so I’m continuing to stay 100% out of political threads and my views, but i think this email I got is “apolitical” (is that a word?) enough, after all who doesn’t want cheaper gas?
PS, I’m not vouching for the statistical correctness of this either, only passing along information to the largest group of people I know. IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES. AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES. THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED “STICK IT TO THEM” DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY. THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. WAITING ON THIS ADMIINSTRATION TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO? REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO! WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON’T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
I’m not arguing one bit with you here Francois…I ride to and from work (even in the winter and I live in Northern Vermont) We have traded in an all-gas car for a hybrid, and when we can afford it will do so with our second car. And I believe that gas is not even as expensive here as it was in the early 80’s once you account for inflation (although I wasn’t old enough to drive then to really “feel the pinch”).
Like I said before, only passing along information to a pretty large group of people, some open minded, some not, some who care, some who don’t. No worries for me, I don’t think I use $25 worth of gas a month.
(but I really don’t want all the other things I spend money on to go up, either!)
Yep. The only way this would even be marginally effective at getting someone’s attention would be if we all stopped *driving *for a day. Fat chance of that.
The only problem with this theory is that all the people who do not purchase gasoline on Wednesday will have to purchase it Thursday or Friday, so the net effect on revenues will be negligible. Unless the idea is that everyone should just sit at home all day and not go anywhere, in which case, the entire economy would be hammered, at least for that one day. This idea really shows a myopic understanding of the economy, as it divorces ‘filling your gas tank’ from ‘going to work’, ‘doing the shopping’, and all the other daily tasks that require gasoline consumption.
On another tack, if Americans really wanted to “stick it to 'em,” we’d be buying Toyota Prius’, Jetta TDI wagons, and other vehicles that get ridiculously good gas mileage by American standards, instead of waiting one day to pull the Hummer into the Shell station to fill up for $100+.
I drive a Jetta, drive 200 miles per week, and topping off with premium still costs me less than $20. If more people did the same, gasoline wouldn’t be $2.00/gallon.
{On another tack, if Americans really wanted to “stick it to 'em,” we’d be buying Toyota Prius’, Jetta TDI wagons, and other vehicles that get ridiculously good gas mileage by American standards, instead of waiting one day to pull the Hummer into the Shell station to fill up for $100+. }
Way cheaper than anywhere is almost true. There are a few pockets that are cheaper. Here is a list that is a little dated but still puts it in perspective.
People still waste their money on a lot of plain old crap. I’ll be convinced that what is probably costing most people about $5 - $10 extra per week (if we use $1.50 / gallon as our baseline) is really an issue when our state lottery goes out of business because people no longer have the money to waste $20 a pop on lottery tickets. Ironically, usually at those same gas stations.
Nevertheless, I believe the day is fast approaching when my brilliant “sail-car” idea will finally have its due.
These kinds of emails come from the same people who pass around the pyramid scheme emails. Get a grip, it is only wishful thinking. And for the record, that much typing in capital letters is both hard on the eyes and just plain ugly.
Speaking as somebody who works for ‘Big Oil”, that wouldn’t work. Right now demand for refined oil products is greater than the supply. Not purchasing gas for one day would not change the demand but just shift it to the next day. It would create a headache for the pipeline and distribution folks but they would figure it out. There are no stockpiles to choke on. The stockpiles of the past are long gone as the companies reduced the amount of product in storage to improve return on capitol deployed years ago. Most of those tanks you see as you pass a refinery are bone dry.
What would work is if the demand were reduced for the long term or if additional refineries were built. There have been no new refineries built in the USA for over 20 years. In that same time the number of cars and miles driven have gone up exponentially. The single biggest factor that affects price but goes unnoticed is the legislation of regional boutique fuels. When there is a shortage in one region of the country you can’t just ship in some gas from another area because the gas isn’t the same formulation.
I doubt the effect of replacing batteries every 8 years is as hard on the environment as the number of people driving around America getting 14 miles to the gallon. Also, if more people bought hybrids recycling areas for those batteries would doubtlessly start cropping up.
just read today that chevrolet truck and suv sales have not slowed one bit but are actually ahead of last year this time.
I was in a small AZ town today. Pass a gas station 2.04/gal. after lunch come through to fill up and it’s now 2.06. Lots can change in 2 hrs
If you don’t buy any gas today or tomorrow to support this “initiative” what happens when you fill up the day after? Demand did not change over time, and they got your money anyway. Why don’t you turn in your SUV/gas guzzler and buy a PRIA or some super subcompact super fuel efficient vehicle? Or stop driving entirely to reduce demand for oil and oil by-products? These drastic lifestyle changes would reduce demand for oil in this country. If everyone were to implement these initiatives, there would be some significant impact. But how many are willing to go to these extremes? Are you willing to give up participating in all but local tri events?
The citizens of this country believe cheap gas is their birthright! However their understanding of the price of gasoline and source of oil and the percentage of our oil that is obtained from foreign sources and capacity of domestic production and our refining capacity is almost zero. Where does gas come from? You squeeze the pump handle and it comes out the nozzle is the answer you will most frequently get. The thought of developing domestic sources of oil to reduce dependence on foreign sources has been rejected by the hug-a-tree community. They have been successful at preventing any effort to develop domestic reserves. They have also been effective in preventing the creation of additional refininng capacity. If you know the solution, within these restrictions, I’d like to hear what they are. So would many others. We have no one to blame but ourselves for the situation we find ourselves in! Open up your wallet baby!
That couldn’t be any more true here in SoCal. People here won’t walk anywhere! They say, that SoCal is the fittest place in the country, that may be true when it comes to exercising, but just try to convince someone to walk somewhere when it’s not for fitness reasons.
Secondly, what really amuses/frustrates me, is that while everyone is up in arms about gas prices, they’re also all doing 85-90mph on the freeways and 60 on the residential streets. Hey, wanna save some money on gas? Slow the F#@K down!!!
When I lived on the tiny island of Guam, one thing that would send people running to the gas pumps was the threat of a typhoon. Had to stock up on generator gas. On the military bases where gas was usually cheaper, people would wait in line for 2-3 hours to save $2-5 total. Where’s the logic in that, my time is worth a hell of a lot more than that.