+1
that would be awesome
definitely if we could make them FAAAASSSTTT!

 

i want in on this thread, and can't really offer any new or exciting info, so here's what i'll say:

i don't make a whole lot of money. frankly, my fit payment is kinda high. so now that gas is over $4 a gallon, it's just more money i don't have in my pocket. i don't care how good this car is on gas (i usually average 35 mpg), it pains me to have to pay almost $40 to fill up my fit.

and now EVERYTHING else is going up in price as well, so now i have to find more money so i can eat.

and i work retail, just got my annual raise (which was less than i was promised b/c my company is cutting back), and i am seeing NO difference in my take-home pay, so now i got a cost-of-living raise that doesn't even equal the cost of living. and i have a VERY hard time believing that i'm in the minority of americans and that everyone else is so much better off.

and this is all due to demand for gasoline. so i'd like to give SUV drivers kudos on being able to fillup for $100 and not even flinch, but if they were to start spouting about how "it's my right as an american", i'd have to disagree. it's a PRIVILAGE, just like it was my privilage to get a fit instead of a gas guzzler. if it keeps getting taken advantage of, we all end up paying (literally).

my 2 cents.

 

when you work at a bank, you get to know alot of folks and their FAMILES and even what they do in their free time, its called a regular customer.


Because of the emphasis that the media puts on consumers and image that a large suv presents to the average american consumer, you have a lot of people who don't really need that big of a car driving around in it.

seen the new commercial for the escalade? 'if it had a bathroom, i could live in it.'

just one guy talking to himself.

to top it off i KNOW a lot of people in my personal life who have big suv's for realitvely small families.


Yeah, america, land of the free, home of the brave, and those who do something just because they CAN, even if they SHOULDN'T.

and doing something because you can doesnt make it right, or smart for that matter.

 

I thought the big problem with hydrogen was that producing it requires more energy than you get out of the fuel cells?

 

both excellent points.

to all you fit drivers who don't car how much gas is:

1. imagine how much cheaper it would be if it was less. can you say 15 bucks a tank?

2. the fact that you are driving an economical car says that you secretly DO care about the price of gas. The reasons you present as to why you don't care (it only costs me x amount to fill up) also supports this.

 

So let me get this straight; you work at one bank in North Carolina and you think you have your finger on the pulse of America? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?
I have to wonder who made you boss of everybody, since you are passing judgement on who is right and wrong based on their choice of vehicle.
I also have to wonder why you chose to shoot flames at everything I said EXCEPT the part about Europeans paying more for gasoline even though they have been driving more fuel efficient cars for decades. FYI, the price spike is not due only to increased demand. A major portion of what we pay at the pump is due to speculation on Wall Street. Besides that, the increased demand over the past few years is a worldwide occurance, not just an American thing.
You should try reading a newspaper sometime, you'd be amazed at what you might learn.

 

dude, calm down. i wasn't 'flaming' you. your last sentence in your little soapbox speech would qualify better, mr. presumptious. and yes, i do read the newspaper and watch the news. but i'm also careful as to what a belive.

no one made me the boss of everybody, (though the notion sounds nice. )

and no, obviously i don't know EVERYONE's situation, nor do i have my finger on the pulse of america. ( i personally wouldn't want to.) i was just pointing out a few things that i (and a lot of other people) have noticed. There is plenty of commentary on the amount of americans who drive useless vehicles. Why just the other day, i was watching this movie called 'over the hedge' with my younger brother when he was visiting and the animals in the movie got frightened at a large suv lumbering their way.

They proceeded to ask the cute litte raccoon how many humans one of those big things could hold, and his response was 'well....usually one!"

its not just me pal. This kind of stuff is all over the place. I'm sorry you take such offense to the notion, but i am in no way sounding as over the top as you want to make it out to be.


speculation on wall street doesn't effect gas prices pal. if it did, then everyone should start speculating when it will get cheaper, so it does. as far as supply and demand goes take a look at this:

Americans Decide To Leave the Ferrari and the Honda Fit in the Garage

in response to the OP, it looks like demand is technically going down, as less and less americans are wanting to drive as much. you think that'll change prices? probably not. so wheres the demand now?

 

and not doing something because someone on the internet says you shouldn't doesn't make you a better person.

you're right it doesn't. but who is saying that it does? you should be able to deduce right from wrong, conservation from waste, on your own. everyone should.

 

mdm427: i notice you also drive a yukon xl. little bit of resentment towards what i said eh?


ahh....there is a reason for everything.

 

How about tiered gas pricing based on the mileage of what you drive - SUV's pay more - sub compacts less

 

hmmm, the more you pollute, the more you pay...

 

Holy crap kid, you're making this way too easy for me. Maybe you better just back away from the keyboard before you look any more less informed than you already do.

Oh really!?! And you claim that you actually do read newspapers. Senate committee tackles oil speculation - Apr. 3, 2008
And this is just one of hundreds of articles out there that prove you're wrong.

