Gas $4 this summer

[Moemg]

Where I have noticed the increase is airline tickets . We have a few trips planned and trying to find reasonable airfare is almost impossible . I did snag a round trip flight from Sarasota to New York City for $250 from Jet Blue .

 

[Nords]

I disagree.
How often should the tire pressure be checked? - Tire Gauge China Factory, Rising
Most of the time, I add 2-3 psi to one or two tires tops. I had one tire fixed a few months ago which was actually leaking air (10 psi in 2 days).
You should check your tires more often.

I do-- every time the low-pressure light comes on!

I think if your tire pressure is lower every time you check it, and you're checking it that often, then you have leakage issues. Even if it's just leaking around the tire gauge.

And, no, I don't check my oil level any more either. I haven't had an oil light or a temperature issue in well over a decade.

From what I've read thus far, the only negative which I see on the Prius C is it's small gas tank size (only 9 gallons). Of course at 50mpg, that's still 450 miles before a fill up.

I went over to Priuschat.com as Nords suggested (thx Nords), there's plenty on the Prius C there. One article which seems to indicate that the 53mpg estimate is conservative and the actual mpg is closer to 60.

Yeah, I don't think you'll be unhappy about the size of the fuel tank.

Unless the surfing is good, I fill our 10-gallon tank about once every 6-8 weeks.

 

[BUM]

The biggest gas guzzlers around here are outboard motors. Many get less than 1mpg. High gas prices have almost wiped out recreational boating. The little put-puts and the mega-yachts are still out there, but the average sized boat is gone or stuck at the dock.

 

[Walt34]

Been fascinated lately by the electric scooters now available. No idea how reliable they are nor what the maintenance costs would be. Still, for roughly $.01 to $0.02 per mile of electricity, it would seem like a good neighborhood "cruiser". If I put a couple of baskets on one, I could do 80% of my shopping. The trick is not to get run over by an SUV or bus. The driver of the other vehicle would probably never know he hit anyone and only assume he had hit a chuck hole.

There is much development going on with electric motorcycles although not with the same intensity as with cars. One about to go on market gets ~25-40 miles between charges, top end ~70mph. In the right environment that is a viable short-commute vehicle.

Before I bought the bike I did a lot of reading on the safety aspects. Most of it is mental, in paying attention to what is going on around you. Close to half of fatal motorcycle accidents involve alcohol on the part of the rider. Even at 17 I had better sense than that. One author is working on a book interviewing riders who have gone 300k+ miles without a scratch with the objective of answering "What are these people doing different?"

One study known as the Hurt Report (author's name is Hurt) noted that the accident rate peaks between 18-36 months of ownership, indicating that overconfidence is an issue.

Obviously motorcycles are not for everyone. But they sure are fun!

 

[Midpack]

The biggest gas guzzlers around here are outboard motors. Many get less than 1mpg. High gas prices have almost wiped out recreational boating. The little put-puts and the mega-yachts are still out there, but the average sized boat is gone or stuck at the dock.

From my 35+ years boating, most boats rarely if ever leave the dock, not a new phenomena though it's indeed gotten worse. Most seem to be used as floating hotel rooms owned by aspiring Parrotheads. High gas prices and high boat prices (raw materials tied to crude oil) have almost wiped out recreational boating.

 

[audreyh1]

The biggest gas guzzlers around here are outboard motors. Many get less than 1mpg. High gas prices have almost wiped out recreational boating. The little put-puts and the mega-yachts are still out there, but the average sized boat is gone or stuck at the dock.

There is always sailing!

We used the teeny outboard motor for maybe 1 min to get out of the dock. And 90+% of the time I was able to sail back in to the dock without it. We hated that smelly little outboard motor!

Audrey

 

[Midpack]

I went over to Priuschat.com as Nords suggested (thx Nords), there's plenty on the Prius C there. One article which seems to indicate that the 53mpg estimate is conservative and the actual mpg is closer to 60.

Makes sense, I was just going by the official numbers I've read, which were surprising to me...

Prius c 2012 EPA-estimated 53/46/50 city/highway/combined mileage. Actual mileage will vary.
Prius 2012 EPA 51/48/50 city/highway/combined mpg estimates. Actual mileage will vary.

 

[REWahoo]

There is always sailing!

We used the teeny outboard motor for maybe 1 min to get out of the dock. And 90+% of the time I was able to sail back in to the dock without it. We hated that smelly little outboard motor!

Around here you no longer need an outboard motor, but 4 wheel drive comes in very handy...

 

[explanade]

I heard on the radio a few days ago that gasoline speculators are stockpiling waiting for the Iran situation to explode (pun intended). I don't recall hearing about gasoline stockpiling. Seems like it's always been oil.

I guess they have to start dumping some of it onto the market when they run out of storage if we keep staying under historic demand.

Yeah they're not exploring this angle, the effects of speculation making the oil prices more volatile.

Notice that gas prices go upward quickly but don't drop as fast when oil prices drop?

I remember in 2008, sales of SUVs plummeted as well as car sales in general. Ridership on public transit spiked.

Then oil prices dropped and we reverted to old patterns.

 

[Midpack]

Around here you no longer need an outboard motor, but 4 wheel drive comes in very handy...

Incredible and sad. My Dad kept a sailboat at Canyon Lake in the mid-70's and moved it to Lake Travis when Canyon Lake levels dropped - 40 years ago! He dropped out of boating in the late 70's. I think I've read they've both been horribly low over the years, though I hear Texas has gotten a lot of rain lately.

