No, monopolization and deregulation have got on the fast track since '94, so it isn't just Bush, and it isn't just the Republicans.

$1.99.9/gallon this morning in Raytown, MO

I hate you. Its $2.68/gallon in Cortez, CO.

$2.68 is a bargain to European ears......

here in dear old Blighty, the price has just *fallen* to around 87p/litre...

(4.8 litres per gallon = £4.18 /gall = $7.9)

Not quite as bad as that I'm afraid JayMcGee.

You've quoted UK Gallons. The US Gallon is quite considerably smaller at just 3.8 litres.

Still a valid point, worth raising a second time.

$2.13 on Wed in NJ

Down to $1.93 this morning here - (Oklahoma)

The faster it goes down, the higher it'll bounce on the rebound. :eek:

That's my fear. Appears to have stabilized at $1.97 here.

The lowest in my city is 1.98...sounds like a good deal compared to the past year, but not compared to when i started driving. Holy crap.

> $67 to fill up the car last night. oof. And self serve regular, too. At the cheapest place in town. I think it was about $3.33/gal maybe more, I didn't want to stare.

Yesterday morning, I spent $34 to pretty much fill up my tank (12 gal and change at $2.899). By yesterday afternoon, many stations were creeping up to $3. I won't have to fill up again until Thursday, but I see a $37 or $38 fillup. The most I've ever spent was last summer--$39 and change.

Oh man, that reminds me.

I will have to start paying for gas again in less than two weeks!

:sniff: :sniff: :sniff:

$3.099 a couple weeks ago. I don't buy gas very often.

$2.73 in South Jersey, pumped by the attendant.

How much gas do you use?
 

A lot of people around the country are complaining about the price of gas, but many of them are driving around in vehicles that get less than 20 miles per gallon. As someone else pointed out, sales of trucks and SUVs are still a significant part of all vehicle sales.

I'm curious how much gas the average person here uses. My wife and I, between us, use about 700 gallons of gas per year (to go about 24,000 miles). If the price of gas were to go up by another $2/gallon, this will add about $1400/year to our transportation costs. That sounds like a lot until you consider the total cost of vehicle ownership. At $0.50/mile (~current price), this $2/gallon increment will add about 12% to our transportation costs. Most of us could save $1400/year just by cutting back on tequila and bourbon.

I think it's not the price of gas that upsets people but the uncertainty. The government should add enough tax to gas to raise the price to $5/gallon, then adjust the tax periodically to maintain that price. That would bring stability and predictably to the market. They could use the tax money to provide minimum health care to everyone.

What's an attendant?
Ok, wait, before everyone gangs up on me.... Someone who pumps gas FOR you into your car?
Weird, never seen one in the midwest. Usually only see big name companies like Amco, BP and Speedway. Or at least I think they are big name companies. Self served.

In New Jersey, self serve is illegal. And the gas is still cheaper than in Pennsylvania.

Illegal? Why?

Paid $2.80 today.

My 2001 Ford Taurus got around 20 miles per gallon if I was lucky. It really should get more and I don't know why since I am not a dumbass when I drive.

It was originally made illegal due to safety concerns...Oregon has a similar law. There has been talking of rescinding the NJ ban, but nothing that I've seen or heard recently.

As I recall it had to do with a few issues, strength of the Unions who owned the gas stations, and some bogus issue about the seal made around the nozzel when put into the tank, that it had to be done by some trained monkey to pump the gas. All BS Politics as you can guess....

Recent gas expenses, and how much I make per mile:

January: $201 ($1.83)
February: $235 ($2.10)
March: $260 ($1.87)
April: $242 ($1.80)
May (4/29-today): $34 ($1.79)

Note how well I did in February...gas prices at the time were around $2-2.20.

I think I've done everything I can to maximize my profit and minimize costs, except for running stop signs. :D

The guy's name was Jerry Ferrara. During 1970 gas shortages, he fought to require attendants to pump gas for safety reasons. And yes, gasoline pumped by an attendant is always cheaper in NJ.

Of course the Tappet Bros (Car Talk) provided a good example why some should not pump gas. As the lady opened her gas cap, her jewelry may have static sparked to the car causing a massive flame to flash out in air above her. New tires not using carbon black may create a static electric problem for cars. Maybe don't wear jewelry when pumping gas? Or go to Jersey.

