Gas Prices

[Bob Crane]

hmmm- hillbillies.

[Rob]

A couple of questions:

as demand continues to grow (China, SUV's, India etc...).

Why does everyone crap on SUVs all the time?  Yeah, they're big and largely pointless.  They're also a fraction of the market that is called Minivan.  They're large, often the same size or even heavier than many SUVs.  There are few, if any, four cylinders.  And they are a huge segment of the market relative to SUVs.  Did kids get bigger?  We had two kids and a dog and did fine with two or four door cars. 
\

I shouldn't have generalized by saying SUV's - what I was pointing at were cars that get 9, 12, 14 MPG.

The Ford Escape Hybrid gets over 30 - that's fine by me, but any time someone is crusing around in a car that gets 12 mpg (read, Escapade, H2) they might as well be driving 3 cars.  That kind of waste is sickening.

[Famine]

It spiked here and I got to watch some hillbillies fight it out at a pump$2.85/gal. or so.

You mean they actually threw down at the pump? Scary.

Kevin

[Jesse James]

Oh yes, and not a far cry from the Hatfields and McCoys as pictured above.

make the beards shorter and patchier, and turn the hats into mesh ballcaps, and you've got about what was duking it out.

The lines at that station went out onto the highway, like I said.  People were hogging in from both entrances, cutting in with their cars and sorta angling to force other people "out" of a pump they'd been waiting on...  Fight broke out.

I've noticed about 5 stations just within my 5 square mile area that have "pre-pay only" out on their pumps now too...  And I don't live in a high crime area or anything, but it seems things are going a bit awry at least where I am.

[Tracy]

The lines were bad here late yesterday.  My brother waited in line for over an hour.  He had the pleasure of not only watching a few scuffles break out but also got to see the gas station attendant come out and change the price 2x.  The price went up $.40 while he was waiting.  By 6:00 most stations were down to 1 pump and limiting everyone to $10.00.   I remember when I was a kid and they were rationing gas.  You could only get gas on certain days based on the first letter of your last name.  I remember we had to sleep in the car while my parents waited in line for hours. 

[MetalJedi]

The lines were bad here late yesterday.  My brother waited in line for over an hour.  He had the pleasure of not only watching a few scuffles break out but also got to see the gas station attendant come out and change the price 2x.  The price went up $.40 while he was waiting.  By 6:00 most stations were down to 1 pump and limiting everyone to $10.00.   I remember when I was a kid and they were rationing gas.  You could only get gas on certain days based on the first letter of your last name.  I remember we had to sleep in the car while my parents waited in line for hours. 

I sure hope all this doesn't come to that.

[Rob]

Well I drove by a few gas stations this morning - nothing over 2.81 and no long lines...

I guess I'll fill up this afternoon before it jumps 50 more cents...

[Brian]

Cheapest gas in town is now at $3.19/gallon.  The highest I've seen so far is $3.41/gallon.  It sounds as if we'll go up at least another 50 cents/gallon by the end of next week, approaching $4 prices.  It went up twice yesterday alone.  Time to stay home, or start walking .

[jjks]

Gas by my house this morning was right around $2.80, but drive the half hour for work into Nashville and it's $3.30.

[Jeff]

Man, $4 a gallon is pretty crazy when you think about it...  My car averages 20-24 MPG, so that's $1 every 5-6 miles I would travel! 

That's like $2 to get to work every day (luckily I only live 5-6 miles from work).  A few of my friends at work though travel 25-30 miles (each way) to work every day, so that'd work out 50-60 miles for a round trip or $10-12 every day for gas.   

Ugh, makes me glad I could bike it work every day if I had to...   

[Rob]

Agreed.  Fortunately I can walk to work - my girlfriend has to drive 3 miles each way to go to school though - which isn't too bad at all - but it certainly sucks. 

[Famine]

If it comes to it, I can go up to walmart on public transportation, and buy a bycicle, and bike the 20 miles home. My last bike got stolen from behind my mom's house. It'll only take me an hour to bike to work, because it's all downhill. Problem is biking home. 

Kevin

[Jim]

I was in Boston this AM.  Saw gas at $4 a gallon.  Unfreakinbelievable.  My town ranges are 3.15 to 3.50.  I will easily be paing $100 a week or more now for gas.   

[Morgbug]

Ugh, makes me glad I could bike it work every day if I had to...   

Want to know why I'm just a generally bitter person?  My job was moved 60 miles away from its original point.  They didn't make me move but either I quit my job or my wife does.  We both like our jobs, we're both well paid and we both spent too much time in University.  I fill up usually 1.5 times a week.  That's $90 these days. 

[Famine]

Jesus. I thought it was just because you were old. 

$90 on fuel! I'd break down and cry at the pump.

Kevin