Gas prices ^^^

[veloman]

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

In the $3.80s/gal here in Austin TX. I see my old state of CT is in the $4s..... Back to new highs you think?

The only time I drive my car is to get something large or far away. Just last night I took the roadie (no electric) 12 miles away to pick up a bike frame and wheel, which I strapped to my backpack.


Higher energy prices are the only way we as a society will become more efficient and less wasteful. Let's see what happens.

 

[neptronix]

I think we're headed for $4.00-$4.50/gallon average. So, basically we are headed for exactly where we left off before this recession hit.

In response, Chrysler is putting a 6.4L Hemi in their 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee.. LOL.. maybe they'll get a second bailout
http://www.leftlanenews.com/jeep-grand-cherokee-srt8.html

Higher energy prices are the only way we as a society will become more efficient and less wasteful. Let's see what happens.

Exactly. And the shitty part is that there is a $1 per gallon difference between people gobbling up gas guzzlers at dealerships and thinking about downsizing. What? really?

We'll be laughing our way past the pumps this summer but what concerns me is the effect of high energy costs on the economy. But we need to learn for once!!! you can't waste energy like crazy when it's cheap and not have a conservation plan for when it's expensive. I've heard of lawn care services increasing their costs when gas goes up.... ok, but why'd you buy a fleet of 2 stroke leaf blowers that waste gas, for example? Why did you ever need a V8 F-150 to haul around 200lbs of equipment in the first place?

I too hope we are squeezed into efficiency.. because we won't do it voluntarily, unfortunately!

 

[veloman]

My new lawn "business" consists of a 30lb Scott's reel mower, and 36v Black & Decker trimmer, both purchased second hand for a total of $50. Oh, and I use my Honda Civic to transport. (Maybe my ebike if I get a small trailer).


How's that for efficiency?


I do not like being anywhere near landscapers. The noise and air pollution (ground too, from spilling fuel) is aweful. They are so damn energy inefficient and pollute horribly. Yes, you can't use a push reel mower for large lawns all day, but no one forced you into that business either.

 

[kriskros]

gas in Toronto...$1.37 per LITRE :x :x :x

 

[neptronix]

Dude, veloman, you rock. You should market yourself to rich liberals as the greenest lawn business ever. Maybe say you run your mower on ethanol or something, haha..

I do not like being anywhere near landscapers. The noise and air pollution (ground too, from spilling fuel) is aweful. They are so damn energy inefficient and pollute horribly. Yes, you can't use a push reel mower for large lawns all day, but no one forced you into that business either.

We have the leaf blower crew come out here to my apartments almost every day. I have observed them chasing single leafs with those things... then the leafs getting blown back onto the ground... then they come and blow the same few dozen leafs over... i cannot believe it. That's kinda why i brought that up. Oh yeah.. and 2 strokes waste gas by their design so it is using a hell of a lot more energy than just raking the leafs.. lol

 

[Spacey]

In Uk it's £1.45 a litre for Diesel, petrol is £1.37 a litre

$10.50 a gallon ouch but then the Golf Diesel does 62mpg

 

[StudEbiker]

Good thing we got those greedy oil men out of the White House! The last time this happened, it was all the media could talk about and of course (say it with me), it was Bush's fault. Now that uh-bummmer is in charge well Shazaam, it seems like high gas prices are the last thing anyone in the media wants to talk about. Actually, it's somewhere between the unemployment numbers and da prez's poll #'s. The mainstream media is the biggest bunch ass munchin' brown nosers for Obama I could ever imagine. It literally makes me sick.

 

[bigmoose]

This constant volatility in oil price makes any planning difficult. Any price at or above $5/gal is going to tank the recovery if it stays there over a month... What business is going to take on any risk, either financially or technically in this environment? You are trying to "save your business" for times that you understand... those times may never come back...

 

[geetarboy]

We are probably going to see alot of new members as gas prices keep going up and also more products catered to e-bikes, to look on the bright side... 8) I have been without a car for 1 year now and though it can be challenging at times, i am enjoying it.

 

[neptronix]

We are probably going to see alot of new members as gas prices keep going up and also more products catered to e-bikes, to look on the bright side... 8) I have been without a car for 1 year now and though it can be challenging at times, i am enjoying it.

I totally agree with you.. and GOOD riding weather is coming. This is why i am pushing for FAQs and, lazily and slowly, writing some myself..

Prepare for the newb flood

 

[wineboyrider]

This constant volatility in oil price makes any planning difficult. Any price at or above $5/gal is going to tank the recovery if it stays there over a month... What business is going to take on any risk, either financially or technically in this environment? You are trying to "save your business" for times that you understand... those times may never come back...

