Will It Ever Come To A End?

[KG6OPR]

Just as I was leaving Opec, this morning paying $3.81 a Gal. the store manager went & changed the price to $3.92 a Gal. Just Saturday, I drove buy and the price $3.78 a Gal...Jeez, will it ever come to a end?

[KB1PRQ]

When you get out the torches and pitchforks and show up in washington...until that happens, bend over.

[N2RJ]

This morning - $3.26/gallon in NJ... the first time I've paid more than $3/gallon!

A fill up was almost 50 bucks!!! Wow!

Thank goodness most of my daily commute is via bus.

[w3bny]

January 20, 2009

[N2RJ]

I doubt it Ren.

The candidates want windfall taxes on the oil companies and long, drawn out wars in the oil rich middle east.

No matter who we elect,I doubt gas will go down anytime soon!

[KG6OPR]

January 20, 2009

Hope it comes soon, I can't afford the High Cost of Low Living!

[w3bny]

I doubt it Ren.

The candidates want windfall taxes on the oil companies and long, drawn out wars in the oil rich middle east.

No matter who we elect,I doubt gas will go down anytime soon!


I doubt it as well but one can only hope that it would stabilize. :confused:

[n8yx]

It'll end when there is no more oil in the ground and "alternative" sources of oil (such as bio-diesel) are deemed too cost-prohibitive to compete with fuel-cell/solar technology in the transportation marketplace.

Until then: Buy a motorcycle, moped or mountain bike. Lose the SUV...

[W7WV]

Saturday here it was $3.37.
This morning the price signs were down entirely, most likely because they were going up again.
But then again, the old saying is "if you have to ask you can't afford it" may apply at that station now. :D

[KE6SHJ]

4.05 here. Will probably cost close to 100 to fill up my Tahoe........ At least I wont be going anywhere anytime soon. To work and back is all. The folks are gonna have to come up here for a change. 4 hour drive :p

[G0GQK]

If you feel the need to blame somebody or something for the constantly increasing price of car fuel blame the Chinese, the Indians and any developing country in the East. There isn't enough to go round and the US uses a vast amount, the biggest consumer in the world, of a commodity which is becoming very expensive.

The Chinese are also becoming fond of driving around town in shiny new Japanese cars so lots of petroleum spirit is being sold in China. It gets cold and it gets hot and they also use electricity just like the rest of us.

Now what would you say if you had to pay £1.18 pence a litre ? Go beserk, shoot the filling station owner, hi- jack a gas tanker ? These days there are two dollars to the British Pound this means that if you paid the same price as we are having to pay, w2hich is $2.36c a litre, times 4.5 to extrapolate,( never seen that word on QRZ before have you !) the cost of one Imperial gallon this means it is costing us $10.62 cents a gallon. And, 76% of this is tax, which, as well as car tax, car purchase tax, road license and a 17.5% tax on everything for the car like new batteries, tyres etc means that driving a car is a very expensive occupation in Britain.

It is also expensive to travel on trains, the journey from London to Edinburgh will cost you $400. Perhaps this explains why the British people have been described by an American as the most miserable people in Europe !

G0GQK

[w2amr]

January 20, 2009
Whooo. Somebody needs to give that puppy a bump.

[n6hle]

4.05 here. Will probably cost close to 100 to fill up my Tahoe........ At least I wont be going anywhere anytime soon. To work and back is all. The folks are gonna have to come up here for a change. 4 hour drive :p

Right behind ya @ $3.98 at the stations on my way in to work this morning. Haven't checked this afternoon yet.

[W4INF]

As long as a politician's (not to make this a political spin, just "keeps en it real, yo") pockets are being lined by the oil industry, NO.

Andrew

[K0RGR]

Sorry, guys, the oil companies have been shooting for $5 by Memorial Day, and they are absolutely going to get there.

Have there been any reports of mysterious refinery explosions yet? We get one or two every year at this time. Perhaps this year it will be something else, since the Feds finally announced that they are tracking these mysterious outages starting after the last big one in February. I would expect it will be a big problem with a pipeline this year, until the Feds go to sleep again.

[kb2vxa]

"I would expect it will be a big problem with a pipeline this year, until the Feds go to sleep again."

What makes you think they ever woke up? Next year why not a write in ballot for Rip Van Winkle?

