$4.00 Gas A Reality

[sigma]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Just because you try to constrict demand doesn't mean you don't need supply.

The only way you lower oil prices is by reducing demand AND increasing supply.

Anyone who says you can control the market from one side hasn't passed basic economics. Since controlling one and not the other only acts as a way to cause prices to bottom out or inflate (depending on what you do to one or the other).

Since Demand will increase, although slower with conservation, Supply MUST also increase. If you want to keep oil cheap, you have to increase supply FASTER than demand.

The only way to do this is to get as many people to conserve as much oil as possible AND to drill the **** out of everywhere.

I REALLY HATE how idiots try to take sides in this, you can't take a side. You have to realize that both sides are right and BOTH conservation AND exploration need to take place.

Of course most of you are political pugnates who honestly don't care about oil prices, just your agenda on world order.

I have passed basic economics and in a perfect world that would be the easiest way to correct the problem. This is the real world and I'm advocating the course of least resistance. Conservation is much easier than increasing production and refining capacity (which is the real bottleneck) so attack the problem from where you can. If we could improve SUV gas mileage by 10-15% it would decrease the demand by about how much we would get out of ANWAR. Plus we wouldn't see the benefits from ANWAR since we don't have the refining capacity to turn that oil into gasoline and other products.

[hunchman]

There's is no shortage of oil............just greedy commodity traders and what not that are having fun raking in trillions of dollars
Anyone here ever try keeping up on the daily excuses for the rise on the cost of a barrel of oil? What's worse is alot of these excuses or "fears" never happen.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by sigma

The US is going to have to get over its obsession with subburbs, 12- lane interstates (that are always parking lots by the time they are finished), and cars.

We are going to have to start doing some serious urban planning, verticle construction and a massive expansion of mass transit which should not only connect the inner cities, but also link the subburbs to the cities.

I know everyone likes to rail on San Francisco and the Bay Area in general (or the Metropolis known as the Eastern Seaboard from DC to Boston) but they do have mass transit and verticle construction figured out. For a great example as to how this works google BART (or just click on the link).

THere's nothing wrong with the suburbs, so long as they are designed around mass transportation. But you're gonna need a good amount of density to really make it worth while.

San Francisco Bay Area has a pretty effective rail system, but it's not as extensive as it could be, because it's pretty darn expensive. It was the first real, fully automated rapid transit system in the country. It doesn't use off the shelf parts, like most other systems in the country. Also, it's considered a heavy rail system, but it's also a subway system. And it's a wider rail too. But, the system is extremely efficient, with trains rolling in at least 15 minutes apart most of the time, 20-30 minutes in the late hours, and up to 2 minutes apart through some stations during rush hour.

There's also another heavy rail system in the Bay Area -- CalTrain -- managed and run by AmTrak. Everyone seems to love it. They run diesel locomotives, so it takes a while to slow down. But it's not fully grade separated. People think it's far more efficient than BART.... but it doesn't have nearly the capacity of BART, it doesn't run as frequently as BART -- up to an hour apart at times, and isn't necessarily faster. But it's being upgraded to be electrified and grade separated. Ironic part is... for a "supposedly" cheaper system, the costs are balooning and suddenly, costs are comparable to BART itself. Stupid politicians.
But, CalTrain does need to be electrified and grade separated anyways, as the CalTrain rails will be used for the High Speed Rail system in development. And there will be a new tunnel system built in the City, creating a big loop from the AT&T Park area to the TransBay Terminal, giving downtown San Francisco direct access to CalTrain, High Speed Rail, and BART all in one location.

No other city outside New York and Chicago really have that kind of mass transit connection.

$4.00/gal is a realtiy Californians will be addressing far earlier than anyone else in the nation, except Hawaii. So it's time we start creating alternatives to minimize the traffic and gas consuption, as well as emissions.

[glen124]

Gas dropped from $2.65 to $2.59 here yesterday......

[dibz28]

Originally Posted by carscomblogger

Don't forget record breaking profits EVERY quarter by the oil companies. All of them. They can't use the supply and demand crap on the prices as an excuse because, well, they seem to be meeting demand all the time and making extreme profits. That means to me they're being efficient and calculated on the prices.

Also just last week they said the peak for gas prices would be under last year, it would just come sooner.

Peak Oil is a myth..... There is plenty of oil in the world... Oil is being used to ensalve us and to make record profits.... The last time Oil was cheep was when Saddam was fludding the market with Oil and thats why he was taken out under the so called WMD's. We didn't go to Iraq to take the Oil but to turn off the flow........

[eaton53]

I was shocked," motorist Cindy Confer said after purchasing $4 gas. "I was thinking we should have gone down the road."

Well, no kidding, Cindy. Ya think so?
Cindy is clearly a moron. Of course, let's get the biggest idiot we can find and put 'em on TV.

Paid $2.62 yesterday.

I've got a handle on this seasonal spike thing. I drive my Miata during the summer when gas is expensive and my Tahoe in the winter when gas is cheap (it got as low as $1.84 here).

The Tahoe only moves during the summer to go to breakfast on Saturday morning (gotta keep 'er lubed up) or when I need to haul something (can't haul much in a Miata). Tank of gas lasts a loooong time.