And how would the speculators make money by doing this? I guess that makes investing strategies one more subject that you don't know much about.

Okay, you're going to have to explain why you posted a link to an article that proves you are wrong. You claim that if more people drove fuel efficient cars, and therefore used less gasoline, that the price would come down. This article says that we are using less gasoline that we were a year ago, and yet the price is still going up.


Yes, we do have a Yukon XL. We also have a travel trailer and take it camping about ten times a year. Maybe you don't know this, but the Fit just won't tow a 6,000lb. trailer. So you see, by trying to prove your point by making presumptions about my vehicles, you've only succeeded in strengthening my point. We have a large SUV and we use it up to, and perhaps beyond, it's capability. Would my bank teller know this... no, because I've never pulled the camper though the drive-up lane at my bank.

 

An engineer in my office w/ a big range rover was looking at hypermilling.... I told him to "TRADE IN" to get away from $85.00 fill ups!!

 

You guys, calm down . You really shouldn't get all crazy over this. I just started this thread to vent my thoughts and see what you guys thought about it. I didn't want people to get all angry at each other. I understand what you guys are saying, but you don't really need to get mad at each other or have to argue. Come on guys, really.

 

i agree.


but it seems that we have a post picker here. (should be added to urban dictionary..reads something like: quotes posts multiple times in order dissect them on a molecular level, only to sit back after the need to grow his e-penis is met and crack his/her knuckles in supposed electronic victory.)

mdm: when did i say demand wasn't part of the equation? i was merely pointing out that despite the fact that we think some people don't car, some of them do, (enough to generate that statistic that edmunds posted) but not enough to where will we see a change in prices.

was that really so hard to understand?


and the whole bank thing has been totally blown out of proportion, and if you expect to make many friends on this site, the condescending tone you speak to people with isn't going to get you anywhere.

thanks for the post to that article, but again my point stands...if there is all this speculation surrounding gas prices, it sure as hell has not helped it go down. didn't article also mention that this so called 'speculation' only had congress wondering why oil compaines are charging so much? if they realize its too expensive, yet its still staying that way, their 'speculation' obviously isn't helping much. until they DO something about the situation (which if it involves regulating or preventing investors from buying high risk oil contracts, i don't see it happening.)


i'm sorry i've upset you so, because i know this all boils down to the comments i made about doing something because you COULD without stopping to think if you SHOULD. your not going to run into people who share your opinions on things, and to get butt hurt about it isn't going to solve YOUR issues. i'm sorry if you don't like being upset about being the guy who drives the suv and everyone thinks he's alone but since he never brings his trailer throught the drive thru, no one knows that his suv has a real sense of purpose.


( i bet your teller just LOVES waiting on you. )

peace out man. i'll be sure to approach the keyboard with more caution since i'm only a kid and how informed i look matters to the likes of people much like yourself.

 

Diesel has always been cheaper for a very funny reason, diesel fuel is the waste that was left behind after stripping out every other usable fuel from oil. When they first started having a surplus of diesel, automakers realized that this is a cheap fuel, and they should make vehicles that run off of it, especially during the extremely high fuel prices ( 1.30/Gallon)

As was stated before, there isn't much of it per barrell, so no that there is a huge demand for it, prices are sky-rocketing. I remember when my dad bought a diesel car in the late-80s. He was working on a drilling rig that ran off of it (as all do) and they allowed him to fill up his crew car for free, just because it was so inexpensive.

My oilfield truck is a diesel, and when I got it in june 07, diesel was $2.79/gln. And this morning it was $4.80/gallon. I am sure our
supervisors are regretting changing out our entire fleet to diesels now.

Just some more food for thought.

Dustin

 

i find this quite interesting as well.

 

First of all, you haven't upset me at all. It was kind of entertaining at first. Now you're just writing nonsensical replies to my posts, and it's getting harder to understand what point you are trying to make. You have chosen to remain silent on many points I have made, and the ones you did respond to you are all over the field. I must admit though, your post picker comment was my favorite! If your replies made any sense, you would welcome my picking. But they don't, and my picking highlights that. That makes you feel bad, doesn't it?
I'll try to clear up one last misconception you have on crude oil speculation, and then I'm done. It makes my brain hurt to try and figure out what you are trying to say, so I'm just going to give up. As far as how I treat people around here, you are the only one here that I have had any unfriendly discourse with. It started when I merely told you that you can't possibly know if a person really needs a particular type of vehicle just by seeing them on the road one time. You responded to me in a flippant manner mentioning regular customers, and that set the tone of our subsequent correspondence.
Now, about that oil speculation stuff; Don't you understand that the speculators are making money when the price of oil goes up? Have you ever heard the phrase buy low, sell high? That's what is going on here. Why do you think these people would or should bet on oil prices coming down? That's absolutely absurd!
Oh, and one more thing. I also enjoyed Over the Hedge, but not with my little brother. I watched it with my three kids.

 

on a lighter note... does anyone else think that the title of this thread sounds...EMO???

 

haha a little bit.....