Unions? Unions owned gas stations? Talk about BS.

Having seen some of the morons who pump gas in Jersey, the general public is often far better qualified to manage the job.

Not cheaper than Austin, TX self-pump...

I drive 350 miles/week roundtrip to work in a 2000 Taurus SEL V6 DOHC. ~300 miles is highway, average speed 75mph. (speed limit is 70) I keep track of my gas milage as an indicator of car 'health', and average 24mpg. Obviously less in the winter (~22) when I have to let it idle to warm up, but in the summer A/C does not seem to affect the average.

350mpw X 50wks = 17500 miles /24 mpg = 729 gallons of gas
X 2.50 (guess at average over the last year) $1823.

My yearly raises barely have covered the increased cost of gas for me over the last 6 years. This year I got a larger than normal raise, and it appears that gas is going to go up even more than it has in the past. *sigh*

Yes, there are vanpools and such, but my schedule is such that I don't work 8-4:30 exactly everyday, and as the primary caregiving parent, I need to be able to leave my job at any moment. I would in a heartbeat join one if it were practical. I'd get a lot more leisure reading or napping done that way :) There is talk of a commuter train to connect Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, which might offer me the flexability I would need, and if it did, I would likely begin to take that. Of course, it 's likely at least a decade before that becomes a reality.

Oh, and my husband drives about the same milage, but he drives a Silverado 4x4 that averages 14 mpg no matter what we do. His estimated fuel costs then are $3125. (at average $2.50)

Grand total for the Rat Family = $4948:whofart:

LR - I have a 1998 Ford Ranger 4x4 that gets about 18 mpg. A few years ago, when I was driving 100 miles per day, I bought a Honda Insight. I've managed to average 66.7 miles per gallon (lower in winter, higher in summer, and much higher on long trips) over the last 4 years. But I still need the truck sometimes in winter or to help friends move.

Unfortunately, Honda doesn't make the Insight anymore, but I've been told that the Toyota Prius is a very good car. I wish the American automakers made some fuel-efficient cars.

P.S. I'm actually working more hours but making less money than I was 9 years ago, and driving more, so I definitely appreciate the increased fuel efficiency.

Jiggling his massive NeckMeats as he laughs all the way to the bank.

HLJ, in post #76 you said you and you wife use 700 gallons of gas to go 24000 miles/year. That's 34 mpg average. If you in your Insight are getting an average of 66mpg, and your Ranger is getting 18 mpg (but is very rarely used) what does your wife drive?

If you drive 1/2 of the time in your insight, 12,000 miles @66 mpg = 181 gallons of gas. 700-181=519. 2000 miles in the ranger = 111 gallons. 519-111= 408. 408 gallons of gas to drive 10000 miles would mean your third car gets 24.5mpg. What is it?

Why of course that is such a huge issue in the other 49 states...:rolleyes:

Yea, pretty much BS. But it was a state law as I recall, I haven't been there in years, therefore it is political.

LR, it's more complicated than that. I don't want to bore you with the details, but here is the break down:
Subaru 9,000 miles/yr @ 26 mpg = 346 gal/yr
Insight 9,000 miles/yr @ 67 mpg = 134 gal/yr
Ranger 2,000 miles/yr @ 18 mpg = 111 gal/yr
MR2 2,000 miles/yr @ 30 mpg = 67 gal/yr
Motorcycle 2,000 miles/yr @ 60 mpg = 33 gal/yr
Total ~700 gal/yr

All figures are approximate.

Notice that the Ranger uses almost as much gas as the Insight for much fewer miles. I try to drive that as little as possible. We also drive the Subaru too much, but the weather here is very unpredictable (we had 2-and-a-half feet of wet snow last Tuesday). Neither the Insight nor the MR2 (nor motorcycles) do well in snow.

The combined average fuel economy, based on the listed annual milage, is 34.7 mpg. My goal for the next 12 months is to get total fuel use down to 600 gallons for both of us, by driving less miles in the low-mileage vehicles and by driving less overall.

Complicated and thorough is better than vague and sketchy :D

Thanks for the clarification.

edited to add:
Oh, and I did notice the ranger almost = the insight, as it made me check my math before I posted...

My brother forwarded me this e-mail:

Sounds nice, but of course, it's an urban legend.

May 15th catch a ride with someone to work, offer someone a ride to work, try the bus, walk to the library whatever. That will do a lot more...

Me, it's my 8th anniversary so we'll be saving enenrgy by dining by candlelight and sharing a shower...

If all the women in the US and Canada switched to rechargeable batteries in their vibrators, how many square acres of landfill could be spared?

Edited to remove 'single' from the last sentance since Bruce is probably right...

BTW, how do you do the cool strikethru text?

Probably less acreage than if the married women switched to rechargables.

LR - your post makes a lot more sense than the "Don't buy gas on..." message, which seems to go around every time prices rise (sycamore, thanks for exposing that). There is definitely some bad logic there.

I think that whatever fossil energy you save by dining by candlelight will be exceeded by the human energy expended.

Lab, by typing the following all together: < strike > word </strike>

UT, it doesn't seem to be working though. I've tried to do it in SeaMonkey and IE to no effect.

Or used a plug-in. Or even just had sex with ME.:o

Cellar dropped html support because it was dangerous, supporting many known hacks.

AH. Merci beaucoup...

(Shawnee runs away, scared by the thought of something that plugs into an electrical outlet being plugged into...well, YOU KNOW.)

:blush:

LINK NSFW.
 

:eek: :D

Speaking of electrical type currents and sensitive bits......


Has anyone had anything to do with Electrosex (link NSFW!!!!)???

9/22/06
5/1/07
5/3/07

$2.83 today. That's a nickel-a-day increase. SUCKS!

The QuikTrip by my house is at $2.929...that's actually down, I think. I made good money on little distance ($119 on 50 miles) last night, so I shouldn't have to fill up until tomorrow now. Depends on how busy we are tonight.

Filled up yesterday morning at $2.83, (other grades are 2.93, 3.03)then on the way home that and all other stations were $2.95 (3.05, 3.15).

10 days ago or so the prices were in the 2.60s.

Taken a half-hour ago...motherfuck:

No camera :(

reg 3.45
unl 3.56
pre 3.66

Where is that bus pass??

Back down to $2.79 today. Better than nothing I guess.

This site from AAA lists current (US) gas prices: national, state and local. fuelgaugereport.com

Prices listed include current, yesterday, month ago and year ago, for 3 grades of gasoline, plus diesel. Click on State by State Average to see a list of all states. Click on a state name and see details for that state. From there you can select View Metro Areas for more details. It also lists highest recorded prices and includes charts. You can spend hours at that site that you would otherwise waste in the Cellar.:rolleyes:

Does anyone want to bet on the gas price on Memorial Day (for those outside of the US, this is a local holiday - celebrated on the last Monday in May - no one knows what it's for, except that it's the unofficial opening of the grilling season)? I'm guessing $3.149/US gallon national average for regular gasoline. Currently it's $3.009/gal.

Based on this I guess I should fill up my boat Friday. At 2.79 a gallon and a 135 gal tank I should save money before next week.

I paid $3.149 a gallon tonight...haven't broken the $40 fill-up mark yet, but I suspect I will within the next week.

$3.17 in 2007 money is abuot $0.65 in 1972 money - which was the prices of a gallon of gas in 1972. So gasoline prices have only gone back up to early 1970s prices when gasoline was still cheap. No wonder SUV sales are not hurt. Anyone hurt by a gallon of gas at this price needs to review their excessive life style.

If you're lucky enough to walk to work every day, like I do, it helps. And you also might want to think about how far the stuff you buy has to travel.

:whofart:
You've read about the obscene profits made in the petro industry, right?
It's their excessive practices that should be reviewed, not whether the consumer might have an excessive lifestyle.

I drive for a living...I wish my lifestyle was excessive.

Oh yeah, my lifestyle is out of control. I go to work. I go home. There is no public transportation to speak of in these parts. Oh, and I visit my mom and dad in a neighboring town every Sunday. I'm livin' on the edge! ;) The gas prices hurt, and we should all be sick of bending over and taking it while the fat cats get fatter.