[kf6rdn]

That's why this is my dailey commuter:

http://www.motorcycleconnect.com/Kawasaki/2007/Super_Sport/Ninja_ZX_14/Ninja_ZX_14_2.jpg




Instead of this:

http://toyota.jbcarpages.com/Tacoma/Reviews/2005%20Toyota%20Tacoma%20Double%20Cab%20Silver%20f ront%20right.jpg


Plus it goes alot faster.
:p

[ad5mb]

I fill up every time I pass the gas pump. Couple gallons in the AM, couple gallons in the PM.

[KD6NIG]

The day that "warp technology" (a-la "star trek") becomes reality.

Why ship a container by truck when you can just beam it where it needs to go?

Course, then everyone is out of a job. But you do eliminate the need for energy like gasoline.

Cept to power the beam transmitters, of course......

Drat, foiled again!

[N0WVA]

There is no "shortage". Have you been in a rationing line for gas lately?

Its real simple. The Arabs and the oil companies know they can get how much ever they want out of their dinosaur piss.

Now get to work, slave, and build those pyramids for Pharoah. Make those bricks without straw. Same quota.

[N2RJ]

As long as a politician's (not to make this a political spin, just "keeps en it real, yo") pockets are being lined by the oil industry, NO.

Andrew

It's not just them, but yes you are correct.

One of the big things that has been driving up the price of crude are the energy speculators on wall street. And who can blame them? Energy is finite, our demand just keeps growing, and when the fed relaxed the regulations on trading energy related commodities, all hell broke loose.

Not to mention that when we do find the holy grail of alternative energy, the oil companies will pretty much be out of business... So they have to make their money now versus later when there's no demand.

[N2RJ]

That's why this is my dailey commuter:

Instead of this:


Plus it goes alot faster.
:p

This is mine:

http://www.davemackey.com/njt/gallery/7453narrow.jpg

Doesn't go all that fast, but you can't beat $239/month flat, fixed commute cost, half of which is tax free.

Plus I get to sleep or watch TV during my commute or pull out my laptop and get some work done.

[kf6rdn]

I'd actually prefer that, if they had public transportation worth a damn here that didnt take 3 times as long as a gridlocked car takes.

[N2RJ]

I'd actually prefer that, if they had public transportation worth a damn here that didnt take 3 times as long as a gridlocked car takes.

Yeah I hear you.

I think this country seriously needs to invest in some good and efficient public transport like they have in Europe.

The Europeans are paying almost $10 per gallon of gas and they don't complain about it nearly as much as we do about ours which is one third the price of theirs.

Rail is best, but express buses are pretty good too. Rail has the advantage of being powered by renewable energy. There are even hybrid buses that are energy efficient.

I think instead of looking to punish the oil companies and regulate the price of gasoline, the Government should be giving grants to local and state Governments to develop efficient public transport.

[K8ERV]

Don't forget that gas is not the only use for oil. Besides lubes (KY anyone?) it is the feedstock for most plastics and probably a bunch of other stuff.

Gotta be a point in there someplace, but I have already forgotten what it is.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[m0dcd]

"It is also expensive to travel on trains, the journey from London to Edinburgh will cost you $400. Perhaps this explains why the British people have been described by an American as the most miserable people in Europe !"

My colleague at work is off on a business trip from Leeds to Brussels by train. He (work) paid £104 return which is just short of $200. There are bargains about, you don't just turn up at the last minute.

I could drive to work, but like a few of you I don't. £70 a month for a season ticket for a 25 miles each way commute, takes a bit longer but I get some fresh air walking the last bit to the office, and my ancient car (1993) doesn't wear out. It's about half the cost of the petrol (ie gas - 95 octane, we don't have 92 dishwater) and I can fall asleep on the way home....

I can agree with N2RJ, you can be a lot more productive and at the weekend you don't have to worry about parking in town. Fortunately I do live on Yorkshire's poshest bus route - the 36 Leeds - Ripon!

[KC2ESD]

The Oil Baloney will stop when the majority of drivers use a Ford Focus or a Honda Civic ect. Drop the demand for fuel and the price will drop.

