Have rising gas prices or the stronger Canadian dollar affected your summer travel plans?

Question

Increasing pain at the gas pumps is pushing up the cost of road trips. But according to the CAA, boycotting stations won't affect the price. So with the loonie on the rise, is a jaunt to a US destination the way to spend holidays this summer?

Answer 1

Yes, I will be driving as far away from Canada as possible.

Answer 2

I think rising gas prices are causing concern not only with the summer vacation trips but also the everyday commute. It's highly unneccessary for these high prices when even a new oil field was located in the NW united states which is said to have more oil than all of the Saudi fields... plus I live in Canada and there is no shortage of oil in the Albertan oil fields. I think boycotts at the pump may not be that successfull but some sort of lobbying and activists picketing at every legislature (in canada) would be more effective as here we are getting completely robbed by our government taxes on fuel and we are seeing absolutely no results from those taxes (especially in the city I am from, our roads suck, the city looks horrible, how bout actually spending our tax dollars in a way that benefits us like it should)

Answer 3

Our family road trip has been cancelled for this summer indeed; we have decided to fly (which is also anxiety-provoking) around Canada and the States! Alas, we do not stand with the boycotts of our tri-cities but actually it's more-or-less because we believe that if it takes gas prices to rise to two or even three dollars before others learn to find alternate means for travel (ie: city transit) then so be it. As for the Canadian dollar being on the rise: invest in US stocks. C'mon people, this isn't rocket science (which, if it comes into commercial hands, should also be very expensive to use!)

Answer 4

If we really want to get even with the gas companies, adopt a newer technology. There are battery powered cars now that can go 300 km on a single charge. I don't drive 300 km in Ottawa, ON in a single day. As a bonus, I don't need to charge the car with the Hydro Ottawa's power either cause you can buy a solar solution to generate enough power to charge your car overnight also. The solar power generated during the day is stored and your car gets a nice charge over night.
Expensive? Not anymore. The solar system is about $2 000 and the cars are around $15 000 so your next purchase will be?
200 km / day, 24L @ $1.00 means $24 a day
about $200 per month in gas for me
in 5 years that's $12 000 saved over 5 years.
OMG...it's almost paying for the car.

Answer 5

Yes, rising gas prices have affected my summer travel plans. My vehicle will stay home, and I will take the plane!!!!! I don't believe that boycotting the stations won't affect the price of gas, after all, if people use as little gas as possible there won't be the demand for it, will there? After living in and around the oil industry for thirty years one can't help listening in on different conversations from different levels of the industry, from CEO's to roughnecks. It makes an interesting study.

Answer 6

Since gas has continued to rise I have driven to Texas and returned. I recommend travelling in the US this year since all the prices I encountered where lower than comparable prices within Canada. I expect to take a second month away by September and again my destination will be south to Arizona not East to Ontario. Also, the stronger Canadian $$$ makes all travel expenses less costly. On average American hotel rates and food are less than the same item at home.

Answer 7

Stronger dollar is nice but the minimum wage hasn't gone up. The gas prices are way too high to entertain the thought of going anywhere for me. It is a shame because so many communities and provinces are not going to be getting the tourism dollars they need to make a living. So many businesses rely on the summer months and tourist. High gas prices are just pushing us away to other countries or to stay home. Also, so many people are going camping and the forrests are already too dry to deal with campfires, etc.
Everyone is losing, except the oil barons. Too bad this site isn't shown to the government in charge of tourism!

Answer 8

Oh Ya definitely, I will for sure take advantage of the strong dollar and spend it where I can get way more value, like in the United states. When the Canadian dollar is very close to the same value as the American dollar it allows a person to buy way more over the border than here in Canada. Not only that I will also be travelling over the Ocean because I can buy even more in Asia and South America. Plus with our economy so strong it allows me to spend outside the country and it won't ever effect us.

Answer 9

I know for a fact that I won't be going to the US for vacation. We are still going to Calgary this summer, and believe it or not, we're driving. Rising gas prices are just something that everyone in this country has to deal with. It may be bad now, but this summer, it has been predicted that gas prices will continue to rise even higher this summer, so I'm certain that gas prices will be painfully high for the next couple of years too. We will be driving for about 12 hours, but luckily, our van gets good mileage, and so does the RV that we own. We still have to decide what to take. Until then, happy travels to all!! :-)

Answer 10

No, won't affect my vacation plans at all. Why? I don't own a car. I live in a big city so public transportation is good. To travel anywhere else I am interested in going planes, trains, and buses can get me there quite nicely. I realize this doesn't work for camping but then again if city dwellers relied more on public transportation than their own vehicles they would have more money to spend on their vacations. As for the government or oil companies developing some sense of compassion and actually doing something to reduce prices, keep dreaming. As long as people continue to fill their gas tanks and to purchase large gas guzzling vehicles and then proceed to fill those gas tanks governments and oil companies will continue to ignore any customer complaints about high gas prices. Bottom line - the only way to have some impact on gas prices is to use less gas. In other words buy small gas efficient vehicles and don't drive them unless you absolutely need to. As long as consumption of gasoline continues to rise gas companies will keep selling it at the highest price they possibly can and as long as the tax income keeps rolling in the government has no real incentive to lower the gas taxes either.

Answer 11

The gas prices has definitely affected my vacation plans. I don't think any amount of boycott is going to do much good, as the gas companies do not have valid competition right now. They used to compete against each other but I guess they smartened up.

The best solution is to have alternative fuel, multiple alternatives even better. Then the gas companies are going to cry ... but then they contribute to the politicians a great deal to prevent that from happening, don't they?

Kill the competition before they start, (and kill our soldiers too in the middle east to protect their other suppliers), a sure way to guarantee monopoly and I bet the oil tycoon's kids are not in the army.

Let the alternatives come, then we'll see fairer prices.