Quote:
"I thought the idea behind supply and demand was if demand increased then prices would go down, cause supply would obviously be "increased"

You bring prices down on objects that sell a lot so more people will buy them, not increase.
whatever.
I guess that seems irrational to them.

That is exactly how I thought it works too, guess everywhere but the oil world.
I think we are all on the same page, but can we do anything about it? Like someone already said, if everybody on this forum stopped buying diesel it wouldnt add up to a drop in their barrel. So what can we do to make a difference? Start a movement to get the truckers to ban together? It is a waste of time to talk about changing the politicians, they are all in bed with oil and will always be. The way I see it, it is up to us, each and everyone that is fed up with the price of fuel. But again I ask, How?

 

Actually Supply and demand work almost exactly opposite of that. The principle is that the more of an object there is that is available, the less it is worth. We could name several examples, but for the sake of illustration let's use water and diamonds. Water (unless you're buying it bottled) is relatively cheap because it is the most abundant natural resource on the planet. Diamonds on the other hand are extremely expensive because they are so rare. There just aren't that many of them to go around. There is not much in the way of supply, but there is a large demand; who wouldn't want some diamonds if they could get them?

The issue with oil is that the countries that control the market are using the laws of S&D to their own benefit by fooling around with the "supply side" of the equation by increasing and decreasing their production at will knowing full well that the demand for their product won't change. The other major issue here is our ability to quickly and efficiently refine the oil into usable fuel. Our system of refineries runs so close to max capacity all the time that there is no room for error there either, and the EPA hasn't issued a new permit for the construction of a refinery in something like 20 years.

It's just a messed up system. IMHO if the government would just get out of it altogether and let the market dictate its own course, things would be a lot better off.

 

Thanks, I could not have said it better myself. And remember that even if supply is good the more people need or want something the more people are willing to pay and the higher the price will go. You say get the government out and I see what you are saying about the EPA not issuing permits and how that will kill supply but if you cap the profits that oil company's can make off of us I am sure they will find a way to supply us with what we want. And lets not forget just how much the tree huggers are ****ing up this whole situation. Is it the tree huggers that keep drilling in our country to a minimum or is our government in bed with the other countrys that are selling us oil?

 

Well, I'm gonna tell the government what I think today. Our local bio diesel station is thawed out enough that the pumps will work today and I'm going in for a fill up. No tax and much cheaper! Also no Venezuelans or Iranians had anything to do with making it!!!

 

The thing is, they preached 'peak' oil to us to the point that people accept the untrue fact that there is a limited supply and therefore they have to pay more money for gas. Same with diamonds, there are alot of diamonds but the fact is only a few family's own the diamond mines and they only release so many at a time to keep the price up. As mentioned above, they are playing with the supply side of the equation, therefore the end result is we are paying more then we should be.

 

gas went down to 3.03 now here, diesel still at 3.55.

WTF.

you can say our oil comes from the middle east all you want, and its not untrue, but over half of our oil comes from mexico and canada.

 

It ranges from 3.19 to 3.59 in my area today. That's a huge range. I went to the cheapest one this morning which was a fina station at 3.19 and they now have a B20 Bio sticker on the pump so I got 50 gallons of that in my big tank and picking up 20 gallons of B100 at 2.59 this afternoon to mix with it.

http://tdi.vw.com/diesel-tracker/

If you type in the actual city and state it seems to be more accurate. It doesn't always bring up the prices by just typing in a zip.

 

I am going to get with some of the local farmers and see if they can be persuaded to grow some type of seed crop to produce virgin oil that I can run in my trucks. I am a little bit leary about running waste veg oil. I know alot of people are doing it, but I cant afford to f-up my engine. If I can make this work, then all the oil companys can suck my h**** b***s. Maybe that is what we all are gonna have to do, find our own alternative to dino fuel.

 

neat link dan, no prices for me though.

 

sometimes you have to hit the show me prices button or whatever twice. It will work. I love that site. It's the most accurate I have found.

you don't really want to run just veggie oil. It needs to be processed into diesel. I know people do it too but these injectors are expensive and I'm just not gonna risk it. check out all the bio finder websites. You might have a place near you that sells it now. theres hundreds of truck stops around the country. Down here near Dallas and Austin all of the stations nearly carry it. Up North too. We're just in a dead zone I guess. All these idiot cotton farmers that think they own the place I guess. Now we do have one plant making diesel from cottonseed oil though. I hope it lasts. The one I'm getting it from uses virgin soy oil mostly with some cottonseed and a very little tallow. It's all fresh though. No recycled junk.

 

Wow 3.98 a gallon in my town. Why is it always so high here on Long Island?

 

Way back in the 70's gas shortages, the highest price I paid for diesel was , right where you are on Long Island.

You out on the Island a ways?

I used to run to Central Islip, Walbaums about every third trip to the city.

 

I live on the north shore of Nassau County in Glen Cove. I used the link RRanch posted and it looks like the futher out you go the less it is. Cant see why.

 

Worked that time.
So strange.

 

Hi,when it comes to the question why bio plants are shutting down it goe's along with
subsidies,the 100's millions of our tax dollars are not going to prop up the plants artificually
so no reason to keep them open,but the up side now is they will not be using corn feed so
hopefully the farmers can get feed for their animals,so food prices may come down a little.
One other thing that feel keeps diesel pricing up,is if you multiply the price by increased MPG that you get from a diesel engine by 20% it will equal the price increase of diesel,thank's