Gas pricing in chicago is an outrage!!!

[Mr. Tune]

Right on rocco. I agree fully. When will it end? It sucks that most americans will just sit there and take it right in the arse without fighting back.

I remember when gas first spiked over the $2.00 mark. The people resonded to the rediculous pricing. cook county suspended taxes just to bring the cost down some. And now? Are people just giving up?

It wasn't even 10 years ago when I paid 99 cents a gallon for gas . Those were to good old times.

[Tex]

yeah I remember 1991 at the "stopNgo" station in Austin gas was 77cents for regular. Milk was $2.50 and marlboros were $2.00. Milk is still $2.50 (where I buy it) and smokes are $3.50. Gas went up 4 times the amount! Rediculous!

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

Gentlemen, buy all you can at $3.25. Morning news radio predicts $5/gal by NEXT WEEK. The wholesale price of gasoline is now over $3/gal.

Gasoline is still a bargain for what you get. Why is milk $3/gal and they do is milk a cow and pasteurize it? Build an oil refinery and see how many barrels of crude you have to run through it before you start making any money back.

We all have choices to make. What do we drive? How do we drive it? If we drive for a living (taxi, etc..) what do we charge for our service? Airlines are always changing fares based on fuel costs. All transportation companies adjust for fuel costs. We as individuals think cheap gasoline is a right?! We'll it's not. If we really want to make a difference, everyone get a hybrid and shut up. If you drive anything that doesn't get 30mpg, you are spending money on DRIVING, not on "transportation". If you want to get to work cheaply, buy a fuel efficient car!!

Until you admit that your choices impact your position, you are in denial. Don't blame the oil companies for making fuel! You are the ones burning it. They have costs. Costs go up, prices to consumers go up. Supply goes down, refining capacity goes down, prices go up. It's just thee way it works.

I'm a little bit older than some here and I remember 25 cent a gallon gas in the early 70's. But I'm sure the wages were a lot lower then, too. As gasoline prices go, I have always said that until I can make my own, what choice do I have but to buy it and try to use less.

I'm done.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

well, everyone might as well stop complaining. cause we all have to drive no matter what. Isnt it funny? we'll pay 2.00 for a 20oz bottle of water without thinking about it.

How much is a gallon of Jack Daniels? And what is it made of?
A gallon of beer or wine?

Pepsi is $2.00 a gallon, roughly.

I don't even want to add up how much a gallon of Starbucks coffee costs (and no I don't drink it.)

I'll say it again, and agree with BigD: It is what it is and complaining won't change a thing except your blood pressure.

[rocco79]

Are you seriously backing up these prices????!?!?!?!!?


Do you think telling me how much pespi is a gallon should justify price gouging??? You must be kidding!!!

And last time i check it the squeeky wheel that gets the oil (pun intened) I think we should alll rattle the cage!!! Dave do you HONESTLY believe that one natural Disaster should be able to basicly destroy the us ecomomy????

How bout this dave, do you know that alll municipalities are paying 1.50 for gas. That doesnt seem fair to me, why is it the tax paying consumer that should shoulder the increase??

And building a refinery would cost those who build it little in lost profit... Do the math one barrel of crude = 71 dollars right.... 71 gallons of regular right know would be almost 200 hundred dollars. Thats almost a 3 fold!!!!!Not to mention almost all bi-product of refining are sold.. Asphalt,diesel,kerosene, ect..... Id think in a short time that plant would be turning a profit.

Maybe not everyone can AFFORD a brand new hybrid car... When i bought my car premium was 1.55 a gallon . I didnt see a 3 fold increase in as many years. And unlike the airlines i cant call ford credit and tell them ill be paying them less this month because fuel prices too high. I cant ajust due too fuel costs.

[Michowski]

lets see her. I know im only 17 and im not as smart as most of you but it seems like we have billions of barrels of oil saved up in order to protect the US in times on crisis such as gas prices sky rocketing, oil being cut off from other countries ect. I thought the whole reason for saving this oil was to help keep gas prices down and to help the average US citizen who doesnt have 150 million dollars afford gas so they can actually get to there jobs. And ive recently been told that there might be a shortage of gas around my area. A lot of gas stations might not even be able to sell gas. Im not that old and most people probly wont even listen to me but DOESNT THIS SEEM LIKE A TIME OF CRISIS WHEN YOU CANT EVEN FILL UP YOUR OWN VEHICLE TO GET TO YOUR JOB AND MAKE YOUR MONEY? This is really pissing me off. How can people shrug this off or put it off for another day. The time to use this oil is now, the time to shoot and get rid of these gang bangers is now. Im tired of this sh*t. This all seems like commen sense to me. Is it really hard to help the american citizen by giving them cheaper gas? So far ive seen states doing more then the government is even talking about. We saved this oil for times of need and crisis and right now gas prices have doubled and in some places tripled literally overnight and they dont think this is a time of need? What is wrong with people.