Here is my OPEC buster>>>>Little Duece Coupe (http://home.comcast.net/~kc2esd/focuspage.htm)

Rick KC2ESD

[W7WV]

Yes I agree that we are for the most part a group of people that really like big cars with lots of power compared to the rest of the world.
I know we had a 300 HP pickup that we rarely needed the room or power for that I got rid of in favor of a new Toyota Corolla. No it does not ride as nice but the MPG is 35 back and forth to town and I have seen 39+ MPG on longer trips with the manual transmission in it. And it's really larger than we need in retirement at this point.
For what we paid for the truck 3 years ago I could have nearly bought 3 Corollas.
Here where we live there is little in the way of public transit as we live some 10 miles south of the nearest town in a rural setting. Even in the local town there is little in the way of any public transit. Unlike the more populated East we in the West never really had much in the way of mass transit here.
I have run into folks that take jobs out here from the East and not realizing that all of the sudden they have to get a car and learn to drive!
The last guy was in Phoenix, came from New York and was 33 years old and lived and worked within a few blocks in NY all his life.
When his company transferred him to Phoenix he discovered that mass transit did not run the hours he needed it and was not what he was used to in the East.
He did however tell me that he loved the "wide open spaces" an freedom to explore beyond the few blocks that he always lived in.
What mass transit that was in LA many many years ago was bought and and methodically taken apart and destroyed by a couple of oil companies many years ago. More importantly the land it was on was sold off so they could not easily and cheaply recreate it.
Those companies knew then that if they eliminated the mass transit at the time that they would create a need for cars and oil out west.

[k8wpj]

I just made a run to Cleveland, from Central SC April 4th to the 16th...

paid 3.14 in Camden, SC
paid 3.16 in Beckley, WV
Paid between 3.14 -3.26 the week I was in Cleveland.

Then paid 3.48 - 3.55 on the return trip...

My XYL (K8ANG) just filled her '08 Jeep Liberty, and it cost her more than $50 for the tank, the first time that's happened....

Told her if she didn't like that she was welcome to start driving my truck, a '92 silverado ... She called me ranting because it was on fumes by the time she got it to the station.

(Hey, I'm not stupid, I expected her to want my truck at some point, this was payback for all of the times she's given me a car with nothing in it!)

She filled the truck, and it cost her more than 75 for the tank...

Even mowing the yard has gotten expensive... it used to take nothing more than pocket change to fill the gas cans.. now I have to remember to take a card or a 20 just for lawn mower gas !!!


OUCH!

[W7WV]

Yes someone told me that they had to fill their SUV in CA at Lake Tahoe and the price was some $4.05 per gallon where they "had no choice" but to get fuel and it ran them over $100.
Last night some news type said that we should brace ourselves for $4-5 per gallon gas by this summer.
I hope not. Our propane bill for the home has doubled in the last year and it seems everything we buy, not just fuel is also affected. Our Co Op is also raising the costs for electricity again. Food has gone up a lot in our local rural community and the wages for the working people are not that good here.
I am retired and don't get very good cost of living adjustments and it's having and affect on us now too.
I understand that the Border Patrol had to request an increase in their budget mid year for the cost of fuel for their vehicles here as they are on the run 24/7 here at the border.

[N4VGB]

Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_usage_and_pricing then rejoice. :)

[KE5TJA]

Fuel prices are driving me insane. Paid $3.49 a gallon yesterday, put $50 dollars in the old Chevy and didn't even come close to filling it up. Diesel is up to $4.19 a gallon here now, and I would like someone to explain how the hell diesel can be so much higher than gas when it is nothing more than a by-product of gasoline. I'd buy myself a little car if I didn't have to have the pickup for work every day. Filled up the girlfriends car a couple days ago...cost $48 and will last her 2-3 weeks. It costs almost a hundred to fill my Chevy and roughly $150 to fill the Ford. A tank will last about a week in the Chevy and a week and a half to two weeks in the Ford. This doesn't include buying fuel for my tractor, welding machines, lawn equipment and all the other stuff around my house that runs off petroleum products. I sure wish this madness would come to an end. I sure hope somebody in the oilfield is making money out of this, cause it dang sure ain't the guys out in the field actually making the oil pump. I work in the oilfield myself, and me and the guys I work with bust our backs everyday and never can seem to get ahead.

Bryce
KE5TJA

[ab1ga]

When all else fails, look to supply and demand.

Supply is so far not really limited; I haven't seen "NO GAS" signs at filling stations yet, and I don't think I will.

Demand is another matter, and I believe the increased demand is due to at least three factors:

- increased demand from developing nations like China and India
Not much likely to change there, development leads to increased per capita energy usage, and they won't willingly stop their own development

- investors looking for a new place to put their money
Crude oil prices are rising all the time, so this looks good, but so does every bubble until somebody wakes up and the thing bursts

- lack of any attempt on the part of most Americans to limit demand

There will always be folks who are conserving more energy than they did, just as there will always be those who need larger vehicles to meet their specific needs. But when I look around I notice the following:

Some more hybrids are being sold, but the fraction of large cars isn't changing much.

