Why do people complain about gas prices so much?

People buy bottled water because we are sick of the crap that is in municipal water systems.
Ever wonder why it is soooo important to have fluoride in our drinking water? Do some research and tell me if you think it is a good thing. And the big question, why in the hell are we putting it in our water. Oh ya, to help our teeth.
I also wonder why when we are occupying a major oil producing country, that will end up owing us billions of dollars, we seem to be having some problem getting oil. Why don't we just ship some freeking oil home?

 

Oil and water don't mix.


Two completely different products. The only thing they have in common is that they are both liquids.


You'd be better of comparing the price of a gallon of oil and a gallon of refrigetated liquid oxygen. At least they are both FUELS.

 

Because, you have the option of buying cheap water at Walmart for 59cents a gallon, or substitute it for another drink or drink filtered tap water,,, whereas gasoline is an essential item that is uniformly expensive any place you go in your neighborhood...

 

I buy gas alot more often than bottled water.As a matter of fact I rarely buy bottled water.

 

Back in the early 50's, it cost about $.25 for a haircut, a movie theater, a package of cigarettes and a gallon of gas (on sale). Look at the prices now -- gas is clearly the cheapest of the lot.

We have a couple of small oil wells and one gas well. We certainly don't feel like we are making some big killing when we sell. If fact, don't flame me, but we would kind of like to see the price stay up there where it is now! Not long ago, when gas prices were lower, there was a time when a gallon of water was more expensive than a gallon of gas. Guess we should invest it a big water well!

 

its the media and the fact most people buy it each week more as a chore than a pleasure (unless your filling an f-car ). While it sucks having higher prices, relatively gas is still dirt cheap relative to incomes and historical standards etc

 

Gasoline is cheaper today relative to other things because:

Increase in technology has made exploration cheaper and more efficient, which constitutes most of the profits and cost in relation to someone cutting your hair, or hollywood making a movie. You can't subcontract a hairstylist or movie actor to India..

OPEC is not as powerful as they once were manipulating price, and new players such as Russia has increased the number of suppliers and amount of gasoline available...

Energy producers are realizing oil is becoming less efficient to substitute due to the high prices, shortages of natural gas, and pipelines that are already running in over capacity in North America...

 

That's because most of the money in the oil industry is made on the upstream through exploration and investing in new wells, not on the downstream with refineries, and selling existing oil from wells to the public...

 

You have to keep in mind that gas, unlike the others, is multiplied for the number of gallons you require. It's not as if anyone only buys a gallon of gas for their cars...



-DC

 

Here in The Netherlands we pay 1.33 euro per liter!! (That's 5.04 euros a gallon --> that's 6.03 dollar a gallon!!!!!)



Waldo
ForzaRossa.com

 

I complain because (in Canada) $42 USD to fill a 4-cyl Japanese car is getting ridiculous. That's more than dinner for two at Outback, with a dessert. Especially when money is tight, like when you're a student.

On the other hand, I don't complain too much because a tank of gas for a 4cyl hatchback last summer in Switzerland was over $50 USD.

 

And also, how many cars car you run on water?

 

Guys on the other hand it's insufficient to look only at the gas increase as we're seeing it at the pump. Going from $40 to $50 to fill up once a week or so -- although hard to swallow -- is still ok...

What about the cummulative price increase of ALL products that depend on gasoline for manufacturing/transport? Given a lot of the North American transport is done by truck, the effect of higher gas prices will be felt all throughout product prices everywhere...

What do you guys think?

 

Dude, if you're going to Switzerland, money can't be THAT tight...!

 

Maybe because I spend $200 a month on gas, but only $10 a month on bottled water. I am feeling the gas hit a bit more!

 

Before long you'll see signs like this...

 

TOTALLY irrelevant! You that bored or just that opinionated?

DL

 

With all this water/gasoline talk, I suggest walking down to Blockbuster and renting the 1949 movie named 'Free For All'. It's a comedy about an inventor who comes up with a pill that turns water into gasoline. Unfortunately, complications ensue. Sorry, but it's in black and white, unless there's a colorized version available...

