What's Up with Gas Prices?

[HFWR]

$2.749 at Racetrac

[sgeeeee]

DW and I just got back from dancing at a little bar about 20 miles from home. We passed gas prices that varried from $3.109 to $2.719 per gallon. Within a couple of days they will all be at dramatically different prices and the lowest cost stations this evening may be the highest.

[Billy]

I think the Media have a responsibility in this situation as well. As we can see, the prices go up and down, depending on many things including the 'summer driving season' -- and the media seems to like to get everyone all worked up with catastrophic phrasing.

Why not speak in terms of whether the prices are outpacing inflation, or whether it is 'normal' for the summer driving season to see these increases, etc.? Why is it always such a fear-full encapsulation?

Ratings?

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

[JB]

CNN news recently said the highest gas prices in the country are in Chicago.
On Maui we're paying $3.61 for regular.

[dumpster56]

The price of crude is back near 70, equate with 2.75 a gallon.

They are still charging a bit much, but then again I ran past a bojangles here in NC today and there were 16 yes 16 cars in the drive up window lane, it went around the darn building and 30 mins after I looped around there were still 12 on line and the guys that were in the back of the line were still in line!!!

How efin dumb is it to idle for over 30 mins to get a darn biscuit!?

Stupid american drivers!

[audreyh1]

I guess I live in a different world.

Diesel prices jumped 20 cents between when I checked them a week ago and what I actually paid these past few days. Prices in WA, OR, ID, UT really, really high - $3.39 to $3.62 per gallon.

Only now that we are in Central NM and heading south do prices look like they are just under $3. This was around what I paid on the way up to the NW.

Audrey

[Billy]

Quote:

How efin dumb is it to idle for over 30 mins to get a darn biscuit!? Stupid american drivers!

Scenes like these are the exact ones that make me wonder about people's choices in life*

Idling for 30 minutes to get a biscuit seems so 'out there' to me.. just out of control, or out of proportion. Priorities not in order or something.

I realize working people are busy, but what's wrong with packing some fruit, trail mix, or some toast from home? That cost of breakfast out, plus the idling in the car, times 5 working days, times 52 weeks....

"I just don't know where we could cut our expenses..." people whine...

I don't get it!

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

[SecondCor521]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgeeeee DW and I just got back from dancing at a little bar about 20 miles from home. We passed gas prices that varried from $3.109 to $2.719 per gallon. Within a couple of days they will all be at dramatically different prices and the lowest cost stations this evening may be the highest.

I find this interesting. I have lived in the same area of town for about four years, and during that four years there are two stations that have consistently been the lowest. Costco and the Fred Meyer by my house. Nowadays I almost never "shop" prices because of this relative competitive stability. Every time I do check they are the lowest.

2Cor521

[sgeeeee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondCor521 I find this interesting.* I have lived in the same area of town for about four years, and during that four years there are two stations that have consistently been the lowest.* Costco and the Fred Meyer by my house.* Nowadays I almost never "shop" prices because of this relative competitive stability.* Every time I do check they are the lowest. 2Cor521

I think Costco's tend to be close to the bottom in Arizona too. There just aren't any close to me. Arco is also consistently one of the lowest advertised prices. But Arco won't let me use my credit card to get an addtional 5% discount. When I factor that in, they are not competitive. The prices at the other stations are all over the map and I watch stations go from among the highest to among the lowest prices in a matter of days. I don't understand it.

[Gonzo]

Well... gas prices seem to be heading up again... a raise of 2 cents today to $2.97.

Probably need to start getting the prices higher for the Holiday weekend in September!

Gonzo

[MasterBlaster]

In California there is a proposition on the ballet this fall to extract $2 Billion from the oil companies. The money will be used to pay for government-approved environmental projects.

Now there's a hidden tax increase if I ever saw one.

Some of us know who will end up paying that tax.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

How efin dumb is it to idle for over 30 mins to get a darn biscuit!?

Why do people leave there cars running when sitting in line or chatting with someone? *A week ago we saw a park ranger leave his truck idling for 15 minutes while talking.

Is it the effort to turn the key off then on again?

The hybrids turn off the gas engine when you're stopped, couldn't something like that be added to a normal car? *I thought about that in a 4 mile backup to the Tacoma Narrows bridge last week -- a few thousand cars idling 10 hours a day in that constant traffic jam.

Diesel truck drivers leave their rigs idling a lot -- does the warm-up penalty matter that much?

[dumpster56]

Watch out gang tropical deppression has formed in the carribian. I give the 24/7 news channels about 48 hours until the PANIC BUTTON is hit. Now by the way my meteological friends say this baby will become a major hurricane in the gulf of mexico as early as next week. where it goes south texas northern mexico, the HoUSTON Area? we don't know yet but there is land all around where this thing goes and we all know what happened last year. The starting line for gasoline is near 3 bucks agallon today, IF and it is a BIG IF this thing heads toward and damages oil infrastructure again you WILL see 4 dollar gasoline and shortages.

[MJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Why do people leave there cars running when sitting in line or chatting with someone? A week ago we saw a park ranger leave his truck idling for 15 minutes while talking. Is it the effort to turn the key off then on again?

On my trip down to Tucson, there was a fair amount of contruction which sometimes brought traffic to a halt. When that happened, I turned off my engine and lights.
This is why I love this forum, many of us think a like when it comes to LBYM.

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Diesel truck drivers leave their rigs idling a lot -- does the warm-up penalty matter that much?

No.* Diesel truck drivers leave their rigs idling because they need the power for airconditioning or other things.* Now there are truckstops that connect airconditioning and power to bring into the truck cab so the trucker can turn off the engine for a while.

I don't let our diesel engine idle more than 5 mins - Cummins warns against it. But of course we have a huge battery bank to power our TV and microwave, etc. Truckers don't have this. And if we need A/C, we run the generator when stopped.

Audrey

[VoyT]

We just got back from a 12-day driving trip ... gas was around 2.96 when we left, but dropped pretty steadily through our trip. Lowest I saw was $2.56 in southern Ohio. It's $2.64 here in my neighborhood at the moment...

[dumpster56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VoyT We just got back from a 12-day driving trip ... gas was around 2.96 when we left, but dropped pretty steadily through our trip. Lowest I saw was $2.56 in southern Ohio. It's $2.64 here in my neighborhood at the moment...

Next week watch out, ernesto will drive the prices through 3.25 a gallon possibly 3.75 if she runs through the oil area in the gulf of mexico.

I am amazed at how little oil we produce BUT when a hurricaine damages some pipes in the gulf $hit happems!

[VoyT]

And add the Labor Day bump in price to that .. and I'll be sure to fill the tank early this week...

[dumpster56]

Nah I was wrong the storm is not heading toward the gulf oil patch prices will continue to drop.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

newguy,

You seem disappointed.

I am the guy who should be disappointed. I work in the oil business (OK, tar business).

Sticky boots Ed