f@#$ing gas...~

[GODDESS6]

well yesterday the gas in my area went up to 3.29/gal & that is for the cheap ethanol crap i don't use, it is 3.39 for the other, damn this is ridiculous :eek: ~

[strandinthewind]

and with effectively a third or better of the nation's supply halted until the Gulf Coast gets better, which could be weeks if not months, it will only get worse. I predict it will be $5.00 a gallon by November, which is terrifying. But, I guess the good news will be we will all be thinner from walking out of necessity.

[catinthedark]

*smacks forehead forcefully*

Gas was 94 cents a litre here in Toronto last night. I saw it, and thought, I should go get some (it had been over a dollar for the past few days). I didn't - too tired. Today? It's about $1.15 a litre. Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrap!

(By the way, a litre is .22 of a gallon - so I believe that makes gas here the equivilent of about $6.00 a gallon? Did I do the math right? Don't forget the Canadian dollar is about $1.25 US). :shocked:

[DrummerDeanna]

Yeah - we definitely don't have it the worst - but still we aren't used to these prices...

*sigh* I remember being in California a few years ago and I was outraged that gas was $1.44 :laugh:

I can't walk to work - and I can't bike this week because it's been raining all week - and pretty much once Novemeber hits - I can't walk or bike either because of the bad winter weather. I depend on my car - lately I've just started going less places...

[GateandGarden]

I can't walk to work - and I can't bike this week because it's been raining all week - and pretty much once Novemeber hits - I can't walk or bike either because of the bad winter weather. I depend on my car - lately I've just started going less places...Yeah, the walking and biking thing is going to be is going to be impossible for a lot of us. I'd love to be able to just ride my bike but that won't work. I can ride my bike to class but when I go home on the weekends...well, that's about 50 miles away! :laugh: Plus, my mom is about 40 miles from where she works every day and my dad is about 20 miles, I believe. Bike riding just isn't going to work.

[Patti]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9141205/

WASHINGTON - Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said Wednesday the Bush administration has decided to release oil from federal petroleum reserves to help refiners affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The move, which was expected later in the day, is designed to give refineries a temporary supply of crude oil to take the place of interrupted shipments from tankers or offshore oil platforms affected by the storm.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service said Tuesday that 95 percent of the Gulf of Mexico’s oil output was out of service. Oil prices surged back above $70 in European markets on Wednesday but slipped quickly to $69.56 after disclosure of the decision involving the release of supplies from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Eight refineries were shut down due to Katrina — half of them producing gasoline.

The government’s emergency petroleum stockpile — nearly 700 million barrels of oil stored in underground salt caverns along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast — was established to cushion oil markets during energy disruptions.

The production and distribution of oil and gas remained severely disrupted by the shutdown of a key oil import terminal off the coast of Louisiana and by the Gulf region’s widespread loss of electricity, which is needed to power pipelines and refineries.

President Bush, meanwhile, was returning to Washington on Wednesday to oversee the federal response to Katrina. He planned to chair a meeting of a White House task force set up to coordinate federal efforts, across more than a dozen agencies, to assist hurricane victims.

Bush also was expected to visit the ravaged region by week’s end, but details on that trip were in flux as the White House worked to make sure a presidential tour would not disrupt the relief and response efforts.

He said his department was dealing with inquiries from three companies about getting oil from the reserve. On Monday, Citgo Petroleum Corp. asked for 250,000 to 500,000 barrels to ensure that its Lake Charles, La., refinery doesn’t run out.

“There is an issue with respect to getting electrical power so that we can operate the various pipe lines that supply fuel to the rest of the country,” he said, noting that these facilities “deliver finished products, diesel and gasoline, to the Northeast and to the Southeast.”

“Our job is to get the infrastructure going again,” Bodman said. “To the extent that we have delays in getting these pipelines functioning, then were are going to have the potential for gasoline shortages.” Bodman said the administration will “do everything we can do to get fuel available to the rest of the country.”

Of tapping the SPR, Bodman said: “Technically it’s called an exchange of oil that we deliver today and that we will get oil back plus some interest, if you will, in the future. We will be tapping that today.”

Interviewed on the Fox News Channel, Bodman was asked if price gouging is taking place.

“I would like to believe that in this time of crisis that all of us are going to pull together to try to deal with this very difficult circumstance and situation that’s confronting not just this region, but this country,” he replied. “We’re hopeful of that, but if we have some bad actors, we have a mechanism to deal with it.”

-------------------------------------------

Anybody think it will make a difference?

[strandinthewind]

Well, it will in the short term in that the refineries able to refine will have oil to do so. What will happen after that is, unless some miraculous deal is reached, OPEC will most certainly raise its prices as the demand is there to do so. Ironic isn't it that, inter alia, the Saudi's once again profit off of an American disaster, albeit they had no hand in causing this one.