 

[REWahoo]

I think I've read they've both been horribly low over the years, though I hear Texas has gotten a lot of rain lately.

Rainfall so far this year has been much better than last but we have a long way to go to get back to normal. The last I heard the pictured lake was up only a few inches from the record low. A quick check shows it 52 feet low and only 21% "full".

 

[TromboneAl]

...a visit from these guys:

Yes, or a visit by these guys:

 

[winger]

There is more to energy than gasoline and diesel fuel for on-road use.

A few years ago, I read that 99% of U.S. home are functionally obsolete, from an energy perspective. We are not building many new houses, so it probably hasn't improved much. States/cities are broke, and energy efficiency costs big money. And, it's always easier to do nothing.

 

[Nords]

The biggest gas guzzlers around here are outboard motors. Many get less than 1mpg. High gas prices have almost wiped out recreational boating. The little put-puts and the mega-yachts are still out there, but the average sized boat is gone or stuck at the dock.

Hey, BUM, I like your "Ticket to Hell" avatar... especially the concept that it has a number on it. You'd think that the seating would be unlimited!

 

[explanade]

There is more to energy than gasoline and diesel fuel for on-road use.

A few years ago, I read that 99% of U.S. home are functionally obsolete, from an energy perspective. We are not building many new houses, so it probably hasn't improved much. States/cities are broke, and energy efficiency costs big money. And, it's always easier to do nothing.

That is where we can make good gains. Our electricity infrastructure is designed to provide the capacity to run all those air conditioners in the summer, that is at peak demand. In the winter, we would have a lot of spare capacity

But if they could make homes and air conditioners as well as other electric and electronic products more energy-efficient, maybe you can cut the peak demand level, or at least prevent it from growing.


That's probably a better way to "energy independence" or reducing imports of fuel. But some would see that as reducing our lifestyle rather than being more efficient.

It was pointed out that we could save more energy than would be produced by ANWR. But the notion of conservation and being smarter about energy consumption harkens back to Carter suggesting people wear sweaters. Some see that as a sacrifice or compromise of American exceptionalism -- we should not have to change our lifestyle (though how is running more energy-efficient appliances that much of a compromise?).

 

[Independent]

The price of gasoline includes a lot more than the pump price. Think of some of the oil rich parts of the world. The price is often paid in blood, not just dollars, euros, yen, etc. It is in our own best interest to use oil products prudently, find domestic resources, and, ultimately, develop alternatives to oil. My 2 cents.

Yes.

 

[audreyh1]

Around here you no longer need an outboard motor, but 4 wheel drive comes in very handy...

Oh right! I was sent some pictures of Lake Travis a few months ago. I really wondered whether my marina still had docks in the water. Glad I didn't have to deal with the sailboat or marina last year!

 

[clifp]

I saw the title and thought cool this means that gas prices are going to fall this summer.
I can't remember the last time I paid less that $4/gallon and this despite buying gas at Costco, typically the cheapest place on the islands.

 

[TromboneAl]

The nightly news once again is recycling their old pain at the pump type reports. These are always the same. Usually have sound bites from about four people pumping gas: "yesterday I filled up my tank for $10 and today it was $87!"

And they always say "the most expensive gas in the nation costs xx per gallon" and the amount is less than what we pay.

 

[REWahoo]

And they always say "the most expensive gas in the nation costs xx per gallon" and the amount is less than what we pay.

I never knew California was a red state...

Gas Price Heat Map

 

[NW-Bound]

Cool! I will be driving through many green states this summer. That is until I cross the border into Canada, which is off the map, figuratively and literally.

I saw the title and thought cool this means that gas prices are going to fall this summer.
I can't remember the last time I paid less that $4/gallon and this despite buying gas at Costco, typically the cheapest place on the islands.

Umm... I thought you wouldn't care. Hawaiians don't do RV!

 

[Nords]

I never knew California was a red state...

Sure, according to the media who mapped the "48 States of America"...

Umm... I thought you wouldn't care. Hawaiians don't do RV!

The islands' biggest RV users are the Mainland movie & TV stars "roughing it" on location for a few months. We also have a guy on Oahu driving a military-surplus Pinzgauer 6x6 because it stores an entire stand-up paddleboard inside the passenger compartment.

 

[easysurfer]

I do already have lots of driving scheduled in May and June.

To make up for the expected price increase, I plan on driving very little until then.

 

[Neongreen]

I just filled up my tank at the equiv. of $6.75 USD per gallon(feels so strange using Imperial). The base price of gas here is similar to the rest of the world, however the govt levies fuel taxes, emissions taxes, and a goods & service tax on it.

I live in New Zealand, a country the size of Japan but with about a 25th of the population. We manage just fine. I'm sure America wouldn't be affected that much either. Sure, people would squawk, but they'll do that anywhere regardless of the price.

 

[REWahoo]

I live in New Zealand, a country the size of Japan but with about a 25th of the population. We manage just fine. I'm sure America wouldn't be affected that much either. Sure, people would squawk, but they'll do that anywhere regardless of the price.

If the geography we have to traverse were as compact as New Zealand (the size of Colorado) I would agree. Since that isn't the case I'm afraid we will be affected significantly - but you are right: there will be plenty of squawking!