Gouging

[Backpacker]

I don't think 20 cents is gouging. Back in 2001, on 9/11 our local gas station nearly doubled the gas price. They later refunded the difference to anyone that came in and complained.

[Nemo2]

We gas up at the rez...no tax.

[ERD50]

I'm curious if the OP has any response to the comments so far.

In case some of them got too long, I'll try a concise version:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idnar7 I think it was Saturday night when the news broke outbought the Saudi oilfield drone hit. The next morning our local gas station had raised prices $.20. Is that ridiculous?

No.

Your opinions?

-ERD50

[ncbill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backpacker I don't think 20 cents is gouging. Back in 2001, on 9/11 our local gas station nearly doubled the gas price. They later refunded the difference to anyone that came in and complained.

Here I noticed that morning one Texaco station had raised its price to nearly $6/gallon.

But by that evening Texaco corporate was stripping their signage & pumping out the tanks.

An independent later bought that station.

[RenoJay]

I tend to believe that competition prevents gouging.

[OldShooter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncbill ... But by that evening Texaco corporate was stripping their signage & pumping out the tanks. ...

Dead cert that was an independently owned station. This is damage control by a smart Texaco regional manager.

[SpinDr]

Happy that I live in a primarily free market economy where there is competition for the cost of goods and services! Happy that I live near a Costco for lower gas prices! Unhappy I have a state Govt, CA, that is happy to tax gas high enough to be $1.00 to 1.50 per gallon higher than neighboring states[emoji35]

[razztazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RenoJay I tend to believe that competition prevents gouging.

In business collusion is one way of competing. The only thing they cannot tolerate is the customer knowing what's being done to them

[LOL!]

Didn't notice since I still have half a tank in the car. I just checked to see when I last bought gas: August 5th, so I should be able to make it to November since I will be flying out of town in a few weeks for the rest of October.

[GenXguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by USGrant1962 If you google "inflation adjusted gasoline prices" you will see that the current ~$2.60/gal is just about the average over the last 30 or 40 years - accounting for inflation. So not really high or low right now.

I keep my my gas receipts going back at least 13 years. I paid as low as $1.70/gal in the last couple years where I live, but the gas tax was doubled this year, and prices have continued to climb. I get decent gas mileage, but I'm cutting back even more on driving to compensate for the big climb in prices.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenXguy I keep my my gas receipts going back at least 13 years.

It's nice to have a hobby.

[rk911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenXguy I keep my my gas receipts going back at least 13 years. I paid as low as $1.70/gal in the last couple years where I live, but the gas tax was doubled this year, and prices have continued to climb. I get decent gas mileage, but I'm cutting back even more on driving to compensate for the big climb in prices.

the principal station we use is $2.79 today. my log shows it was $2.65 a year ago, roughly a 5% increase. and our gas tax in illinois has also doubled.

[copyright1997reloaded]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldShooter It is really surprising to me the number of posters in this thread who do not understand basic microeconomics. For example, "supply and demand" refers to people who sell an item (supply) and people who buy it (demand). It has nothing to do with the supplier's cost for the item.

Surprising? Not to me after looking at not only this thread but many posts on many threads. In the "real world", it is even worse - never ending talk about how unfair things are and how they need to be changed (in a way that ignores basic economic principles). While not perfect, in the distant past many were taught basic economics and a bit of how markets work, e.g. "supply and demand". It appears that is no longer the case, and we are even seeing more and more of it even here on ER.

I better stop now else I wander into forbidden discussions.

signed, BS Economics & Phi Beta Kappa member.

[Montecfo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by copyright1997reloaded Surprising? Not to me after looking at not only this thread but many posts on many threads. In the "real world", it is even worse - never ending talk about how unfair things are and how they need to be changed (in a way that ignores basic economic principles). While not perfect, in the distant past many were taught basic economics and a bit of how markets work, e.g. "supply and demand". It appears that is no longer the case, and we are even seeing more and more of it even here on ER. I better stop now else I wander into forbidden discussions. signed, BS Economics & Phi Beta Kappa member.

How about people including elected officials with degrees in economics who seem to have no understanding of it? And I think we are all aware of such folks. Otherwise, you would have to be ignoring the news, perhaps blissfully. See if you can decipher my point.

[Dtail]

No matter the situation, our local Shell always has the lowest prices in our area except Costco among the stations with the "cleaner detergent" gasoline.

[Idnar7]

Thanks for all the responses. It just amazes me how you can almost guess when prices will rise based on global issues. The news said the other night that MN get 99% of its gas from Canada and No Dakota. I understand oil/gas is a global market so Saudi attack will everyone. I agree that gas here is a bargain, but I think the local stations overreact when they can. If one raises prices they all match. Just whistling in the wind

[davebarnes]

Buy a BEV.

[Red Badger]

I just go to the gas station in our local shopping center. We don't drive 15K miles/year, so I don't care about the price of gas (within reason). My "money time" is best spent elsewhere.

I don't think convenience stores have realized significant profits on gasoline for decades. However, its a rare day when I go inside on of these. Those buck-seventy-five pints of water and $8 six packs of ol' Bladder Buster are enough to convince me to get water and beer down the road. I also believe the real money in retail gas was back in the day (God, I'm old) when the gas station vacuumed your car and cleaned the windows with any fill-up. Let's not overlook a decent guy gapping points and plugs, while doing the 3K mile oil change.

Locally, gas has been hovering around $2.60. Last week, while in LA, I had the pleasure of paying a buck (+) more. WRT to gasoline, I'm much more leery of govy theft than merchant shenanigans.

But if you wanna start a real dust up, let's commiserate about Blue Rhino selling 17 pounds of propane in every 20 gallon tank.

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Badger But if you wanna start a real dust up, let's commiserate about Blue Rhino selling 17 pounds of propane in every 20 gallon tank.

I thought for safety reasons they're only allowed to fill propane tanks to 80% capacity. So 16 pounds in a 20 pound tank? Our local Costco calls it a 20 pound tank "fill" instead of selling it as 20 pounds. I assume the "fill" is 16 pounds...I'll have to weigh it before and after next time.

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Music Lover I thought for safety reasons they're only allowed to fill propane tanks to 80% capacity.

On the Baja, in our Pleasure Way, the propane stations were outside of town, (due to 'accidents' we were told)........before we could halt them we had our tank overfilled by two kids who appeared to be 12 years old, and had to release some propane into the wind.