[skcin]

Went up from $2.55 to $2.80 here within 4 days.

[gldstwmn]

well yesterday the gas in my area went up to 3.29/gal & that is for the cheap ethanol crap i don't use, it is 3.39 for the other, damn this is ridiculous :eek: ~

Not to worry. The president has opened the reserves. That should make it go down by a nickel or so./sarcasm.

[strandinthewind]

Not to worry. The president has opened the reserves. That should make it go down by a nickel or so./sarcasm.


Blah Blah Blah - opening the reserves was a good thing - but he cannot win for losing with you :laugh: If he had not opened them, you would be even more irate :shrug: Opening them was a good thing no matter how you slice it.

[estranged4life]

I was surprised when gasoline jumped 20 cents a gallon in a few hours (At least the gas station behind my house only jumped 9 cents to $2.64 a gallon) but seeing almost $3 a gallon in OKC is a sign of bad things to come...

I feel $5 a gallon is just a couple months away.

[WELSH WITCH]

We're at 1,38 euro per liter right now, that's 5,52 a gallon in euro's. It's a little less in dollars.
If this keeps rising I have to consider using the bike to work, it's 6 km from my home.

[gldstwmn]

Blah Blah Blah - opening the reserves was a good thing - but he cannot win for losing with you :laugh: If he had not opened them, you would be even more irate :shrug: Opening them was a good thing no matter how you slice it.

I'm not disagreeing with that. :shrug:

[JazmenFlowers]

I'm scared we'll see $4 or $5 per gallon here in MS before too long. I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it costs me close to $50 to fill up as it is...sheesh...what will I do if it goes up :shrug:

[strandinthewind]

I'm not disagreeing with that. :shrug:


I love it when we agree :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :)

[Janet]

Oh GAS is horrible.

Personally, I drive over a half an hour to work everyday. I get out after midnight. There are no trains or buses because sometimes I get stuck there hours later after we close.

BUT if it's $5, I will just *uck it and not close or something. I can't afford that, WHO CAN?

BTW, side note, know how hard it is to find delivery drivers right now? No one wants to deliver pizza.

[HomerMcvie]

I do sound, and play in a band. My truck (a retired U-haul) get 5.5 mpg! I don't know what I'm going to do. We always play within an hour of home, but it's going to get to where we'll not be able to take any work out of town. A 30 gallon tank is running $80 now. :distress: :distress: :distress: At $5, or even $4 a gallon, I'm just going to have to cancel any out of town dates. :distress: :distress: :distress: And the bar business is getting dismal around here, so getting the clubs to come off some more dough won't fly, either.

[estranged4life]

on TV advertising the following gas prices:

Unleaded (Showed an arm)
Higher grade (Showed a leg)
Premium ("Your firstborn")

Sounds bout accurate to me

[Pisces Queen]

Where I live in Arlington, TX there is no mass transit. I work about 45 minutes away from the house with no one to car pool with. It cost me 40 to fill up my little honda. If this keeps going, what will happen to inflation? Is it OK to say that I am scared ****less. I keep hearing Lindsay's voice singing in my head "what's the world coming too?" Sorry for being so dramatic but that's how I feel right now. Helpless. :distress:

Listing to Spaceneedle ~ Fear is nothing to me now ~ I no longer care. :shrug:

[WELSH WITCH]

I keep hearing Lindsay's voice singing in my head "what's the world coming too?" Sorry for being so dramatic but that's how I feel right now. Helpless. :distress:


I don't think you're dramatic, this is getting out of hand. So I agree:"What's the world coming too."

[StevieNicksEO17]

This is effing insane. Thank god my mom works about 2 minutes away from home, and has a little car, but my dad has a truck and it takes him 45 minutes. My mom finally let me drive to school (take her to work and then I go) about 15 minutes away, but if gas gets to $5 a gallon, I'm back on the bus. :mad: :mad:

[Jessica Leigh]

this is serious. it costs me $8 round trip to work. if i want to run the a/c it's almost $10 and it's still over a hundred degrees here. same with school-

between work and school 7 days a week my gas is costing me between $240 and $300 a month is gas. that's more than my car payment and insurance COMBINED.

take a bus? no one wants to sit at bus stops in this heat. i'm going to have to find a new job closer to home. this sucks.

[MoonChilde]

I feel $5 a gallon is just a couple months away.

Welcome to my world. sighhh..BtW ..check your inbox Brian.. :xoxo:

[Merf]

this is serious. it costs me $8 round trip to work. if i want to run the a/c it's almost $10 and it's still over a hundred degrees here. same with school-

between work and school 7 days a week my gas is costing me between $240 and $300 a month is gas. that's more than my car payment and insurance COMBINED.

take a bus? no one wants to sit at bus stops in this heat. i'm going to have to find a new job closer to home. this sucks.