Yes, absolutely. But, did you ever think that it is a currency problem in that our dollar is weaker and therefore oil is more expensive (hint: it's called inflation). 8) 8) 8) 8)

 

[StudEbiker]

Don't worry, I think Obama just signed a decree outlawing inflation. Really, I just heard it on CBS.

 

[bigmoose]

Yes, absolutely. But, did you ever think that it is a currency problem in that our dollar is weaker and therefore oil is more expensive (hint: it's called inflation). 8) 8) 8) 8)

Yes, I have had extensive discussions in this area. A friend is an executive in "the system" and we constantly have heated discussions about what is "really" going on... what qualitative easing was all about... why Merrill Lynch was sacrificed but not Goldman...

They had no choice but to float all this liquidity 2 years ago, or we would have all woken up in the morning with the system burnt to the ground in the morning. That said, I think they have gone way overboard. Are they legal? Maybe. Is it prudent, wise and or good for our children? H-ll NO!!!! You or I could not run our family or business the way the Federal Reserve is running the currency and bond markets.

That said, We all know Japan has been on the ropes for 10 years now financially. Little growth, aging population, debt growing, and near 0% inflation. The "carry trade" in currency trading/bonds was perfected by the Japanese housewife over the past decade. No one pays attention to the fact that Japan holds just about as many green backs as does China. Which country do you think needs cash now to stabilize and rebuild their country? If Japan starts dumping the $890 billion in US currency, even my kids can predict the outcome, and it is not pretty.

The world is in deep, deep trouble these days. Financial, political, economic, morals, attitude... you name it, it is not looking good.

BTW I think oil is the new gold/silver and precious metals just follow the oil. It's all about energy moving forward.

Got to go take a happy pill...

 

[wineboyrider]

Yes, I have had extensive discussions in this area. A friend is an executive in "the system" and we constantly have heated discussions about what is "really" going on... what qualitative easing was all about... why Merrill Lynch was sacrificed but not Goldman...

They had no choice but to float all this liquidity 2 years ago, or we would have all woken up in the morning with the system burnt to the ground in the morning.

It's quantitative easing aka printing press not qualitative easing. And this is pure Keynesian bullshit. If the banks would have failed the healthier banks would have stepped in to buy them. That's how free markets work. You need to study and learn Austrian economics and not the statist economic Keynesian "gurus" that got us into this mess. The ones that created the problem are the same ones that say they know how to get us out.
As a side note:
Goldman Sachs was one of the largest contributors to Obama's campaign.
Now I am going to have a glass of happiness aka Shiraz.

 

[bigmoose]

Agree in principle. The consensus thought two years ago was that NO bank was big enough to weather the storm and the immediate electronic "run on the banks" that was already underway that fateful week. Truth is, none of us mere mortals will ever know the truth this side of eternity... If they wanted to cook the books, they sure did a great job.

I have told friends to "watch the old money." If they figure out a way to retain that wealth without treasuries and corporate bonds, the rest of us are totally skrewwed.

 

[MikeFairbanks]

My lawnmower, weed whacker, and leaf blower are all electric. No gas fumes, no flamability concerns (since my daughter's room is above the garage).

I have an electric bike and an electric golf cart.

I rode the E-bike to work Monday and Tuesday, but drove my car today (had to dress up and had an early-morning conference---hate riding in the dark), but if the weather holds out I'll be riding again tomorrow and Friday.

It takes me the exact same amount of time to make my commute by e-bike (four miles) as it does by car (six miles--I have to go around a few neighborhoods in the car that can be bypassed on the bike).

 

[liveforphysics]

It was around $4.55/gal here in Santa Cruz CA. It was over a dollar per gallon less in Arizona.

I want to see gasoline go to $10/gal artificially through taxing. Diesel for commercial use (shipping etc) could be exempt from the tax.

What happens to the money collected by this tax? It's burned/destroyed. Why? Because it helps pay back everyone's savings and wages etc that this administration stole when they printed un-backed currency.

 

[jonescg]

Petrol here is about $1.45 per litre I think. Diesel is more - about $1.60... Again, I don't really notice since I am forever riding my bicycle to work and back. The Blackbird gets 20 litres of fuel once a month or something, and I use premium too.

Mind you with the weak US dollar, lots of countries will be less inclined to buy our dirt, so more stuff could inflate. But do you think there is any incentive to stop?

Meh, I grow food and ride bikes. I'll do alright for a while

 

[neptronix]

It was around $4.55/gal here in Santa Cruz CA. It was over a dollar per gallon less in Arizona.

