Gas prices' earliest-ever rise above $3.50 a bad sign for motorists

Brave7 · Share | #1 (**permalink**) 02-14-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

American motorists have seen the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline rise above $3.50 a gallon on just three occasions, but it has never happened this early in the year. Analysts say it's likely a sign that pain at the pump will rise to some of the highest levels ever seen later this year.

In 2008, average gasoline prices had hit inflation-adjusted records nationally by the summer, but they didn't climb above $3.50 a gallon across the U.S. that year until April 21, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. It happened again last year, but not until March 6.

But $3.50 a gallon gasoline is already here in 2012, weeks before refineries typically shut down for springtime maintenance, and weeks before the states switch from their less expensive winter blends of gasoline to more complicated and pricier summer blends.

"This definitely sets the stage, potentially, for much higher prices later this year," said Brian L. Milne, refined fuels editor for Telvent DTN, a commodity information services firm. "There's a chance that the U.S. average tops $4 a gallon by June, with some parts of the country approaching $5 a gallon."

http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-gas...,2776477.story

Mopeds, scooters and motorcycles manufacturers are going to be happy very soon...I can see a booming market of economic transportation.

**ScriptMan** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-14-2012, 05:44 PM

I may have to buy some new tubes and tires for my old bike. It has not been out of the basement for 10 years.

**snakeair** · #3 (**permalink**) 02-14-2012, 05:49 PM

I drive 70miles a day total when going to work. When gas price's go up, my wallet get's a workout.

It stinks when you have to give up an arm and a leg at the gas station to fill the car up.

I have no legs or arm's right now.

Brave7 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2012, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScriptMan

I may have to buy some new tubes and tires for my old bike. It has not been out of the basement for 10 years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeair

I drive 70miles a day total when going to work. When gas price's go up, my wallet get's a workout.

It stinks when you have to give up an arm and a leg at the gas station to fill the car up.

I have no legs or arm's right now.

I have the solution for us guys

+ YouTube Video

For Snakeair:

+ YouTube Video

**ScriptMan** · #5 (**permalink**) 02-14-2012, 06:26 PM

Ouch! At that price I could buy a lot of gas for the 2 mile round trip to the grocery.

It was a cool vid.

Inspired Ink · #6 (**permalink**) 02-15-2012, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

I have the solution for us guys

You saying girls can't ride motorcycles?

I've been on 500-mile road trips.

Brave7 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-15-2012, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inspired Ink

You saying girls can't ride motorcycles?

I've been on 500-mile road trips.

Girls can ride motorcycles of course

+ YouTube Video

GlobeGenius · #8 (**permalink**) 02-15-2012, 10:26 AM

You people still have good prices compared to most of the world. I just did the pump price here and the liter to gallon conversion. Also the imperial gallon to US gallon. We are paying $4.67 a US gallon in comparison to your pump price. Oil and gas wells surround our area. lol Small refinery also.

Inspired Ink · #9 (**permalink**) 02-15-2012, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

Girls can ride motorcycles of course

+ YouTube Video

LOL just don't expect me to dress like that. That would not be very protective in a slide.

Sunfyre7896 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-17-2012, 03:26 PM

YAYYYYYY!! Thank you Speculators. Thank you OPEC. Thank you greedy Exxon/Mobile, Chevron, etc. And thank you Obama for doing absolutely nothing about it. I always blame Congress so no thank you's necessary.....

Obama decided it was better to make gasoline our number 1 export. That's fine for bringing in money from exports, but that money goes to the government. Exporting the gas doesn't help the average American who now sees our personal supply (U.S.) diminishing because of exportation. If supply and demand is at the base, then Obama has lessened the supply. Then throw in speculators that don't have to take possession of oil, gambling with the prices like monopoly money, OPEC making sure the wealthy stay wealthy, and greedmonger oil companies watching that bottom line, and you have a recipe for disaster and thus, high a** fuel prices...... Thanks a-holes.

**Zap** · #11 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 06:23 AM

The reality is that we've already passed the point of cheap and easy oil.
All of the low hanging fruit was picked long ago.
What's left, will take increasingly expensive measures to extract and that means prices are going to go in one direction (in general) and it ain't downwards.
Get used to it, folks.
In 10-20 years, we will long for the days of under $5 / gallon gasoline.

**ScriptMan** · #12 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 06:43 AM

Did the average American or American auto makers learn anything after the oil crises of the 80's?

I think not since I seem to be surrounded by mammoth over sized gas guzzlers everywhere I go. Most people driving things they can't even park correctly. If that old crude street saying is true, America must have more under-endowed men than anyplace in the world.

Weebitty · #13 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 08:47 AM

Sunfrye hit the nail right on the head. I agree with everything he said because they all contribute to the problem. congress/President arn't going to do anything to the contriubutors of the relection! I wish the people who make promises would live up to them! But alas none of them do. They are too busy living the good life and have no idea of what reality is. It doesn't touch them so they don't care. They can afford the price of gas and insurance and fine dining etc. If they had to live on a budget and paycheck like we do then it would be different. But they have money, money and more money

Breeze Wood · #14 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weebitty

Sunfrye hit the nail right on the head. I agree with everything he said because they all contribute to the problem. congress/President arn't going to do anything to the contriubutors of the relection! I wish the people who make promises would live up to them! But alas none of them do. They are too busy living the good life and have no idea of what reality is. It doesn't touch them so they don't care. They can afford the price of gas and insurance and fine dining etc. If they had to live on a budget and paycheck like we do then it would be different. But they have money, money and more money

Quote:

http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2012...-breaks-again/

Obama seeks to end oil industry tax breaks — again

President Barack Obama called today for boosting funding for pipeline safety and renewable energy while again proposing to roll back several tax breaks for the oil and gas industry.

