Gasoline Prices!!!$%&$%*?

Question

Isn`t there a way to (RALLY) the country together to fight the gas prices? They go up on weekends and holidays., also makes no sense that every station or conv. store you pass has diff. price.
Same thing holds true for power companies, up in summer time., Tired of getting the shaft and finding it very hard to make ends meet., Prices go up (* pay dosn`t*).

Answer 1

Dont forget about the surging demand for oil in countries like India and China...Those two countries alone count for almost 2/3's of the world's population. They are quickly industrializing, similar to the U.S. in the early 1900's. Oil companies are recording huge profits because the demand for oil all over the world is skyrocketing, not just because they are greedy. If you look at thier profit margins, they are relatively constant throughout the decade. Dont equate high profits to high profit margins....oil companies arent scalping (increasing margin to artificially inflate prices). They are paying huge amounts for crude oil before the gasoline is ever made.

Focusing on oil companies will not do any good. We need to find alternative sources for oil in the short term, and research new renewable energy resources for the long term. Solar cells on the roof of your house can reduce energy costs. Using better insulation can help as well. In the midst of summer, up your thermostat to 78, it could save something like 20%. You'll be uncomfortable at first, but you'll get used to it...

Answer 2

To reduce price, the demand needs to be reduced ... for an extended period of time. Or some other supply source needs to come on-line.

But US prices aren't "high". Never have been!

See table below (prices are in US$/US Gallon ... for March, 2005):
Netherlands . . . . . Amsterdam . . . . . $6.48
Norway . . . . . . . . . Oslo . . . . . . . . . . $6.27
Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . Milan . . . . . . . . . . $5.96
Denmark . . . . . . . . Copenhagen . . . . $5.93
Belgium . . . . . . . . . Brussels . . . . . . . $5.91
Sweden . . . . . . . . . Stockholm . . . . . . $5.80
United Kingdom . . . London . . . . . . . . $5.79
Germany . . . . . . . . Frankfurt . . . . . . . $5.57
France . . . . . . . . . . Paris . . . . . . . . . . $5.54
Portugal . . . . . . . . . Lisbon . . . . . . . . . $5.35
Hungary . . . . . . . . . Budapest . . . . . . . $4.94
Luxembourg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.82
Croatia . . . . . . . . . . Zagreb . . . . . . . . . $4.81
Ireland . . . . . . . . . . . Dublin . . . . . . . . . $4.78
Switzerland . . . . . . . Geneva . . . . . . . . $4.74
Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . Madrid . . . . . . . . . $4.55
Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . Tokyo . . . . . . . . . $4.24
Czech Republic . . . . Prague . . . . . . . . $4.19
Romania . . . . . . . . . . Bucharest . . . . . . $4.09
Andorra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.08
Estonia . . . . . . . . . . . Tallinn . . . . . . . . . $3.62
Bulgaria . . . . . . . . . . . Sofia . . . . . . . . . . $3.52
Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brasilia . . . . . . . . $3.12
Cuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . Havana . . . . . . . . $3.03
Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . Taipei . . . . . . . . . $2.84
Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . Beirut . . . . . . . . . $2.63
South Africa . . . . . . . . Johannesburg . . . $2.62
Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . Managua . . . . . . . $2.61
Panama . . . . . . . . . . . Panama City . . . . $2.19
Russia . . . . . . . . . . . . Moscow . . . . . . . . $2.10
United States . . . . . . . Austin . . . . . . . . . $1.90
Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . San Juan . . . . . . . $1.74
Saudi Arabia . . . . . . . . Riyadh . . . . . . . . . $0.91
Kuwait . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kuwait City . . . . . $0.78
Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cairo . . . . . . . . . . $0.65
Nigeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lagos . . . . . . . . . . $0.38
Venezuela . . . . . . . . . . Caracas . . . . . . . . $0.12

Answer 3

prices go up on weekends and holidays because more people are out on the roads...and the gas station companies know this and want to make a few extra dollars to make up the difference from when they are not selling the fuel...

as for the different prices at different stations:
station A's manager checks the prices of every station within a certain distance from the station and then will call their home office and report it. Usually then they (the home office) will tell the manager to set the gas price for so much a gallon. When other stations see this...their manager will do the same so they can "beat the competition".
That is why you will find a difference in gas prices at at least 2 stations located next to each other

Answer 4

The real problem is that demand for oil products (like gasoline) continues to increase, while new discoveries do not. When demand exceeds supply, prices go up. Some practical ways to beat high gas prices:

1. Dump your gas guzzler. There are several car models with gas mileage in the 30s at a reasonable price. Better yet, buy an electric car like the Xebra.
2. Walk or bike as much as possible. It's possible to bike all year round.
3. Use public transportation.
4. Move closer to your workplace.
5. Move to a more dense city where all the above would be easier.

Answer 5

There are only two choices.

Let the "free" market set the prices or have the government set them.

Assuming you don't want the last, the _only_ way to rally together is to reduce your use. To the suggestions already given I'll add replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. If everyone did that power prices would drop.

The power and energy companies are not the bad guys except when they interfere in the market. That does happen, but the government does watch out for that (moreso in previous administrations than this one) and the effects are relatively small. The main problem is that we just demand too much gas and power.

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

Answer 6

Just try to conserve gasoline as much as possible. Avoid unnecessary trips by planning your trips. Shopping and visiting friends and doing social activities and going to work and back can be combined in many ways to reduce your time on the road burning up gasoline.

Once I had a job far away from home. I made it a rule that once I got home at the end of the day, I would NOT leave again. I would do my shopping and other business and social meetings on my way home from work. This meant only one car trip per day, normally.

Answer 7

Prices rise because demand is so close to supply. Small rises in demand lead to price rises. But supply is low because we have used so much of the world's supplies. So its going to get worse.

Wait for the $30 gallon within a decade.

Answer 8

Factoring in inflation, we pay less for gas now than we did in the 1960s as a percentage to our income.
Americans income is also up this year per government statistics.
Perhaps you should assert yourself by asking for a raise or maybe even get a new job.

Answer 9

Supply & Demand Baby....
Supply & Demand Baby....

Only real control we as consumers have over prices is to cut consumption and demand....

Lack of public transportation and long commutes to work hold many over a barrel ( yeah bad pun)

It would also take more than a day of protest for any one to really notice other than politically.

Answer 10

And record earnings by the oil companies!

I'm with you.