As the gas prices increase, why is no one complaining?

Question

Am I the only one concerned about the raising gas prices, I feel like society seems to ignore the problem.. especially the middle class, why havent we taken some type of actions towards it!!

Answer 1

We simply must accept it. The gas companies are definitely taking advantage of us but do they have the right to set there own prices? nobody cares when a system comes out that costs 500$ when it is only worth 200. Its the business world

Answer 2

I hear alot of complaining from people that don't understand simple economics.

Demand for oil is increasing greatly with China needing more and more, and others such as the US refusing to reduce their useage. Supply is not increasing. = Higher oil prices.

Refining capacity in the US was already tight, then Katrina hit in 2005 causing alot of refining capacity to go off line. In response, other refineries have stayed open pretty well nonstop since, missing regular maintenance. Now these strained refineries are not working as efficiently due to the missed maintenance and are forced to go offline. This yields higher gas prices in the US.

I don't understand people's belief that they have some sort of birthright to cheap energy. We have wants and we have needs in life. We satisfy our needs before our wants. We need a certain amount of energy in life. Most feel the need to drive to work (public transporation anyone?), but we don't need to drive a 15 mpg house on wheels, that is a want. We don't need to live in gigantic energy sucking houses, that is a choice many make.

If you drive 12,000 per year (there's no need to but people like to cruise around then complain) and get 30mpg (you don't get that? Why not, there's lots of small cheap cars that do), you burned 400 gallons over the year. At $3 a gallon, it cost you $800 (less than $70 a month) more than if gas only cost $1 a gallon. Most people spend way more than that on eating out, clothing or misc. junk. Just cut back on those wants a little.

Answer 3

Who's not complaining about it? It's all I ever hear, especially since where I live has been consistently higher than the national average (yes, we're still well over $3). I'm not in a rural area, I'm just south of a major city! My parents, who live in BFE, are paying less than I do!

Unfortunately, there's only so much we can do about it. We carpool, limit the mileage, etc. But public transportation is not an option for my husband & I. It would be hilarious (and a bit cruel) to see a construction worker riding a bicycle or lugging all his equipment (over 50 pounds of it) on a bus (and then walking the next 5 miles out to the site)!

Truth be told, it's not a shortage of oil. The refineries are at max capacity. There hasn't been a new one built since the 1970's; don't tell me demand hasn't increased since then. I know welders who can work all year (on 12 hour shifts, seven days a week) building storage tanks at the refineries - and it's not for refined fuel! A specific one I know of, has filled all it's oil tanks and has tanker trucks waiting to be dumped.

What do you consider "middle class"? Blue collar workers are more along the lines of "working poor" and we're the ones taking the brunt of it. We don't have the government checks that allow us not to work, and we don't have the luxury of a work location that's on a bus line.

Answer 4

Everyone seems concerned and it is a problem. The bigger problem is that people have been too dependent on gas that they have difficulty finding alternate ways to get around and overall, save money. People as a whole most likely think that their gas usage isn't a big issue and it just hasn't hit them yet that it's not going to last forever and there are other ways to get around.

Answer 5

I hate to say this, but I think that a lot of people feel helpless about the situation, and in many ways they are. One could suggest that we boycott petroleum products, but that would be VERY hard to do. After all, many of us have to have gas to go to work, and we have to go to work in order to survive. Not only that, but there are many things that are made with petroleum that we use on an everyday basis, such as plastic food wrappers, and it would be almost impossible to avoid buying foodstuffs that don't have containers that are made with petroleum. It also doesn't help matters when the major oil companies have the politicians in their back pockets and not enough government money is being used to find petroleum alternatives.

Answer 6

I've been riding the bus a LOT lately; gas is just too pricey. When I get my next vehicle, it's going to be capable of using bio-diesel, or hybrid, or (hopefully) both. If you take action individually, you don't have to wait for the powers-that-be to "do something."

Answer 7

because no matter what gas prices are, we still have to fill up our tanks to make a living. people have tried to take action against it but the need for oil is too high.

Answer 8

The answer to your question is that the "middle class" has lots of money to blow on non-essential goods. Try getting a middle-class person to ride the bus or other forms of public transportation. They don't want to sit on the bus with poor people, God forbid. Therefore, they would be willing any amount to maintain their independence.

Answer 9

I see so many people sitting around pissing & moaning about the gas prices while the sit there and suck down a 1.59 16 oz bottle of water....oh my god.....

Answer 10

highly dependent on it........ I dont think my boss will excuse me for the day or for being late because gas price are too high hence I can't fill my tank to get to work.............=( Trust me, the gas price bother everyone!!!