Flare Sci-Fi Forums: the price of gas

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Posted by bryce (Member # 42) on :

Gas went from $1.56 to $1.67 in a day here in southern Ohio. I was just wondering what the prices are everywhere else. (Americans use gallons, too)

Posted by Elim Garak (Member # 14) on :

US$1.56 per gallon? That's quite high, in my experience. Just across the border around here in NB (putting us in Maine, for the geographically challenged

), it's usually around US$1.05 to $1.20 (per U.S. gallon), IIRC.

But Fabrux may feel free to correct me; he lives slightly closer.

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

The last time I bought gas (two days ago) the cheapest you could get it here was $1.48 a gallon. the average for the past year (and most recent years) was about $1.12.

And it's going higher. It's time to either:

1.) Repeal some gas taxes, which raise the price by about $0.25 cents a gallon on average.

2.) Withdraw military/financial support from certain OPEC nations, if they're the ones keeping the price up.

3.) Make some oil companies miserable, if it's their fault.

4.) All three.

And of course, we're long, long, LONG overdue for large-scale projects in solar power. (Which would certainly also help to make it easier and more worthwhile to accomplish the above.)

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Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :

Well, I don't know anything about US gas prices, as I haven't been there in a while. However, I do know that the current price for Canadian gas around here is 77.9/litre or so.

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Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

Near my house in Summerville, SC, are two stations across the street from one another, one charges $1.37 and the other $1.39. I've seen it as high as $1.49 in some areas.

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[This message has been edited by Hobbes (edited June 02, 2000).]

Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :

$1.81 in NW Indiana
$2.10 in Chicago

Only Hawaii has higher gass prices then Chicago...

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Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :

It's around $1.68 for 93 octane here. At least, down at the two Amocos on either side of the major corner I live near it is.

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Posted by Charles Capps (Member # 9) on :

$1.78 or so here.

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Posted by bryce (Member # 42) on :

Hey First, can you say OFF-SHORE OIL DRILLING!?

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Posted by Mikey T (Member # 144) on :

Oh my God... I still pay $1.59 for 92 premium at Costco! I thought that gas there was cheaper.

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Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

The price of gas in Clovis, NM:

Regular: $1.49/gal.
Mid-grade: $1.59/gal.
Premium: $1.69/gal.

The price is absolutely the same at every gas station in town, with the exception of the iconoclastic Texaco station nearby. They charge $1.33/gallon for regular, so that's the only place I buy my gas at.

I'm less disturbed at the rise in gas prices than I am at the seeming collusion between those who sell the stuff.

--Baloo

P.S.: This doesn't mean I like the price hike. I use 3 tanks of gas every 2 weeks (at 17 gallons, it isn't cheap!) The less it costs to commute, the more I have left for other expenses.

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Posted by Saiyanman Benjita (Member # 122) on :

1.68 for regular (Last week it was 1.49 on Wednesday, jumping up to 1.68.... Planned? Maybe.)

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Posted by Saltah'na (Member # 33) on :

Gas up here is around 75 cents a litre. Soon going up to 76 or 77.

First or two:
2.) Withdraw military/financial support from certain OPEC nations, if they're the ones keeping the price up.

3.) Make some oil companies miserable, if it's their fault.

Agreed.

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Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

sure, I can say 'offshore oil drilling.' watch.

"oil slick"
"toxic beaches"
"valdez"
"dead fish, birds, otters, etc."

nope, solar power is the way to go. Clean, cheap, near-infinite, and if you need more, just build another satellite and another recieving station out in the Mojave.

and of course, for our hawkish friends, the military aspects of such a program are intriguing... microwave Tripoli from orbit, anyone?

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"Nobody knows this, but I'm scared all the time... of what I might do, if I ever let go." -- Michael Garibaldi

Posted by Omega (Member # 91) on :

And exactly how many oil spills happen every year? And how much damage do they do? The only one of any major consequence I've heard of was Valdez, and it's almost cleaned itself up already. Pretty good for a job that was supposed to take decades.

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

I'm truly surprised that we have had no negative comments from our friends in europe regarding how cheap our gas is compared to ours or why we ought to use public transportation. They regularly pay vast amounts for gasoline compared to us, though I'm sure if their prices soared by 20-100% (depending on the location in the U.S. you check, that's about how much our prices have increased) then we'd hear them howling just as much, if not more.

Thanks for showing some restraint, friends.

--Baloo

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(Sometimes we last for hours.)"
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Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :

Taxes are hell.

