Bring gas prices down

[DragonMaiden]

this was sent to me in my email and I wanted to pass it on to as many as I can. Let us make the difference!!!


hate to tell you this...but I'm learning a lot working on a graduate degree in economics!
This doesn't work, simply because there are substitutes available. The simple law of economics (Adam Smith) states that the market is controlled by an invisible hand. It finds the equilibirum point between supply and demand. What this man is suggesting will not affect either supply or demand. And it won't bring in an artifical market control (such as government price controls). If you want to bring down the price of gas...in our market economy, you must simply cut demand.
It would be much more effective if people started riding bikes and car pooling!

Subject: Re: It Could Work


Join the resistance!!!!

We are going to hit close to $3.00 a gallon by the summer. Do you want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea:

This makes much more sense than the "don'! t buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May!

The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more often inconvenient to us than it was a problem for them. But, this idea can really work.

Please read it and join with us!

By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1.50 is super cheap. It is currently $1.97 for regular unleaded.

Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is cheap at $1.50-$1.75, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that buyers control the marketplace not the sellers.

With the price of gasoline going up more each day we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And we can do that without hurting ourse! lves.

How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we can have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war. Here's the idea: For the rest of this year don't purchase any gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), Exxon and Mobil. If they are not selling any gas they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do!! Now, at this point... keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people.

I am sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) ... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over three million consume! rs!

If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each then 30 million people will have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it... three hundred million people!!! Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people and don't purchase any gasoline from Exon and Mobil. That's all.

[Phoenix Blue]

I'm quite sure this is a dud. At the moment, though, I can't get to Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/) to verify this.

Still. . . people in Europe pay double to triple this. Rather than attempting to boycott, how about just living a more fuel-efficient lifestyle? Carpool, don't make unnecessary trips. Buy a fuel-efficient vehicle, preferably something which gets you around 25mpg in city-driving conditions. Try to live close to where you work or work close to where you live. And shop around for gas, especially if 5¢ or 6¢ per gallon matter to you (they do to me).

When every other car I see on the road is an eight-cylinder Ford Excursion or Humvee or Chevy Tahoe or whatever, I have a hard time sympathizing with the "gas is too expensive!" kvetching. I don't like higher gas prices, either - but neither do I like higher car insurance premiums. . . I don't get to choose whether or not to carry car insurance, so I just have to do the best I can.

[Danustouch]

In my old town, I took the bus, or hoofed it EVERYWHERE. I don't drive to begin with..but in a way, I was always proud that I did take the bus, and walk. I was proud that I wasn't contributing to this country's oil/gasoline dependency. Now however, if I can't reach someplace by foot, I have to have hubby drive me. Because we live in such a rural area...there's not a good bus system. And there are no taxi's. And carpools, are almost impossible. People here have to drive to Massachussettes, or Providence, or South County to find work. Employment in Rhode Island, Sucks. So...unless you live in or near Providence, carpooling is almost unheard of. Too much competition for jobs. It sucks, because people around here use a TON of gasoline, just to get back and forth to work every day. And don't even get me started on stores. I'm lucky enough to live right off of the main street in our town. So i'm right down the block from our towns ONLY grocery store. I can go and shop, and walk home with my bags. Others, however, have to drive there. If the store doesn't have what they need, they have to drive 1/2 hour, to 45 minutes to get to the bigger chain stores, like Stop and Shop. And forget clothes shopping. Another 1/2 hour, 45 minute trip. Movie theatres, restaurants..same gig.

Living in the country is nice..however, it doesn't really provide the opportunities for mass transit, carpooling, etc, that larger towns do. And..who wants to see small towns become overdeveloped?

So..imo..until the car companies start making more fuel efficient vehicles, and making MORE alternative fuel cars (such as the hybrids on the market now), this countries fuel efficiency problem, will continue to exist.

[Phoenix Blue]

Snopes is back up. Here's the link (http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/gasout.htm).

[DragonMaiden]

Where we live the closest gas station is 5 miles away and the closest grocery store is 10 miles away. For us walking is not an option. There are no busses here or taxis. My husbband drives 45 miles one way to work. We don't drive brand new cars we don't have that kind of money.

[IsisErin]

OK I'm probably about to get flamed. But for you guys, petrol is quite cheap. You want to live here, where not that long ago there were protests and lorry convoys because the fuel prices were so high.

[Rainx]

Originally posted by Danustouch
So..imo..until the car companies start making more fuel efficient vehicles, and making MORE alternative fuel cars (such as the hybrids on the market now), this countries fuel efficiency problem, will continue to exist.