[PoPRC]

I try to ride my bicycle to work as often as I can. It's a 16 mile round trip from my apartment on the northside to where I work downtown. Good exercise, and I save money on gas by not driving.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

Are you seriously backing up these prices????!?!?!?!!?


Do you think telling me how much pespi is a gallon should justify price gouging??? You must be kidding!!!

And last time i check it the squeeky wheel that gets the oil (pun intened) I think we should alll rattle the cage!!! Dave do you HONESTLY believe that one natural Disaster should be able to basicly destroy the us ecomomy????

How bout this dave, do you know that alll municipalities are paying 1.50 for gas. That doesnt seem fair to me, why is it the tax paying consumer that should shoulder the increase??

And building a refinery would cost those who build it little in lost profit... Do the math one barrel of crude = 71 dollars right.... 71 gallons of regular right know would be almost 200 hundred dollars. Thats almost a 3 fold!!!!!Not to mention almost all bi-product of refining are sold.. Asphalt,diesel,kerosene, ect..... Id think in a short time that plant would be turning a profit.

Maybe not everyone can AFFORD a brand new hybrid car... When i bought my car premium was 1.55 a gallon . I didnt see a 3 fold increase in as many years. And unlike the airlines i cant call ford credit and tell them ill be paying them less this month because fuel prices too high. I cant ajust due too fuel costs.

Roc, I give you other consumer products that sell for at an increased price when compared to their cost of goods to manufacture. That's call profit margin.

Now I am not an economics major and I suspect you aren't either, but I am pretty sure we can all agree that an oil refinery doesn't run on farts and sunshine. You don't simply roll a barrel of crude in the door and have gasoline magically appear from a pipe in the wall. The energy that goes into refining crude oil into all of its refined products is great. There are people (most likely Union people) working those refineries. The sell price of all of the resulting products that come from the barrel of oil less the cost to produce them is profit. Without it the business fails. You don't work for free, do you? Neither do I. A resonable profit is needed for any business to survive. If oil supply is reduced, and refining capacity is lowered, companies are going to see lost profits. In order to protect their shareholders, they can and will increase prices to generate revenue and profit to make up for the shortfall. While you may not like this fact, it is a fact of supply and demand economics. If you can, stop driving. Enough people do this and prices will fall as a excess inventory on the market will drive down prices.

If your complaint is that you think oil companies are unfairly price gouging, you can always buy stock in Exxon. Then you too can be one of the raping oil barons that takes advantage of natural disasters to line their pockets. There is nothing stopping you from being a capitalist. While we're at it, buy Nicor stock and cash in on the natural gas increases just around the corner this winter.

As for municipalities paying $1.50 for gasoline, that's nothing I know anything about. If oil companies subsidize the operation of my community with lower fuel prices to police, fire, and emergency services, then I applaud them for keeping taxes lower in my town. It's quite generous to do so. Maybe they should charge a fair price for their product, not give it away.

As for your choice of cars, you decided to drive what you drive, whatever it is, when you bought it. If fuel costs make the cost of operation too high to justify the vehicle, then sell it and get something that matches your needs and budget. And in fact you can tell Ford you will be paying less this month, just call them and ask. They will gladly work it out for you to extend your loan rather than default. They don't want that used car back. They just want YOUR MONEY, just like the gas guys.

In closing, if you think rattling the cage is the solution, you are the one who is kidding. There aren't enough people that would give up driving for one minute to make a bit of difference. And if they tried, they could keep it up. The "Don't buy gas tomorrow" idea and the "Buy from someone besides Exxon until they lower their prices" idea, jsut don't work, do they? We live in a county that uses gasoline! And the guys that make it and sell it to us have us in their stranglehold.

The future ruin of the US economy will more likely be the exit of manufacturing jobs to China, not the price of gasoline.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

I try to ride my bicycle to work as often as I can. It's a 16 mile round trip from my apartment on the northside to where I work downtown. Good exercise, and I save money on gas by not driving.

Pop, a great thing to do if it works for you. I admire your decision to be less car-dependant.

The day will come when all people will have to park their internal combustion engine cars for good. We just probably won't see it, but our grandchildren's children might.

[rocco79]

I didnt mean to say there is no overhead in an oil refinery... (farts and sunshine... Pretty funny :bustingup ) I just think there is more money in oil to keep supply lower than what is possible in this county. I think with the rate of growth and use of natural resources some analist in this country long ago suggested that we increase our abilty to feed our machine. I just think oil companies havent just to increase magins like with what is happening now.

I guess i should just be a good little worker bee and take what being handed too me....