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Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

One of the reasons I believe that solar power isn't widely used is because who pays for it? No one can control the sun, outside of paying for the solar generator that converts the energy to power your house, the billion-dollar energy companies would go practically bankrupt. Afterall why pay for electric or gas when you have an unlimited energy source that's clean and efficent. And because no one would make any money, none of these companies are interested in creating a solar power generator. Not to mention the government which makes money on conventional energy would also loose a lot of money. They can't possibly tax you on using the sun, or shut it off if you don't make your sun payments.

The same with the electric car concept, it would kill Exxon because you don't buy gas anymore.

I know it sounds very conspiracy theory-ish, but the reason solar or electric isn't widely used is because no one wants it to be.

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Posted by Saiyanman Benjita (Member # 122) on :

Baloo. You are correct on the 20 -100%, though here in Lansing, MI, it's been about 110% (79 cents a year ago today to $1.68 today.)

Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :

Gas here is close to $1.60 again for regular.... HOWEVER, I could care less! *smiles because she just got a new car with MUCH better gas milage than her old one* I'm still saving money ;-)

~LOA

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Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

I just noticed that it's $1.74 for regular here today...it was only something like $1.57 last week. D'oh!

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Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Now who's stupid for not owning a car! Bawee!

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Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

Well, some of us don't have people to chauffeur us around, or live within walking distance of everything, or have public transportation, or whatever...

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

I don't have anything like that either. I just stay chained in the basement, so I don't need to go out. I'm not kidding.

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

1. There are around a dozen oil spills per year, although most of them are smaller or farther offshore than Valdez. You don't hear about them, because... well, G.E. owns NBC, and so on. And because not all of them take place in the U.S.

2. The idea behind our getting solar power stations is to have it FIRST. Then, while providing ourselves with cheaper energy (remember, it will still take a while to offset the initial gigantic investment, so a power compant could still charge for the station's creation, upkep, security, etc), we can SELL our surplus to other countries, simultaneously making a buck AND undercutting the power of the OPEC nations. Plus, if an electric company could get a solar station... all the ecology-conscious people would switch over, so another company would want one, and so on, and staying ahead of the game would require diversification, further use... asteroid mining... off-Earth prospecting... the trend could well be irreversible.

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Posted by bryce (Member # 42) on :

First, I was merely talking about how we could get more gas, not other energy sources. Besides, we still haven't found (to my knowledge) a way to power heavier equipment wit the sun; semis, tanks, and shuttles. I think solar power will come, I just think it will be while longer.

And gas seems to up here for the weekends, too!
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[This message has been edited by bryce (edited June 02, 2000).]

Posted by Mikey T (Member # 144) on :

Well Ultra, some of us aren't that lucky to be chained to a basement all day doing whatever...

Is it true that gas prices will go down by the end of summer or is it another joke?

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"Life's a bitch, then you die"
-USS Luzon, Vanderbuilt Class starship

Posted by Orion Syndicate (Member # 25) on :

We pay about 80-85 pence a litre, I don't know what it is per gallon because I never used that unit. The actual price of the petrol is about 10-15 pence a litre with the rest being taxation for the government coffers.

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Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

I got you all beat!
In sweden the price just went over ten crowns per litre for the first time ever.

10 kr = $ 1.13
1 US-(liquid)gallon = 3.785 l

So swedish gas costs $4.28/gal.

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Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

We have a price of around $4.40/galon over here

asuming 1 dollar = 1 euro.

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Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

There's 1$ to the Euro? So that makes a Euro 2/3rds of a pound then.

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Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

The Euro is currently worth slightly less than the dollar, actually, IIRC.

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Posted by Michael Dracon (Member # 4) on :

It swings around from one side to the other. I took 1 to 1 to make the calculation easier. It's not precise anyway, it's somewhere in between 4.20 and 4.60

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(-=\V/=-)

Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

Also consider the fact that vast stretches of Siberia are being poisoned by Russian pipelines that lose more oil than they successfully transfer.

I'd love to be optimistic about energy, but I just don't think we'll see it. The world simply can't support a global population living the American lifestyle. Hello Blade Runner, I guess.

Which is going to be on the Sci-Fi Channel tonight. Cool!

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Posted by bryce (Member # 42) on :

3 things:

If America was in control of the entire Earth it would (yeah, right!)

Americans don't want the rest of the world to have their lifestyle for the most part, the average American is still the isolationist the government was before WWII

I am beginning to think Russia needs to ask some nation (any nation) to come in there (physically) and help them out.

Gas may go down tomorrow!

