Gas prices may take away one of my favorite joys
Posted by Shannon on March 4, 2008
I love getting in my truck, rolling the windows down, and driving out to places with no idea where I’m going. I just love being on the road and enjoying the scenery and the view. It’s a great way to relax and let the stresses of the world pass on by.
I was able to do that for a little while yesterday. I went out to a scenic overlook, drove around a little bit, and enjoyed spring’s first welcome. However, then I remembered the gas prices and had to think if those little drives are economically sound. With gas prices expected to reach near $4 later this year, it’s getting to the point where things are starting to be cut out. Some serious cu
Cuts are already made in only filling up the tank to what I need for the week. That seems to help control some costs. But, if gas does reach $4 there may need to be other cuts made as well. Like, forget about ever driving back home to W.Va., or N.C. (even though these trips are only 4 and 8 hours respectively) except maybe once or twice a year. Forget the splurge trips to some big city to see something interesting or to get outside the bubble that is Wilmore.
As much of a conservative and economic capitalist as I am, someone has to explain to me these high gas prices. I get the fact that we are in a war zone in a high oil location. I get the fact that there is more demand on oil resources than ever before. I get the fact that 30 gallon vehicles take a lot of gas to fill and thus demand would increase cost. I get all of that. Still, even with all of that why has the price of oil jumped $50 in the past year? Why has the price of gas jumped a full dollar in the past year?
Someone needs to explain that to me, because I’m tired of paying $3 or more for gas. And I’m sure I’m not alone in this regard.
March 4, 2008 at 9:18 am
I admit I’m quite baffled by it as well. But I guess instead of going for nice drives we could all start going for walks…might be better for the heart anyway
March 4, 2008 at 10:02 am
My take on it (and anyone feel free to correct me) is that world demand for gas has increased with the industrialization of China, India, etc. while the major oil companies’ refining capacity hasn’t significantly increased. Adding refining capacity is extremely expensive, so companies are hesitant to do so and refining is the bottleneck in the oil supply chain. OPEC can increase production all day long, but that oil must be refined. That creates a higher global demand with a stagnant supply. Combine all that with a weakening dollar and you get oil barrel prices skyrocketing. The only solution unless developing nations decide to quit buying cars is to either increase supply via more refining capacity or decrease demand (alternative fuels?).
All of this should have been addressed 25 years ago! It is a true shame that other fuels have not been investigated as much.
So don’t worry about getting used to $4 gas…it will be $5 soon…and so on.
March 4, 2008 at 10:40 am
Why have we not seriously taken a look at alternative fuels until now? I think that is a crime in of itself.
March 4, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I still own my truck, but now I mostly drive my Prius. About a year ago I converted it into a 100+mpg plug-in car. I buy Dom. Wind so I use less gas. No joke see the not for profit CalCars.org.
March 5, 2008 at 9:17 am
I heard a stat a year or so ago when gas was first hovering around $3 that cars now get about a 1/2 mpg more than they did in ‘80 or ‘81 when gas was at its highest (adjusted for inflation). 1/2 mpg in 20+ years! It seems that gas is crunched for a while but when it eases up, all thoughts of alternative fuels dry up as well. Just look at the rush for hybrids a year or so ago and now that has cooled off. I’m sure it will pick up again.
Then you have the conspiracy theorist who think that fuel companies buy up all the alt fuel patents to keep them suppressed…