Gasoline Prices

[Danoff]

So gas prices have spiked in the US over the last couple of years. Those of you across the pond have gotten to listen to us moan about paying more than we used to.

Currently we're spending about $3/gal in the US for regular octane. (That's about 79c/liter). That's about twice what many people had been used to paying up until about a year and a half ago. So people are not very happy about the increase.

President Bush and other members of the government have let the price of gasoline in the US fluctuate as the market has dictated. And the market (as it is) has placed the price of gasoline where it is now.

My question is, should the US government try to do something about the price of gasoline? Should president Bush and others be trying to lower the price somehow? Or should we simply accept it and move on?

I've already been hearing murmers from the press about how Bush's approval ratings aren't going to go up unless he does something about the price of gas. This makes very little sense to me, but I want to get a feel for whether others think that it's our government's job to provide us with cheap gasoline.

 

[Solid Fro]

OPEC sets the price, not President Bush. I don't see any American president being able to do anything about it and anyone who says other wise doesn't understand what they are talking about. Drilling and refining oil locally would help for the short term, but the only long term solution would be abandoning oil (and OPEC with it) all together.

 

[sicbeing]

I remember when we were moaning at 1.90 a gallon, I'd kill for that price now =(

 

[code_kev]

Cry me a river, us brits pay twice as much.

I'd like to see US petrol prices kept high, why? So mehbeh they can get cars that arn't total petrol munchers, why do you guys even need anything over 2ltr for the average car? It's bloody stupid.

"boo hoo we pay 43 pence a litre, and now it actually costs us money to fuel our 8 ltr humvee"

You know, out fuel tax is actually MORE then then total price of your fuel?

Paying 93 pence to £1 here per ltr. Yes, it sucks.

 

[Swift]

Cry me a river, us brits pay twice as much.

I'd like to see US petrol prices kept high, why? So mehbeh they can get cars that arn't total petrol munchers, why do you guys even need anything over 2ltr for the average car? It's bloody stupid.

Paying 93 pence to £1 here per ltr.

Yeah, uh you really don't understand at all. But the USA has so many more cars on the road then the UK it's not even funny. We're the biggest user of petroleum in the world. So our prices are somewhat lower then yours. Don't forget, a lot of your price per gallon is taxes.

 

[Der Alta]

I'm very interested to know how the prices of gas in Europe have changed in the last two years. I was paying $1.35 two years ago, now I'm paying more than twice that.

Is Europe paying twice what they were 2 years ago? Have the prices of Gas in other areas of the world doubled in the past 2 years?

If it hasn't the our government needs to step in.

I have plenty more to say on this subject, but it's bedtime, and 4:00am comes early.

 

[code_kev]

I'm fully aware of the taxs, notice my ninja edit before your post swift.

It's just damn unfair, I need my car to get to work, and it's only a 1.3, but the fuel utterly hammers me. If our roads and services were the best ever, I could mehbeh understand the ***** slapping we get from the tax man, but they simply arn't.

I hope that this price hike opens some americans eyes to the fact that maybe buying that 6ltr suv may not be the smartest move...I'm not saying all americans are like that.

 

[kyle]

How about we just don't go out for a weekend like we did several years ago? We all survived that, and the price went down.

 

[Solid Fro]

Bill O'Reilly says don't buy gas on Sundays.

 

[Swift]

I'm fully aware of the taxs, notice my ninja edit before your post swift.

It's just damn unfair, I need my car to get to work, and it's only a 1.3, but the fuel utterly hammers me. If our roads and services were the best ever, I could mehbeh understand the ***** slapping we get from the tax man, but they simply arn't.

I hope that this price hike opens some americans eyes to the fact that maybe buying that 6ltr suv may not be the smartest move...I'm not saying all americans are like that.

Sounds like that's more of a government issue then a problem with the actual gasoline itself. If you're paying over 100% in taxes, it's pretty obvious that is the cause of your suffereing at the pumps. It's not cool, but not the same situation as what happened here 2 weeks ago.

 

[ledhed]

Its time we got off the oil tit anyway . The US needs to develope an alternate ...it will give us one more thing to lead the world in and let the OPEC guys learn to drink crude or sell it to China .

 

[Der Alta]

Bill O'Reilly says don't buy gas on Sundays.

If this is tongue in cheek, I can understand. If he's serious, it's an idiotic remark.

I'm lucky in many aspects on how often I buy gas. My wife drives all of 500 feet to work. It's shorter to walk than it is to drive. I'll pick my fights and this ain't one. So, she drives to work. A little Neon SXT so it's pretty good on gas.

I have a company truck and a Company gas card. The luck on this, is that it is a 6 cylinder standard. Yes, someone in America does own a standard. For a full size Chevy Silverado it gets 21 mpg and I don't have to pay for it. With a 32+ gallon tank, I can go about 2 weeks before I have to fill it up. The last time I filled up, it was $100.79. Two weeks.

I can't recall the last time I put gas in any of my vehicles on a Sunday.

I'm really interested to hear if Europes gas prices double in the past two years.

AO

 

[JacktheHat]

Petrol prices have gone up everywhere because OPEC have increased the cost of oil, the whole world's affected - not just America.

The reason for this, apparently, is the increase in world demand (particularily China).

 

[sicbeing]

It isn't so much we're mad about what we're paying for gas, it's the percentage increase we've been rammed with over the past few years... I mean we were paying 1.30 or less a few years ago, and now it's more than double that...

I'm tired of SUV's on the road, sure. Maybe people will regret buying them, but at the time it was a great thing for housewives who wanted:

1) A place where her kids could play and not be cramped
2) DVD/TV in the backseats with headphones so the mom doesn't hear them whine and complain the whole trip
3) Lots of space for even family trips or moving
4) Feeling like you're indestructable on the road

But now people can't get rid of them, and dealerships are now trying to say "oh they aren't that bad on gas.... *cough*only 90 dollars a week*cough*.

I also hope they get off our roads, they're too big and people who drive them are normally assholes/jerks/etc, more snobby in my opinion then someone with a Porche or BMW.

 

[Joey D]

Ok for all the Europeans who think we b!tch I have this to say. Two years ago I was paying 1.25 a gallon for gas...well I personally was paying 1.39 or something because I was using premium, but anyways, gas has gone up over three dollars a gallon. Which is a 200% increase in cost. Now I don't care what it is or who you are, a 200% increase will make anyone complain about something.

It isn't President Bush's fault, but then again there are some people who blame everything on that man. While he is no God and he is wrong, he certianly is no the anti-Christ and he certianly didn't F up our country. Get over it.

Now should the government do somethng about prices? Yes State government should lift the taxes somewhat depending on the need for it. If gas spikes at 3.50 a gallon, cut some of the tax and we will be good. In Michigan we pay something like 30 cent a gallon in taxes and where does that money go? To the road, which suck more then any roads I've ever been on in my entire life (and I've been to 48 states and 4 European countries, not to mention all over Canada and Mexico) So what I want to know is where that money is going *cough* governor Granholms pocket *end coungh*.

Now the US does need to develope alternative fuels, I agree with that, but that stuff takes time you know. Give it 5 years and you will see hydrogen stations or something to that affect all over the US.

Now that gas is stablizing at 2.50 a gallon I don't mind it so much, I can fill up my Blazer for like 38 bucks.

 

[Joey D]

I'm tired of SUV's on the road, sure. Maybe people will regret buying them, but at the time it was a great thing for housewives who wanted:

Guess I'm a housewife.

1) A place where her kids could play and not be cramped

I've never had kids in my SUV ever, the whole time I've owned it there has never been anyone under the age of 15 in my truck. And they were cramped in the 101 inches of truck I drive.

2) DVD/TV in the backseats with headphones so the mom doesn't hear them whine and complain the whole trip

Most SUV's don't come with DVD players, and soon none will since they are starting to become illegal in states.

3) Lots of space for even family trips or moving

I have sooooo much space with my 2+2 seating and once again a 101 inches of truck. I'm smaller then a freak Camry.

4) Feeling like you're indestructable on the road

Damn straight, I've been in a serious accident with my truck. Not my fault mind you but the Oldsmobile Alero who hit me was totalled and the driver was taken away by ambulance...I drove my beaten truck home.

 

[sicbeing]

So what's your reason Blazin for buying an SUV then? Because you like it? No reason for buying for Utility?

And you know well that I'm not calling every SUV owner a soccer mom or a housewife. So, stop. Thanks.

 

[Joey D]

Why did I buy an SUV? Because an S-10 was a stupid buy. I wanted a small truck so I could put some stuff in as well as pull my dirt bikes, jet skis, and my boat. The S-10 fits 3 people at the most and your stuff sits in the bed of the truck and gets wet. With the Blazer I can fit 4 people in my truck, plus stuff in the cargo are, plus pull a trailer.

What I hate on the road is people who buy big sedans, I can't see around them, but I can out handle them so its all good.

 

[amp88]

Ok for all the Europeans who think we b!tch I have this to say. Two years ago I was paying 1.25 a gallon for gas...well I personally was paying 1.39 or something because I was using premium, but anyways, gas has gone up over three dollars a gallon. Which is a 200% increase in cost. Now I don't care what it is or who you are, a 200% increase will make anyone complain about something.

Read the following paragraph slowly:

In the UK we pay about $6 US per gallon. Even though the price of petrol in the US doubled it was still only about half what we pay. The price increasing temporarily in the US is NOT a justifiable reason to say Europeans ***** about petrol prices. We have a permanent price rise over the US. That is a reason for us to *****.

 

[Joey D]

Jesus Christ I never said you guys can't complain...but you know what I will still complain about the prices.

 

[amp88]

Jesus Christ I never said you guys can't complain...but you know what I will still complain about the prices.

As you obviously have every right to. Just spare a thought when you're complaining for the rest of the people who've been paying well over the odds for a long period of time.

