BillsWatch Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 Like the vast majority of Americans, gas prices are not affecting me enough to change my behavior. As of the latest data I found, 77% of people who still drive to work alone everyday. Everyone has a good excuse for why carpooling or mass transit doesn't work for them, but as long as no one is willing to sacrifice convenience and continue to push demand higher, they shouldn't be too surprised when prices continue to rise. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/re...acs/010230.html I am afraid it is not as easy as some people say to carpool. In order to go to work by bus I'd have to take 3 different buses from two different systems paying twice to go less than 10 miles running a route all over area and the buses only run during overtime. My employer's client does not make it easy to commute by metro for they will not allow buses on property for 'security' concerns since 9/11. Nobody at work coming from my direction currently works same hours I do so carpooling is not an option although I used to when I had a friend/coworker renting a week. I guess you are saying I should take a job which is inside beltway just to make commuting easier. Companies are not going to change work schedules to make it easier to carpool. My wife and I combine trips to save gas doing shopping, bank runs and deliveries at same time. It affects us most on decisions on vacation - cost of gas is decreasing chance of any trips by car and the raising of airfare due to gas prices decreases interest in flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 It hasn't affected me really at all. I'm making more money this year so my gas cost as a percentage of my income is less than ever before. But I feel for people who have not had an increase. Unfortunately here in SoCal there's not much you can do, especially in Orange county. Poor public transportation. Everyone drives in different directions so carpooling is difficult. As a matter of fact many people's is the only alone time they have so carpooling is way down the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why is everyone up set about gas prices ? If you you use 25 gallons a week and the price is up $1 dollar, it is only $25 more per week .Most people waste more than that on crap .I blow more on Lotto and scratch offs (and wine ) than $25 . Do we all have to have a cell phone , cable TV , or cell phone and a land line . How many people have a lawn service or some chem lawn service ? How many go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week ? How many have to have a new car ? how many people pay big $ for Road runner or some othe internet service ? How many people have to have that big house ? How big was the house that your parents had or grand parents had ? why is it a must to have a 2500 sq ft house or a 3500 sq ft house ? WHY ??? is it that we have to have so much ??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodBye Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 $3.39. I heard the prices around Memorial Day weekend will get over $4 gallon. Why don't the gas companies donate some of their profits from these high gas prices to the homeless or some one who needs it? I know it will never happen but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dog14787 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why is everyone up set about gas prices ? If you you use 25 gallons a week and the price is up $1 dollar, it is only $25 more per week .Most people waste more than that on crap .I blow more on Lotto and scratch offs (and wine ) than $25 . Do we all have to have a cell phone , cable TV , or cell phone and a land line . How many people have a lawn service or some chem lawn service ? How many go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week ? How many have to have a new car ? how many people pay big $ for Road runner or some othe internet service ? How many people have to have that big house ? How big was the house that your parents had or grand parents had ? why is it a must to have a 2500 sq ft house or a 3500 sq ft house ? WHY ??? is it that we have to have so much ??????? Are you making a point here because I fail to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huuuge Bills Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Are you making a point here because I fail to see it. I think he is asking why people complain about gas prices so much, yet are so willing to spend the same amount or more money on things they don't need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why is everyone up set about gas prices ? If you you use 25 gallons a week and the price is up $1 dollar, it is only $25 more per week .Most people waste more than that on crap .I blow more on Lotto and scratch offs (and wine ) than $25 . Do we all have to have a cell phone , cable TV , or cell phone and a land line . How many people have a lawn service or some chem lawn service ? How many go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week ? How many have to have a new car ? how many people pay big $ for Road runner or some othe internet service ? How many people have to have that big house ? How big was the house that your parents had or grand parents had ? why is it a must to have a 2500 sq ft house or a 3500 sq ft house ? WHY ??? is it that we have to have so much ??????? I see the point! And you're right. Gas is the easiest thing to complain about, and yet we are paying the cheapest prices in the world. I love all the bitching about it because I'm in the solar industry...And it's coming...Trust me....If you have expendible income, invest in solar. It is inevitable. I'm not necessarily talking about cars, just energy in general. Look back at this post in 10 years and feel thankful, or sorry...One or the other... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCBillsFan Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I see the point! And you're right. Gas is the easiest thing to complain about, and yet we are paying the cheapest prices in the world. I love all the bitching about it because I'm in the solar industry...And it's coming...Trust me....If you have expendible income, invest in solar. It is inevitable. I'm not necessarily talking about cars, just energy in general. Look back at this post in 10 years and feel thankful, or sorry...One or the other... Not quite true. When I went to Iraq, we had to go to Kuwait for some financial stuff first. We rented a car and were paying 24 cents a litre. You do the math, it's not very much..