May 15th - Don't Buy Gas

[Mpress]

In my opinion, the best way to help reduce demand is to see how long you can go without buying gas, while trying to maximize your fuel economy. I used to have to fill up my gas tank once a week, but now I only have to fill it up once every 2 weeks, and I'm trying to shoot for 3.

I can't yet afford a Prius, but I did buy a ScanGauge II for my 2000 4cyl honda accord, and was able to increase my average MPG from 26.5 to 31-32 mpg. I have saved loads of money on gas!

Instead of boycotting gas on May 15th, I think everyone should boycott driving for one day.

-Mike

[daronspicher]

If you have the same gas mileage every day and drive the same amount of miles every day, then all this plan would do is create a slow day for thousands of gas station attendants on one day and busy long lines on the other days when it's cool to fill up.

Do you think the gas companies will look at that one day receipt and cower in fear, or look at the bulge in their wallet from the day before and the day after and give themselves another 10million dollar bonus?

If you were to successfully get people to not drive one day a month and on average save the planet 1/30 of their overall gas consumption, then you've made a 3.3% impact on overall consumption. That could drive prices down a bit. If you could get people to not drive 1 in 10 days for a year, that's 10% savings across the board.

It doesn't even have to be everyone on the same day for this to work. But, we're not going to do it, so just pay up at the pump. :P

[San_Carlos_Jeff]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ May 1 2007, 07:56 AM) [snapback]433213[/snapback]</div>

OK, I did my part and didn't buy any gas yesterday. Did it help?
[/b]

I bought some yesterday so that must have canceled you out. Sorry about that everyone.

[mywhitenoise]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ May 1 2007, 10:33 AM) [snapback]433234[/snapback]</div>

It isn't better than nothing when the premise is to "lower the price of gas." This keeps people in the mindset that lower prices will solve some sort of problem. Cheap gas is what got us into this mess.

Figure out a way to boycott consumers, and then you'll have something. The only way to make a difference is to use less. Not to fill up on Tuesday, skip Wednesday and fill up again on Thursday. Why does anybody think this will make any difference? And if it DID make a difference, what do people think it would help?
How much was a house worth ten years ago? Mine is worth 4x what it was worth ten years back. How about a stay at a hotel? The cost of electricity? A postage stamp?

in 1965, my mom bought her first home for $17,000. First class postage was 5c, a pair of Levi's cost $4, and the price of gas was 35c. Her house is worth $900,000 today, Levi's sell for over $30, etc. Don't forget to account for inflation. Gas is still relatively cheap for what you get - and the price at the pump is still artificially low. We are paying for all kinds of stuff through our taxes that end up being subsidies for oil.
Do you really expect gas prices to stay the same as the resource is used up? You expect gas prices to stay the same when everything else (except electronics and a few other natable exceptions) goes up? The oil companies can only charge what people are willing to pay. If you need it, you're going to pay for it. Same as with food and water. If you can do without it, then you win.
[/b]

That's a pretty stupid argument. In the last 6 years gas has gone up by 3.5x the price, as with everything else you stated, but has the minimum wage gone up that high? Are you getting paid 3.5x more than what you were 6 years ago?
I know we have it a lot better than other parts of the world, like say the UK, in terms of gas, but we still shouldn't have to pay such extravagant prices for everything. You act as if the consumer is strong willed and can quit buying things they need, but that's not how it works, if gas went up to $10 a gallon tomorrow, people would still pay it because they need to get to work.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jenayroux @ Apr 30 2007, 05:05 PM) [snapback]432906[/snapback]</div>

This sounds like a re-run from before but, who knows - I won't hurt to give it a try. Please pass this on - there is no reason gas prices should be soo high... we have the technology and capability to stop the foreign oil dependency... more political bs... its amazing how many humVees are out there - in New Orleans area - where can not come back from Katrina - contractors from all over the U.S and Mexico are here making a killing off of us and driving around their humVees... what kind of gas mileage does one of those get? 5 miles to the gal.??? Its pitiful.
[/b]

The 15th is a Tuesday. The odds of me buying gas (unless I'm on a long road trip) on any day other that Friday through Sunday are practically nil. After all, I hardly ever drive more than 300-400 miles in a week.