[cemeb4dk]

I saw on one report last nite, theat it costs an Oil refinery $7 to produce a barrel of oil. They are selling at just under $70. Somebody is making a killing

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

lets see her. I know im only 17 and im not as smart as most of you but it seems like we have billions of barrels of oil saved up in order to protect the US in times on crisis such as gas prices sky rocketing, oil being cut off from other countries ect. I thought the whole reason for saving this oil was to help keep gas prices down and to help the average US citizen who doesnt have 150 million dollars afford gas so they can actually get to there jobs. And ive recently been told that there might be a shortage of gas around my area. A lot of gas stations might not even be able to sell gas. Im not that old and most people probly wont even listen to me but DOESNT THIS SEEM LIKE A TIME OF CRISIS WHEN YOU CANT EVEN FILL UP YOUR OWN VEHICLE TO GET TO YOUR JOB AND MAKE YOUR MONEY? This is really pissing me off. How can people shrug this off or put it off for another day. The time to use this oil is now, the time to shoot and get rid of these gang bangers is now. Im tired of this sh*t. This all seems like commen sense to me. Is it really hard to help the american citizen by giving them cheaper gas? So far ive seen states doing more then the government is even talking about. We saved this oil for times of need and crisis and right now gas prices have doubled and in some places tripled literally overnight and they dont think this is a time of need? What is wrong with people.

Mich, never start a statement with "I'm 17 and not smart". That's just being condescending. If you have something pertinent to say it doesn't matter if you're 7 or 77.

As for the US oil reserves. They are for when we really have troubles. Did you have trouble getting gas this morning? I didn't. Just bring money and they gaive it to you, as much as you want. Want to fill a barrel, have at it. Being 17 you don't know what a gas shortage or an oil embargo feel like. Try sitting in a line for a hour or two to get rationed 5 gallons per customer because the station hasn't seen a truck this week. Then ask the government to help. Right now it's nothing but a money issue, not a supply issue. Not a crisis, yet.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries...OE=NEWISVA

Read here if you really waat the facts from a source that hasn't been too close to the exhaust pipe of a nitro truck for too long (me). alute:

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

I didnt mean to say there is no overhead in an oil refinery... (farts and sunshine... Pretty funny :bustingup ) I just think there is more money in oil to keep supply lower than what is possible in this county. I think with the rate of growth and use of natural resources some analist in this country long ago suggested that we increase our abilty to feed our machine. I just think oil companies havent just to increase magins like with what is happening now.

I guess i should just be a good little worker bee and take what being handed too me....

Roc,

I appreciate you reading my BS tirade. I don't ever mean to imply that we should "lay back and enjoy" anything. It was rebels that founded this great country, and freedom of speech is one of the things that keeps it great. In some areas of the world our doors would have been kicked in long ago for typing this thread. Hang on, someone's at the door........

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

I saw on one report last nite, theat it costs an Oil refinery $7 to produce a barrel of oil. They are selling at just under $70. Somebody is making a killing

George, that's gotta be the oil producers, not the refiners. If I had a backyard full of oil wells I'd get as much for it as I could too! It's gonna run out someday.
Damn those OPEC oil cartels!

[rocco79]

Well dave, can i just say that i dont feel that my more than well funded goverment is doing not doing nearly enough to help me or the millons of others in this country .


Dave for you (i assume) and me (to a degree) can absorb this rescent spike in prices... But what about those who arent as well off?? Those families that stretch each dollar between paychecks..... As i said before if you live in the suburbs you really have no choice but to drive . I dont think PACE busses are stoppin in all that many places... I guess i just feel that the working man and family is gettin shafted hard on this one!!!


I feel sorry for over the road truckers... I really dont see how they can make any profits at all... Between fuel prices and recent changes in laws about hours allowed driving.. I cant see the constant follow of goods and other products continuing to move in this country at the same rate.



And dave, thanks for reading my BS posts too!!!!

[rocco79]

there is more untapped oil resources than oil producers want you too know about. I had a professor that was an oil trader till he cracked from the pressure. He bluntly stated to us time and time again that there is more oil than we could ever use.... and i truly believe him

[bigjs]

I'm impressed with all the intelligent feedback on this subject. Everybody has some great points. The one point from Dave about the fact that gasoline prices will not affect the economy is not correct. I am an Economics major, and the fact is if companies have to pay more for gasoline to move their products, or to make their products, or to pay their sales people then their profits will fall. Because like I stated earlier their cost of doing business will go up. Now if they increase their prices this may help, but as has been stated would u decide to pay $5.00 on a gallon of gasoline so that you can get to work, or $3.50 on a 2 liter of Pepsi to enjoy some sugar water? And as the profits fall, more lay offs will happen which will put more people out of work, which will also kill the economy. As I learned in Econ. classes as the prices of natural resources increase there is the opposite effect on the economy, and the circle will continue. This the reason for the reserve so that this will not happen. The only companies benefiting from these prices are the gas companies, as you can see in their bottom line which is double digit profits this year. Even gas station owners do not make more profit, because they are only able to price the gasonline 2-3 cents over their cost, they make most of their money off of car washes, and items sold in their stores.