No real increase in carpooling, the commute is as nasty as it's always been.

The number of cars in the mall parking lots looks the same, so people aren't combining multiple car trips to save gas.

(Pet peeve, but probably not important): A HUGE increase in pesky, noisy little gas-driven doodads like leaf blowers! The kind that make weekends sound like the inside of a hornets' nest.

The oil companies take it as an article of faith that Americans will travel great distances during the summer, and they seem to time their price increases accordingly. We're going to get $5/gallon gas by Memorial Day because some fool pundit said we would and nobody told him to get lost; the expectation has been planted and it will be realized.

But gas unbought is gas that has to be stored, and storage capacity is limited, so even modest drops in demand may stop or reverse price increases. And if Wall Street were to be caught sitting on a few million barrels of crude nobody wants, they may be less willing to buy crude at any price. A sharp decline in demand this summer may break the cycle before it destroys the wider economy and place us on our way to long-term price stability.

[KC6ZLV]

This is mine:

http://www.davemackey.com/njt/gallery/7453narrow.jpg

Doesn't go all that fast, but you can't beat $239/month flat, fixed commute cost, half of which is tax free.

Plus I get to sleep or watch TV during my commute or pull out my laptop and get some work done.

That is a lot more than I pay commuting 25 miles to work and back, at $.3.69 a gallon (what I paid yesterday).

[WA6MHZ]

I only DREAM of it being this cheap!! here in San Diego! The CHEAPEST gas in town is nearly $4 now! Premium is getting towards $4.50 a gallon. Diesel isn't far from $5! Nearly $60 to fill a Town Car

[KD0DKI]

I'm love my Jeep and I'll just keep feeding it as necessary.

KD0DKI Sam.

[KD0DKI]

This is mine:

http://www.davemackey.com/njt/gallery/7453narrow.jpg

Doesn't go all that fast, but you can't beat $239/month flat, fixed commute cost, half of which is tax free.

Plus I get to sleep or watch TV during my commute or pull out my laptop and get some work done.

I spend less per month and I save about 1-1/2 hour a day driving myself, the commute cost has to include time spent in a bus filled with people who may or may not be ill.

KD0DKI Sam

[N2RJ]

That is a lot more than I pay commuting 25 miles to work and back, at $.3.69 a gallon (what I paid yesterday).

My commute (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/1211+avenue+of+the+americas+new+york+ny+10036/28+Eastfield+Dr+Sussex+NJ+07461-3051/) is 67.33 miles each way.

Let's do the math.

My car gets on average 27 mpg.

Driving:

67.33 miles x $3/gallon gas x 2 (round trip) + $8 toll to enter manhtattan - $22/day x 20 - $440.

Also, none of that money is tax free.

I also didn't add parking fees, which are expensive in the city.

Bus:

12 miles to the park and ride (driving), that's 0.45 gallons of gas each way, so lets say a gallon of gas round trip. Assuming $3/gallon gas - that's $3/day for the driving portion of my trip x 20 days - $60 per month. Monthly bus pass is $239.00, so the total is $299.

That's a $140.00 difference, and I can pay up to $125/month pretax for my transit costs. That doesn't take into account parking fees, parking tickets and other vehicle costs.

[N2RJ]

I spend less per month and I save about 1-1/2 hour a day driving myself, the commute cost has to include time spent in a bus filled with people who may or may not be ill.

KD0DKI Sam

Your commute isn't as long as mine in terms of distance. In fact, my commute on the bus is shorter due to the express bus lane with less traffic.

That's an express bus.

As for people who are or aren't ill. So what? Don't you have co-workers? They get ill too.

The buses are actually quite nice, and probably a lot different from some other parts of the country.

I commute with my wife every day, so I get to spend quality time with her as well.

[N2RJ]

I'm love my Jeep and I'll just keep feeding it as necessary.

KD0DKI Sam.

Hey, I'm glad you like to waste money. Personally I like to waste my money on radios and antennas. :)

[AC0FP]

As someone has previously pointed out, world demand for oil has gone up. At the same time the US congress has said no more additional oil exploration in the USA. Supply not keeping up with demand = big $$ for oil.

[kr2d]

That's a $140.00 difference, and I can pay up to $125/month pretax for my transit costs. That doesn't take into account parking fees, parking tickets and other vehicle costs.

Other vehicle costs include maintenance, repair, and depreciation. That adds up fast - 100+ miles per day plus heavy stop-and-go traffic wears out a car quickly. I never understand why people drive into Manhattan. It's horribly expensive and a huge pain the rear.