Dave M.

[daniel]

I fill up once every couple of weeks. The chances of May 15th being my fill-up day are pretty small. Even assuming it was not an urban legend.

You want to impact the oil companies? And help the environment? Leave your Prius parked and drive one of these:

[attachmentid=7789]

Zero gallons for all your miles. Top speed around 35 mph. (They claim 40, but that's stretching it.) Range as modified about 40 miles. Real-life figures soon, once I get mine and begin driving it.

[ewhanley]

I know we have it a lot better than other parts of the world, like say the UK, in terms of gas, but we still shouldn't have to pay such extravagant prices for everything. [/b]

What do you suggest be done about the 'extravagant' prices? Do you really think the fuel market is artificially inflated? We do indeed have it much better than all other western, industrialized nations, so what gives? How can we be both getting a good deal and ripped off?

It is simple economics. The demand is at a record high, and there is an ever narrowing gap between it and supply. As scarcity increases, so does price. As for folks biting the bullet and paying any price to get to work: this does little in the way of explaining why we drive and consume more and more every year. Clearly these 'outrageous' prices are doing little to curb consumer habits, thus they are not exceedingly high. I understand how everyone sees record oil company profits and instantly thinks we are all being gouged, but this is not truly the case. Take a look at the operating margin of, say, ExxonMobil, and you will see little evidence of gouging. I am well aware that 'big oil' is routinely cast as evil, and in many regards they are arguably so; however, they are doing exactly what capitalism expects of any good corporate entity.

Anyway, I am genuinely curious about what you would do to fix the price of gas.

[mywhitenoise]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ewhanley @ May 1 2007, 09:13 PM) [snapback]433673[/snapback]</div>

Anyway, I am genuinely curious about what you would do to fix the price of gas.
[/b]

Well no shi#@ I bought a Prius. Either that or kill the leaders of Big Oil.

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mywhitenoise @ May 1 2007, 01:46 PM) [snapback]433470[/snapback]</div>

That's a pretty stupid argument.[/b]

Gosh, fun to continue this discussion with you! NOT. My post was not an argument. It was an aswer to your question of why some think that gas is NOT expensive.

In the last 6 years gas has gone up by 3.5x the price[/b]

Six years ago, I was not paying under $1 for gas. In fact, 25 years ago when I started driving, I was paying $1.50 for gas. It is now a bit over twice that price.

if gas went up to $10 a gallon tomorrow, people would still pay it because they need to get to work.
[/b]

Well, then there really is no problem. If we're willing to pay it, then it is worth it. What's the problem?

but we still shouldn't have to pay such extravagant prices for everything[/b]

Good news! You don't have to pay such extravagant prices for ANYTHING. Just choose not to buy it. Presto. Problem solved. You bought a gasoline Prius to help with the problem. I ride my bicycle and drive an electric car 98% of my road miles. I get about 400 mpg combined.

[ewhanley]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mywhitenoise @ May 1 2007, 09:51 PM) [snapback]433733[/snapback]</div>

Well no shi#@ I bought a Prius. Either that or kill the leaders of Big Oil.
[/b]

Take it easy. I wasn't trying to fight with you. By the way, the tone of an awful lot of your posts is quite hostile and dismissive of people who actually try to answer your questions. This sort of behavior doesn't foster rational discussion.

I too bought a Prius, and the exponential decrease in the volume of gasoline that I buy has been a huge relief. I guess that is not really what I am getting at though. You seem to think that the price of gasoline is illegitimate. Should this commodity specifically be exempted from market forces? Please explain.

I understand your frustration, but I think 'kill[ing] the leaders of Big Oil' would cause the price of petroleum to skyrocket. I'm sure (I hope) you're kidding. In case you haven't noticed, the energy market is highly susceptible to even small market perturbations, let alone something as devastating as assassination.