I want to see gasoline go to $10/gal artificially through taxing. Diesel for commercial use (shipping etc) could be exempt from the tax.

What happens to the money collected by this tax? It's burned/destroyed. Why? Because it helps pay back everyone's savings and wages etc that this administration stole when they printed un-backed currency.

I'd like to see our gas artificially taxed and the money would go towards renewable energy / future energy sources / battery tech / etc.. you know... invest in our future.. something we don't seem to be doing much of ( or perhaps they've just given up at this point )

Gas is 3.90/gal for regular here in Oregon.

 

[dogman dan]

How about a gas tax of about a buck, and a card that you zip though the pump to keep track of it. The card keeps track of the dollars collected and you can spend those dollars like a debit card on "green stuff" .

By the end of the summer, you get a free ebike, or a thou off a nissan leaf, some house insulation, or whatever.

 

[wineboyrider]

Yes, absolutely. But, did you ever think that it is a currency problem in that our dollar is weaker and therefore oil is more expensive (hint: it's called inflation). 8) 8) 8) 8)

Yes, I have had extensive discussions in this area. A friend is an executive in "the system" and we constantly have heated discussions about what is "really" going on... what qualitative easing was all about... why Merrill Lynch was sacrificed but not Goldman...

They had no choice but to float all this liquidity 2 years ago, or we would have all woken up in the morning with the system burnt to the ground in the morning. That said, I think they have gone way overboard. Are they legal? Maybe. Is it prudent, wise and or good for our children? H-ll NO!!!! You or I could not run our family or business the way the Federal Reserve is running the currency and bond markets.

That said, We all know Japan has been on the ropes for 10 years now financially. Little growth, aging population, debt growing, and near 0% inflation. The "carry trade" in currency trading/bonds was perfected by the Japanese housewife over the past decade. No one pays attention to the fact that Japan holds just about as many green backs as does China. Which country do you think needs cash now to stabilize and rebuild their country? If Japan starts dumping the $890 billion in US currency, even my kids can predict the outcome, and it is not pretty.

The world is in deep, deep trouble these days. Financial, political, economic, morals, attitude... you name it, it is not looking good.

BTW I think oil is the new gold/silver and precious metals just follow the oil. It's all about energy moving forward.

Got to go take a happy pill...

Real goods not printed money are what real wealth is. A bottle of wine is still only a bottle of wine it doesn't matter if it costs $1 or $1 million dollars it still only brings you the pleasure of a bottle of wine. The same goes for a gallon of gas food, etc.
The idea that any business is to big too fail is why we are already screwed! It's too late it's a slippery slope that once sliding (a sign that we have abandoned free market principles). Next is the states, CA, NY, DC etc. etc. all are going to go to Uncle Ben Bernanke aka helicopter Ben to fire up the printing press. That's the US's punishment for living outside of the confines of the constitution and behaving like an Empire and not the republic for which it was designed. God help us all unless we figure out how to end the "money" cartel we are screwed....

 

[wineboyrider]

It was around $4.55/gal here in Santa Cruz CA. It was over a dollar per gallon less in Arizona.

I want to see gasoline go to $10/gal artificially through taxing. Diesel for commercial use (shipping etc) could be exempt from the tax.

What happens to the money collected by this tax? It's burned/destroyed. Why? Because it helps pay back everyone's savings and wages etc that this administration stole when they printed un-backed currency.

I agree with most of this, but we are doing exactly the opposite. Diesel which is more efficiently refined than gasoline is taxed at a higher rate. It's really painful to poor people, because we have to pay higher food prices, because they are trucked in. I think we should tax the gasoline and pay off the national debt, end the Federal Reserve and Opec at the same time. If we can get rid of these "cartels" we would all be better off.
Natural gas hasn't even begun to be used, yet and we have tons of that stuff in the ground still.

 

[bigmoose]

Short little article that just came out on CNBC that describes what I am sensing.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/42704213
Bottom line is that when energy costs go above about 6% of personal consumption expenditures you get a recession. The higher it goes, the deeper the recession.

 

[wineboyrider]

@BIgmoose: When the food costs started eating the budget of the average citizens in the middle east is when all the political unrest started. Hunger is a strong motivator. When poor people in the US can no longer afford to eat or shelter themselves in a decent manner we are in for one too.
And with the lack of some morals that I see in the inner cities I think people will flock back to the rural area farms for survival just like the Great Depression.
Nero played fiddle while Rome burned.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[John in CR]

What really sucks is that it's just a manipulation in the price, and not driven by supply and demand. The demons profiting from that manipulation need to be exorcised from this planet. You'll probably find that most are the same ones who profited from the bailout and the last manipulative spike in oil prices.