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by FloydFreak from Rural North Florida

Last Post 3 days, 11 hours Ago


Gas STILL Too Cheap!
May 9, 2008 | 5:37 AM
Category: News
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My God! For all of the b!tch!ng that people do about the price of gasoline, you sure couldn't tell it by their driving.

Driving from Clermont to Alachua last evening, I set my cruise for 63 MPH (I drive an '05 Civic Hybrid). I believe that over that 110 miles or so I passed TWO vehicles.

I am constantly amazed at the numbers of motorists that are still buzzing along at 75-80 MPH. Until Americans make a concerted effort to REDUCE CONSUMPTION, you will not see prices come down. The experts some months ago had thought that four dollars would do it. But we're almost there and no one's slowing down yet (except for myself and one or two others).

Perhaps FIVE dollars will do it.
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Member Comments Total Comments: 18
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DeborahLakeHelen read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 6:51 AM

I know what you're talking about! I only drive a short distance on I-4 everyday, (10 miles) but everyone seems to be going faster than me. I set my gas hog, Ford F250, at 70mph (the speed limit) on cruise control, and other vehicles whiz by me like I'm doing 35. I've been flicked off, cut off, and tailgated, I suppose, in encouragement to go faster. I'll ignore all gestures and threats, until one of them follows me into the parking lot where I work, and then.... well let's just say I love Florida's newly passed law.
PegasusWing read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 7:01 AM

Geesh, DLH, you don't look that tough, but more power to you.
I think that it will take gas at $10-20/gal. for it to make a difference.
I do believe those prices will happen.
When it hits $20, the oil companies will back down to $18, and everyone will be happy.
A couple of US car companies will go out of business, then the ones left will get serious about getting vehicles on the road that are energy efficient and safe.
Of course, with so fewer on the road, safety will not be a kill or be killed proposition.
But not everyone will get smarter.
Some will still drive the big hogs like crazy people, they have to make up for other deficiencies.
DeborahLakeHelen read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 7:26 AM

Pegasus, I don't know about you, but THAT will bring me to a screeching halt! I think you're right, too! I think that's just exactly where we're headed! How can families barely getting by now, be expected to survive then?
RNC08 read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 8:54 AM

Well your finger pointing may not be completely unfounded but you do have a few ideas that are inaccurate. It is not a “fact” that driving slower will always save gas , optimal speed is different on each and every car. My car gets its best MPG at exactly 71mph (it is actually 71 to 72mph) . The second false assumption you are making is that the price will go down if consumption goes down, this may have worked when Carter first told us to stop using gas and wait for it to go down (it did not work but it might have in 30 or 40 years) but it will not work now because we are not the worlds largest consumer of oil ! Every drop of oil that an America saves will go to China so where is the incentive to sell oil cheaper when it will sell at this price ?
RNC08 read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 8:57 AM

..What is a fact is that our economy/cost of living/GDP are all dependent on oil all the current high prices are because of the cost of oil. The only solution is higher production, this is true now it was true 30 years ago and it will be true 300 years from now.
shadows read my blog
May 9, 2008 | 9:51 AM

You are so right about people speeding and car makers are also building faster cars than what the existing speed limits call for.

But perhaps the people that are spending more money on gas have other motives. They may be wanting to contribute to oil company revenues and the economies of countries such as Russia, Mexico, and Iraq.

By helping establish larger middle classes in those and other developing countries, we are helping increase demand for certain products such as cars and food. Subsequently prices on such things go up as a result of supply and demand. The corporations are helping to redistribute the wealth in the world so that they won't have to be as dependent on the American markets for profits.

Some of our defense contractors are establishing subsidiaries off-shore so that they can avoid paying U.S. taxes. All of these things are contributing to our trade deficit and national debt.
FloydFreak read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 2:28 PM

I subscribe to the school of thought that we will see a repeat of what took place in the mid-80's. High oil prices in the late 70's/early-80's spurred production of lots of new wells and re-activated old ones because the profit potential was there. In other words, everyone was wanting to get on the bandwagon.

Then what you saw was production that far exceeded demand so prices fell - like a rock. I can remember paying $0.699 for regular in the Atlanta area in about 1985/86. The same thing happened in the late 90's. We were paying $0.899 for regular in Pinellas County in 1998.

It cannot continue to rise unabated without demand falling at SOME point. We just have not reached that point yet.
DaytonaFrank read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 5:10 PM

Well, demand will go down as the price continues to go up. But it will be demand from people that can no longer afford to drive.

The rich will continue to use more than they need. Price does not matter.

