OT: A different perspective with regards to gas prices

[Alan Smithee]

Where I live right now, gas is about $2.50 a gallon, tops.
How much does a 16 oz. bottle of Aquafina water cost? Something like .85-90 (cents)?

Compare a gallon of this filtered water (that's probably came from a neighboring state) to a gallon of gas (from oil shipped from overseas)that has been refined.

Good thing cars don't run on filtered water.

[Menard]

I don't need that filtered water, but I do need gasoline. Besides, you can get a gallon of bottled water, which has been filtered by reverse osmosis, for about a buck.

[Susan]

Two words: peak oil

[Ash]

My dad's always using this argument in conversations and I totally agree with him & you, gas is cheap compared to other liquid products.

I recently watched Modern Marvels on the History Channel and it was all about oil refineries.
One of the first things they said was how much of a bargain gas is considering all the expensive procedures crude oil has to go through to eventually become gasoline.

When it hits $5 plus in less than a year then I'll start worrying.
(hypothetically speaking)



Post Edited (06-24-05 20:57)

[Scottie]

Oh it will. And we'll pay without a major complaint until it hits $4.00. Europe already pays twice what we pay now and they've adapted quite nicely. Now they just scoot around on motor scooters saying "ciao."

[Menard]

The average American travels more distance for work than the average European. When comparing apples to apples on European gas prices versus American gas prices, we still pay about the same, if not more. It is supply and demand; we use more, so we pay less per unit, but we use more units.

[Neville]

Whenever I hear of americans conplaining of gas prices, I have to try hard to imagine the situation. In my country, gas now is about 1$ per liter, and I think other countries charge even more for it, like Italy. The reason is not fuel procesing costs, but taxes. Fuel is one of the main incomes of indirect taxes for the state, together with cigarrettes and alcohol. I guess fuel in the US is not that heavily taxed.

On the idea that you pay more in the long run because of biger distances, I disagree, because fuel consume is not directly linked to distances, but to engine and gearbox use. Therefore, if you take people driving the same ammount of hours in roads and cites, you'll notice that those driving inside cities, despite driving through less distance, have consumed much more fuel.

My suggestion? If you think you're paying too much for fuel, use european or japanese cars instead. It still amazes me how many americans drive those cars with enormous engines. In my country it is rare to see any car with an engine bigger than 2.500cc, and if you see it, either is a BMW/Mercedes/Porche, which means the owner can afford the fuel, or it is a diesel. Anything above that would be considered a waste of money and fuel in my country.

[AndyC]

Not really a different perspective. It's the same counter-argument that always comes up when people complain about gas prices.

It's usually milk though. Bottled water isn't the greatest comparison, since I can always use inexpensive tapwater that generally tastes better than most brands of the bottled stuff anyway. In a pinch, I can get it from a stream or catch it when it falls from the sky. It's not a matter of buying Evian or going thirsty.

Of course, milk isn't the greatest example either, since about two litres of that will last a week at our house. I don't need to buy it by the tankfull. Alternately, I can drink the tapwater. And I can get to work without a carton of milk. Really, I don't need it at all.

Neither of these is in any way comparable to gasoline. They're all liquids, but that's about it. It's kind of like pointing to gold when somebody complains about the price of steel.

Anyway, thanks for the revelation.



Post Edited (06-25-05 10:25)

[odinn7]

We had this argument on this board months ago and it's going to turn into the same thing here.

And as far as SUVs and all those big cars...I completely agree that this is an excess for those people but because they drive things like that, it's not my fault. I drive a Geo Metro that gets almost 40 mpg but I still spend a fortune in gas every month because of how far I need to go to get to work. I hate driving the toaster oven on wheels but I have little choice.



Post Edited (06-25-05 08:10)

[ulthar]

Neville wrote:

>  I
> guess fuel in the US is not that heavily taxed.
>

Oh, but it is.  The fuel here is very heavily taxed.  And, there are like over 60 different formulations (different states, different times of the year, etc) that helps drive up the price.

If we all burned the same gas and there was tax relief of the product, here in the US we'd be paying about $.80 per gallon (USD).

[raj]

Not as heavily taxed as in Europe.  There a gallon might be $4-6 a gallon, with $3-4 dollars of that in taxes.  That's how they pay for their "free" health care.
Still, requirements for different formulations at different times of year and in different locations does help boost the price by a fair piece.

Of course demand has gone up tremendously in China and India.  That's probably reason #1 why gas prices have spiked lately.

[Neville]

raj wrote: "Of course demand has gone up tremendously in China and India. That's probably reason #1 why gas prices have spiked lately."

Not to mention the US invasion of Irak and the subsequent unrest in the whole Middle East area...

[Ash]

Neville wrote:


> My suggestion? If you think you're paying too much for fuel,
> use european or japanese cars instead.

Sales of Toyota and Honda vehicles here in America are at the top right now I believe.
Sales of those big GM and Ford vehicles have plummeted.  People are selling them off now to buy imports because they get better gas mileage.



Post Edited (06-26-05 20:43)

[Lee]

Just be glad you don't live in Jamaica. A friend of mine went there on his honeymoon about three years ago. Gas was $24.95 a gallon! Also take into account that minimum wage is like $20 a week. Do we really have it that bad?

[Neville]

Lee wrote: "Just be glad you don't live in Jamaica. A friend of mine went there on his honeymoon about three years ago. Gas was $24.95 a gallon!"

I won't complain of gas cost anymore

I won't complain of gas cost anymore

I won't complain of gas cost anymore

I won't complain of gas cost anymore

I won't complain of gas cost anymore...