20 years ago, I met a guy who commuted from central NJ to Manhattan by helicopter (not private, the chopper took 6 to 8 passengers). It cost $80 one way back then. Must be nice.

[KD0DQZ]

Oil is valued in dollars...which are rapidly approaching the value (and relative usefulness) of a roll of Charmin. US demand is DOWN a tad...but the real reason behind the wild price runup is pure and simple: speculation. And, like all speculative bubbles, it will burst eventually. The problem is that we have to ride along. Unlike speculation in, say, silver...oil is something we need every day...and that hurts those of us with lesser incomes far more than those with large incomes.

[wb6mmj]

I just paid $4.05 here for a gal. of regular gas. I`m starting to think it will hit $5.00 by the beginning of Summer.

[K8MCN]

I feel double reamed--paying almost 4.00 @ the pump plus the poor truck drivers paying the cost of diesel that definitely flows to me, the consumer. And, because the lack of a mass transit system for the people that live in urban/country settings we are locked into buying gas.............
And since the price of grain has gone up (i think the farmers deserved it though) Bio diesel and E85 are not a bargain-----------never never never did i think that gas would be more expensive than a gallon of milk.............

I betcha that Bush's Blind trust is loaded with energy related stocks--kinda makes ya go hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[N7RJD]

Saturday here it was $3.37.
This morning the price signs were down entirely, most likely because they were going up again.


Could be but we took our prices down and haven't raised prices. I took them down and powered down all pumps and dispensers Sunday night when the truck showed up to pump the tanks out in preparation for Monday morning ground breaking on our tank replacement project. It's going to be a dead couple of months, luckily I get a break from it when we hit the high seas for a week. ;)

[PA5COR]

What are you complaining?

We pay now 10 dollars for a gallon here in Europe......
Nobody seems to drive less, you have an long way to go.
|Count to that gas price high road tax, the average car new is 50% taxed so costs double the new car price as the USA.

[K0HWY]

It will come to an end when the people of America develop the intelligence to understand that they are the problem, not the controlling political faction in Washington, not the oil companies and not the suppliers. Until we actually start migrating away from fossil fuels in a true, meaningful capacity, we have no right to expect that our cost of traveling will decrease. As long as SUVs continue to sail up and down our interstates, Americans are sending only one message. That message is that at least for now, we would rather continue to pay more to fuel these huge beasts rather than have to give up the luxury of an SUV as perpetuated by our culture. The thought of commuting by Moped or motorcycle or even by a small fuel efficient car is offensive to many and an insult. The cost of pride is getting expensive.

Bitching, griping and blaming others is much easier than finding and accepting a solution. We're not only paying more at the pump for gasoline. We're paying dearly, to preserve our pride. So, how much is it worth?

[2W0ZAE]

This morning - $3.26/gallon in NJ... the first time I've paid more than $3/gallon!

A fill up was almost 50 bucks!!! Wow!

Thank goodness most of my daily commute is via bus.

You are very lucky with those prices try the UK, petrol now in my part of rural wales £1.20p a litre.Thats around £4.65 a US gallon or around $9.25 ,the US has always enjoyed very cheap by UK standards petrol or diesel prices.And to fill up now the average car in the UK would cost you £90 or over $175.

[K8ERV]

We should just be glad our cars don't use milk---

Take out all of the water, and what are we paying for?

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[KE5TJA]

It will come to an end when the people of America develop the intelligence to understand that they are the problem, not the controlling political faction in Washington, not the oil companies and not the suppliers. Until we actually start migrating away from fossil fuels in a true, meaningful capacity, we have no right to expect that our cost of traveling will decrease. As long as SUVs continue to sail up and down our interstates, Americans are sending only one message. That message is that at least for now, we would rather continue to pay more to fuel these huge beasts rather than have to give up the luxury of an SUV as perpetuated by our culture. The thought of commuting by Moped or motorcycle or even by a small fuel efficient car is offensive to many and an insult. The cost of pride is getting expensive.

Bitching, griping and blaming others is much easier than finding and accepting a solution. We're not only paying more at the pump for gasoline. We're paying dearly, to preserve our pride. So, how much is it worth?