It is true we can continue to complain, but right now this will not do much. We will have to make changes in our own life style until something changes.

I guess that is my 2 cents.

[PoPRC]

Yeah, Barrel oil prices are based on crude not refined oils. Opec sets the price per barrel based on consumption per millions of barrels. Refineries buy the oil, then must refine it at addional cost which is marked up for the wholesale distribution to gas stations. Most gas stations however are subsidaries of refineries (BP, Shell, Exxon, etc). These companies can set the price to whatever they want based on the crude price and what it costs them to refine it plus distribution (is the gas coming from Us or foreign oil crude fields). Gouging occurs when franchise gas station owners mark gas up due to block to block competition. They call their competitor and agree not to undercut one another or they change the price of gas dependent on location of their own franchises. Independents must set prices according to what the refinaries charge them in order to make a profit.

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

The one point from Dave about the fact that gasoline prices will not affect the economy is not correct.

To be completely accurate I never said gas prices would not ruin the economy. I never said it wouldn't affect it. I said the loss of DGP would have more effect than gasoline prices.

"The future ruin of the US economy will more likely be the exit of manufacturing jobs to China, not the price of gasoline."

[DAVEC-NITRO-RS4]

Well dave, can i just say that i dont feel that my more than well funded goverment is doing not doing nearly enough to help me or the millons of others in this country .


Dave for you (i assume) and me (to a degree) can absorb this rescent spike in prices... But what about those who arent as well off?? Those families that stretch each dollar between paychecks..... As i said before if you live in the suburbs you really have no choice but to drive . I dont think PACE busses are stoppin in all that many places... I guess i just feel that the working man and family is gettin shafted hard on this one!!!


I feel sorry for over the road truckers... I really dont see how they can make any profits at all... Between fuel prices and recent changes in laws about hours allowed driving.. I cant see the constant follow of goods and other products continuing to move in this country at the same rate.



And dave, thanks for reading my BS posts too!!!!

The G should help those who need it the most , first.
I have to torelate and manage the gas prices. I'm in sales and drive to see my clients.
Low/fixed income people have it the worst. How do you drive to a $6/hr job when it cost you a couples hours worth of income to get there and back?
Transportation drivers (independants) are screwed.

I hope it stabilizes (lower) sooner than later.

[SixVi6-Camaro]

There is always someone that brings up the cost of Pepsi and Milk vs the cost of gas. Its irrelevent when put that way because cars don't run on pepsi or milk and the direct inscrease in gas prices to fill you car to drive daily is not the real problem.

The problem is the price of that pepsi, milk, and bottle of Jack directly corresponds to the price of gasoline.. In fact EVERYHTING corresponds to the price of gasoline. All products are shipped in some form of transportation that uses gas or diesel. The cost just to ship goes up sharply and to make up that cost the products themselves will see a price increase. Even trades.. When the gas prices go up to $5 a gallon there will be a charge just to get an estemate from contractors and a further charge added into everyhting materials and labor because of the rise in gas costs. In the end less people will buy products or pay for services because the price of them goes up. Your Pepsi and Milk prices will go up just as much as gas in the long run. Problem is consumers paying for those products and services will NOT see an increase in wages to offset this sudden change in prices across the board. This places the burdon directly on consumers that Many.. many.. of which are on a tight budget can't afford to just "get a hybrid and shut up." Hell with high gas prices the cost of hybrids will go UP because they will be in high demand and prices of normal cars will go down. So buying a hybrid will not solve much of anything. Its a domino effect that very well can cause serious catastrophic economic crash because almost everything you touch and see at some point was tied directly to gas prices.

[rocco79]

Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I completely agree!!!!!

[Mr. Tune]

Saw this on msn.com earlier. With inflation added, the highest cost for gas ever in the US was back in the early 80s. The national average was $3.11 in march of 81. We are not to far away from breaking the altime high in gas prices. What's the current average now? Last I checked it was $2.68. That won't last that long the way the current price is rising. Look out folks, we are getting ready to pay the most for gas EVER in america, and people still have the nerve to say, "deal with it. You shouldn't have bought a gas guzzler."

Well, I'm sorry for not realizing that gas would cost more that $3/g when I bought my trailblazer, or 3 mustangs before that .

That is all. Time to head off to the gas station and hand them $60 to fill my truck just so I can get to work .

[rocco79]

Hey but atleast a country you'll never see will have a constitution!!!!



Sorry that was the "W" in me coming out!


After all that has happened in the south and with the price of gas our Prez took time out from his latest vacation to say things in the middle east are going well.

Sorry more rant....

[bigjs]

Dave-

What do you sell?