Maybe it's time to Nationalize Oil (Gray, Ellsworth: live, price, floor)

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by kellysmith

Go to California and you will see more than one price for gas. In fact you must check to make sure it's not 15 cents cheaper across the street.

And that's exactly the case in Maine. On my drive to work each day I see gas prices anywhere from 15 to 20 cents in range. Thursday it was 3.19 to 3.25 in Bath-Brunswick alone, and the place in Newcastle was 3.34. You and Bydand look at prices on one block or in one small town and see collusion and coercion. I see the market in action -- sure if some new station tries to undercut the established stations, the old-timers will respond. Would you expect them not to? And over time the newcomer and the established places will either reach a price equilibrium or someone will be driven out of business and an equilibrium will be reached anyway.

I'm sorry, but it's basic economics.

[Bydand]

Excuse me!! I look at prices in a 25 mile radius in 5 to 6 towns everyday Coaster. I see them all exactly the same. If you don't know where I am looking at things, it is time to close your trap and maybe ASK instead of jumping to conclusions and posting it as a type of slam. I am not talking new stations, I am talking small mom and pop places that have been in business for a LONG time already. There has been 1 new station in this area in the last 10 years that I know of. That one is even a stretch because it was a regular gas station that tore down the old building and built a newer bigger one that includes a convenience store at the same location.

I know how economics work, I took all the college classes on economics, frankly it bored me to tears. I also know how collusion works and see it every day.

[knightjohannes]

Gas prices:
GasBuddy.com - Find Low Gas Prices in the USA and Canada

[bignhfamily]

In my town we have 2 gas station/convenience stores. They are located directly across the street from one another. One is an Irving Blue Canoe and has a Dunkin Donuts in it. The other is a mom and pop joint with a sandwich counter. I get my coffee and gas at the mom and pop place. Each morning it is the responsibility of the person opening the store to take the binoculars from behind the counter and check the price of gas on the Irving pumps. Their pumps are then adjusted to match the competitors price.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Contented seems a little discontented today.

"and before anyone calls me unpatriotic, i'm the 13th generation in america on my mothers side and 12th on my fathers. my 13th great grandfather was the first governor of the plymouth colony. my fathers forefather was put in the stocks for "picking yea pease on ye sabbath day"."

My wife's people came over on the Mayflower, but they never made it until the third trip. I said before on these pages that there is a certain hierarchy in these matters. I agree with much that Contented has said. I fought in some of those wars. There is oil off the coast of Vietnam and it's in shallow water. Ever hear of the Spratley Islands? Google it, but back to the oil topic this started on. This is about oil; really. It borders on criminal for a nation to be using natural gas or oil to produce electricity. Most of our electricity should be produced by nuclear plants. Hydro power, wind power and tidal power should be used where it is efficient.

[mainebrokerman]

selling gas for many store owners is now a major headache, the "drive-offs" have forced most places to pre-pay or credit/debit card payment,(at the pumps)
its a fiercely competetive market, with the advantage going to the larger companies.
traditionally, a store owner that sells gas could be "branded" or "unbranded" branded would usually mean a major player(brand) would maintain the pumps, tanks, etc, leaving very little margin, for owner profits, unbranded, would mean the owner wasnt "owned" by a major brand, and use to be able to realize a 5%(approx.) profit margin,,,but theyd have to maintain thier own pumps and tanks

ive seen owners go thru absolute hell, if thier is a small gas spill on the property, and the state gets involved (phase 1, phase 2, and beyond) or, if not a spill, say the owner goes to sell the place, and they take soil samples for ground samples.

gas retail prices,,do depend on who your competition is,,ive seen in one town,,where there is a cumberland farms, and an irving across the street, the prices are low, comparably, 4 miles down the road, the irving station would be 5 cents more per gallon,,

i dont believe the big companies set retail prices,,,its more market tolerance, and competition,,,in the market area,,and depends ,, on the sales strategy of the particular owner.....

just my two cents

and yes, it does look like collusion,,but its usually one ,,owner/company driving the market,,the others follow...

[Bydand]

I have heard the conversations, I have been involved in those conversations. The main players here DO set the prices.

I am out of this discussion, I tire of it being implied that I am somehow either lying or paranoid. Neither of which is the case, and neither of which is appreciated either I might add.

[flycessna]

I was too young to experience carter as president......God knows I could never vote that left today..........but I did read a good article written by a nuclear engineer that talked about where we would be today if America had pursued nuclear technology like it wanted to in the 70's....he stated he supported Carter based solely on his support for nuclear power......it is a shame.......anyone who really understands the technology with nuclear power has to believe we are crazy for not utilizing it......they should be building 50 power plants as we speak.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by flycessna

I was too young to experience carter as president......God knows I could never vote that left today..........but I did read a good article written by a nuclear engineer that talked about where we would be today if America had pursued nuclear technology like it wanted to in the 70's....he stated he supported Carter based solely on his support for nuclear power......it is a shame.......anyone who really understands the technology with nuclear power has to believe we are crazy for not utilizing it......they should be building 50 power plants as we speak.

fly, i agree,,,

three mile island and the movie, the china syndrome,,,did much for negative public opinion of nuclear power..

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Westinghouse is building nuclear plants as fast as they can for Red China. The problem here is that the looney left will tie up any efficient American energy project in the courts for years. Eventually government will step in and contract for an intensive nuclear building program. The delays caused by the left will handicap our nation for generations. We should not be running huge trade deficits over energy. The people behind these lawsuits are the same people who bought that Boston derelict free meals at the soup kitchen in Boston for life if he would sue Maine fishermen over the humpback whales.