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dog14787 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I think he is asking why people complain about gas prices so much, yet are so willing to spend the same amount or more money on things they don't need. So in other words, its alright for you to rip me off because I waste money on luxuries anyway, thats real logical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 They aren't if you don't count spending elsewhere... There is a lot of BS in the budget that can be cut out if needed. If you need to get to work... What is more inportant? That Big Mac/movie, etc... or getting to work. Just eliminate non-essentials like cable and cell phone too. Sure they are high... You want them to be lower so people can throw things down other avenues... Maybe? There is a credit crunch... I am more surprised people just don't walk away from their unsecured debt and default... Oh, wait... Maybe that is happening... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why is everyone up set about gas prices ? If you you use 25 gallons a week and the price is up $1 dollar, it is only $25 more per week .Most people waste more than that on crap .I blow more on Lotto and scratch offs (and wine ) than $25 . Do we all have to have a cell phone , cable TV , or cell phone and a land line . How many people have a lawn service or some chem lawn service ? How many go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week ? How many have to have a new car ? how many people pay big $ for Road runner or some othe internet service ? How many people have to have that big house ? How big was the house that your parents had or grand parents had ? why is it a must to have a 2500 sq ft house or a 3500 sq ft house ? WHY ??? is it that we have to have so much ??????? Exactly!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dog14787 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Exactly!! and how many people don't have everything he mentioned? Exactly what? Lots of money but lacking brains , good grief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 and how many people don't have everything he mentioned? Exactly what? Lots of money but lacking brains , good grief Dream on... There are some that can't cut that out of the budget... How do illegals "do it" when they come to this country? And still manage to send money home? Answer: They don't have the extraneous items in the budget. Wake-up: go to work Work Go home Do it it again. I am not saying that is any fun... But, people screaming about gas prices when they have a new TV or computer? Gas prices will get to be bad when I can't cut things out of the budget and still not make it. It is all about priorities. Think about it... My family made 5k (if that) a year growing up... Cars got about 15-19 MPG and gas the cheapest I can remember was about 52 cents a gallon... That wasn't min wage either? What was min wage in NYS in around 1972? A buck 50? Gas prices are still up of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I joined a vanpool at the begining of this year going from the Peachtree City area of Atlanta to Marietta (90 miles round trip). It probably saves me around $400 a month in gas, but I'm now spending that on hookers and blow. But don't worry, I also cut back on premium cable channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I joined a vanpool at the begining of this year going from the Peachtree City area of Atlanta to Marietta (90 miles round trip). It probably saves me around $400 a month in gas, but I'm now spending that on hookers and blow. But don't worry, I also cut back on premium cable channels. 90 miles round trip... Almost 50 one way! And I though my 15 one way was bad! YIKES... I like rolling out of bed at 1/4 after to get to work on the hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why is everyone up set about gas prices ? If you you use 25 gallons a week and the price is up $1 dollar, it is only $25 more per week .Most people waste more than that on crap .I blow more on Lotto and scratch offs (and wine ) than $25 . Do we all have to have a cell phone , cable TV , or cell phone and a land line . How many people have a lawn service or some chem lawn service ? How many go out to eat 2 or 3 times a week ? How many have to have a new car ? how many people pay big $ for Road runner or some othe internet service ? How many people have to have that big house ? How big was the house that your parents had or grand parents had ? why is it a must to have a 2500 sq ft house or a 3500 sq ft house ? WHY ??? is it that we have to have so much ??????? Because the media and the liberals like to bash Bush and big companies. Gas prices is an easy way to blame the Admin and Exxon for all America's mismanagement of money. Personally it doesn't affect me a lot. My wife got a new car last year and went from about 22 mpg to about 32 in the new car. She drives about 20 miles to work so gas costs are similar. Me, I drive all of about 5 miles round trip each day. I fill up with my running around golf, kid activity, etc..) about every 2 weeks. So we spend maybe an extra 30-40 dollars from a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molson_golden2002 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I spend about $220 a month on gas. I can't wait for it to get warm enough to ride the motorcycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkady Renko Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Those who want the government to do something about the high prices have a short memory of history (and econ 101) considering how well price caps worked in the 1970s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I spend about $220 a month on gas. I can't wait for it to get warm enough to ride the motorcycle. Me... A fin (5 bucks) (if that?) a day to get to work in a gas guzzling Jeep... 15 mpg... Oops... The first few minutes of my shift are a wash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I fill the tank about twice every three months. I'm spending maybe about $40 extra a year. Which, in 2003 terms, is probably only about $20, what with how the dollar's fallen since then. And then I'm only spending about $15 of that on gas, the rest I spend on ethanol. Really, food prices are probably hurting most people more - since we're now putting corn in our gas tanks, the cost of everything that contains or requires corn (i.e. everything) has shot up. We spend maybe $1000/year more on food now than we did three years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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