Page 5 - Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

11-06.-2008, 04:12 PM	#61
Powerful Pete Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Rome, Italy Posts: 3,859	Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you? Careful Cranky, here we are talking about changing habits, not about changing fuel sources - most commutes in a city like Rome are rather short and I am certain 50% of car trips could be replaced by walking/cycling/using public transportation. But no one is doing it. Everyone here prefers to drive and then park four cars abreast at the curbside (reducing the three lanes to half of one and further bottling up traffic). And a lot of people complain and actually campaign against bike paths, as a waste of public funds which could go to build more roads/parking. __________________ De Rosa Planet Campagnolo Per Sempre! PAOLO BETTINI CAMPIONE DEL MONDO x 2!

11-06.-2008, 04:44 PM	#62
Aspergers Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 40	Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you? As I don't drive a car the high petrol prices don't hurt me day to day. The only time the high petrol price hurts me is when I book an airline ticket. The reason I book airline tickets is to go on multi day bike rides out side my stale. keep cycling to stop using petrol

11-06.-2008, 05:01 PM

#63

limerickman

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerful Pete

The interesting thing is the inelasticity of demand, at least here in Italy. Everyone I know complains of high gas prices, but no one is driving less/using public or alternative modes of transportation.

Anecdotal evidence: I am in the market for a city bike to replace my second car, which I have just sold (also due to high gas prices, but I am weird and want to commute by bike). My LBS has confirmed that they are not seeing an increase in the sale of 'city/trekking/mtb' bikes at the moment.

So, I would agree that the price of oil will have to increase significantly beyond current levels of 130~140 USD per barrel before anyone considers changing habits. People everywhere have come to consider cheap gas as a God-given right, so that they continue to drive everywhere (even 500 meters to buy milk), another God-given right. The complaints in Europe are anti-Government - everyone is demanding a decline in taxes on fuel, although no one has proposed an alternative revenue stream for cash-strapped public coffers...

Interesting Pete.

I stayed in Dublin for a couple of days last week - a city where traffic congestion is notorious.
I would have assumed that unleaded petrol retailing at between €1.30 - €1.40
per litre would have seen some freeing up of the traffic congestion.
Not a bit of it!
Traffic is as congested as ever.
In mitigation, the public transport system in Dublin (and Ireland) is way behind the standards of European cities like London, Paris, Roma etc.
But even still I expected to see some drop off with the current price of petrol.
I agree with you the car habit is inelastic.

Where I live is way out in the countryside we have no public transport.
No buses at all.
nevertheless if we need to go to buy a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread, I'll go to the shop on the MTB.
personally I only use the car when I have no other option.

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morelike hypocrisy.

11-06.-2008, 07:16 PM

#64

TheDarkLord

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by limerickman

What were the prices a few years back when oil was in the low double digits per barrel (I don't know the history of gas prices in Europe)? It is the percentage increase that really counts. There have been a number of articles where Americans have seen as beginning to change their habits, at least with regard to getting more fuel efficient cars as opposed to gas guzzlers. Keep in mind that gas prices there have increased by almost 2.5 times what it was several years back.

11-06.-2008, 08:23 PM

#65

Crankyfeet

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkLord

When I came to the US late 2001... it was about $1.00 per gallon... now it's about $4.00 per gallon.

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11-06.-2008, 09:25 PM

#66

limerickman

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkLord

In 2003 (because I did a lot of mileage that year), petrol prices were €0.82 per litre over here.
Crude prices were about €35.00 per barrel back in 2003.

11-06.-2008, 09:53 PM

#67

TheDarkLord

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crankyfeet

When I came to the US late 2001... it was about $1.00 per gallon... now it's about $4.00 per gallon.

I wasn't keeping track of prices in 2001. So, that's a factor of 4.

Quote:

Originally Posted by limerickman

In 2003 (because I did a lot of mileage that year), petrol prices were €0.82 per litre over here.
Crude prices were about €35.00 per barrel back in 2003.

In contast, it appears that the prices in Europe have risen by less than a factor of 2. So maybe that's one of the reasons why driving behavior in Europe have changed less than in US (assuming that the articles in the news sites are true that is)?

12-06.-2008, 12:53 AM

#68

limerickman

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDarkLord

The other factor is that the Euro is strong vis-a-vis the dollar, for the past 12 months
So European retailers (gas stations) buy dollars, using euros, to purchase oil.
The strong euro, has offset somewhat the increase (in dollars) in petrol prices.

12-06.-2008, 04:07 AM	#69
lwedge Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Shingle Springs, CA Posts: 1,526	Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you? 70mpg __________________ If your traveling to the LakeTahoe, Apple Hill, Folsom area ? Then check out Charles Lee's site for some great information on rides, maps and events in this Northern California area. . http://www.beautifulvista.com Great wine ! http://www.chevalierwinery.com/

12-06.-2008, 04:17 AM

#70

jhuskey

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwedge

70mpg

and a pure chick magnet.

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12-06.-2008, 04:26 AM	#71
lwedge Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Shingle Springs, CA Posts: 1,526	Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you? Going to Aspen California,,,, ya wanna come along. __________________ If your traveling to the LakeTahoe, Apple Hill, Folsom area ? Then check out Charles Lee's site for some great information on rides, maps and events in this Northern California area. . http://www.beautifulvista.com Great wine ! http://www.chevalierwinery.com/

12-06.-2008, 04:51 AM

#72

Pendejo

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwedge

70mpg

Yes, and about $6000 new, plus insurance every year, plus your decent chance of eventually being knocked off it and messed up by a gas-guzzling car. Now, if you have one instead of a car, then it makes financial sense. The hybrids are also not the answer. The premium they charge for one erases their better gas mileage.

12-06.-2008, 05:11 AM

#73

gemship

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendejo

I ride a Honda Ruckus, it cost 2049 us dollars new. It gets at least 100mpg and because its under 49cc there you don't have to get insurance in the state of Ma. I can take all backroads to work and it only takes a extra 5 minutes compared to my truck. Scooters rule

Not to mention it is helping me nurse a achilles tendonitis injury.

12-06.-2008, 05:14 AM

#74

TheDarkLord

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemship

Not to mention it is helping me nurse a achilles tendonitis injury.

Do you ride it during winter though?

12-06.-2008, 05:21 AM

#75

Crankyfeet

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Re: Are the ultra high gas prices hurting you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pendejo

...The hybrids are also not the answer. The premium they charge for one erases their better gas mileage.

Yes... but it's all about your carbon footprint in the Age of Warming...

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