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And the fact that not every city has a huge transit system to help those that would use it if they could.
I'm one of those w/ the big SUV. But I do NEED it most of the time. Although lately there has been someone else to help do more of the "heavy" stuff on my end I need it less. But I can not get rid of it. Then the fact that the industry we are in is based all on transportation (delivery of goods to our customers as the product(s) are not ones that can be transported w/o certain restrictions) it would really tear up and destroy ALOT of businesses and hurt the very people that can not afford to be put in a bind. The businesses that would be hurt the most are the small businesses like ours that actually help the economy more than the mega businesses that are typically owned by companies overseas. That is the case in our industry. There are 5 "big" players in our field and every single one of them is based overseas. Sure, they have their outfits over here in the U.S.A. but that is it. They buy and merge and shut down stuff all the time. Raising the fuel prices that much would not help us one bit. Then add in the fact that in our industry we have too many people that try to open up shop thinking they can do it and undercut everyone in town so bad that no one is making a profit at all has made the market terrible to even get a decent profit. So we can not raise our prices like what happens in other industries and w/ other goods. Yet like I said earlier, we MUST deliver our goods (w/ very few exceptions).
Though I am happy to see gas prices going down (just today the station down the street went down 9 cents from $2.55 at noon to $2.46 at 4:30). It really is not that out of line in the raise in price compared to other consumable goods.
But to make all of you environmentalists happy, I did get a smaller more economical car than my Suburban for the days I don't need it. I read where someone said everyone should have two cars for this reason, LOL!!! That is SO unfeasible it is not even funny. Besides, I'm not going to use my big SUV in the morning when I NEED it and run home to change vehicles to go back to where I was just to "conserve". hehehe, that is funny.
Gas at the station closest to my home is $2.85 at the moment (it was $2.89 just this morning). Today, I drove around 7 miles to a gas station where it was $2.71 which when I calculated it out, probably really only saved me some 30 cents or so considering the gas I wasted to get there and come back, but it's mostly psychological for me. Truth be told, the gas prices don't affect me all that much. I'm strapped for cash but I live within two miles of my home and don't have much of a social life really at the moment, so I can sometimes stretch one tank for an entire month, but on average, I fill up once every 2-3 weeks, and since I drive a Ford Taurus, that means that the amount I spend per month on gas is maybe $15-25 more than it was two years ago. An annoyance, but it certainly doesn't make or break me. It's just amazing how perception can change though. Now, $2.50 sounds so incredibly cheap to me whereas 18 months ago, I'd be infuriated with it.
I agree that the high gas prices have become a catalyst for change, for a much-needed open dialogue about alternative fuel sources and fuel efficiency and such which is certainly a good thing considering the fact that oil is a finite resource.
Last edited by dullnboring; 09-05-2006 at 06:27 PM..
I have heard people say that the current cost of gas isn't that bad and that it is less than what people were paying in 1974 (adjusted for inflation). At first, this would seem to be correct; however, not for everyone. By everyone, I mean the people who work for minimum wage (currently at $5.15 for federal minimum...higher in some states).
I remember buying premium gasoline for about 30 cents a gallon during late 60's/early 70's. I was making $1.90 an hour (which was more than the minimum wage) back then. If I bought 10 gallons = $3.00, then it would take about 1.6 hours of work to pay for the gas. Using the same data with 10 gallons = $25.00 (at $2.50 a gallon), it would take about 4.9 hours of work to pay for the same amount of gas. It is easy to see that the working poor have to pay a bigger chunk of their meager income because the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation.
Here is a web site that tells all about petroleum and petroleum products:
That last hike we had it went up to $2.89 and now it's "dropped" to $2.86
I saw online just the other day that the prices there are the same, or even a couple pennies higher than they are here. That is just crazy! When I would compare before it was always about .20 cents cheaper there. What happened?!?
I saw online just the other day that the prices there are the same, or even a couple pennies higher than they are here. That is just crazy! When I would compare before it was always about .20 cents cheaper there. What happened?!?
I have no idea what's happened. However I do know that when this trend happens adn we don't drop as much as others, we also don't jump up as high of a ratio when there's a spike.
I don't know, maybe they're all too lazy to go out and change the prices?
I have no idea what's happened. However I do know that when this trend happens adn we don't drop as much as others, we also don't jump up as high of a ratio when there's a spike.
I don't know, maybe they're all too lazy to go out and change the prices?
lol, I could understand that if it was snowing already. Hopefully the prices will drop for you all soon!
lol, I could understand that if it was snowing already. Hopefully the prices will drop for you all soon!
For what it's worth, I sent an email into the gov's office asking why our prices haven't decreased I'm sure I'm on the top of their agenda.
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Price of Gas vs. Minimum Wage
than they are here. That is just crazy! When I would compare before it was always about .20 cents cheaper there. What happened?!? 
Hopefully the prices will drop for you all soon!