Yeah, I'm with you-- I live nearly 30 miles from my school (one way) and I'm putting around 200-250 miles on my car a week just to go to school. My job is close by but it's not like I can drop out of school! Now they're talking about possibly rationing the gas here-- it's complete chaos. Everyone's freaking out. It's $2.99/gallon for regular, gas stations are running out of gas, and they're starting to ration it. This? is serious.

[LiquidBlue5000]

last night it was $2.99 a gallon for premium here on long island.. i woke up today and it jumped to $3.69!!!!! :eek:

so i've decided i'm selling my car for a damn hybrid and a bicycle :wavey:

[ontheEdgeof17]

It's cheaper to fly. I should just get a job out west and fly home in the evenings.

[estranged4life]

(Before my illness that is) we were putting close to 100 miles on the car a day just for work (45+ miles one way), 500 miles a week.

Imagine if Deb had to take Radiation Therapy at this time of year compared to last year, That's a 200+ roundtrip excluding the trips to work...We were spending about $16 a day for gas for the 5 daily visits a week, for 4.5 weeks. :eek:

At least we kept our sense of humor about it, Should have had t-shirts made that said "2000+ miles in a month for Radiation treatment and all we got was a cure and Pepsi/Coca-Cola flavored Icee's everyday...Oh, And this dumb t-shirt"

[estranged4life]

the news just showed that gasoline at a station in Atlanta is $5.52 a gallon (Correction $5.87 a gallon...Holy f**k Batman), Definitely a price fix if there was ever to be one.

[LuckyCharms]

:distress: Dang, guess I'll have to start driving my son's Power Wheels Go-Cart(they get two-miles to each battery charge you know, LOL)

[amber]

last night it was $2.99 a gallon for premium here on long island.. i woke up today and it jumped to $3.69!!!!! :eek:

so i've decided i'm selling my car for a damn hybrid and a bicycle :wavey:
Really? :xoxo:

[gldstwmn]

Is it OK to say that I am scared ****less.

Yes, it's okay. :xoxo:

[StevieNicksEO17]

the news just showed that gasoline at a station in Atlanta is $5.52 a gallon (Correction $5.87 a gallon...Holy f**k Batman), Definitely a price fix if there was ever to be one.

:shocked: :shocked: :eek: :distress: HOLY SHAT.

[estranged4life]

Labor Day wont be spent anywhere else but here at home...At least Deb filled up the car $2.64 per gallon, It will probably cost $50,000.000 per gallon by this evening ;)

[eclipse]

I received an e-mail today from a friend...I know this is very late in posting but tomorrow (September 1st) is

BOYCOTT FUEL DAY

So PLEASE- Do not buy fuel tomorrow- (you can buy it the next day..)
What this group is trying to do is see what will happen if No one buys fuel on the 1st. I realize that is almost impossible...but if you can refrain, it would be a great help.
Statistics show that if No one purchased fuel on Thusday 9/1---It would be a disaster for the oil people and gas companies that continue to raise prices, to the extreme. So let's see what happens- Give it a try and don't buy :p

So it is a little thing....but if you can, don't buy gas tomorrow!!!!
Thanks for joining the effort

[strandinthewind]

The lines for gas at every station I saw on the way home were at least ten cars deep at each pump :eek:

[gldstwmn]

Oh, a storm is threat’ning
My very life today
If I don’t get some shelter
Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away

War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

Ooh, see the fire is sweepin’
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost it’s way

War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away

The floods is threat’ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I’m gonna fade away

War, children, it’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
It’s just a shot away
I tell you love, sister, it’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
It’s just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away

[lbelle1214]

My husband just came home from work and said that he was told to fill up tonight because they were going to start rationing gas.... :eek: We might not be ABLE to boycott....they'll show US...we just won't get ANY!!!!!

[strandinthewind]

Also - 60% of the country's grain is exported from the Gulf Coast to other countries. This could rsult in famine and bankrupt famers in the US.

[lbelle1214]

O.K. Time to make a gas run....pick up a few drums of coffee ('cause the Folgers beans are rotting in water as we speak)...and chicken...don't forget the truckloads of rotting frozen chickens...must eat fish...fresh water...

[ShangriLaTroubl]

GA was on the national news today, showing some places with gas at up to 6 dollars a gallon! My mom in GA called , and said many stations have signs that say "sorry no gas.." and she went to a station today and got gas for $5 a gallon...this is crazy, they said they expect it will spread across the country..likely to atleast $4 a gallon nationwide.

