Local fuel price jumps

[volvo_nut]

On Sunday the Sunoco was $3.99 (premium and diesel). I went back today to top off and premium is $4.07 and diesel is $4.08. That's a significant jump in 48hrs.

I believe 87 octane is listed at $3.89 and 89 $3.99. I know we are lower than other States but its just tough to see our prices finally heading over $4.

[Villager]

Because of this we'll probably drive our Prius when we go on vacation instead of our small SUV. When the prices are this high the difference in MPG really hits the wallet.

[cobymom]

Fuel costs in the UK are over $7 a gallon; wonder if that's why they have so many fuel efficient cars, and actually use public transportation....

[tracie]

Fuel in the UK is so high because it is taxed at around 85% - the rest of Europe is much cheaper in comparison, and road tax for SUV/Trucks/mini vans type cars is really high aswell - which is why there are way less on those on the roads over there. Its the UK governments way of trying to ensure that people use more fuel efficient cars (aswell as recoup more money to pay debt), and it works!

Originally Posted by cobymom

Fuel costs in the UK are over $7 a gallon; wonder if that's why they have so many fuel efficient cars, and actually use public transportation....

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by cobymom

Fuel costs in the UK are over $7 a gallon; wonder if that's why they have so many fuel efficient cars, and actually use public transportation....

UK is the biggest car market in Europe.. I wouldn't really say they are an example of car efficiency. They are very much car-oriented similar to the US.

Much of their MPG efficiency comes from the adoption of Diesel. Unlike the US, the UK and the rest of Europe have embraced Diesel. The UK also has much more small cars - in part because their infrastructure is so old it can't cope with big Suburbans, etc.


The government is also very willing to tax and discourage car use in areas (Like the City Congestion Surcharge).

No one needs 40k Chevy Volts to get 40mpg... the rest of the world has been doing it with Diesel for ages.

In other areas - gas is even much higher. In Norway they tax you not just by the sticker price of the car.. but based on the engine size and power output. Insurance is through the roof.. and gas costs about $12/gal.

You don't need to look at other countries to understand what it takes to get people out of cars and onto public transport. There are great examples like NYC right here.

The key is you have to make cars a hassle and you must provide a viable alternative. If you had to pay $400/month to park you car, pay $10-20/day in tolls, and still have a major hassle to get to/from your car.. where the train offers the same path and is actually easier to get to. You'd reconsider driving too.

The issue is cars are such a statement of 'freedom' for people in the US that anyone trying to take cars away from people or make them less accessible is going to be committing political suicide because voters in large, are not concerned with the greater good, but themselves.

[softballchick]

I don't want my government taxing my behavior. JMO.

[cobymom]

According to CNN, in 2005 gas prices in the Netherlands were 6.48, Norway 6.27, the UK 5.79, Germany 5.57, Japan, 4.24. My point is, that maybe we should count our blessings, get smaller cars, drive more efficiently (i.e., slower!), use more public transportation, walk and ride our bikes more, advocate for better public transportation and alternate forms of energy, etc.

I drove on the roads in the UK for a few years, (and they do have a lot of cars on their roads!); I rarely saw large cars that got low gas mileage. Mostly lorries that were delivering goods, and they used diesel.

I think that cheaper, more fuel efficient vehicles (like diesel, and other alternative fuels) could have been a reality long ago, if not for the oil and car companies who have a vested interest in keeping us buying their products, and people who are easily swayed by the propaganda those same companies put out.

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by cobymom

I think that cheaper, more fuel efficient vehicles (like diesel, and other alternative fuels) could have been a reality long ago, if not for the oil and car companies who have a vested interest in keeping us buying their products, and people who are easily swayed by the propaganda those same companies put out.

No - its because buyers in large don't want the compromises.

If gas were .25/gal - do you think anyone would buy a Volt?

People can blame the oil industry if they want - but the reality is it's buyer preference and the true cost of roll out that hold things back. Not conspiracies.

Do people buy SUVs because they've been brainwashed? Or because that's what they chose? We have economic cars.. and have for years. You could buy a Civic that got 40mpg on regular unleaded 10 years ago. But people didn't buy them!

Gas now has the advantage of economies of scale and vastly deployed infrastructure. That makes it cheap.

Other technologies without those same two advantages can't just show up overnight and compete.

Until consumer choice changes - the only way it's going to happen is if you price people out of owning cars or buying gas... or legislate people out of owning cars or being able to buy gas.

[Villager]

I think it's a combination of all those things. Some people like big vehicles. Some people don't care about gas mileage. Some people don't think about the environmental impact. For some people it's a status symbol to drive and to drive a big car. The oil industry has a vested interested in keeping itself profitable so they will make and push what makes money for them. If people are still making their choices irrespective of gas mileage and environmental impacts then that's what the car companies will make.

My neighbor drove a Jeep Wrangler for years because it was what he liked. He didn't care about the poor gas mileage.

For people who care about this issue, it's a big deal but there are a lot of people out there who don't concern themselves with it. Of course, as gas prices get higher and higher more people BECOME concerned with it...

We bought a Prius a few years ago when gas prices were like this. Since that time we have an average of 51 mpg in that car. Our CR-V gets about 23 mpg. 23 mpg used to be considered pretty decent, but the times they are a changin'. And at $3.75/gallon, it makes a big difference.

[flynnibus]

To put it in perspective... with my coworkers move here from Norway... know what kind of cars they buy? The biggest baddest cars they can get their hands on. Normally high end sports cars... or big SUVs.

They don't buy them because of some oil company propaganda - they buy them because they desire them.. and in their home country it's not economically feasible to own such cars.