Gas price griping articles

[cwerdna]

Post articles you see about gas price griping here.

Here's one http://finance.yahoo.com/news/driving-season-begins-does-griping-165658662.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

As usual (for articles on Yahoo), the quality of many of the comments is poor w/many ignorant comments, along w/the thumbs up/down behavior. It's almost as bad as YouTube comments.

I made a few comments about taking personal responsibility about driving more efficient vehicles or not driving vehicles that use gasoline at all or the insane # of monstrosity class SUVs I see running around in my area. Those tended to get thumbed down... :roll:

Here in CA, you can't get gas anywhere for <$4/gallon, yet I still see long lines at drive thrus, sometimes w/numerous monstrosity class SUVs (aka full-sized ones like Suburbans, Tahoes, Escalades, etc.) in the line. I saw a line 7 deep at a local McDonald's the other day. I guess gas is too cheap for them or they just can't make the connection between sitting there and getting 0 mpg the whole time.

Here are some "gems" amongst the ignorant comments:

Robert Waldrop • Greenville, South Carolina • 15 minutes ago Report Abuse

The new Chevy Volt electric auto sells for $40,000 and after 5 to 6 years the battery system needs to be replaced at a cost of $18,000, now include the cost of higher power bill to re-charge those batteries and you have spent in excess of $60,000 in less than 6 years. So which is cheaper gas or electric.

:lol: :roll:

Robert Waldrop • Greenville, South Carolina • 14 minutes ago Report Abuse

That's total Crap. We currently have a 200 year supply of oil and gas.

 

[KJD]

The only problem with gasoline here in USA is that its way to cheap. We need to raise the price of gasoline so that mass transit and electric vehicles will work.

Compare our price to other countries.
http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2012-05-28/peak-oil-review-may-28" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

4. Retail gasoline prices
Here are ten countries where high gas prices are the norm, according to British insurance firm Staveley Head.
1. Norway - $10.12/gallon
2. Turkey - $9.99/gallon
3. Netherlands - $9.13/gallon
4. Italy - $9.01/gallon
5. Greece - $8.95/gallon
6. Denmark - $8.82/gallon
7. United Kingdom - $8.76/gallon
8. Sweden - $8.70/gallon
9. Eritrea - $8.70/gallon
10. Belgium [¢G1.40/L] - $8.64/gallon

 

[cwerdna]

Try posting that... You'll get a massive # of thumbs downs. :lol:

 

[mkjayakumar]

Summer gas prices - as good as they'll get

http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/25/news/economy/gas-prices/index.htm?source=cnn_bin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[cwerdna]

Here's another comment from the article I posted from someone who didn't seem to have foresight and is complaining...

AeNushenko • 38 minutes ago Report Abuse

I see a lot of the same cars on my daily commute of 57 miles each way to my office. If Amy Myers Jaffe thinks that whe gas goes from 2.79 to 4.29 in a matter of months and it only causes $70 a month damage to our income she should try doing a little simple math. I fill up my 15 gallon tank 3 times a week. that is $72 a week damage and $288 a month. Add my wifes 25 gallon weekly purchase that is an additional $160 monthly damage. So the difference is more like $448 a month. Every other utility and service as well as the grocery bill has increased; no Ms. Jaffe academician there is a heck of lot more effect on our household incomes than a mere $70. Try leaving the Ivory Towered world and explore the real world sometime.

My reply was:

For your commute, you're doing 570 miles each week and yet you claim you're filling your 15 gallon tank 3x/week = 45 gallons = 12.67 mpg. That's your problem for not having the foresight to buy a more efficient vehicle. Gas prices can go up. Who knew?

I bought a new car in 06 and my lifetime average in mixed driving is ~45 mpg, so I could do it in 12.67 gallons. Here in San Jose, CA gas prices are averaging $4.285/gal. 12.67 gallons would cost me $54.29. On my old commute (about 2/3rds highway), if I kept my speed below 70 mph for a whole tank, I can get a bit over 50 mpg on that tank.

People who commute that far in a sub-13 mpg vehicle get no sympathy from me...

 

[coqui]

Speaking of monstrosity class SUV's, what bothers me is the number of NEW ones I see on the road. Americans are STILL buying these things.
With regard to petrol prices, there is quite a variation worldwide. While the EU is high, Qatar's citizens enjoy extremely low prices, way lower than America's petrol prices.

 

[cwerdna]

Speaking of monstrosity class SUV's, what bothers me is the number of NEW ones I see on the road. Americans are STILL buying these things.

Yep. I see a smattering of new ones, some that are definitely current gen and some previous gens that someone just bought used (no plates yet). It blows my mind given that gas is averaging $4.29/gal here per http://www.sanjosegasprices.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

 

[adric22]

Speaking of monstrosity class SUV's, what bothers me is the number of NEW ones I see on the road. Americans are STILL buying these things.

I know. It is hard to fathom. But consider how much these vehicles cost. Ironically it is usually the same crowd that says the Leaf and Volt are too expensive. Yet these giant SUV's often cost $40,000 to $70,000. I guess the saying is true. If they can afford the car, chances are they can also afford the gas. My brother falls into that category. He makes a nice 6-figure salary. He can drive any car he wants. He could have a Tesla roadster if he really wanted it. But he chooses to drive a big 4x4 extended cab Tundra as his commuter car. Yep.. Just him in the vehicle, to work and back every day. Never hauls anything, never pulls a boat. Just commutes. He can afford the gas. Even if gas were $10 per gallon, he'd still be driving the huge thing.

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
Yep, I'm sure some of them fall into that same camp as your brother but I also see a # of folks not very far from me who don't look like they have a lot of disposable income/any savings getting in and out of such beasts.