So how expensive are the gas prices in your area?

I am in Phoenix, AZ and the station I normally go to is at around $3.25/gallon for the cheapest gas, up to almost $3.50/gallon for the most expensive.

Oh, and they will get more and more expensive. The wonders of global industrialization.

That's about what I pay.
But then, I live 3.27 miles from work, so that's pretty cool. With warmer weather, I can ride my bike on days when I don't have immediate post-work errands.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!!

Actually, the wonders of using a depleting resource. You know when you get a tube of toothpaste and squeeze it out? At first it just gushes out easily. Then it becomes harder. Eventually you're rolling the damn thing up and slamming it hard to get out a few smidgens. In the same way, our global oil supply will gradually decline. The stuff'll never actually run out, but instead of 74 million barrels a day we'll have 73, 72, 71, and so on.

Supply falls, price goes up.

All while more people are buying cars, and those who are buying them are driving them further.

Demand rises, price goes up.

Give it a few years and we'll have demand rises PLUS supply falls... price goes up even more. Ask Matt Simmons, he's a guy whose career is based on advising energy companies about investments.

If I were you, I'd use the next five years to look for a home closer to work, or a new job closer to home - within walking or biking distance, or at least on a public transport route. It's five years, you can do a lot in that time.

Just to qualify my mad laughter upthread...

The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol hit £1.

That was November.

Quote from: One Horse TownJust to qualify my mad laughter upthread...

The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol hit £1.

That was November.

You British probably have the most expensive gas prices in the world (Although Americans tend to drive a lot more on average due to the longer distances involved..etc). How is it now?

Most of that price is lining the governments pockets because of all the tax they pile on the price.

I seem to recall £1.11 mentioned somewhere, but i think that was a little spike in oil prices a bit back.

If we were to get rid of the gas tax, we in NC would gain something like $0.50/gallon.

I only got $10 yesterday becasue it was 3.47 a gallon.

Oh, and cue the "Our gas is much more expensive outside the US" and "No gas tax means all our bridges will implode!" posts. *sigh*

Wow.  See what I'm talking about.  Your gas prices are already insanely subsidized (not counting the $50 billion war to get more) and their industries promoted and protected by the government in order that you can get as much gas as cheaply as possible.  Your whining is pathetic. There are people in the world not eating today.  Ride a fucking bike.

Well, crude oil is currently US$117 a barrel. There are 42 US gallons in a barrel of oil. Thus, $117/42 = $2.67/gal is what you should expect to pay if crude oil can be turned entirely into petrol/gasoline (it's usually about half), and if it costs $0 to transport the oil from the rigs, refine it into petrol/gasoline, transport it to the service stations, and keep those service stations going.

So really, paying another $0.83 a gallon for all that work along the way, and considering only about half the crude oil gets turned into petrol/gasoline - it's a bargain. It's only a 30% markup between the raw material and the final product. That's fuck-all.

But I mean, ultimately we're taking a finite resource and just plain burning it. We just can't keep that up forever.

Quote from: walkerpWow.  See what I'm talking about.  Your gas prices are already insanely subsidized (not counting the $50 billion war to get more) and their industries promoted and protected by the government in order that you can get as much gas as cheaply as possible.  Your whining is pathetic. There are people in the world not eating today.  Ride a fucking bike.

A bike. Sure fucking thing. I'll ride my bicycle and put $400 in groceries on that, no fucking problem. I'll easily take my 3 kids to doctor's appointments on that bike too. Oh, and since I live in the middle of nowhere, that 30 minute drive will be so quick on my bike!

Shut the fuck up. Wake me when you get a goddamn clue.

LOL! Amaricans complaining about gas prices... well, since dollar jumped the shark, that was quite expected...

Quote from: Kyle AaronAll while more people are buying cars, and those who are buying them are driving them further.

My understanding is that 'industrial' uses for gas.. mostly international shipping... uses so much more gas than all the cars currently on the road that its not even funny.

Just tryin' to keep it real, yo.

Quote from: shewolfA bike. Sure fucking thing. I'll ride my bicycle and put $400 in groceries on that, no fucking problem. I'll easily take my 3 kids to doctor's appointments on that bike too. Oh, and since I live in the middle of nowhere, that 30 minute drive will be so quick on my bike!

This is what 100 years of burning petrol have done. Half of our population lives in places unserviced except by car.

I am still hoping for the day when we get hydrogen cars. sigh. That would be cool.

I like my bike. I have a great carrier trailer thingy for Theo in the back. Most of it is made from plastic and industrialized rubber with bits of aluminum.

Bill