There is no shortage in gas because prices are high enough to control demand. Basic economics, you control demand by manipulating price. Raise price, demand drops. Lower price, demand rises. If you do not believe me, go find an economics professor, they will tell you the same thing.

 

This is a perfect example of what I have been saying. Price is controlling demand. Price is up, so 88grandmarquis is going to buy less gas.

 

Here in Minnesota prices are $2.08 to $2.15 can't believe it. Opening of fishing this weekend, so imagine filling the expedition and the boat were talking about fifty gallons of gas for both and haven't left town yet. Still have to drive home on sunday looking at over $200.00 this weekend if fuel cost.

 

Ask your economics professor why there were no gas lines/no rationing when the price was 80 or 90 cents cheaper. The reason - no shortage! If there's no shortage, then there's no need to control demand by increasing prices unless you just wanna make an outrageous profit. You have seen the latest quarterly reports from the oil companies, right?

 

here in ND its $2.09 a gallon...and supposedly is going to be $2.50 b4 the end of next week. guess im gunna have to start riding bike again...:S

 

theres comeing a time where people will ahve to work to live and will not be able to do anyhting recreational at all. all the money you earn will have to go towards the cost of living. think the economy is bad now wait till then.

 

There was such a time, the great depression. I was born into it and my parents and grandparents lived it. Times were hard (60-hour work weeks if you were luckey enough to have a job), money was short, but people still found ways to entertain themselves. A can of worms and a cane pole, biscuits wrapped in a flour sack made a great Sunday afternoon. That ordeal produced a great generation of self sufficient people who understood where true value lies. Maybe a second coming of such a time is what a spoiled materialistic population needs.
Dono

 

As long as I can keep my FORD truck it'll be ok.

 

I read somewhere recently that gas prices would have to reach $2.60-$2.80 a gallon to EQUAL what we paid in the early 80's for gas. That is adjusted by % of your income that gas would take to buy then and now. While I am not defending anyone for the rise in gas prices, the facts are what they are. These gas prices today are NOT unprecedented. Having just received my DL in 1973 when we were buying 10 gallon limits on odd or even days only after waiting in line for an hour, I can remember when the situation was far worse. At least now there is no lines or "shortages" and some truly nice high MPG cars are available today. We all make choices today, and buying a low MPG vehicle when you don't really need one is silly but it is your choice and you must live with it, good or bad consequences. If your have a $5.15 hr job 40 miles from your house, I would suggest you find one closer to home {couldn't be too hard to find!} or maybe a part time job closer would do. If you live in the boondocks I'm sure you were aware that everything you needed to live was many miles away when you bought your place so deal with that too. I do find it amazing that when one aspect of life gets a little tougher {example:gas prices}, some folks look for someone to blame when ultimately it is only yourself who can get yourself in a better way! I hope this rise in gas prices will cause enough of us to examine the reasons for the prices being what they are to become motivated enough to do something. Examine how much gas taxes there are in your state and get on the appropriate people to lower them. Vote down every so-called "Green" canidate, {also read that Democrat} and maybe something will be done in the future to keep prices low. I also have been told 35 years ago that there was "only 20 or so years worth" of fossil fuels in the earth left too. What a crock.
Maybe I'm a cold hearted coot, but I have 2 reasonable fuel effiecent vehicles and live less than 5 miles from work and all NEEDED supplies to live and have a good enough income that the gas prices don't affect me at all. But I see a pattern here of blame for the present gas "situation" that reminds me of all things bad in the populace of this country. Self reliance is what made this country great and will always pull you through any hard times. It is what separates us from the rest of the countries of the world. Self reliance doesn't mean you grow your own food and have your wife sew all your families clothes, it means YOU find a way to solve a problem for your family and neighbors and not rely on others {example:government}to do it for you. Pay attention to elections and vote, always keeping an eye on the big picture! This is how this country got to be so great while most of the rest of the world calls on us for help and is a sewer compared to our country.

 

For those who really need size and power to meet their needs, I sympathize. For those that don't, let them pay (quietly I hope) for their decision. Our highways are full of 2-ton, gas guzzling behemoths (usually with only the driver) going back and forth to work or to the grocery. In the last decades, technology has given us substantial increases in fuel economy which have been squandered by a market driven, herd mentality toward bigger and more powerful vehicles. Fuel efficiency, as defined by the amount of energy required to move a given amount of weight, will average 42.5 ton-mpg this year compared to 26.9 ton-mpg in 1975. The wheels of our economy (and our future) are turned by a commodity we must purchase from people who are not our friends, yet we continue to INCREASE our dependence while making little effort to solve the problem. Sadly, high prices may be the only wake up call that will be heeded.
Dono

 

Gas went up 4 times this week alone now we are paying $1.97 gal In W.Chesterfield NH.

 

i paid $2.05 a gallon on thursday night. in fairfield, ohio

 

The refineries are operating at 95%+ capacity. They are in effect making all they can consistently make. The popularity of high fuel consumption vehicles, along with other seasonal factors, have pushed the demand for fuel up in the United States significantly. Demand has increased while refinement capacity has remained basically unchanged. Fuel prices are raised to control demand. The natural side effect of that will be increased profit. The point I am making is Blame the "Tree Huggers", not the oil companies. The only thing that will permanently bring gasoline prices down is change the enviornmental regulation.

 

I cant blame the tree huggers as much as the politicians I think they play a big role in this.

 

i find this rather funny. i fill at our bigger gas station. Cenex has the gas for unleaded at $2.10. (2.09-9, whatever), yet our small station/garage in town sells reg. unleaded at $1.98 a gal. guess ill have to start filling at the garage now.