They are showing sky cam video on CNN of GA lines all the way down roads for gas, with police directing traffic to gas stations with $4 a gallon for regular unleaded!!
Chris

[diamondsnake]

I'm in Florida and they have run out of the low and medium priced gas. Now they only have High-grade which is over three dollars a gallon. All I can say is that my parents are going to have a stroke when they read their credit card bill this month.

My new plan is to move to a big city after I graduate this year and sell my car. I don't want to play this game anymore... I'm sick of the suburbs, I'm sick of commuting...

It seems like all these horrible things have been happening lately. The war in Iraq, the tsunami, September 11th, Katrina, Bush in the whitehouse.... And on top of that, a ton of people I know are battling really horrible diseases right now. The list goes on and on! Life seems to not be 'a gift' anymore...

[ontheEdgeof17]

My new plan is to move to a big city after I graduate this year and sell my car. I don't want to play this game anymore... I'm sick of the suburbs, I'm sick of commuting...




I agree with this. I need to move to a bigger city so I don't have to drive to work. I would be saving about $50 a month, if not more....

[macfanken]

I agree with this. I need to move to a bigger city so I don't have to drive to work. I would be saving about $50 a month, if not more....


Yeah, you should move to a bigger city... walking, biking and public transit is the way to go. :wavey:

[ontheEdgeof17]

Yeah, you should move to a bigger city... walking, biking and public transit is the way to go. :wavey:


What city would that be?

[macfanken]

What city would that be?


Newark? :shocked: :lol:


:xoxo:

[ontheEdgeof17]

Newark? :shocked: :lol:


:xoxo:


insert cuss word here.

[strandinthewind]

insert cuss word here.

Actually, I could see you in The Bronx - you and J-Ho have that edge.

[ontheEdgeof17]

Actually, I could see you in The Bronx - you and J-Ho have that edge.

Just for that, I summons you to the depths of Michigan.

[strandinthewind]

Just for that, I summons you to the depths of Michigan.

it would be my pleasure - at least for a little while :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :wavey:

[ontheEdgeof17]

it would be my pleasure - at least for a little while :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :wavey:


It only takes 2 minutes? :shocked:

[strandinthewind]

It only takes 2 minutes? :shocked:

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o

[ontheEdgeof17]

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o

:laugh:

I made out with "you know who" longer than that! :angel:

[strandinthewind]

:laugh:

I made out with "you know who" longer than that! :angel:


was I conscious?

[ontheEdgeof17]

was I conscious?


For the first minute and 15 seconds.

[strandinthewind]

For the first minute and 15 seconds.

then it was like necrophilia :thumbsup:

[ontheEdgeof17]

then it was like necrophilia :thumbsup:


You are one sick human being. :laugh:

[amber]

then it was like necrophilia :thumbsup:
watch out, they just posted a review of the FAQ's for us about the nature of sexual and profane discussions on the board. *not rolling my eyes, I swear!*

[SuzeQuze]

I agree with this. I need to move to a bigger city so I don't have to drive to work. I would be saving about $50 a month, if not more....

Plus saving all that stress, well if you drive in traffic. I love my walking commute. I commuted 35 miles each way for a few years and it was so stressful. Now it would also be cost prohibitive!

[diamondsnake]

Plus saving all that stress, well if you drive in traffic. I love my walking commute. I commuted 35 miles each way for a few years and it was so stressful. Now it would also be cost prohibitive!
What city do you live in?

[SuzeQuze]

What city do you live in?

I'm in Boston.

[tommer]

i honestly hope nobody's gonna take what i say here as some kind of an insult, but i need to get it off my chest, it's just that i read this this thread without knowing whether to laugh or cry. dear god, you guys are SO blind!!!

even while new orleans is still flooded, you can't see the connection between gasoline exploitation and the hazardous environmental state of the planet; are you aware that the US is consuming a quarter of the entire global production of oil? don't you think it's a little absurd? thousands of american soldiers are fighting and dying year after year, war after war, just to secure the flow of cheap oil, later to be consumed by wasteful oversized cars. villain oil barons are becoming presidents and cultural icons, while nobody even bothers to stop for a minute, and ask whether this is all necessary, or is it just the selfish needs of a selected few, which over the years became an entire nation's irresponsible fetish.

at my nearest gas station a gallon of gas costs me more than 5 us$, and i think it's fair and decent. just like cigarettes - if you wanna use it so badly, okay, but do know that if you so vigorously insist on polluting and harming everyone around you, you should also expect to be heavily taxed (or in other words- get fined), coz after all, your nasty habits costs your country billions, and someone eventually oughta pay for this.

you could say i come from a pint-sized, densely populated rich country, where distances are not a real problem; it may be the case, but let me tell you i wasn't too shocked to see the almost exact same prices a month ago in India, which is a vast country, with a ridiculous income rate. so what do people do there? easy, they use their legs, bikes, scooters, smaller cars, and public transportation that's developed by their government despite its relative poverty. they silently pay the rising prices, caused mostly by wars they had nothing to do with.

