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Old 04-04-2008, 08:38 AM
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Default $3.29 per gallon

The price of gasoline at the time I am posting this, from a medium size city in the Mid-Western United States. I'm sure this cost varies depending on one's locale.

I anticipate this to steadily rise over the warmer months as demand increases and folks drive more.

I'm curious what other forum members will be doing to adjust for these rising prices.

Personally, I've dusted off my motorcycle and changed the plugs and oil and will be using it as a primary mode of commuting.

It is certainly a regressive cost of living, because lower income people commute to jobs and things just as frequently as more well-to-do individuals.

Is it time for Government intervention? At the very least maybe increase domestic supplies by drilling in ANWR province of Alaska.

The mods can move this thread if it is deemed as not "Latest News"

I wasn't sure where else to post it.

Last edited by Herkdriver; 04-04-2008 at 08:40 AM.
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Old 04-04-2008, 08:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Herkdriver View Post
The price of gasoline at the time I am posting this, from a medium size city in the Mid-Western United States. I'm sure this cost varies depending on one's locale.

I anticipate this to steadily rise over the warmer months as demand increases and folks drive more.

I'm curious what other forum members will be doing to adjust for these rising prices.

Personally, I've dusted off my motorcycle and changed the plugs and oil and will be using it as a primary mode of commuting.

It is certainly a regressive cost of living, because lower income people commute to jobs and things just as frequently as more well-to-do individuals.

Is it time for Government intervention? At the very least maybe increase domestic supplies by drilling in ANWR province of Alaska.
I'm luck that my company provides the gas (30 gal. every 2-3 days) for the van that I drive. They how, however, began charging our customers a heafty fuel sur-charge; I've noticed a slight decline in service calls lately as well.

At home, we only go out once a week, strickly to by groceries, go to the post office, ect. We live in a smaller town and can do all the erands in a 2 mile radius.

Something needs to happen, but I don't think drilling in Alaska would help soon enough. High gas prices trickle down to affect just about everthing.
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Old 04-04-2008, 08:52 AM
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I'm taking the bus. And actually, I'm beginning to like it. Instead of constantly being pissed off at rush hour traffic and bad drivers, I lay back and play on my Nintendo DS. Time flies by!
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Old 04-04-2008, 09:13 AM
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Policy observation: At a macro level, the problem is that gas isn't expensive enough. Heroic efforts to keep it cheap will lessen the short-term pain, but won't solve the long-term problem. We need to start paying something close to the true price of gas before we start making rational decisions about its use. At a guess, gas at $6 a gallon (perhaps phased in over several years to ease the pain) would get the job done.

On topic: I drive a Volkswagen Jetta, so I get pretty decent gas mileage, and my commute is only 15-20 minutes. My wife, a remodeling contractor, has a 10-year-old Jeep. It's nice for hauling stuff, but she doesn't really need to do that very much. So she's planning on selling it and buying either a Prius or a Mini.

Future options for saving gas: living closer to work, working more from home, taking advantage of government investments in light rail and bus rapid transit.
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Old 04-04-2008, 12:37 PM
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Future options for saving gas: living closer to work, working more from home, taking advantage of government investments in light rail and bus rapid transit.
Fantastic. I agree with all of these except for "government" investments in light rail travel. Studies have shown that systems like BART can be run cheaper and more efficiently by private contractors.

To add to that, privately run companies could do things like put wireless systems within the trains. It would be very beneficial for working families.

As far as working more from home goes, we should have started moving in that direction sooner than it happened. I contribute much of that to a certain mindset within the business world. In other word's, if something goes wrong, alot of bosses like to have you right there so they can strangle you.
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Old 04-04-2008, 12:47 PM
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Fantastic. I agree with all of these except for "government" investments in light rail travel. Studies have shown that systems like BART can be run cheaper and more efficiently by private contractors.
Perhaps they can be operated more efficiently, but government usually has to be involved in the construction, in order to plan routes, acquire land and right-of-ways, tie into other mass-transit options, etc.

But if at that point they want to let a private operator run the thing, that's fine with me.

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As far as working more from home goes, we should have started moving in that direction sooner than it happened. I contribute much of that to a certain mindset within the business world. In other word's, if something goes wrong, alot of bosses like to have you right there so they can strangle you.
I think it's because most managers are good at counting noses and hours, but have almost no clue how to judge output or manage on that basis. It bugs them that you might not be putting in eight full hours, even if you're turning in excellent work on schedule.

I do graphic design, which is pretty much tailor-made for telecommuting. My home setup is actually more powerful than my work computer. Yet I have to go into the office every day. It's madness.
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Old 04-04-2008, 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by raytri View Post
Perhaps they can be operated more efficiently, but government usually has to be involved in the construction, in order to plan routes, acquire land and right-of-ways, tie into other mass-transit options, etc.

But if at that point they want to let a private operator run the thing, that's fine with me.
With county/city jurisdictions as they are you maybe correct.

Quote:
I think it's because most managers are good at counting noses and hours, but have almost no clue how to judge output or manage on that basis. It bugs them that you might not be putting in eight full hours, even if you're turning in excellent work on schedule.

I do graphic design, which is pretty much tailor-made for telecommuting. My home setup is actually more powerful than my work computer. Yet I have to go into the office every day. It's madness.
You're right on every point. You are responsible enough to do you job and if you don't then you know there are consequences. It is madness.

I will tell you this though. Times are changing very quickly. At some point we might see all of those tall sky scrapers completely empty because everyone can work from home. Not in my or your lifetime of course.

But I will add this.
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Old 04-04-2008, 12:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raytri View Post
Policy observation: At a macro level, the problem is that gas isn't expensive enough. Heroic efforts to keep it cheap will lessen the short-term pain, but won't solve the long-term problem. We need to start paying something close to the true price of gas before we start making rational decisions about its use. At a guess, gas at $6 a gallon (perhaps phased in over several years to ease the pain) would get the job done.
Don't know what you mean by the "true" price of gas - the price we pay is artificially high because it is made from oil sold by a cartel that keeps it artificially high, and state and local taxes are added.

Having said that, I think that it should be artificially raised MUCH higher, with the gradually diminishing import quota system I mentioned before. I think at about $50/ gallon [sic] things would change for the better over time.
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Old 04-04-2008, 01:18 PM
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I love my Toyota and it does very well on mileage.

Our bigger problem is heating the house. Every year we make an improvement or two to try to make the house more efficient. Last summer, beside adding insulation , we installed a super insulated Amtrol auxillary water storage tank.. With the price of heating oil higher every year, we are just treading water. Now, we are thinking about investing in an auxillary wood gasification boiler. Its a 7 to 9 thousand dollar hit so I don't know...I would like to start form scratch with a passive solar home but that is not feasible at this point.
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Old 04-04-2008, 01:30 PM
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$3.29/ Gallon? That's not too bad. I pay $ 2/ liter.

A gallon is almost 4 liters, I let you do the math

Last edited by xDonnax; 04-04-2008 at 01:31 PM.
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