May 15th "gas protest" nonsense

[whitesoxfan101]

Now any of you like me who have facebook (which based on the age of most on the boards is the majority I've assumed) have seen the utter bulls*** threads/groups/events about not buying gas on May 15th in protest of gas prices. Now to me, this is THE dumbest thing I've ever seen in terms of a "protest". Do these losers REALLY think buying gas on the 14th or 16th instead of the 15th and still giving their money to the gas companies will make a difference? The ignorance of this whole protest is astonishing to me, not to mention the fact that nobody purchases gas more than on 2 days a week, thus odds are you wouldn't buy gas on May 15th even if you had no idea about this protest.

 

If you want gas prices to change, tell your state to quit taxing the hell out of it and forcing the individual gas stations to sell the stuff at several percent above market value in additon to the taxes. And if you want a real protest, get a big thing where a lot of people spend a week walking/biking/using public transportation to get around. That way, people eliminate a gas cycle and then the oil tycoons ACTUALLY lose something.

 

/rant against ignorance ends here

[BigSqwert]

My protest began 2 years ago when I sold my car, bought a bicycle, and moved 1 block away from the Blue Line. Maybe I should have just bought a Hummer and put a "Support the Troops" magnet on it instead.

[whitesoxfan101]

Maybe I should have just bought a Hummer and put a "Support the Troops" magnet on it instead.

 

HA!!! And then go to Burger King and get a triple whopper with a DIET Coke to try and lose weight. Irony is so fun.

[kapkomet]

My protest began 2 years ago when I sold my car, bought a bicycle, and moved 1 block away from the Blue Line. Maybe I should have just bought a Hummer and put a "Support the Troops" magnet on it instead.

All hyperbole aside, I'm glad you're able to do that. In Dallas, there's very little I can do in the way of public transportation (that's environmentally friendly).

 

I'd rather take trains, etc. to save myself the headache of driving, but that's not an option.

[BigSqwert]

All hyperbole aside, I'm glad you're able to do that. In Dallas, there's very little I can do in the way of public transportation (that's environmentally friendly).

 

I'd rather take trains, etc. to save myself the headache of driving, but that's not an option.

I realize not every area has the same solution. However, I have friends who are in the exact same situation as me and do absolutely nothing to change things. They'll continue to complain about gas prices and drive their SUVs. They have no kids and live in the heart of the city. There are alternatives such as I-Go/Zipcar, the CTA, Metra, and there are numerous bike lanes within the city. I don't want to hear them complaining when they do nothing about it.

[EvilMonkey]

If you want to 'hurt' them, don't buy the Pepsi, candy bar, coffee and doughnuts every time you go in, that's where the profit is at.

[kapkomet]

If you want to 'hurt' them, don't buy the Pepsi, candy bar, coffee and doughnuts every time you go in, that's where the profit is at.

And we're not trying to hurt the store owners, we're trying to hurt "big oil", who by the way, don't really control gas prices to begin with... but don't let that get in the way of "facts".

[EvilMonkey]

And we're not trying to hurt the store owners, we're trying to hurt "big oil", who by the way, don't really control gas prices to begin with... but don't let that get in the way of "facts".

So, when the station fills his tanks up with gas that he would normally sell for $2.50 a gallon, raises it to $2.75 the next day, because the price of his NEXT batch went up, that's not making a little 'extra' profit? When gas goes up overnite by .25 per gallon, every gallon in his tank at that moment nets the owner and extra .25 net. I'm all for profit, being a business owner myself, but that always seemed like a bit of greed to me. However, you are right, big oil would be the guys you would want to hurt, or even better, the speculators that drive the cost per barrel up because Imadinnerjacket, or whatever his name is, looked crosseyed at Condi Rice, or mentioned that he hates Jews.

[kapkomet]

So, when the station fills his tanks up with gas that he would normally sell for $2.50 a gallon, raises it to $2.75 the next day, because the price of his NEXT batch went up, that's not making a little 'extra' profit? When gas goes up overnite by .25 per gallon, every gallon in his tank at that moment nets the owner and extra .25 net. I'm all for profit, being a business owner myself, but that always seemed like a bit of greed to me. However, you are right, big oil would be the guys you would want to hurt, or even better, the speculators that drive the cost per barrel up because Imadinnerjacket, or whatever his name is, looked crosseyed at Condi Rice, or mentioned that he hates Jews.

That will eventually net out when the prices go back down - but gas never goes down as fast as it comes up.

[EvilMonkey]

That will eventually net out when the prices go back down - but gas never goes down as fast as it comes up.

If he raises whenever the price goes up, but lowers only when he refills his tanks and the price goes down, he would make a very hefty profit by the end of the year. When the station owners cry poor, not sure I believe them.

[Rex Kickass]

Depending on the state you're in, gas stations are required to price at a minimum or a maximum.

 

I can tell you that in Michigan, it is common for stations to sell gas at a one or two cent per gallon loss. In New Jersey, they can not price the gas below their cost and they are only allowed to change prices once in a 24 hour time frame.

[Soxy]

Depending on the state you're in, gas stations are required to price at a minimum or a maximum.

 

I can tell you that in Michigan, it is common for stations to sell gas at a one or two cent per gallon loss. In New Jersey, they can not price the gas below their cost and they are only allowed to change prices once in a 24 hour time frame.

There was recently a news piece on this. Somewhere in WI the Dept of agriculture told an owner to raise prices and drop senior citizens discounts. Link.