it appears to me that most of you guys don't come even close to realizing the true price (economic, political and environmental) of your exaggerated (not to use the term "vulgar") thirst for endless cheap pollution. maybe you just need to pay the same price range as in anywhere else in order to understand that unhealthy, harmful dependency actually costs something. :sorry:

[strandinthewind]

i honestly hope nobody's gonna take what i say here as some kind of an insult, but i need to get it off my chest, it's just that i read this this thread without knowing whether to laugh or cry. dear god, you guys are SO blind!!!

even while new orleans is still flooded, you can't see the connection between gasoline exploitation and the hazardous environmental state of the planet; are you aware that the US is consuming a quarter of the entire global production of oil? don't you think it's a little absurd? thousands of american soldiers are fighting and dying year after year, war after war, just to secure the flow of cheap oil, later to be consumed by wasteful oversized cars. villain oil barons are becoming presidents and cultural icons, while nobody even bothers to stop for a minute, and ask whether this is all necessary, or is it just the selfish needs of a selected few, which over the years became an entire nation's irresponsible fetish.

at my nearest gas station a gallon of gas costs me more than 5 us$, and i think it's fair and decent. just like cigarettes - if you wanna use it so badly, okay, but do know that if you so vigorously insist on polluting and harming everyone around you, you should also expect to be heavily taxed (or in other words- get fined), coz after all, your nasty habits costs your country billions, and someone eventually oughta pay for this.

you could say i come from a pint-sized, densely populated rich country, where distances are not a real problem; it may be the case, but let me tell you i wasn't too shocked to see the almost exact same prices a month ago in India, which is a vast country, with a ridiculous income rate. so what do people do there? easy, they use their legs, bikes, scooters, smaller cars, and public transportation that's developed by their government despite its relative poverty. they silently pay the rising prices, caused mostly by wars they had nothing to do with.

it appears to me that most of you guys don't come even close to realizing the true price (economic, political and environmental) of your exaggerated (not to use the term "vulgar") thirst for endless cheap pollution. maybe you just need to pay the same price range as in anywhere else in order to understand that unhealthy, harmful dependency actually costs something. :sorry:

Amen :nod: :nod: :nod:

though I think China consumes the most oil products now.

[skcin]

I appreciate your comment Tommer. No need to be sorry.

With everything going on, I don't know if I should feel blessed, or embarrassed, or guilty, or happy to live the way I do. I don't know how the hell to feel right now.

I am going to try to make an attempt to consume less fuel. I guess every tiny bit counts. Well, I hope it does. :(

[DavidMn]

It's 3.35 here as we speak

[Patti]

Gas here on Monday was $2.53 a gallon. On my home from work I saw it was now $3.05/gallon.

[estranged4life]

amount for a gallon of gasoline (Even the UK is cheaper by comparison), In Atlanta a gas station had unleaded for $8.99 a gallon (Either this is a price gouge or it is gasoline rationing by pushing customers away with high prices.)

I'm glad gasoline is still $2.80 a gallon here in Oklahoma (I am appreciative to owning a small compact car with a great mileage per gallon ratio)...And I agree with tommer's post, Well said, well said, well said!!! :thumbsup:

[DavidMn]

amount for a gallon of gasoline (Even the UKis cheaper by comparison), In Atlanta a gas station had unleaded for $8.99 a gallon.

I'm glad gasoline is still $2.80 a gallon here in Oklahoma (I am appreciative to owning a small compact car with a great mileage per gallon ratio)...And I agree with tommer's post, Well said, well said, well said!!! :thumbsup:You're lucky to live there, I'll bet the price is lower because Oklahoma produces oil isnt it?

[estranged4life]

You're lucky to live there, I'll bet the price is lower because Oklahoma produces oil isnt it?

is part of the reason (Especially if ya live in/around Eastern Oklahoma and specifically in Tulsa, Formerly known as the "Oil Capital of America")and add to that the cost of living is the cheapest of any of the 50 states.

I never take for granted living here...I was born here and I will die here.

[DavidMn]

is part of the reason (Especially if ya live in/around Eastern Oklahoma and specifically in Tulsa, Formerly known as the "Oil Capital of America")and add to that the cost of living is the cheapest of any of the 50 states.

I never take for granted living here...I was born here and I will die here.
That Ford Center in Oklahoma City looks pretty nice. I remember driving by it on my way back from California.