I am inclined to agree with you to a small extent. However, many of us can't get rid of our SUVs and pickups in favor of a small car because of what we use them for. Can't very well haul the whole family around in a small car. I have two trucks, a 94 Chevy that gets 15-17 MPG, and an 80 Ford that gets 17-20 MPG. Sure I'd like to get a little car like my girlfriend has that gets 35-40, but it would be kinda hard to haul hay, scrap iron, used oilfield tubing, welding equipment, and all the other #### I haul around every day with a little fuel efficient car now wouldn't it. I will admit that I also have a 76 CJ7 that gets between 5-10 MPG for fun, but with prices the way they are we have cut back to only driving it around town on a Saturday night.

Bryce
KE5TJA

[n6hle]

Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_usage_and_pricing then rejoice. :)

I cannot believe NOBODY commented on this! Click the link and scroll down to the spreadsheet! Look at what they are paying in the Middle East!!!

0.33USD/gallon in Iran!
0.78USD/gallon in Kuwait City!
0.45USD/gallon in Riyahd
0.17USD/gallon in Caracas!!!

WTF?!?!?!?

[K0RGR]

My previous question has been answered : the oil companies have decided to say "screw you America" and just gouge the heck out of us in spite of government monitoring:

http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=56722

I'm afraid that reducing demand won't solve the problem, after all. There is now clear evidence that refinery capacity and production are being manipulated to reduce gasoline stocks, driving up the price and maintaining maximum profits. When there is no competition, as in the current environment, the laws of supply and demand still work. The demand for oil is highly "inelastic" - most of us will pay whatever it costs because we don't have a lot of choice. Knowing this, the monopolist can maximize his profit by setting the price at a point where most suckers will pay it. That is where we are now - with that $5 target getting closer all the time.

Additional oil production will do little or nothing to relieve the problem, particularly oil from ANWR, since we have no place to refine it. Any oil found there will promptly be sold to the highest bidder: China - which is much closer to ANWR than we are, anyway.

The only answer now is to break up the oil cartel here in this country, and bring back independent refineries who can provide real competition to the big guns. The only other answer would be to nationalize the whole 9 yards, but that is dreaded socialism, even though it might be the best answer for the country.

[KC6ZLV]

My commute (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/1211+avenue+of+the+americas+new+york+ny+10036/28+Eastfield+Dr+Sussex+NJ+07461-3051/) is 67.33 miles each way.

Let's do the math.

My car gets on average 27 mpg.

Driving:

67.33 miles x $3/gallon gas x 2 (round trip) + $8 toll to enter manhtattan - $22/day x 20 - $440.

Also, none of that money is tax free.

I also didn't add parking fees, which are expensive in the city.

Bus:

12 miles to the park and ride (driving), that's 0.45 gallons of gas each way, so lets say a gallon of gas round trip. Assuming $3/gallon gas - that's $3/day for the driving portion of my trip x 20 days - $60 per month. Monthly bus pass is $239.00, so the total is $299.

That's a $140.00 difference, and I can pay up to $125/month pretax for my transit costs. That doesn't take into account parking fees, parking tickets and other vehicle costs.

I don't have tolls or parking fees here.

Unfortunately, the area I work in doesn't have public transportation AND the people there don't want it. The seem to think homeless people are going to ride the train out into the suburbs so they can wander around their neighbourhoods.

The closest public transportation comes to where I work is about four miles away. It would still cost more to take public transportation because I work in another county and would have to pay fare in both counties.

The area I live in (Downtown Sacramento) has fairly good public transportation for an American city.

[N0WVA]

It will come to an end when the people of America develop the intelligence to understand that they are the problem, not the controlling political faction in Washington, not the oil companies and not the suppliers. Until we actually start migrating away from fossil fuels in a true, meaningful capacity, we have no right to expect that our cost of traveling will decrease. As long as SUVs continue to sail up and down our interstates, Americans are sending only one message. That message is that at least for now, we would rather continue to pay more to fuel these huge beasts rather than have to give up the luxury of an SUV as perpetuated by our culture. The thought of commuting by Moped or motorcycle or even by a small fuel efficient car is offensive to many and an insult. The cost of pride is getting expensive.

Bitching, griping and blaming others is much easier than finding and accepting a solution. We're not only paying more at the pump for gasoline. We're paying dearly, to preserve our pride. So, how much is it worth?

Nah, that wont happen. If we all drove Geos and Festivas tomorrow, the price of gas would just double or triple to make up for savings. Really, the price has nothing to do with a Suburban or Excursion.

I think I have this supply and demand figured out.

The supply goes up, the prices go up. The demand goes up, the prices go up.

Supply goes down, the prices go up. Demand goes down, the prices go up.

Yep, Ive got it all figured out now. :)