You are right about supply/demand. I remember paying 99 cents a gallon as recently as 1999.
Isn't that when the huge SUVs started becoming popular? Demand went up, and gas has been going up since.
DaytonaFrank read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 5:33 PM

The point about China is a good one RNC. As thier economy continues to grow, thanks to us, thier consumption will continue to rise.

So in the end, our greedy consumption of cheap Chinese products is one of the main reasons we are paying more for gas!
RandyLoo read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 6:39 PM

I agree with Deborah, I drive I-4 and I-75 all the way everyday. Last week I tested to see if driving 65mph saved me gas. I stayed in the far right lane and never attempted to pass anyone (who could I have caught up with anyway) and I felt I was holding up traffic. I got paranoid by the end of the week. It didn't feel safe to me.
FloydFreak read my blog view my photos
May 9, 2008 | 8:11 PM

Quote by RNC: "The only solution is higher production,..."

I'm no expert, but I have to disagree. It's all about supply and demand. True - increasing production (supply) will do the trick assuming stable demand. But with no added capacity for refining, reducing demand is the only way to lower the price.

All three of my 4-wheeled vehicles get about 25 percent better mileage at 65 than they do at 75. That makes my $4 gas cost me $3.

Haul a** if you wish; just don't BLEEP about the price. I'm slowing down.
tracylaud83 read my blog view my photos
May 10, 2008 | 2:06 PM

It will take $7.00 before people as a whole, change their ways enough to make a difference.
And it's coming..
polecatextreme read my blog view my photos
May 11, 2008 | 7:32 AM

you don't see any semi drivers slowing down either, despite the cost of deisel which they are (female dogging) about constantly. glad I ride a bike, even a fifty cent a gal hike only means a dollar more per week!
smitty read my blog
May 12, 2008 | 1:50 AM

I honestly couldn't believe how much
gas I saved doing between 65-70 MPH
on a trip from Melbourne to Palm Coast.
The last time I took this trip I did
75-80 MPH, no AC and used a half of a tank just to get there, this time I only used a quarter there and a quarter back, with the AC on!

BTW, this is in an '05 Escape V6. NOT the
most economical vehicle on the road but, compared to other large SUV's, It's a Prius!
SUV's and trucks are especially effected by aerodynamic drawbacks when traveling over 70 MPH.

It takes some discipline but, it works!
I definitely don't care about people flicking
me off or anything in fact, to my surprise,
I encountered a good amount of people doing the same thing, some I even had to pass. Looks
like the word is getting around. I'm surely convinced!
smitty read my blog
May 12, 2008 | 1:52 AM

Sorry I should have said "larg-er" SUV's.
mmustangg read my blog view my photos
May 13, 2008 | 8:37 AM

Floyd,

Get your butt back to the Tampa blogs where you belong!*lol* Don't let those boobs get you down or distracted!

Since I'm here....

I cut back by working at home now. Well it's actually my own home based business so I dont have to go anywhere and now people come to me. I have cut out 40 miles a day and I'm making more money on my own than working for someone else. Win win ya know?

Now come back to Tampa before I hunt you down! *lol*
mmustangg read my blog view my photos
May 13, 2008 | 11:32 PM

Dude...did you delete my post? Where did it go?
mmustangg read my blog view my photos
May 13, 2008 | 11:33 PM

Ok...that's weird. It never showed the whole page until i posted that. Ok....you can come back to Tampa now.*lol*
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FloydFreak

I am your normal, middle-class, "working Joe". But I am also a capitalist and believe that nothing good comes from socialistic entitlement programs. I believe in hunting down and killing terrorists like the little rats that they are (except that that statement is denigrating to rats). I grew up in a very conservative household and was fortunate enough to have had a conservative American Government teacher (a retired US Army colonel) who helped to show me the "right" way. Are there things that I would like to change? Absolutely. But NOT the kind of "change" being espoused by Hillarock Obaminton. I have lived in Florida for forty of my forty-eight years. I've been a big Pink Floyd fan since my teen years hence the moniker, FloydFreak. My friends call me Freak, Floyd, and FF. The libs call me a neocon. I wear that badge proudly. Please note that I enjoy engaging in spirited discussion - even with those with whom I disagree. There are a number of individuals on these boards whom I respect even if I DO think that they're out of touch with reality. Please note also that I do not tolerate personal attacks on my character. If you think that I'm full of BLEEP, you have the right to say so. But drag my character into the gutter and expect retaliation in kind with FloydFreak's own brand of sarcasm. Keep it civil and we'll get along fine. To those of you that see good in America and want the OPPORTUNITY for prosperity for all - and do not just seek to soak it to "the rich", I say God bless you. And God bless America!

Member Since: 7/19/2006


 

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