gas

Run Forest Run.

I anticipate an increase in the sale of locking gas caps and the use of "Oklahoma Credit Cards" if gas prices continue to rise.
Fungo

Reminds me of the beginnings of the gas lines in the early 70's.

Just the other day a school friend say they are unable to travel over Labor Day weekend to see their parents, about an hr away. Why?
They did not want to spend $50 on gas!

We are (and have been) seeing the beginning of a stress-factor, where this may become a life-altering event.

If for just one day, no-one drove, or bought gas and simply stayed home, the USA oil reserves
would not be in question.

Gas prices are definately at the point they are altering people's lifestyles. It's not just a matter of complaining about the issue anymore, but make adjustments such as carpooling, travelling less, etc for most of us now. I know it's impacting my lifestyle. Gas was up to around 3.15 here last night which was up from around 2.65 yesterday morning when I filled up.

Predictably the Louisiana and Mississippi politicians are railing against "gas gouging."
Plays well to voters.

But if gas prices don't rise in areas of severe shortages then gas will run out.

Raise prices and people will have gas but will conserve.

During the Civil War the North employed a naval blockade of the South. There were no price controls in the South and prices skyrocketed.

As a result, European blockade runner ships happily provided the South with plentiful but pricey goods.

The pipelines to the southeast have not been pumping gas since the hurricane. Prices in Atlanta are at some stations 6 dollars a gallon, in Clemson it went up 50 cents yesterday.
Governor of NC made a statement that they were running low on reserves which created a panic, which in turn drove up gas prices. Most of us drive around with half a tank, the thought of no gas caused people to fill up, creating the shortage.
Last I heard one of the pipelines was back working to capacity.
They predict gas prices will level to 3.00 average by the end of this terrible tragedy.

We'll be lucky if gas stays under $3.00 a gallon, long term. imo. The Colonial pipline which serves the midwest and northeast is back on today. The other pipeline is still off though.

Can't wait until I start having to start heating my house.

I know a 47 and couple of 17 year old girls that are going to have a reality check on lifestyles real quick. The overall picture is not good.

What is even more worry some is in a competitive environment you always hit your opponent when he is most vulnerable. I'm not talking just energy related issues.

I'm a very positive person. However, from a world wide perspectice, I'm having very ugly thoughts that we have not seen the worse

If the press doesn't whip up a frenzied panic, things will settle down.

This is a temporary disruption. Prices will settle back after offshore production and refinery operations return to normal.

Prices will settle back, and people will return to buying cars twice as big as they need.

I know one family with three Tahoes. Both of the teen kids have one!

Heard an expert claim on TV the other night that outside of specific events...Hurricanes...that short term there is easily enough oil to go around. The problem is more human nature. Greed and fear....

Tell people there is a shortage and they get FEARFUL and top off their half full tanks- doubling the demand.

Tell the futures traders that oil is going to be "dear" and they look to maximize profits GREED and they drive up the futures contracts making tommorows gas much more expensive than todays. (No value judgements on my part..it's simply the way the market works.)

Given this scenerio he claimed that when all this settles down that prices will drop significantly. Significantly that is until we REALLY run out. He says there is no real shortage, but We've been warned. Time to get serious about alternatives....

Just another BUMP in the road !!!!!

Or just another "curve" in the road.

micdsguy,
Why did you have to say that?

quote:

Prices will settle back, and people will return to buying cars twice as big as they need.

I know one family with three Tahoes. Both of the teen kids have one!

I just picked up my son's new Tahoe Z-71 4X4 yesterday.

I agree about getting serious about alternatives, we all need to turn down the heat, turn up the air conditioners, buy smaller cars, turn off the lights and appliances when we are out. In Europe we have been doing this for years and gas is around $5-6 a gallon. We are used to it. Americans don't live in the real world any more and we can't possibly continue to use this much oil any longer, this should be a wake up call for all of us here.

Sadly, my son drives a gas guzzler. But we bought it darn cheap used last year. Gas consumption doesn't matter much because he drives very little.

Might make sense to buy his younger brother a $2000 used Hummer next year

As I'm sure you know, mmac, the more expensive gas in Europe is because of taxes. Of course, those taxes then support things like effective mass transit.

This might be the proverbial wakeup call (though I doubt it: the gas shortages of the '70's didn't work, rising prices haven't worked, even wars where oil fields are a factor haven't worked). Too many Americans use gas as if an infinite supply was their right.

IMO, lone drivers in massive SUVs (most particularly in the city) are an advertisement for selfishness. Of course there are reasons to drive an SUV if you pull a trailer regularly or are actively involved in the construction industry, but they're hardly required for the overwhelming majority of US drivers.

Don't even get me started on Hummers. Particularly the ones with the odd sense of humor to include an "I support our troops" bumper sticker.

Try getting a team's gear in anything but an SUV.