baadaaboo

Horse power or your wallet? Isn't it time to think about it?

kscarrol

A question which should have been asked a long time ago in this country. Don't know if we'll get to $6/gallon, but it is going up from here. Though it's not purely a horespower question. There was an awful story on our local news last night with the reporter asking folks at a local gas station about how gas prices were impacting travel plans. Literally all seven people interviewed were standing in front of their huge pick up or suburban. Not even a small SUV, monsters. A couple said the government was not doing enough to regulate the price of gas! We in America do not have a God given right to cheap gasoline. If you need to move a lot of people, get a Honda minivan. The gas mileage is so much better than a full-size Ford or Chevy SUV.

Sorry for the rant but we as Americans complain about gasoline prices while we preach free market economics to the world. This is free market economic at work. China, India and the rest of developing world are growing demand for oil so fast it has overwhelmed the ability of oil companies or national oil companies to keep up. Maybe we as a country need to curb our demand oil...

miguex

Live in the present until our wallet ran out.

or maybe it is the time to get this: http://www.eagle-research.com/images...m/hyzpromo.pdf or http://www.eagle-research.com/fuelsav/hyzajmov.html

skylolow

Over $6 a gallon nation wide I think would be like a bomb going off in the US economy. It would literally cripple America. Most experts think $5 would do it.

Pretty sad when you think about it that $3 a gallon sound like a steal.

fifthinarow

Really think you Yanks have got it easy.. I am currently paying ?5.65 a gallon or equivellent to $11.00 a gallon for diesel a waste product of petrol...

skylolow

I don't understand the price of diesel also. Like you said its made with the waste.

Problem in the US is in most areas of the US it is literally impossible to get from point A to point B without a car. I'd say this rings true for about 95% of America. It's not like Europe where there is an advanced transportation system beyond the automobile. Also in alot of cities where you have an opition to take a bus or a train it actually ends up costing you more then driving a car (not too mention the time you waste). US is just to spread out. In otherwords there isn't a way around it, you got to drive.

kscarrol

Diesel may be a "waste" product from the production of gasoline but demand for the waste product has grown even faster than gasoline. Diesel is a primary fuel not just for autos but is used for generating electricity around the world as well. Again China is a big part of the picture. It is little talked about, but China generates a huge portion of its electricity from coal. With the approaching summer Olympics, China is trying to clean up the air pollution around Beijing. A big part of this effort has included shutting down old coal-fired plants and using diesel to generate electricity. While likely a temporary step-up in demand, it has impacted world markets. It is not the only cause by any means but it contributes. World oil demand has gone from 70 million barrels PER day back in the 80's to 86 million barrels per day today. And the developing world has a long to go in terms of demand growth. We have no right to force them to limit growth, we must adjust ourselves as well...

Bimmer32

What goes up will go down. Tech, real estate . . . oil?

providenceleaf

I agree. A bunch of us were talking about this the other day. Numbers for retail store sales are on the decline. The housing market is still chaotic. Oh yeah, there is this useless war going on right now too. Our country is a mess while the oil companies continue to make RECORD profits every quarter! It's unbelievable that nothing has be done about this. Does anyone realize that when Bush took office in 2000 oil was $27 a barrel? 8 years later it's at $135 and still going up?!?!

If $5 a gallon is around the corner we are in trouble. If it hits $6 you are looking at a total economic melt down happening in this country. Many people may lose our jobs! Many more unfortunate people will not be able to afford to heat their homes. I remember just 3 years ago I was paying $1.79 a gallon for home heating oil. My last bill over a month ago was $4.10 a gallon! I'm okay, but what about those people that are struggling now?

providenceleaf

We can only hope...