OT: Gas Prices, Screwed over and over and over Options

[N14]

Put 50 litres (13.2US Gal.) in last night and paid a tad over $65............somehow I think we're getting ripped off out here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Where's the best place to buy gas?????

[mudfoot76]

As others have probably already stated, the only way to reduce the price is reduce consumption. Econ 101 "supply and demand". Yes, there is a 'shortage' of refining capacity. Build new refineries? Sure great, but where do you put it? Everyone bitches about the price, but they bitch even more if you decide to build an oil refinery in their backyard. Nobody wants to live near one of these (just like a nuclear power plant) facilities.

A one-day boycott is perhaps the dumbest suggestion possible. There is a 3-4 month lag between the time the crude is pumped out of the ground and when you put gas in your tank. Maybe if you boycott for 30 days, that might do something for short term but as soon as we burn through that short term surplus the prices will shoot back up. A 30 cent price correction because of a one day boycott is urban legend.

Drill more? Well sure, except not all crude oil is ideal for the production of gasoline. The Saudis are really lucky to sit on massive deposits of "sweet" crude which is best for gasoline. IIRC, the known deposits in US territory are more of the "sour" variety (which can make good diesel except we've legislated diesel cars nearly extinct).

I'm all in favor of nuclear power. It is also misguided to think there is only enough fissile U235/238 to power for a couple decades. Modern reactor designs are not only much safer, but you can configure them into breeders and generate enough fuel for long enough to work on even better solutions (fusion, solar, etc).

BTW - premium around me is $3.40/gal. Sunday was the first time it ever cost more than $40 for me to fill up the tank in my MINI. That sucked, but I don't really have a choice. There is NO public transport available to me. I used to have people I carpooled with, but they have switched jobs and this is no longer an option either. Riding a bicycle isn't an option (too dangerous). A 250cc motorcycle might be worth considering for when the weather is nice....