Ri$$$$ing co$$$$t of

[Miles E Traysandor]

I read a rather interesting article in the Boston Herald today about the rising cost of gasoline. I know a lot of people would quickly put the blame for this on Bush [Who wouldn't resist the opportunity to bash Bush, who backs Big Oil Company CEOs, and to hell with just about everything else.], but there are some not so subtle reason for the rising cost.<br><br>High demand for the upcoming summer season<br>Gas-guzzling SUVs [why were they made in the first place?]<br>The fact that the world WILL RUN OUT of oil to use to produce gasoline, whether it be 2 years, 20 years, or 200 years down the road is unknown.<br>and...<br>*COUGH MIDDLE EAST COUGH*<br><br>Personally, I think it's both good and bad.<br><br>Bad for me because it further strains my already financially strained wallet that's doing everything possible to keep this apartment that I live in on my own from going under right now with the terrible job market out there.<br><br>The good is that it will send more people be looking for other sources of energy... *Cough Sun and Wind Cough*<br><br>What are your opinions?

[norsenerd]

I think refineries make to much money off of gassoline adn that SUV's shoudlb e held to higher fuel efeciancy standards. If we ingore coal and consintrate on our domestic energy output right now we woudl run out of energy in 75 years (the oil, gas, and uranium would run out). Internationaly that number is a couple hunderend years more and throwing in coal it is increasead 3 or 4 times. But 75 years isn;t a long time, we shoudl be reasearching laternitives right now. Iceland is refuling to relay soly on hydrogen for it's energy neadsb ut it is in a prime location to do so. Lots of geopthermal energey there.

[Zylo]

Well, high gas prices don't really do much for the people paying for it. We know that we have a ton of alternative energy sources available, we just don't know how to get them on a commercially efficient level yet. From what I've heard, hydrogen is the best bet for an energy choice (it's effective and will never run out), but hydrogen is difficult to get in a pure form (at least on a commercial level). I say step us research. Once we get a better fuel source, not only will the price of oil not be as big as a concern, it makes the Middle East less of an issue, too.

[IceWolfx12]

Really, a mixed thing, bad for those who really <u>need</u> to use cars, but good because of the whole "America's Obesity Problem" thing. So, I'm on the fence... and believe me, it kinda hurts sittin on a fence post...

[Tavis]

I was expecting this one to appear soon. I was just reading some related materials in the [IHouston Chronicle[/I] yesterday. According to the <i>Chronicle</i>, local gas stations have reached $1.87 per gallon for regular unleaded and $2.04 for premium, while nationwide prices for regular unleaded have already cleared the two-dollar threshold.<br><br>As for my opinions about the matter, I have long held an ill attitude towards SUVs because they are inefficient vehicles for the tasks the average driver performs. People who actually do use a sport utility vehicle for jobs it was designed to do are fine, but using such a large vehicle to transport a few people in an urban location when a small car is adequate is bad for the individual economically, harmful to the environment, and a very real danger to occupants and other drivers on the road.<br><br>Over the long run, rising fuel costs will help make the pursuit of more efficient technologies more economically sound, but for the short term, it is very bad for an economy that is so strongly tied to gasoline. Neither fuel cell technology nor an alternative fuel infrastructure are quite mature enough to be used just yet, since production of alternative vehicles is very limited and very expensive, and the stations for other types of fuel such as hydrogen are also few and far between.

[Henohenomoheji]

...you get used to it...<br><br>I think they should prioritise with the sciencey stuff.<br><br>Edit: Tavis you made me miss! Do we get to throw fish at each other now?

[norsenerd]

They have ahd a prototype hydrogen cell car for a bit and shoudl have ti on the market by 2010 unless it got pushed back. Taht will probably be the next car I buy.

[Tavis]

<!--QuoteBegin-iyestorm+May 21 2004, 03:12 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (iyestorm @ May 21 2004, 03:12 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> ...you get used to it...<br><br>I think they should prioritise with the sciencey stuff.<br><br>Edit: Tavis you made me miss! Do we get to throw fish at each other now? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Hey, with a post as large as mine, I think I gave you more than enough time. <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--> Nyahh!<br><br>Anyway, the sciency stuff is all good, but actually putting what is out there into production is what's really going to make a difference.

[Northern_l33tness]

Around Vancouver, it's usually around $2.50 US per US Galleon (I think I converted that from something like 94 cents Canadian a liter a few weeks back). I like the high prices because of the fact it encourages people to buy smaller vehicles and because as much as people complain about government gas taxes, I'm fairly sure that those taxes don't cover the full cost of road maintainence in Canada as it is.<br><br>I dislike the high prices because I know a lot of gas sold in Canada is produced here, so the production cost is the same and therefore we're getting ripped off by the oil companies. Also, its hard enough for poor people to afford vehicles as it is. Finally, my family has to pay the same high price (luckily, my Hyundai gets decent mileage).

[Sabre]

hey America, park the SUV and walk to McDonalds. <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--><br><br>I feel mean now.

[Burning Sheep Productions]

Good for the future I say, which in turn is good for the people.

[Zaaphod]

<!--QuoteBegin-Sabre+May 22 2004, 11:25 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (Sabre @ May 22 2004, 11:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> hey America, park the SUV and walk to McDonalds. <!--emo&:P--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo--><br><br>I feel mean now. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Sounds like a good suggestion to me. Walking would do Americans good, most of us are overweight (me included).<br>

[Softpaw]

Yeah, I would do that if I could, but I'm a long way from everything, and I can't limp very far. If it's any consolation to the environment, I drive a super-efficient sportscar which gets 28-32 miles per gallon in the city. Yay for the Integra and sub-$20 fillups! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... /smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--><br><br>Which is another thing, gas prices just broke $1.80 here this week, I think we have the cheapest gas in the country for some reason, and that sucks because everyone here drives huge pickup trucks that get like 5 miles per gallon.<br><br>[EDIT: I'm an overweight American as well, but thanks to my manual-labour job, I eat Burger King twice a week and still managed to drop 80 pounds in four months, and still falling]

[Dr. Dos]

Ours is $2.01/gallon I believe.

[Miles E Traysandor]

I work at a full service gas station that currently charges $2.12 a gallon as of this morning.<br><br>You can no longer find gas under $2 a gallon anywhere in the area. However I did hear rumors of a station charging $1.97/$1.98/$1.99 a gallon for their gas not too far from my location.<br><br>On the obesity issue, I'm somewhat on the thin side, being 6'2" and weighing only 180 lbs. And it's been quite some time since I last ate either McDonald's or Burger King -- Can't afford it, plus you can get cheaper and healthier food with better portions at your local grocery store, though you'd have to cook it.