It is the fourth straight year Obama has called for rolling back tax breaks for the oil and gas industry, but that call — and the budget more generally — is largely a symbolic statement because it stands little chance to pass through Congress.

Quote:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...in-senate.html

Oil Companies’ $21 Billion U.S. Tax Break Survives Repeal Effort in Senate

“Instead of defending oil companies, Republicans should be defending the American taxpayer,” Reid of Nevada said before the vote.

Quote:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...ort/52298812/1

In a first, gas and other fuels are top U.S. export

— The volume of fuel exports is rising. The U.S. is using less fuel because of a weak economy and more efficient cars and trucks. That allows refiners to sell more fuel to rapidly growing economies in Latin America, for example. In 2011, U.S. refiners exported 117 million gallons per day of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products, up from 40 million gallons per day a decade earlier.

There's at least one domestic downside to America's growing role as a fuel exporter. Experts say the trend helps explain why U.S. motorists are paying more for gasoline. The more fuel that's sent overseas, the less of a supply cushion there is at home.

Quote:

Weebitty: Sunfrye hit the nail right on the head. I agree with everything he said because they all contribute to the problem. congress/President arn't going to do anything to the contriubutors of the relection!

....to the contriubutors of the relection!

Who is trying to kid who ???

The Obama administration has repeatedly called for corrective legislation against the the oil industry that they with their Republican allies have consistently and successfully prevented from becoming law.

It is a travesty the American public is forced to give tax breaks to the Oil Industry via the Republican Party that uses that same money to export American refined fuels to S America.

The present Administration has been a champion for alternative fuels only to be criticized repeatedly by the Solindra Republicans in a thinly veiled consent to the oil industry.

Weebitty · #15 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 10:15 AM

If you will reread my post I stated that they ALL contribute to the problem. As well as the investors on wall street. There is enough blame to pass around to everyone. Just in my area there are two gas suppliers that control the price of gas in our area. It is a shame. There is a cartel going on in some areas just like drug cartel. Why do the companies that supply the necessities get to call all the shots? Drug Companies, Energy Company's and Food Industry. Because they know we need them and they take advantage of that! All of these industries use to be regulated at one time. Now they have gone wild at our expense. Captalism is alive and well. Double edge sword.

Breeze Wood · #16 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weebitty

If you will reread my post I stated that they ALL contribute to the problem. As well as the investors on wall street. There is enough blame to pass around to everyone. Just in my area there are two gas suppliers that control the price of gas in our area. It is a shame. There is a cartel going on in some areas just like drug cartel. Why do the companies that supply the necessities get to call all the shots? Drug Companies, Energy Company's and Food Industry. Because they know we need them and they take advantage of that! All of these industries use to be regulated at one time. Now they have gone wild at our expense. Captalism is alive and well. Double edge sword.

Quote:

Sunfyre7896: Obama decided it was better to make gasoline our number 1 export.

Quote:

Weebitty: Sunfrye hit the nail right on the head. I agree with everything he said ...

I do apologize and was really responding to Sunfyre ...

robjones · #17 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 02:40 PM

breeze. I mustve missed the spot where you explained how increasing taxes on oil producers will decrease the price of gasoline.

I also missed the part where you explained how "investing" over half a billion in Soylendra did anything but line the pockets of millionaire Obama campaign donors in return for their contributions. Now that the "investment" has been made, they seem to be unable to account for the funds. Somehow the word "investment" describes that scenario poorly.

Then again, its no worse than the alternative energy "investment" in Fisker. [again... Enriching big gun Democrats... Anyone see a pattern?] Its a shame that one isnt working out... I'm sure the middle class was robbed of a great opportunity to buy $96,000 hybrid cars that run outta juice halfway to their destination. It also robbed Finland of the jobs created with American tax dollars by Mr Anti-Outsourcings "investment".

Then again, he shut down the XL pipeline... Thats gotta be a contribution to lower gas prices, right?

Lol. The rhetoric from Obama fans is a great source of amusement, and highly informative, so long as you're prepared to ignore reality. Why dont they ever mention stuff obama actually does instead of what he says?

ceekeigh · #18 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 03:27 PM

That's a bad sign. Here in the Philippines, when gas prices go up everything go up lol.

**snakeair** · #19 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScriptMan

Did the average American or American auto makers learn anything after the oil crises of the 80's?

I think not since I seem to be surrounded by mammoth over sized gas guzzlers everywhere I go. Most people driving things they can't even park correctly. If that old crude street saying is true, America must have more under-endowed men than anyplace in the world.

I forget what year actually but back in my dad's early college days, he said there was a gas crisis and certain license plate numbers i think odd or even can get gas on a certain day. I may have messed up a lot in explaining this but my dad switched license plates everyday to be able to get gas in his chevelle super sport.

Long lines and everything.

These days when we buy cars, we look for gas milage and can't buy the car or truck that we really want because it eats up gas.

**ScriptMan** · #20 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 04:13 PM

Geez! How young are you? That would have been the first 'gas crises' back in the 80's. If you Dad is older than 60 he may be referring to the rationing that occurred during WW II. but then they issued coupons one could use to buy gas. I have a few of those as a collector's item.