 

Whats with all these people comingout DEFENDING high gas prices...Do you have ANY incling WHATSOEVER how much fuel is needed to support the US economy???? This is NOT sweden...An average American commutes 60 to 125 miles PER DAY for work. The trucking industry is so big here if it was stopped. The US would stop...The airline industry is a HUGE player as is all of the contruction contractors building new homes and systems for people who are using hundreds of gallons a day. You don't take an entire economy that is based on reasonable fuel prices, double the price, and say so what it's still cheaper than so and so...This whole damb country is based on reasonable fuel prices and people can't just sell their house and move into the office bathroom, poor water(bottled) into the semi-trucks, tell the airline industry they have had their last flight and the contractor to stop building that house, or at least hand nail the whole shingle lots....Maybe $40 up to $50 a week is no big deal.....Some people are now paying over $400-$500 a month just on fuel for thier commute..I hear GM, Ford and Chrysler are having a 3 hour deal at the shop where you can turn in your vehicle and get a free hybrid that gets better milage. They feel guilty that we were tricked into thinking that someone would actually DO something about these Bull**** prices......latest excuse I heard was China.....I agree w/ glassman....They owe us a little, just tank some fricking oil over here already...GEEZ.....spending helps the economy....well aint no spendn when all the xtra cash goes to gasoline and aint no tourism dollars when everyone has to stay home. Boy, what a way to increase spending and "circulate" money

 

LOL. Ok, ok... I guess I should explain... I got $350 from my Dad for graduation, and coincedentally found a flight to Munich *that weekend* for 2 weeks (in June). I called a college buddy from Zurich and he drove over and picked me up and we travelled around, staying at his place and with his uncles/aunts in Italy. I got there for $350, but admittedly didn't consider having to pay $200+ in gasoline and nearly $100 in tolls! Being impulsive was a lot of fun... but by the end of the two weeks, I hobbled home on my last pennies (ah the joy of having overdraft coverage on your bank ;-).

It was totally worth it though.

 

The plain and simple fact of gas prices jumping as much as they can, goes back to basic economics theory. The "price elasticity of demand"

Gas is a neccesity for most americans. Most american cities dont have efficent public transportation like most European cities. so we drive everywhere. Plus the american public want the biggest baddest vehicles they can get there hands on, Just look at all the large SUV's on the road. The oil companies know that by jacking up the price of gas 30-40% will cause a very small decrease in the demand for gas.

Now look at Luxury items I.E. Ferrari's, Yachts Etc. If FNA jacked up the price of a 360 by 40% how many people would be putting deposits down on them and waiting years to get there hands on a new one??? You would be able to walk into any Ferrari dealer in the country and choose from several new one.

The oil companies know that we well still pay for gas so they jack it up plain and simple. A good example is in the Phx area regular unleaded is $2.15-$2.25 a gallon. half way in between Phx and Tucson is Eloy AZ you can get Regular unleaded for under $2.00 a gallon also in Winslow AZ gas is 10-15 cents less agallon than Phx but in Flagstaff Az gas is close to $2.40-2.50 a gallon. Now have a big time oil exec tell us that we are not being gouged on prices when gas is less in boondockville than in the big cities when the stuff has to be trucked out from the big city to boondockville. With all things equal Boondockvilles gas should be more expensive due to transportation costs!!!!

Just MHO

Rob

 

The extra $500-$1000 a year doesn't mean much to me. How ever the economy is different. When you hae everyone in their SUV's filling up twice a week @ $15-$20 more then they normally pay ,that is cash out of their pocket. Does it hurt them financially? not really. Its disposable income that they are losing. But the country on a whole with a massive loss of disposable income will not spend as much and the economy will suffer as a result. I am sure Bush will find a way to drop gas prices come election time. By putting gas prices back to being overpriced ($1.50-$1.75) people will feel like they are getting a great bargin and he will win the country. All IMO of course