What would happen if we chose one gas company in the US to boycott for one week (see additional details)?

Question

I've heard that there will be a gas boycott on May 15th. Is anyone else participating?

I've wondered, what if instead of picking one day to to avoid purchasing gas, we picked one company to embargo for an entire week and organized ourselves that we would log in to one website and pick the gas station at the last minute. That way, no gas company could be prepared by reducing fuel supplies.

Would that work? What are your thoughts on this idea. Good and bad, would that work?

Unfortunately for those people who work 35 or more miles from work and there are no other workers that live nearby, you cannot just stop using gas.

Answer 1

Good heavens people! What, do you think that the oil companies will get to the end of the day (or the week) and say "oh ****, nobody bought gas... guess we're bankrupt".... oil companies (like most other companies) are well prepared to handle a reduction in income for a day, a week, a month, and possibly even a year. The general public, however, is not prepared at all to not buy gas for these periods of time. What will happen is that the oil companies will have low revenue for a week, and the next week will be like christmas because nobody will have stopped using gas.... they are simply postponing the purchase for a period of time which the oil company will find insignificant.....

I've said it once, and i'll say it again... boycotts on gas don't work! The only way to relieve yourself of a gas burden is to use less gas.... period.

Answer 2

I've heard that the boycott is for May 5th.

Honestly, no boycotts will make a difference. If you don't buy gas on May 5th (or 15th, or from a particular station on a particular day), big deal. You'll still fill your tank up -- either in the days before, or the days after. Overall, the companies won't lose money, so nothing changes.

Furthermore, if everybody wants until May 16th to buy gas, guess what...the companies won't actually suffer. They will realize that in the days after May 15th, a LOT of people will need gas. So they'll raise prices in those days. The companies aren't stupid; they know that drivers will HAVE to pay whatever they charge, because they know people aren't going to stop driving.

It would be really hard to organize enough people to make a dent in the entire industry. It would have to be a HUGE amount of people boycotting for a HUGE amount of time. The majority of driving Americans would have to make major lifestyle changes to consume significantly less gasoline over a long period of time, not just a few days or weeks. Personally, I think Americans are too lazy to walk, too annoyed to ride the bus, too busy to forfeit the cab ride.

I'm doing my part by driving as little as possible, but until the majority of drivers do the same by buying less gasoline (and not just buying the same amount but only on certain days at certain places), prices won't go down.

Answer 3

That company would just sell it's gas to the other companies, due to their increased demand. The other companies would end up raising their prices to due to the increased demand.

You'd only be hurting the independent owners for that name brand station.

No one will talk about the only method that will work. STOP USING GAS. Now if you can get 25 million people to stop using gas for a week, by taking public transportation, car pooling, walking or biking, then you'd really make your point and hit the oil companies bottom line.

Answer 4

my mom told me sumtin about that! It sound sliek a good idea! But it might be hard to have at leat 100 ppl doing that because if that the only gas staion your near! IT kinda a hand decision

- boycot, be stranded and have your car break down
or
-get gas and go home safly
most pl would pibk b !

Answer 5

it wouldnt work.
if you boycotted a gas company,
one of the other company's will climb up the "corprate ladder"

and in reality you'd be hurting yourself, gas is a nessicary thing,
your gonna need it sooner or later, so they will wait it out.

Answer 6

I got that email and I'll be sending it out to everyone I know. I think it's a great idea!

Answer 7

Yeah we just have to get word out and actually get people to take a stand.

Answer 8

I'll be there
Look what's coming
http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com/

http://blogs.edmunds.com/?14@@.ee9361f/3

Answer 9

united we stand divided we fall.