[diamondsnake]

i honestly hope nobody's gonna take what i say here as some kind of an insult, but i need to get it off my chest, it's just that i read this this thread without knowing whether to laugh or cry. dear god, you guys are SO blind!!!

even while new orleans is still flooded, you can't see the connection between gasoline exploitation and the hazardous environmental state of the planet; are you aware that the US is consuming a quarter of the entire global production of oil? don't you think it's a little absurd? thousands of american soldiers are fighting and dying year after year, war after war, just to secure the flow of cheap oil, later to be consumed by wasteful oversized cars. villain oil barons are becoming presidents and cultural icons, while nobody even bothers to stop for a minute, and ask whether this is all necessary, or is it just the selfish needs of a selected few, which over the years became an entire nation's irresponsible fetish.

at my nearest gas station a gallon of gas costs me more than 5 us$, and i think it's fair and decent. just like cigarettes - if you wanna use it so badly, okay, but do know that if you so vigorously insist on polluting and harming everyone around you, you should also expect to be heavily taxed (or in other words- get fined), coz after all, your nasty habits costs your country billions, and someone eventually oughta pay for this.

you could say i come from a pint-sized, densely populated rich country, where distances are not a real problem; it may be the case, but let me tell you i wasn't too shocked to see the almost exact same prices a month ago in India, which is a vast country, with a ridiculous income rate. so what do people do there? easy, they use their legs, bikes, scooters, smaller cars, and public transportation that's developed by their government despite its relative poverty. they silently pay the rising prices, caused mostly by wars they had nothing to do with.

it appears to me that most of you guys don't come even close to realizing the true price (economic, political and environmental) of your exaggerated (not to use the term "vulgar") thirst for endless cheap pollution. maybe you just need to pay the same price range as in anywhere else in order to understand that unhealthy, harmful dependency actually costs something. :sorry:
Those are interesting points but unless you live in a big city it is pretty much impossible to not rely on a car in the USA. Everyone I know has jobs or attends schools at places that are thirty miles away or more. That's like a four hour bike ride! I mean, get real. You just need a car in suburbian America. We don't even have the public transit in my town. And it would take me a half a day just to skooter to the groccery store....

So, I agree it is harmful for the environment, but I can't feel bad about it because there is no way around having a car in the USA (unless you live in a big city).

[amber]

Why don't they have public transport in the smaller cities?
Because our economy and whatever was built during most of this century around the fact that we have cars. :rolleyes:
Seriously, I guess it's too expensive to have public transpo run regularly and frequently into a town with not that many people. I mean, If no one had cars, it might make more money, but - :shrug:
And the nature of our economic development, etc., has become a thing where...people for miles and miles and miles around all come into the city to work. Some towns are barely self sufficient, ie, there is not as many business there that people can buy everything they want from, and not enough jobs for all the people who live in that town to work there. So they have to drive to the city. Mostly it's a suburb type thing, though. People live where it's nice, and work in the cities. it's all very retarded. :)
Does that clear things up a bit? :laugh: many people who work in San Francisco have at least an hour commute every morning, and some drive from 2 and 3 hours away. Some of those people could easily take public transpo, though, as we have a great system that goes really far, but for many, it's not as feasible.

[amber]

I guess I wouldn't know because we all ride kangaroos and have never seen cars.

A big deal is made about using public transport here, they're constantly making it more extensive. I guess it's different here because we basically only live in the cities, there's not much in between.
I wasn't saying you guys didn't have cars. I was rolling my eyes at the lameness of the condition, of building everything around the fact of cars.
Yeah, that's different, most of our empty spaces are filled up. Or at least a significant portion. It's too bad....but the darn people keep having kids! And then all those new people have to live somewhere... :p

[amber]

i honestly hope nobody's gonna take what i say here as some kind of an insult, but i need to get it off my chest, it's just that i read this this thread without knowing whether to laugh or cry. dear god, you guys are SO blind!!!

even while new orleans is still flooded, you can't see the connection between gasoline exploitation and the hazardous environmental state of the planet; are you aware that the US is consuming a quarter of the entire global production of oil? don't you think it's a little absurd? thousands of american soldiers are fighting and dying year after year, war after war, just to secure the flow of cheap oil, later to be consumed by wasteful oversized cars. villain oil barons are becoming presidents and cultural icons, while nobody even bothers to stop for a minute, and ask whether this is all necessary, or is it just the selfish needs of a selected few, which over the years became an entire nation's irresponsible fetish.

at my nearest gas station a gallon of gas costs me more than 5 us$, and i think it's fair and decent. just like cigarettes - if you wanna use it so badly, okay, but do know that if you so vigorously insist on polluting and harming everyone around you, you should also expect to be heavily taxed (or in other words- get fined), coz after all, your nasty habits costs your country billions, and someone eventually oughta pay for this.