[ponchoman49]

Sounds like people need to start using condoms to stop the massive explosion of over population that is occuring. The more mouths to feed in the world, the higher everything is going to go, the more traffic congestion, less available jobs, increased demand on natural resources to make more houses, cars and stores etc etc. It's a vicious circle. It's not the cars or the factorys or global warming that we should be worrying about. Overpopulation is a real threat and one that needs to be considered by all.

[TJ95GAGT]

lol this is hilarious, all this hyperactivity, the big 3 going bankrupt, everyone move to the cities over 1 friggin station gouging by an airport. Around here its always 5-15 cents more right off of I-95, get away from the major HWY and its its 2.75. A quick gasbuddy search of Orlando:

http://www.orlandogasprices.com/

Does America need to change how we use oil/gas, yes it absolutly does, but it takes time to change a nations habits. My habits have changed, I do multiple errands on the way home from work, try to avoid sitting in traffic by leaving at different times. We use the CFL bulbs, turn the lights off etc.
The big 3 will stop selling the big SUVs when AMERICANS stop buying them, I hope thier seeing the need to invest in small cars though. Time will tell.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Two Words: Alaska Drilling.

There is your Greens blame under "getting oil." I thought that would be obvious. Guess not.

Why are you so angry? I haven't seen any posts saying we shouldn't drill in ANWR.

[Dagan81]

Originally Posted by importedtuna

Orlando station charges $4 for a gallon of gas
By WKMG Local 6 News
Originally posted on April 23, 2007

ORLANDO -- The average price of gasoline may have jumped through the U.S. but nothing like the spike seen at a gas station near the airport over the weekend.

The Problem Solvers found a Chevron gas station in Orlando near the airport charging $4 for a gallon of regular.

"I was shocked," motorist Cindy Confer said after purchasing $4 gas. "I was thinking we should have gone down the road."

"You didn't stop to look before you started pumping?" Local 6's Mike DeForest said.

"I looked out here," Confer said.

Local 6 reported that the prices were not put on any signs at the business.

The station was also selling Plus gas for $4.09 and charging $4.19 for premium gas, the report said.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs..../70423015/1075

Gasoline at $4 Coming to a Pump Near You, Unfazed by Rising Tab
By Joe Carroll

April 23 (Bloomberg) -- Whether it's $50 to fill up your Prius or $130 for the Ford Expedition, $4-a-gallon gasoline is coming to a pump near you.

Fuel prices are rising at a pace not seen since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita knocked out a third of the U.S. oil refining industry in 2005. Gasoline consumption is climbing twice as fast as last year and will accelerate when summer travel begins late next month.

``What we're surprised by is the increased demand,'' said James Mulva, chief executive officer at ConocoPhillips, whose refineries from California to New Jersey produce 56 million gallons of gas a day, enough to meet 14 percent of the country's needs. ``Even though the price of gasoline is up, the demand is up,'' he said in an April 12 interview in Houston.

Population gains and U.S. economic growth are causing an increase in fuel purchases, according to Orlando, Florida-based AAA, the nation's largest organization for motorists. The U.S. economy will expand at a 2.4 percent annual pace in the second quarter, up from 1.8 percent in the first three months, according to the median estimate of 74 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Gasoline use is rising almost 5 percent above the five-year average.

Americans are resigned to higher prices, says David Pursell, a principal with Pickering Energy Partners, a consulting firm in Houston.

``Last year, we had pump prices well over $3 for the summer and gasoline demand was up,'' Pursell said in an interview. ``Would $4 gasoline cause demand contraction? I think it will, but I also thought $3 gasoline would.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=afOlUzd30YOo

Well, I guess President Bush is getting at least some of what he wants. I wouldn't have a problem with the price of gasoline if the average per capita income increased along with it. Alas, we've allowed a fool to have his way, and he's getting the economic growth he wants through war and price gouging as a baron of big oil.

[Jesda]

LOL, "wretched excess" of the 80s compared to the doom and gloom of the 70s.

Economic activity and investment is a GOOD thing. It leads to technological development, more jobs, and a healthier and more stable economy. Gas prices in the 80s, by the way, we relatively very high.

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

Sounds like people need to start using condoms to stop the massive explosion of over population that is occuring. The more mouths to feed in the world, the higher everything is going to go, the more traffic congestion, less available jobs, increased demand on natural resources to make more houses, cars and stores etc etc. It's a vicious circle. It's not the cars or the factorys or global warming that we should be worrying about. Overpopulation is a real threat and one that needs to be considered by all.

Amen. Here ya go, the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement.

[Saturn69]

Would all the Anti-Bush, Bush-is-responsible-for-the-price and Tinfoil Toupe Brigade members please, please go sit at the other table. You're sitting too close to those of us who are talking about conversation and you're giving us a bad reputation. We don't want to catch your crazy, thanks anyway.

[GMFreak8]

I'll buy what I want regardless of gas prices. If I need to find a better job, so be it. I want to enjoy life, and that involves driving large cars and SUVs that have V8s under the hood.

[yoblues]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

Sounds like people need to start using condoms to stop the massive explosion of over population that is occuring. The more mouths to feed in the world, the higher everything is going to go, the more traffic congestion, less available jobs, increased demand on natural resources to make more houses, cars and stores etc etc. It's a vicious circle. It's not the cars or the factorys or global warming that we should be worrying about. Overpopulation is a real threat and one that needs to be considered by all.

You think there are problems now? We are going from 6 billion to 10 billion people by 2050 it's going to be a mess.