Fuel at $1.50 per gallon

[S/V Antares]

Hey Chuck,

I am with you on this. If Americans thought in terms of a 4 day work week and really stayed home for one or two days a week the producers would be jamed up wih supply and the price would drop like a hot rock, Current storage of petrolem products is at an all time high. One day a week for a few weeks would stun them into submition. And do not for get that most of the cost is taxes!

That said, A fifty ft powerboat just pased me on the ICW at 20+knots and spilled my 22$ a gallon rum. If fuel gets to$10 a gallon they could give up.. You think?

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Hey Chuck,

I am with you on this. If Americans thought in terms of a 4 day work week and really stayed home for one or two days a week the producers would be jamed up wih supply and the price would drop like a hot rock, Current storage of petrolem products is at an all time high. One day a week for a few weeks would stun them into submition. And do not for get that most of the cost is taxes!

That said, A fifty ft powerboat just pased me on the ICW at 20+knots and spilled my 22$ a gallon rum. If fuel gets to$10 a gallon they could give up.. You think?

I doubt it. I work for a large power boat dealer to fill the cruising kitty and those folks that buy the 50 foot power boats do not really care what the cost of fuel is. BTW there is some great rum out there for less than $22 a gallon.

[Jonesee]

Chuck, your posts always seem to start a discussion at least... As for not needing a book on economics, your plan is textbook. (pun intended) What you lay out is simply a manipulation of demand that will drive the price equilibrium down temporarily. As soon as the demand returns to normal the price will attain a new equilibrium approximately back where it started. The reason is there is no acceptable "substitute good" for petroleum right now. Find a less expensive sunstitute good and you will see the price drop long term. Short term actions resulting in short term movement of the equilibrium are never sustainable.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Jonesee

Chuck, your posts always seem to start a discussion at least... As for not needing a book on economics, your plan is textbook. (pun intended) What you lay out is simply a manipulation of demand that will drive the price equilibrium down temporarily. As soon as the demand returns to normal the price will attain a new equilibrium approximately back where it started. The reason is there is no acceptable "substitute good" for petroleum right now. Find a less expensive sunstitute good and you will see the price drop long term. Short term actions resulting in short term movement of the equilibrium are never sustainable.

You do have a point but on the other hand, perhaps the speculators that are also helping to drive up the price will take their money elsewhere and without this part of the driving force perhaps the return prices will not be as high, and if they do return to the previous highs there is no reason not to start the cycle all over again. But I think the most important outcome would be a signal to the oil companies that we are in fact not lazy and stupid and perhaps there days of pricing manipulations are coming to a close. Growing up in the 50s and 60s I watched the people of this country come together against what they saw as injustices and forever change history. In the last 20 years have we really seen that kind of commitment for any cause? BTW, Our commitment is to sail, solar and wind power

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

I don't need a book on economics to tell me that the profits taken by the oil companies are obscene and are only to enrich those companies at the expense of the public. .

As do the banks,
the food companies,
the utilities companies (water electricity etc)

etc etc.

Every company is in it for profit and it is all at the expense of the public.

Why cant the public use more public transport, ride bikes, buy smaller cars instead of the SUV's everone seems to have a passion for or rent / buy houses closer to work, not drive as much, run cars on LPG ?

Dave

[Pblais]

I propose that you bring fuel prices back in line on a permanent basis.
If you target one oil company at a time, let's say we choose Shell Oil
for a starter, and beginning May 1st we stop buying ANY Shell products
until they bring fuel prices down to $1.50 per gallon.

Sorry Chuck, this scam has been floated for too long now it's at least 2 years old back when gasoline was $1.25. If the value of the US dollar returns the price will tumble. The speculators will cry and jump off balconies

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

I BTW there is some great rum out there for less than $22 a gallon.

And you complain about fuel prices

In Australia most pay $93 usd for a gallon of really bad rum

Dave

[Pblais]

In Australia most pay $93 usd for a gallon of really bad rum

Imperial gallons?

[liberty16]

Estimated Gasoline Price Breakdown & Margins Details

Read this page. Rather than debate this issue I think you just need to look at the numbers. Anyone who thinks they can achieve $1.50 gallon of refined gasoline from a gas station is living in the 1990s.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by liberty16

Estimated Gasoline Price Breakdown & Margins Details

Read this page. Rather than debate this issue I think you just need to look at the numbers. Anyone who thinks they can achieve $1.50 gallon of refined gasoline from a gas station is living in the 1990s.

If this information as posted is correct then the oil companies billions and billions of dollars in profits must be coming from investing in oil futures.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Imperial gallons?

Take your pick

Gallons to Liters conversion calculator - Volume conversions

bugger all difference in price, still up around $90 US a gallon.

Dave

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by liberty16

Estimated Gasoline Price Breakdown & Margins Details

Read this page. Rather than debate this issue I think you just need to look at the numbers. Anyone who thinks they can achieve $1.50 gallon of refined gasoline from a gas station is living in the 1990s.

How come some countries sell for less than $1-00 or even .50c a gallon?

Dave

[Steve Pope]

For what it is worth a litre of Diesel in NZ is $1.52 at the pump, at the fuel dock it is $1.56, And in your Diesel car you have to pay road user charges of around 3 cents a Km.
So don't grizzle too much. :devil)

[Alan Wheeler]

Oil is no longer a product that is simply bought for use as either fuel or other "made from oil" products. Now that the US economy has slumped, Oil is seen as something that can be bought and sold just like Gold. And that is what is happening right now and why the price is sky rocketing. It no longer has anything to do with the reserves held in the US, the amount coming out of the ground, it is all about investment. People are buying Oil because it is going up and because it is going up they are buying Oil. They don't literally buy physical oil, it is just like Gold. They buy and sell it on paper. The ones that are doing this are the really wealthy and it is coming at a cost to the rest of us regular peasants.
By the way, our regular Petrol just went to NZ$2.02/ltr at the pumps today. That is the cheapest you will find in the major coties. Smaller towns are from 10c/ltr to as much as 20c/ltr higher than the city prices.
So all this rubbish about boycoting fuel companies is total garbage. The guy's you want to complain too are the big investers that are buying and selling the stuff.

[Steve Pope]

Up here in the mid North all the oil companies except for G.A.S. seem to charge the same, ie, Maungaturoto Caltex is the same as Whangarei Caltex, BP, Shell, etc. G.A.S is around 5 cents a litre dearer, being independant they dont get the discount that the main ones do.
The Exclusive Bretheren NZ wide approached the oil companies and negotiated a special rate from BP when the others didn't want to know. I believe some of the other companies have now fallen into line and offered a similar deal. They have around 4,000 members including kids. so set up your own social club and go for the bigger discount, I can't see why it wouldn't work.