 

[Arwin]

I think the U.S. should make sure the prices go UP further: raise more taxes on them, so you can reduce pollution, traffic accidents, oil dependency, and the national deficit.

 

[Joey D]

I think the U.S. should make sure the prices go UP further: raise more taxes on them, so you can reduce pollution, traffic accidents, oil dependency, and the national deficit.

And guess what would happen to our economy...it would go belly up.

 

[sicbeing]

We complain because of the sudden increase. It's hard to fit your life to something that drastic of a change, especially if you made a long term descision 2+ years ago (like say, buy a gas guzzler) then you have no choice but to sell it or deal with it, and you can' even sell those things now because no one wants them, or at least you can't sell them for a good price. (My dad bought an SUV for 40+k maybe 2 years ago, and now can't get 20k for it).

 

[JacktheHat]

We complain because of the sudden increase. It's hard to fit your life to something that drastic of a change, especially if you made a long term descision 2+ years ago (like say, buy a gas guzzler) then you have no choice but to sell it or deal with it, and you can' even sell those things now because no one wants them, or at least you can't sell them for a good price. (My dad bought an SUV for 40+k maybe 2 years ago, and now can't get 20k for it).

You can't ask your government to subsidise stupidity or short-sightedness.

 

[///M-Spec]

This primer is from last year, but still contains useful information.

http://rpc.senate.gov/_files/Apr2704GasolinePG.pdf

Most important is the breakdown of the price of a gallon of gas in the US.

46% - Price of crude oil
26% - Federal and State tax
19% - Cost of refinement
9% - Marketing and distribution

If the federal and state governments really want to DO something about prices, they can cut taxes. If they cut all taxes, $3.00 becomes ~$2.38. They can also relax regulation for 'boutique' blends, which will also cut costs of refinement and distribution.

However, directly subsidies of gas is a bad, bad idea. I'm a much bigger fan of corporate tax cut incentives for alternative fuels ---they already exist, but I'm in favor of larger incentives.

Quite honestly, I feel very little sympathy for anyone complaining of fuel prices... either in the US OR EU. Gas is a commodity like anything else and there should be no law that says you're guranteed stable and low prices.


M

 

[Jay]

This primer is from last year, but still contains useful information.

http://rpc.senate.gov/_files/Apr2704GasolinePG.pdf

Most important is the breakdown of the price of a gallon of gas in the US.

46% - Price of crude oil
26% - Federal and State tax
19% - Cost of refinement
9% - Marketing and distribution

If the federal and state governments really want to DO something about prices, they can cut taxes. If they cut all taxes, $3.00 becomes ~$2.38. They can also relax regulation for 'boutique' blends, which will also cut costs of refinement and distribution.


M

Wow your lucky we pay almost 50% tax on our fuel, probably why our fuel is more a fair bit more expensive, recently it was suggested to lower fuel tax but it was said for every cent lower tax (per litre) it would cost the government 300 million dollars so there is no way tax is going down.

Ok for all the Europeans who think we b!tch I have this to say. Two years ago I was paying 1.25 a gallon for gas...well I personally was paying 1.39 or something because I was using premium, but anyways, gas has gone up over three dollars a gallon. Which is a 200% increase in cost. Now I don't care what it is or who you are, a 200% increase will make anyone complain about something.

About two years ago I was paying roughly 75-80 cents per litre now its $1.40 per litre, I understand your pain because I have the same pain, except I, Australia, NZ, europe and others still have to pay more than the US. I really wish I was paying $3.00 per gallon or even $4.

 

[sicbeing]

I'm not saying that we should feel bad or sympathize for those who made the descision 2 or 3 years ago to get into a contract to pay for a SUV for 5-6 years because now they are stuck with it, but I'm sure if they new gas was going to almost triple in price during the period they bought something like that, they never would have done it.

I agree that there should be no garantee to have low gas prices, but it's very delicate because E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G revolves around gas. If it gets too out of control, our civiliaztion will go to hell.

 

[Famine]

Petrol prices have gone up everywhere because OPEC have increased the cost of oil, the whole world's affected - not just America.

The reason for this, apparently, is the increase in world demand (particularily China).

Malaysia seems unaffected... Aaaand, see my following response.

I'm really interested to hear if Europes gas prices double in the past two years.

Interestingly, in September 2003, Brent Crude was at about $32 per barrel. In September 2005 it's at roughly $63 a barrel - nearly a doubling of oil prices leading to a doubling in pump prices...

This time two years ago, we were paying 79.9p/litre. Today we're at roughly 91.9p/litre so we haven't seen a doubling, though our pump prices are nearly exactly twice yours. For probably inferior petrol, thanks to our very stupid and easily-manipulated RON rating.

 

[ExigeEvan]

http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/fuel/

A good history of British petrol prices.

In September 2004 you could purchse regular unleaded for 80.1p/litre at the supermarkets.

Untill only 6am this morning were were expected to pay 93p per litre. It's now dropped down to 89p.

This is at the supermarkets though, hardly premium fuel.