I don't think it's the fault of car companies - after all, those kind of vehicles exist, yet how many people drive them? I think I've seen one of the hybrids. One. And I used to live in a very busy city and commute twice daily.

The problem is IMHO people continue to buy the SUV's etc., as PB says. I agree wholeheartedly with you PB. We want the biggest vehicle or fastest machine, but don't want to pay for the gas.

Ya know, it's funny how we come to be dependent on our vehicles. For example, my mother in law lives maybe half a mile up the road. Each day she walks down here to our farm and back, twice, to do chores. So 2 miles a day. How many of us would hop in the car to go 2 miles down the road, say, to the store or restaurant?

[Danustouch]

Agreed, The need for big cars and SUV's and such are rediculous. How about the people who restore the old cars..like camaro's, and mustangs, which guzzle, and guzzle? Rediculous. However, I think that at least the ecoconscious people would be glad to get some of the hybrid cars, if there were more available on the market, if they were affordable, and stylish (yeah..that stylish bit sucks) That would at least put a dent on it. I think another reason people don't buy the hybrid cars, is that the ones I've seen at least, haven't really been as attractive, and they are indeed, pretty small. I'd like to see some more alternatives, more styles in them.... so that more people would buy them. Plus, they are relatively new to the market. As they evolve, and become more plentiful, and build a bigger name for themselves, become more common in manufacturers, I think more people would buy them. I mean..someone who doesn't like Fords, isn't going to buy a Ford Focus, for instance.






Ya know, it's funny how we come to be dependent on our vehicles. For example, my mother in law lives maybe half a mile up the road. Each day she walks down here to our farm and back, twice, to do chores. So 2 miles a day. How many of us would hop in the car to go 2 miles down the road, say, to the store or restaurant?

I don't know the exact mileage I used to walk in Danbury... but..I do know that I used to walk a little under an hour to get to my friends house, and back, every day. This, added onto walking to and from the bus stop, which was a twenty minute walk each way. Then, I'd often walk with my friends, from their house, to the downtown district, another 35 minute walk. To go to the restaurant, library, etc with them.

I felt better, in fact, walking like that. Lost weight, enjoyed nature. The only time I didn't like it, was in the dead of winter. lol.

However, My health has gotten a little worse since then, and I am unaccustomed to walking such a distance/time. Now...that's something that would be nearly impossible for me. Or difficult at the very least (not only the time, mileage..but the fact that those routes I used to take were almost entirely uphill.)

Cars are a convenience. That much is for sure. For people with handicaps, or athsma, or other illnesses, unless you have a really good cab/bus system in your town, you're pretty stuck, if you don't have a car, or someone to drive you.

I can't imagine if I had my illnesses, back in the days before cars... how long it would take in a carriage, on horseback, or by foot to get to the places I need to go.

But to think of it that way, is pretty complex. Because then you simply aren't thinking of life before cars..but life where people couldn't go to restaurants, grocery stores, more than a few times a year. Most people grew their own food. Only stocking up on material, seed, canned goods a few times a year. Back then, if you were sick, the doctor came to YOU. Back then, a Restaurant would only be seen in a large town..and there was usually one per town. And towns would only be a few in between major trade routes.

It's not only cars that we've become dependent on. It's the entire culture of convenience....

[Phoenix Blue]

Quoth DragonMaiden
Where we live the closest gas station is 5 miles away and the closest grocery store is 10 miles away. For us walking is not an option. There are no busses here or taxis. My husbband drives 45 miles one way to work. We don't drive brand new cars we don't have that kind of money.
I understand the need for vehicles in rural areas; but saying "we don't have that kind of money" misses the point. If you can afford a vehicle that gets poor mileage, you can afford a new vehicle that gets good mileage. You'll take a hit financially while you're making payments on the vehicle, but you'll make your money back and then some over the vehicle's lifetime.

It's still possible to save gas, even when things are far away like that. Limit your trips to the gas station and the grocery store, for example, to two or three trips per month; or when you need to go somewhere, take care of two or three errands at once.

Living an eco-friendly lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. Kvetching about the high gas prices solves nothing; but cutting back on overall demand, as the Snopes article I linked to earlier states, will reduce the cost of gasoline over time as well as help preserve the air quality where you live.

[Psyche Ague]

I honestly don't know that much about economics, but I do know a bit about conserving. As a college student, I walk EVERYWHERE! I feel better this year than I have in years past and my legs are really thanking me. I don't have a car, but I'm hoping that my first car will be a truly nice one (I don't plan on getting one in the near future, either...no real need for one). I'm hoping to get a Civic Hybrid. I, too, have no sympathy for people who drive SUVs or gas-guzzling cars/trucks and complain about high gas prices. I feel it's my duty as a member of this planet to do my share of taking care of it, as one does a house or an apartment. It's where we live! Do you really want to live in a dump? I didn't think so. For me, it's not just about money - it's about duty.

