. I would actually support an INCREASED tax on gasoline if it meant that those funds would go towards developing efficient public transportation like the rest of the developing world has. So far, Americans have been unwilling to support such projects. Will $6/gallon gas change your mind?

[gmcclurelssu]

hell, here in michigan i'd be willing to pay more if the state would just put that money into the roads. but being that the state is broke, any money they get is going elsewhere.

[PythonWallace]

I donated my Bonneville to charity and now share a Honda CR-V with my girl. I don't think it's the actual price of gas that makes people so mad, as much as it is the oil companies making increasingly growing record profits, the government's refusal to use our own oil resourses and or reserves, etc., while the rising cost for Americans is causing a ripple effect of problems.
June 2nd, 2008 starts the gas strike. Nobody is going to work or use a car for anything for as long as it takes for prices to drop to under $1.50. You heard it hear first, because I just made that up. I imagine that the lack of fuel purchases as well as a complete nation-wide shut down on all levels would get people moving towards a solution. If everyone said, "we've had enough. Starting June 2nd none of us get out of bed if the pumps say anything over $1.50.", the government would make sure prices stayed under $1.50 after seeing the effect of a few days of a completely shut down econemy. While it would never happen, it's a way better idea than that stupid notion that skipping a day at the pump, while not reducing actual use, will do anything.