you could say i come from a pint-sized, densely populated rich country, where distances are not a real problem; it may be the case, but let me tell you i wasn't too shocked to see the almost exact same prices a month ago in India, which is a vast country, with a ridiculous income rate. so what do people do there? easy, they use their legs, bikes, scooters, smaller cars, and public transportation that's developed by their government despite its relative poverty. they silently pay the rising prices, caused mostly by wars they had nothing to do with.

it appears to me that most of you guys don't come even close to realizing the true price (economic, political and environmental) of your exaggerated (not to use the term "vulgar") thirst for endless cheap pollution. maybe you just need to pay the same price range as in anywhere else in order to understand that unhealthy, harmful dependency actually costs something. :sorry:

I've known all that for years and years, Tommer, since I was a wee lass.
And don't be sorry, it's the truth. Sadly, it seems to be the nature of humans to be short sighted. Or, at least American culture humans. (and others). I often think of America as the great tragedy and downfall of the planet. But that's at my most pessimistic. (before i arouse anger, yes, I know, there are many great things about America. Although most of those things we think great were built on the back of conspicous consumption and the rape of the planet and the third worlds, not to mention rampant bullying, racism, and war mongering...oops, I meant to say something good...)

[Stevie_Buck]

I just paid 3.39 a gallon. :shocked:

I only put 20 in... strictly for emergency purposes.

I don't plan on going out anytime soon.

Sheesh--where's a horse when you need one!? :laugh:

[tommer]

Because our economy and whatever was built during most of this century around the fact that we have cars. :rolleyes:
Seriously, I guess it's too expensive to have public transpo run regularly and frequently into a town with not that many people. I mean, If no one had cars, it might make more money, but - :shrug:
And the nature of our economic development, etc., has become a thing where...people for miles and miles and miles around all come into the city to work. Some towns are barely self sufficient, ie, there is not as many business there that people can buy everything they want from, and not enough jobs for all the people who live in that town to work there. So they have to drive to the city. Mostly it's a suburb type thing, though. People live where it's nice, and work in the cities. it's all very retarded. :)
Does that clear things up a bit? :laugh: many people who work in San Francisco have at least an hour commute every morning, and some drive from 2 and 3 hours away. Some of those people could easily take public transpo, though, as we have a great system that goes really far, but for many, it's not as feasible.

1. people own cars everywhere, it's a question of how much they use them; in "normal" countries, to get to the city you use your car to get to the train station, and leave it there. the traffic, gasoline price, parking price/space in the city... they all direct you into doing so.

2. public transportation doesn't suppose to make money, a railway is the worst investment ever, it can take ages for it to pay itself up and make profit. city bus routs are more profitable than rural routs too, so what do goverments do? a. they subsadise, b. they regulate.

3. i don't think it's in a state's interest to have many cars on the roads and in the cities, the need to built, maintain, and expand roads is in fact far more expensive than investing in public transportation. the more cars you have on your roads the more police and paramedic forces you'll need (and i'm not even mentioning environmental issues ect..) , so again, if you wanna own a car, that's fine and decent, but be aware that you now cost more in terms of facilities. you should definetly not be encouraged to own many cars, just to give you a small notion, the simplest 2005 honda accord costs here about 43,000 us$, a price that in a way tries to compensate for some of the infostructure bill you gonna cost your state owning one.

[Jessica Leigh]

i live in a big city and i have often thought about taking a bus to/ from work... but our bus system shuts down way too early- and I, working in a bar that closes at 2 am, wouldn't have a way home- i have had to give coworkers rides home when they have had to stay at work later than they thought and couldn't get a bus. also, sitting at bus stops in 115 degree heat doesn't seem healthy.

i would love to live in a city like san fran that has such a great public transit system- but there are so few in the U.S.... Los Angeles is murder for getting around... your work and your school and your house and your dentist and your WHATEVER are all so far apart.

i will say, though, that our buses in my city are cool because some of them run off of some natural vegetable oil fuel or something like that.

and in response to everyone outside of the US who keeps reminding us that we're a bunch of babies and we don't know how to handle this crap and our gas is still cheaper than yours and we should stop bitching about it- yeah, we know... but take into account that this gas issue has seriously effected our budgets very suddenly- i don't even know where my grocery money is this week. i ate a muffin from 7-11 today and drank a pepsi at a friend's house. our incomes have not risen with the cost of living over the last almost ten years. yes, our government is to blame... but each individual on this board did not choose to have this government. most of us did not choose to have this government. and what can we do about it? sit here and let them do what they want and wait for another election day. why do you all (outside the US) have to keep reminding us that our government is stupid and to blame for all of these problems that the world is experiencing and that we are pathetic for whining about our situations because we brought this upon ourselves? sorry, but for a lot of us, we wanted something different, and life sucks right now, and many of us asked for a different president.

sorry for the rant (and you know i love you tommer :) )

[Jessica Leigh]

Yes, that's the way it seems to work here. There aren't many who would actually drive into work that is centrally located, including those who live beyond public transport. You just drive to the train line that will take you into the city. I do get the feeling that many Americans have trouble getting out of their car even to get fast food though.

this is what i'm talking about. we don't have these commuter trains you are talking about (well, in a few rare places) i would love to take a train to work and only use my car for pleasure or getting to/ from the train station. and yes i know, the reason we don't have a good public transit system is because we're spoiled by cheap gas and we don't even get out of our cars to get fast food. nice stereotype... yes it's true that some people are overweight and eat fast food all of the time- but i'm sure there are some of those people in every country.