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Posted by Curry Monster (Member # 12) on :

Bah you have it easy! Over here petrol is 89c per litre. Of which about 55 cents is direct tax. If you removed tax in Aust pertol would be 35c per litre. Current rates are 89c(US 50.73) / litre or $3.36 / gallon. (US 1.91). Now factor in that they intend to raise prices by another 11% and add a goods and services tax and we are in a real shitter

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Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

Um, bryce...huh? I was commenting on the fact that if everyone on the planet wanted to live the typical conspicuous consumption lifestyle, it simply could not be maintained. Now ask me again after the widespread use of nanotech, and I might say something different. But I'm in a dour mood about the future right now. June does that to me.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Sol, the state of the world as it IS can't be maintained.

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Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

Ok, how bout this, how much does it take to fill your tank?

With my 1991 Nissan NX-2000 it costs about $10 and usually lasts for about 3 or 4 days.

In my 1995 Ford Taurus $10 will only get me half a tank, and last the same amount of days. Since I don't recall the last time I got a full tank in it, I have to guess it would last maybe 6 or 7 days.

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[This message has been edited by Hobbes (edited June 06, 2000).]

Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :

Until yesterday, I had to drive 50 mins total every weekday. I needed to refuel about once a week ($20).

Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :

Hobbes, it's a Nissan NX200

Saying NX-2000 will get everyone confused. They'll want to buy your starship

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Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

er, bryce? Just exactly what part of the shuttle is fueled by a gasoline engine??

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Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

I think you meant NX2000, not 200. In either case, NX2000 or NX-2000 is the same thing.

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"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you."
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Posted by Curry Monster (Member # 12) on :

To fill a tank? Whoa, like $50.

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"Remeber, if there is a nuclear explosion, be sure to close your windows as the massive heat could cause objects within your home to catch fire".

Wise, wise words.

Posted by Saiyanman Benjita (Member # 122) on :

It so very much makes me miss my little '85 prelude. It got like 35 miles to the gallon, and a full tank would last me about 2-3 weeks. My ford Taurus is lucky to get half that much and a full tank lasts me about 5 days. Besides that, it breaks down every time I fill the tank up.

Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :

Really? Our 1995 Ford Taurus has never had any major problems.

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"If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you."
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Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

[Read: Extremely variable build quality.]

--Baloo

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Posted by Saiyanman Benjita (Member # 122) on :

$2.00!!!! We in the city of Lansing, MI Have reach $2.00! Think of how many complaints we're getting at the Attorney General's Office.

Actually, it's $2.09, for an increase of 41 cents over the span of ten days, for those of you keeping track of my posts
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Well I'm a Bada$$ cowboy living in a cowboy day wicky-wicky-wak yo yo bang bang
me and Artemus Clydefrog go save Selma Hayek from the big metal spider
Wicky-wicky-wak wicky-wicky-wicky-wak
Bada$$ cowboy from the West Si-yiide

[This message has been edited by Saiyanman Benjita (edited June 12, 2000).]

Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :

Ah, we got $2.12. Chicago's above $2.20. And some places in Michigan have run out of gas because a pipeline was broken, so there's no gas coming in.

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[This message has been edited by The359 (edited June 12, 2000).]

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Who votes we nuke Saddam and take Iraq's oil? Two birds w/ one stone, eh? *L*

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Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

Of course, the oil companies are blaming the price hike on the new rules which just went into effect in some cities, requiring that the gass be more purified than it was.

Of course, what they don't tell you is that they'd been working on just that for the last FIVE years, and could easily have factored in the "upgrade" cost during those years. In fact, they almost certainly DID.

Price gouging.

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Posted by The359 (Member # 37) on :

Actually, the new "enviromentally-safe" gas was only supposed to raise gas prices by 2�! So they're BSing you about that.

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"The things hollow--it goes on forever--and--oh my God!--it's full of stars!" -David Bowman's last transmission back to Earth, 2001: A Space Odyssey

The 359 Webpage

Posted by Saiyanman Benjita (Member # 122) on :

Ya, Michigan is going to be going up another 20-30 cents in the next week because of the disaster in Jackson, MI. I've even heard of the possibility of gas rationing. What decade is this again?

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I think the gas companies are raising the prices because they can. They realize the demand curve is almost flat, so whereever they set the price, the gas will still be bought. It's like cigarettes. Cigs are still being sold, if not as much as ten years ago, then more so. Gas prices are the same way (if not, more profitable.) You have to buy the gas, whether the price is $1.00/gal or $2.00/gal. Complain all you want, you'll still pay them, and that's what they want. As for the price gouging thing, unfortunately there aren't any laws in Michigan, and probably not in many states. If you would like to see a change, contact your local congressman (God, I think I'm sick of saying that. I have to say that to every gas complainer we get. It's getting really redundant)

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