Current fuel prices

[Bill Bayard]

This is how I felt yesterday, when I filled my truck to the tune of $75.

(see attachment)



Bill

 

[Ron Earp]

Gas might be high to us here in the US, but just ask our British and European friends about gas prices......

Even at $5 a gallon it is cheaper than bottled water, or Coke, or about any other drink.......and it is a lot more useful..........


R

 

[Ian Anderson]

Yes

Local garage to me 99.9p per litre for our PETROL
At GBP 1 = 1.9 USD = USD189.81per litre

Diesel was up at 102.9p per litre

LPG was at 48p

Ian

 

[Joe T]

I think higher fuel costs are just something we will all have to get used to, I wonder how much it would have to reach before we refused to pay it

I think the US will see bigger rises as its going to have to play catch up with the rest of the planet.

 

[Malcolm]

I heard that the Sultan of Brunei was unhappy at fuel prices so ordered they be halved immediately. Took the price down to 9p a litre! Don't know how true it is but I like it!

Recently I got caught at £1.03 per litre.

 

[Jonathan Strain]

I don't agree with Joe that US prices are destined to play catch up with European prices. I have always heard that the US prices are lower due to a better-established infrastructure for the refineries and distribution as well as lower taxes on gas. I am by no means an expert on this but this seems reasonable considering that gas prices have almost always been significantly higher in Europe than the states.

 

[Mike Dozier]

The price of gasoline is higher in Europe chiefly due to taxes.
The cost of the crude/refining/distribution isn't much different.

As to how much gasoline would have to cost before Americans drastically
reduce driving mileage, or stop buying SUVs/pickup trucks ? My opinion is that level is still a ways away. Americans consider personal
driving (and driving big cars) a Constitutional right...and will
either reduce expenditures elsewhere...or simply take on more debt
rather than sit at home on weekends.

MikeD

 

[Chris Kouba]

'97 Suburban

42 gallon tank

>$120USD per refill

I've been feeling it a while already- so much that I switched to commuting on a Cannondale R400! Hasn't changed what I drive, or what I want to drive (I still have no '40 but am waiting patiently for a few things to change).

Now I live in Phoenix. I drive again but the commute's WAY shorter!

Cheers!

CK

 

[scott]

I have co workers who LOVE to complain about fuel prices. My reply is always the same. How much would someone have to pay you to do the same work accomplished by a gallon of gas? (I leave out the inherent massive inefficiency of an internal combustion engine and losses associated with gears... )


Last week I moved 6 yards of 6" rock and I would have paid a fair bit to have it done in retrospect...would have taken less than a half gallon of fossil product I'm sure.

 

[Ron Earp]

I have co workers who LOVE to complain about fuel prices. My reply is always the same. How much would someone have to pay you to do the same work accomplished by a gallon of gas? .

Exactly! And I also use the bottled water thing as well. Seems they have no problem dropping $4.25 on a cup of coffee at Starbucks either. Their response is always something like "but I don't have to use 25 cups of coffee a week!" and "but everyone needs gas".

Well, if you don't want to use 25 gallons of gas a week drive something else, move closer, or walk some.

Cheap gas is not an American Right nor guarenteed by the government. IMHO of course.

Ron

 

[Bill Bayard]

I didn't mean to get everybody wound up over this topic.

I just thought the sign was funny.

Relatively speaking, gas is cheap, when compared to other daily use items.

Now, if you could drill a well and strike printer ink, you be a bazillionaire.

Ounce for ounce, one of the most expensive products out there.

I'm surprised that it isn't traded on the commodities market.



Bill

 

Hey Ron, $4.54/ gallon for AVGAS at the local airport. What are you guys paying down south?

 

[Chris Kouba]

No worries Bill, I'm not wound up but I did change my habits due to the price. I recently moved as well and the house I chose was selected based on its close (but not TOO close) proximity to where I work- as well as having a 3 car garage to fit a 40 into.

I still drive my Suburban. It's "gear" for what I do (see my "summer vacation" post) and I value that. I also accept the consequences...

CK

 

[Ron Earp]

Hey Ron, $4.54/ gallon for AVGAS at the local airport. What are you guys paying down south?

You know, not sure because I pay a wet rate at the club and refuel mainly only there by calling the fuel truck and letting them do the accounting. I do know that wet rate increased recently by about $11 hour, so at 6 gallons an hour it'd have gone up about $1.50-$2.00 over what it was - so I'd imagine we're at your rate. I knew it was in the $3.30 to $3.50 range 8 months ago or so.

 

[Malcolm]

A while back Wendy and I visited USA and Canada for about 4 weeks and drove 3000 miles in Chevy Suburban and Ford Expedition. After UK prices, fuel costs never entered our heads in deciding (well I decided) I wanted the biggest damn four wheel drive thing I could lay my hands on! And we learnt about On-Call Assistance by mistake too which was fun! We don't get that here that I know of.

Had a bit of fun with fuel today. A carpenter I am using foolishly put petrol into his diesel van. He got it towed to my place and we fixed it back to ok. But he wanted to save the mixed up fuel as he had a friend who has a Russian 17,000 cc truck that runs on anything, including paint thinners! Now I bet he doesn't get much mileage out of that.

 

[Keith]

Had a bit of fun with fuel today. A carpenter I am using foolishly put petrol into his diesel van. He got it towed to my place and we fixed it back to ok.

He was lucky, I know several people (mainly females) who totalled their diesel motors with petrol. They ran great for a split second though. :squint: