How about them gas prices ? $4 gallon is killing me. I know Europe pays $8.75 a gallon, but that sounds just worse because the USD is so low, were both in misery. I pay about $32 each day just to commute to work and back and I'm in a serious panic. I need to get better mileage, I want a bike, I would like to work closer to home but that would mean to give up a good paying job.
Aaaaarghhh...
Aaaaarghhh...
I get an offset from the company I work for to compensate for gas prices, it works out to 0.50 per Km which is still much more than it actually costs me for gas and it's tax free so the prices haven't affected me to the same extent. But yeah, the prices are pretty high right now, I think that they're higher now than they were in the early 80's after inflation adjustments. Hopefully this will push alternative fuels into profitability, and I'm not talking about ethanol here, that's just stupid, but hydrogen and real alternatives might start cropping up. But then, since I come from Canada which is the largest exporter of oil to the US and has the second largest reserves of oil in the world, these prices are driving our economy right now and it's hypocritical to complain too much.
Donkey
Donkey
Well, it's actually $37.4 / gallon (3,785 litre if I'm not mistaken) here, so don't complain guys. Know that there are worse places ;) Propane/Butane (which is about ~$10 / gallon -- not much better) is actually the only real alternative at the moment.
My company pays $0.35 a mile for mileage but not for the commute to and from work which is killing me. I also hope for alternate fuel sources or better engines - It's kind of hard to think that cars still only get about 20 miles a gallon in 2008 when they put a man on the moon about 40 years ago, invented microwaves, lasers, etc, etc, etc... Not to start one of these conspiracy theories but there hasn't been any real progress in car fuel consumption in ... ever! We're burning cleaner, but get the same mileage as one of the first cars ever. (so I heard once - too lazy to check for sources)
I just increased my gas budget to $200 a week and the issue about buying a new car comes up pretty regularly at the dinnertable. Hybrids are about $30K while a Smart Car or a Toyota Yaris get about 35 mpg (avg) and cost only $12K. My wife put a no to the bike I want to buy as a car would get better usage. (Especially if the bike I want cost $6500) Am I crazy to even start thinking about finding a job closer to home? This gas crisis is wrecking my life.
Anyway, remember the days where you were upset that a full tank cost you $13 ;) ?
ti_mo_n raised a good point, how about heating oil and propane? This winter cost me a fortune (approx. $2500) for fill-ups... if this continues that might be $3000-$4000 next winter.
I'm fairly fortunate having a fairly decent job (and so does my wife) so that we can make it over those quite big speedbumps... but a lot of "littler" people are getting hammered. Will there be a tipping point? Riots? Mad Max? My wife and I were joking that we should go out at night and suck the gas out of cars with a hose... Not that we'd ever do that, but poorer people? Possible?
I just increased my gas budget to $200 a week and the issue about buying a new car comes up pretty regularly at the dinnertable. Hybrids are about $30K while a Smart Car or a Toyota Yaris get about 35 mpg (avg) and cost only $12K. My wife put a no to the bike I want to buy as a car would get better usage. (Especially if the bike I want cost $6500) Am I crazy to even start thinking about finding a job closer to home? This gas crisis is wrecking my life.
Anyway, remember the days where you were upset that a full tank cost you $13 ;) ?
ti_mo_n raised a good point, how about heating oil and propane? This winter cost me a fortune (approx. $2500) for fill-ups... if this continues that might be $3000-$4000 next winter.
I'm fairly fortunate having a fairly decent job (and so does my wife) so that we can make it over those quite big speedbumps... but a lot of "littler" people are getting hammered. Will there be a tipping point? Riots? Mad Max? My wife and I were joking that we should go out at night and suck the gas out of cars with a hose... Not that we'd ever do that, but poorer people? Possible?
My company pays $0.35 a mile for mileage but not for the commute to and from work which is killing me. I also hope for alternate fuel sources or better engines - It's kind of hard to think that cars still only get about 20 miles a gallon in 2008 when they put a man on the moon about 40 years ago, invented microwaves, lasers, etc, etc, etc... Not to start one of these conspiracy theories but there hasn't been any real progress in car fuel consumption in ... ever! We're burning cleaner, but get the same mileage as one of the first cars ever. (so I heard once - too lazy to check for sources)
Well it's because that the oil prices have been rather for many years and the American car makers had no incentives to increase their mileage. In fact they were against any law which requires them to up their mileage. And we all know that Americans love to drive SUVs to supermarkets. ;)
Jimmy, its about S$2.1 per litre in Singapore or roughly USD 5.80 per gallon. Guess the good thing about living near the equator is that we don't need to spend any money heating it up (just need to spend money cooling it down).
Jimmy, the rise in fuel costs plus wear and tear on the vehicle commuting 120 miles each day to work was one of the main reasons I transferred to an office 20 miles away. The biggest reason was not seeing much of my wife and children during the week working the shift I was working(4:30pm -1am).
The gas price rise gave the final push for a transfer.
Unfortunately, I had to give up 24 years of senority :sad:( preference for job positions and vacation time mainly), and basically had to start over as a new employee.
On the upside, I get to see my family on a daily basis and have supper with them, and I cut my gas bill by 2/3's. :D
I used to sort mail using OCR equipment, barcode readers, etc.
Now I am delivering it, which I like much better, because once I leave the office I am my own boss and only have to put up with the occasional grumpy customer, and not with the always grumpy superviser . :lol:
The gas price rise gave the final push for a transfer.
Unfortunately, I had to give up 24 years of senority :sad:( preference for job positions and vacation time mainly), and basically had to start over as a new employee.
On the upside, I get to see my family on a daily basis and have supper with them, and I cut my gas bill by 2/3's. :D
I used to sort mail using OCR equipment, barcode readers, etc.
Now I am delivering it, which I like much better, because once I leave the office I am my own boss and only have to put up with the occasional grumpy customer, and not with the always grumpy superviser . :lol:
I remember rags ;) A few years ago you told me that you'd be travelling to and from work as far as I do for the seniority... Glad to hear that you like the new position. Gas prices make us do crazy stuff... I just got out of a meeting where my work hours were discussed. Now, instead of working from M-F 6:30 am to 2:30 pm (add 1:15 commute each way) I'll be working M-T 6:30 - 4:30. I'll get home 4 days a week around 6 p.m. and will only see the kids for about an hour and a half but the upside is that I get 3 day weekends and save a day of driving. I picked a good weekend to start this. (I'm off this Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday for Memorial Day - Work 3 days and I'm off again 3 days). But I'm sure it will be a drag. 13 hour days are very long. :(
I decided to use my new Fridays for active jobhunting and interviews. I don't want to take a plunge for any lesser paid job out of this gas necessity. I also probably need a new car as my old car gets about 20 mpg (if that).
I know no one can change the gas prices and that bitching doesn't help either. Doesn't the US have huge oil reserves in the Rockies or Alaska? Anyone can tell me why we can't tap into those? Don't tell me that the US governement likes to preserve nature...
I decided to use my new Fridays for active jobhunting and interviews. I don't want to take a plunge for any lesser paid job out of this gas necessity. I also probably need a new car as my old car gets about 20 mpg (if that).
I know no one can change the gas prices and that bitching doesn't help either. Doesn't the US have huge oil reserves in the Rockies or Alaska? Anyone can tell me why we can't tap into those? Don't tell me that the US governement likes to preserve nature...
The US federal oil reserve is meant for military applications, however in the past several presidents have dipped into it in order to manipulate world oil prices...
Doesn't the US have huge oil reserves in the Rockies or Alaska? Anyone can tell me why we can't tap into those? Don't tell me that the US governement likes to preserve nature...
Jimmy we have oil shale deposits in the Rockies, and a huge oil reserve in ANWAR in Alaska. But, we are being prevented from drilling in Alaska for fear of interrupting the mating rituals of the "Hairy hoofed, spotted, two humped carribou". :mrgreen:
In all seriousness, it's the fervent environmentalest putting pressure on the House and Senate to prevent extraction of these resources for our and our children's benifit , thus ensuring a full dependancy on petroleum imports.
I'm not for the wanton destruction of the natural habitats in these areas, but the technology does exist that limits the impact on these areas, during the extraction process, making it feasable to get at these reserves with minimal environmental impact.
Same goes for increasing the refining capacity of this country to increase the supply of the finnished product .. The tree huggers and NIMBY crowd have successfully made it near impossible to build any new refinery with all the legal and regulatory red tape, so much so, that none have been built for nearly 30 years.
These people seem to have no grasp on reality nor economics.
They expect companies to start producing alternative energy sources,hydrogen, solar, etc. while
it is not profitable to do so.
This wont happen until all the oil reserves in the world are nearly exhausted, and they can't make any
money off of them.
I am all for preserving nature and the environment, but also for preserving human life.
Heating oil in my area just went up to 4.16 US/gal. What's it going to hit when winter comes?
Elderly, and people on fixed incomes are going to have to make some tough choices on whether to heat or eat this winter.
More governmental handouts aren't the answer either. Because that means more money taken from me in the form of taxes to pay for these programs...
I geuss I'm done with my ranting for now
Rags
Hey, I just wanted to drop a line and tell everyone that I am the new proud owner of a Toyota Prius (the Hybrid) which gets an estimated average of 48 miles a gallon. First I was surprised that the tank only holds 10 gallons to start out with. Then I am amazed how it teaches me to drive better. The car keeps you updated with instant gas usage and a 40 minute statistic updated in 5 minute intervals on how much gas one used.
I found myself coasting quite a bit more to see where I can push the limits. After having driven it today for about 70 miles I was quite upset if I got 25 mpg on a 5 minute stretch and tried to coast more to make up for that insane waste of fuel.
I figured that I'd probably save a tank or possibly one and a half tank per week, which should be paying for the car loan by itself.
I'm so stocked! After having driven a 1991 Volvo Wagon for years I finally sit in a nice car (a little flimsy though) with leather seats and surround sound.
PS: I paid $4.27 a gallon today. 'They' (the man) are saying it will hit $5 by the summer.
I found myself coasting quite a bit more to see where I can push the limits. After having driven it today for about 70 miles I was quite upset if I got 25 mpg on a 5 minute stretch and tried to coast more to make up for that insane waste of fuel.
I figured that I'd probably save a tank or possibly one and a half tank per week, which should be paying for the car loan by itself.
I'm so stocked! After having driven a 1991 Volvo Wagon for years I finally sit in a nice car (a little flimsy though) with leather seats and surround sound.
PS: I paid $4.27 a gallon today. 'They' (the man) are saying it will hit $5 by the summer.
JimmyCliff,
Congrats on getting the new car, it will make your commute less painful.
"(a little flimsy though)".....Just watch out for those 18-wheelers.. :lol:
Last summer I rented a Ford hybrid SUV and was really impressed by the fuel mileage for a vehicle that
big. Now if economy of scale would take over and allow the hybrids to be produced at a cheaper price, I would consider buying one for my commute to work.But, I cant justify spending $20,000+ on a car to be used mainly for getting to and from the workplace.
Speaking of bikes, there was a nasty bike-pickup truck head-on collision recently in my area caused by the driver of the pickup. The description of the scene with the body parts laying all over the place, was enough to chase away any thoughts of me getting one.
Rags
Congrats on getting the new car, it will make your commute less painful.
"(a little flimsy though)".....Just watch out for those 18-wheelers.. :lol:
Last summer I rented a Ford hybrid SUV and was really impressed by the fuel mileage for a vehicle that
big. Now if economy of scale would take over and allow the hybrids to be produced at a cheaper price, I would consider buying one for my commute to work.But, I cant justify spending $20,000+ on a car to be used mainly for getting to and from the workplace.
Speaking of bikes, there was a nasty bike-pickup truck head-on collision recently in my area caused by the driver of the pickup. The description of the scene with the body parts laying all over the place, was enough to chase away any thoughts of me getting one.
Rags
I can't justify a $25K car either. I figured out that _only_ from my commuting in traffic I'll be saving $61 per week (or $266 a month). Sounds like a lot but it's definitely less than my new car payment :( All I can do is hope that gas prizes rise so that my savings can grow ;P and that we'll be using the car more on weekends and leave the gas guzzlers at home as often as possible.
I also saw a horrendous traffic camera accident of a Vespa with an 18 wheeler in China or some place like that. I tell you the image of a flapping arm under the huge wheel turned me off for quite awhile. Irregardless I'll be purchasing a brand new 2007 Piaggio 250 this upcoming weekend and I can't wait to stroll around on that thing. I'll be sure to not get on Highways though.
I also saw a horrendous traffic camera accident of a Vespa with an 18 wheeler in China or some place like that. I tell you the image of a flapping arm under the huge wheel turned me off for quite awhile. Irregardless I'll be purchasing a brand new 2007 Piaggio 250 this upcoming weekend and I can't wait to stroll around on that thing. I'll be sure to not get on Highways though.