[tommer]

and in response to everyone outside of the US who keeps reminding us that we're a bunch of babies and we don't know how to handle this crap and our gas is still cheaper than yours and we should stop bitching about it- yeah, we know... but take into account that this gas issue has seriously effected our budgets very suddenly- i don't even know where my grocery money is this week. i ate a muffin from 7-11 today and drank a pepsi at a friend's house. our incomes have not risen with the cost of living over the last almost ten years. yes, our government is to blame... but each individual on this board did not choose to have this government. most of us did not choose to have this government. and what can we do about it? sit here and let them do what they want and wait for another election day. why do you all (outside the US) have to keep reminding us that our government is stupid and to blame for all of these problems that the world is experiencing and that we are pathetic for whining about our situations because we brought this upon ourselves? sorry, but for a lot of us, we wanted something different, and life sucks right now, and many of us asked for a different president.

sorry for the rant (and you know i love you tommer :) )
i'm not criticizing you, but the dangerous system around you. i promise you that if was in your shoes i'd be acting just the same. as i mentioned earlier, things tend to be simpler in countries such as mine, where you don't have such economic-political pressures by car manufacturers and oil companies. my point is, that you guys tend to cry about the end results, instaed of the circumstances that caused them in the first place.

[skcin]

Our "subway" was built about 20-25 years ago & runs from one end of the city into downtown, it's a straight line about 3 miles long. :rolleyes: Completely useless. I've never even been on it.

One of the problems in the U.S. is urban sprawl. People keep moving - to bigger houses, bigger yards, bigger everything, farther & farther away from the city. Then they buy bigger SUV's with bigger gas tanks & drive their bigger asses to & from work cuz they moved so friggin far away they can't catch a bus or train near their home.

[dissention]

this is what i'm talking about. we don't have these commuter trains you are talking about (well, in a few rare places) i would love to take a train to work and only use my car for pleasure or getting to/ from the train station. and yes i know, the reason we don't have a good public transit system is because we're spoiled by cheap gas and we don't even get out of our cars to get fast food. nice stereotype... yes it's true that some people are overweight and eat fast food all of the time- but i'm sure there are some of those people in every country.

No, the reason we don't have good public transit in America is because big business and the government have promoted personal automobiles and gas consumption for decades because of the money it generates.

[michelle2677]

I do get the feeling that many Americans have trouble getting out of their car even to get fast food though.

*L* that's why they call it "fast food" it wouldn't be very fast if we had to geeeet out of our cars....waaaaalk up to the line...that takes too much time and is quite tiring...

*tone....hahha...being funny...ha ha...* :xoxo:

[amber]

No, the reason we don't have good public transit in America is because big business and the government have promoted personal automobiles and gas consumption for decades because of the money it generates.
Thank you, that's part of what I was trying to express when I said "America was built around the purpose of accomodating people with cars".
:thumbsup:

[estranged4life]

90 miles from OKC (Though we do, or should I say did, all our shopping there) & we live 45 miles from Chickasha were work is located, So we have no choice but to suck it in and pay the $2.86 a gallon at the pumps.

Man, I miss living in the city...I never owned a car when I was in Tulsa, I walked 2.5 miles to school almost daily & 1.5 miles to work nightly (Great exercise too!!!), If I needed to go to downtown Tulsa I could pay $.50 to ride the transit or just walk the 12 miles roundtrip and save the change for a soda (Which is what I usually did.)

[Mystic Owl]

Here in Baltimore, I am up to 3.89 a gallon, and I work 30 miles from home. 60 miles a day I drive.................

[strandinthewind]

No, the reason we don't have good public transit in America is because big business and the government have promoted personal automobiles and gas consumption for decades because of the money it generates.

Well, that is one aspect. You also have the neighborhoods that do not want public transportation to go there because they are scared of the crime that statistics indicate comes when when public transportation is introduced. That is a huge factor here in Georgia.

[DrummerDeanna]

Well, that is one aspect. You also have the neighborhoods that do not want public transportation to go there because they are scared of the crime that statistics indicate comes when when public transportation is introduced. That is a huge factor here in Georgia.

:nod: You can't get to Georgetown in DC on the MEtro for that reason...