Gas prices, a perspective

[spyderchick]

I've been getting spam and hearing people b1tch about gas prices lately. The news says that we'll be paying over $2 p/gal by summer. Here's a link to the overseas prices for gas. Remember these are PER LITRE, not gallon. (There are 3.785 litres in a gallon.)
http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/fuel/motfue001.html

I don't like high gas prices any more than the next guy, but we could have it worse.

Ok, discuss. ::) ;)

[Super Dave]

Yeah, but that's for all those socialized countries where they pay for every kind of thing...except for their defense, which we do.

Should be some website somewhere that shows how much those same governments hit up people for income taxes too.  They get whacked there....maybe that's why European's don't shower...maybe they tax that too?

[tzracer]

Road & Track had an article about fuel prices a couple of years ago. The actual cost of fuel is about the same for most of the countries listed. The actual cost to the consumer difference is due to taxes.

 I recall paying $1.25 per gallon for regular in 1979. Last time people were paying $2 per gallon, I saw calculations that in today's dollars, gasoline is cheaper today than it was 20 years ago.

[Super Dave]

Yeah, but just a few years ago, gas was below $1.00.  I remember that I was buying gas in Georgia for .69 and the record was $0.59.

Diesel...now that's another story.  

That's way up there too.  That just screws everyone.  All that stuff getting shipped around, and it's related to jet fuel, so that means that those costs are out of control.  

[Nate R]

Also, effeciency of vehicles in Europe is, on average, better, which helps offset any fuel costs.

I don't have a 76 caddy that gets 8mpg, but gas prices hurt me when high. I drive almost 3,000 miles/month, and my escort only gets about 25 MPG at best.

This is exactly why I plan to get a Ninja 250 this year sometime and get 60 MPG. I will ride that 1/2 the year and save $150/mo over the car.

I'm babbling.  :-X

[MZGirl]

Commuting into work by bicycle at least a couple of days a week saves me some cash (16 miles one-way, all mostly on dirt).  Plus, it keeps me in shape for racing.   ;)

[Nate R]

Bicycling is generally kinda fun, but it would be bad if I showed up to work all sweaty and shmelly.  :P

[dwilson]

I guess I'll be braking the Vespa 90 out of storage...

Maybe, just maybe an increase in oil prices will finally get some new technology to replace oil as our "life blood".  Seriously, we've been using piston powered internal combustion engines for 200+ years!  Another perk of newer forms of propulsion would be to get off of middle eastern oil (and out of the middle east...).

[MZGirl]

Bicycling is generally kinda fun, but it would be bad if I showed up to work all sweaty and shmelly.  :P

Ah, but there are ways around that!  Bring your work clothes in on Monday for the days you're going to ride in during the week.  A lot of guys I know shower before leaving home, then freshen up with baby wipes in the restroom after they arrive at work.  Then you've got your clean work clothes, and you can stuff the smelly riding clothes in a gym bag.

I'm lucky, because my work has a locker room with showers.  Once it gets warmer out (and stops raining), I think I'll be able to ride my bike to work the majority of the week.

[251am]

 USA Today had a photo of a station in 'Frisco that read premium is already at $3 a gallon. Anybody from the bay area that could confirm this?
   What burns is looking at the cost of petrol in the futures section of investment area in the newspaper- about $1 a gallon. Per gallon we're paying .70-.90 tax? That's per gallon. We have it good compared to Euro counterparts, can't argue that. Wish I lived closer to Iowa- we save $3-$5 when filling up the diesel pig over there. :o          

[Dawn]

Inflation...  Just like everything else, it be pretty silly to think that gas prices wouldn't change.  

What do I drive, 90 Buick Park Ave with the 3.8  V-6.
Winter mileage:  25 mpg
Summer mileage:  29 mpg

Have I considered riding my bike to work (52 mpg as long as I don't wring the trottle), but with the highways and the number of deer we have around here, I prefer the cage.  The last time I rode my motorcycle at dusk, I swear that deer was aiming for me!

Dawn   :)

[LMsports]

It makes it a little easier to rationalize paying for race gas now!

[cstem]

We in Phoenix are at $2 per for reg unleaded right now!  So if it keeps going I will be bike-commuting too.  Trouble is the 'hood (literally) where I work is no place for a grown man in lycra!  Oh well, I can use the 'hood for my speed training!!

[MZGirl]

 Trouble is the 'hood (literally) where I work is no place for a grown man in lycra!  Oh well, I can use the 'hood for my speed training!!

Haven't you heard of baggies?  If the hood is gnarly, I suggest full downhill race armor.    ;)

[sdiver68]

Yeah, but that's for all those socialized countries where they pay for every kind of thing...except for their defense, which we do.

WE pay for their medicine also  >:(

[Super Dave]

Also, effeciency of vehicles in Europe is, on average, better, which helps offset any fuel costs.

Well, they sell more "econo" boxes there because the Nanny States there charge and extra $5,000 tp $8,000 in taxes at purchase on larger displacement motors...I think on anything more than 2.0L.  Then you've got to pay a premium every year.  

Starting to understand why motorcycles are more popular in Europe?

[Zac]

It's kinda funny as we discuss this, because I just dumped 5 gallons of VP C-12 in my Volvo.  And it was premixed with Silkolene Pro-2T.  

Need to get rid of the old premix somehow.  It's nice to have an old car with no cat that was designed for leaded fuel.  Actually, unleaded causes the valves to recess on that car so fast they'll take up all the clearance in 500 miles.

-z.