[NorthSideSox72]

Now any of you like me who have facebook (which based on the age of most on the boards is the majority I've assumed) have seen the utter bulls*** threads/groups/events about not buying gas on May 15th in protest of gas prices. Now to me, this is THE dumbest thing I've ever seen in terms of a "protest". Do these losers REALLY think buying gas on the 14th or 16th instead of the 15th and still giving their money to the gas companies will make a difference? The ignorance of this whole protest is astonishing to me, not to mention the fact that nobody purchases gas more than on 2 days a week, thus odds are you wouldn't buy gas on May 15th even if you had no idea about this protest.

 

If you want gas prices to change, tell your state to quit taxing the hell out of it and forcing the individual gas stations to sell the stuff at several percent above market value in additon to the taxes. And if you want a real protest, get a big thing where a lot of people spend a week walking/biking/using public transportation to get around. That way, people eliminate a gas cycle and then the oil tycoons ACTUALLY lose something.

 

/rant against ignorance ends here

That bolded part would have no positive result, and a bunch of negatives. It would result in less money for all types of transit, and encourage people to avoid lightening their consumption. It would do more damage than good.

 

That said, I also agree that the one day boycott is absolutely pointless. And I like the idea of a don't-drive week.

 

If you want gas prices to go down, also try...

 

--Buying a more fuel efficient vehicle

--Vote for candidates actually interested in alternative energy plans

--Finding alternatives to driving to get from A to B (when possible)

--Make less trips, with more people

[Texsox]

If he raises whenever the price goes up, but lowers only when he refills his tanks and the price goes down, he would make a very hefty profit by the end of the year. When the station owners cry poor, not sure I believe them.

 

He lowers it when the station across the street does. My mom is in the wholesale gas business, Kap is accurate.

[southsider2k5]

There is one way to cut gas prices... Cut demand. Period. Taxes are actually a help toward keeping gas prices lower than they are, because higher prices would usually serve to stunt demand (all though gasoline is a strange commodity, and doesn't behave normally from a supply and demand standpoint).

 

This protest is just stupid, because it doesn't stop the actual problem.

[Texsox]

What consumer habit protests aren't stupid?

[Queen Prawn]

All hyperbole aside, I'm glad you're able to do that. In Dallas, there's very little I can do in the way of public transportation (that's environmentally friendly).

 

I'd rather take trains, etc. to save myself the headache of driving, but that's not an option.

 

It's not an option for me either. For me to get from SWS of chicago to Rolling Meadows, it would require 2 trains and at least 2 buses taking about 2-3 hours depending on how on-time each would be.

[Cerbaho-WG]

(all though gasoline is a strange commodity, and doesn't behave normally from a supply and demand standpoint).

 

Um, yes it does. Just because gasoline is an inelastic good that is under the control of an oligopoly doesn't mean it behaves in another dimension.

[southsider2k5]

Um, yes it does. Just because gasoline is an inelastic good that is under the control of an oligopoly doesn't mean it behaves in another dimension.

 

Then please explain demand increasing with increasing prices.

[Texsox]

Then please explain demand increasing with increasing prices.

 

Fear of loss? Get it now or possibly not get any? I'm thinking of Middle East flareups, hurricanes, etc.

[Balta1701]

Fear of loss? Get it now or possibly not get any? I'm thinking of Middle East flareups, hurricanes, etc.

The growth in demand of gas is not being controlled by only the price of gas. It's being controlled by growth in other places; i.e. if there is growth in the Chinese economy, that growth enables more people to afford vehicles and gasoline for those vehicles despite increasing prices, so the increased price is not enough to offset growth in demand fueled by growth in other industries.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

There is one way to cut gas prices... Cut demand. Period. Taxes are actually a help toward keeping gas prices lower than they are, because higher prices would usually serve to stunt demand (all though gasoline is a strange commodity, and doesn't behave normally from a supply and demand standpoint).

 

This protest is just stupid, because it doesn't stop the actual problem.

 

 

This is the best post in this thread so far. These same people that are crying the loudest about gas prices are still the ones that drive their SUV everywhere they go. It doesn't matter whether it's to work or 2 blocks down the street to get a gallon of milk. Sacrifice, to your average American, is something that other people should do. Until that mentality goes away there are always going to be really high gas prices.

Edited May 16, 2007 by NUKE

[Texsox]

This is the best post in this thread so far. These same people that are crying the loudest about gas prices are still the ones that drive their SUV everywhere they go. It doesn't matter whether it's to work or 2 blocks down the street to get a gallon of milk. Sacrifice, to your average American, is something that other people should do. Until that mentality goes away there are always going to be really high gas prices.

 

We need to mount an investigation, Nuke is sounding vaguely liberal in this post. He's probably been awake to long or one of his buddies is posting for him.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

We need to mount an investigation, Nuke is sounding vaguely liberal in this post. He's probably been awake to long or one of his buddies is posting for him.

 

This is pretty much the same thing I've said about high gas prices all along. If you wan't to drive the big SUV, that's great ( I own an SUV ) but don't come crying to me when gas goes up and you have to pay more to fuel it. That's hypocrasy and it also runs contrary to my beliefs about personal responsibility.

[Soxy]

This is pretty much the same thing I've said about high gas prices all along. If you wan't to drive the big SUV, that's great ( I own an SUV ) but don't come crying to me when gas goes up and you have to pay more to fuel it. That's hypocrasy and it also runs contrary to my beliefs about personal responsibility.

I thought you had a stratus?