[~ Monk ~]

Originally posted by Danustouch
Agreed, The need for big cars and SUV's and such are rediculous. How about the people who restore the old cars..like camaro's, and mustangs, which guzzle, and guzzle? Rediculous.

I have a Firebird, and it is indeed a guzzler, but I don't drive it for half of each year, and even then I don't put many miles on it. What can I say - I bought it in my early 20s, it's paid off, and I still love it. I'm fortunate in that I can take a train to work and don't have too far to go for groceries. When it's nice out I even walk to the train station.

I think it's not so much the cars but how they're used. If you're someone who hauls a lot of large things around then an SUV or a truck makes sense. Unfortunately it doesn't seem most people who have those types of vehicles need them for anything other than loading up Wal-Mart bags on the weekend.

As for Cameros and Firebirds - a dying breed, I'm afraid...:dis:
Mustangs are more fuel effecient now, aren't they?

Regarding the gas prices - considering what other countries pay for gas, I have nothing to say. We still have it quite good.

[Derry]

All suv's aren't bad. We took a trip to Yellowstone Park last year. We went 402 miles on one tank of gas. It's a smaller size suv that can seat 4 people and carry camping gear...and 1 small dog. It is only a 4 cylinder, but the 4 wheel drive works great and we travel the local mountains just fine with only 4 cylinders. Lately I have been trying to walk to the local stores but twice in one week idiots talking on their cell phones ran the red light at 60 mph (even though it is posted at 30mph) and almost hit me even though I had a clear walking signal. Lately, I have been doing all my errands at once and grouping by location so I don't have to drive as much. Also, checking the air filter in the car reduces fuel consumption too. Keep it clean. If I had someone to carpool with I would definately consider that. We're only paying 1.96 right now. I feel sorry for the people paying 3.00 or more per gallon. That hurts someone's finances terribly.

[Duhkha]

Originally posted by Phoenix_Blue

I understand the need for vehicles in rural areas; but saying "we don't have that kind of money" misses the point. If you can afford a vehicle that gets poor mileage, you can afford a new vehicle that gets good mileage. You'll take a hit financially while you're making payments on the vehicle, but you'll make your money back and then some over the vehicle's lifetime.

Having a $300 car payment each month is a hell of alot different then spending $100 on gas as oppsed to $50 each month. In the long run is a nice concept but when people only get paid so much a month and don't make enough to save anything, this isn't feasable.

[Phoenix Blue]

Then why're you paying $300 / month on a car? Did you have to have that shiny new model, when there was a perfectly good used model in the lot? Or a lesser-priced new vehicle that still would have served to get you from point A to point B?

I just had to buy a car to replace my Chevy Cavalier, which impaled itself on the back end of a Ford F-150. The payment for the '99 Saturn I bought to replace it, and my full coverage insurance payment, is still under $300 / month.

I manage on a net $18000 / year - $30000 / year, minus at least 40% between taxes and child support. Granted, I'm single with no children, which makes things easier. But there's no way I'd pay $300 / month for a car to begin with, unless it comes with a bathroom installed and brings in my neighbor's newspaper every morning.

You gotta prioritize.

[Rainx]

Originally posted by Derry
All suv's aren't bad.

*nods*

People who need them, I can see; ie. people who go camping a lot, etc. For example one of my sisters in law has one - she's also a geologist who treks all over the darn place in it in all kinds of terrain.

It's the people who buy them for city driving or even country roads that get to me.

[Azure]

What Danu just said. . . I live in one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, and also one of the easiest to drive in - little poor weather, great road conditions and upkeep, and no mountains. Yet here, every second vehicle on the road in town is a huge SUV (we call them BAVs - Brentwood Assault Vehicles) driven by a well to do housewife who has absolutely no need for all the space, and could get by with a far more fuel efficient Honda or Toyota mini-van or even a reasonable sized sedan. You see an inordinate number of the new Hummer SUVs here too. It's pretty sick.

I drive an Accord and I fill my gas tank about once every two weeks even though I drive quite a bit. Even now, I spend maybe $40 - $45 a month in gas.

And the walking thing just drives me crazy. People are lazy - look at the people fighting over getting a parking spot close to the mall so they don't even have to walk the extra 100 or so yards. I find it stunning. No wonder American are out of shape.