# Why the sudden rise in gasoline prices? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010 "2003-08-22T20:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MortonC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@MortonC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortonC)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/21 "2003-08-24T01:27:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*I have a 70 mile (roundtrip) commute to school, the _bulk_ of the jobs in my field of study are either near where I live, or equal distance away from where I go to school as I am now. There, effectively, is _no_ mass transit in this state. How would propose about my getting to class and work _without_ the use of gasolene? \*\* First, consider a motorcycle for use whenever the weather allows. Second, check with co-workers and post a Car Pool note on the campuses. Mass transit started with just a few folks needing to go from one point to another and deciding they should go together. If there’s a demand for it, they will build it.Our area only had buses, but despite population decreases, we built a light rail system that has been expanding ever since. Third, consider an alternative fuel vehicle. One that runs on E85 can be purchased for nearly the same price as gasoline vehicles. Many car/truck makers are now offering such vehicle options in their regular line of models. The Dodge Ram 1500 pickup started offering this option in 2003 models, as well as some foreign autos. Although E85 is still 15% gasoline, 15% is way better than 100% ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/22 "2003-08-24T01:28:44Z")
Nobody said it would be easy, **Tuckerfan**. I walked 70 miles to school and back, in the snow, and uphill both ways. Everyday. But, I wasn’t talking about the gas we use for work, etc. If that’s all we used, most of the oil companies would probably go under. Plus, mass transit would surely expand to fill the demand. There is none because nobody uses it. Most of us _want_ to drive, and we don’t want to pay a lot for the gas. And we tend to be lazy about stuff like this, An example; I’m about to go get something to eat at a spot a few miles from home. A nice brisk walk would get me there in a half hour or so. A bus stops around the corner from my house, 100 feet or less, and goes right in front of where I’m heading. $1.20 (IIRC) round trip. My bike is leaning against the wall in my living room. I’ll drive. And **try** to find a place to park. It’s ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/23 "2003-08-24T02:00:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > I walked 70 miles to school and back, in the snow, and uphill both ways. Everyday. The was a strong headwind. And you forgot to mention the canoe you dragged behind you. ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/24 "2003-08-24T02:35:50Z")
The owners have to raise prices to meet a ransom demand by someone with a 1920’s style death ray (has this been played out enough?) ---
**Author:** ![MortonC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@MortonC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortonC)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/25 "2003-08-24T02:38:45Z")
MOONSHINE AS AN ALTERNATIVE? It’s not just the supply and demand economics at work here, as the fuel companies would love to have us believing. It is also our political system and the influences from highly paid lobbyists that defeat the consumers every time. Most baby boomers abandoned the notion that ‘money is the root of all evils’ for the realistic ‘money makes the world go around’ theory. So before you run out back and build a still like in the old days of moonshining and white-lightening, check your local ordinances and state laws. In most states, you can’t make enough legally to drink, let alone fill up the family SUV. Only a few gallons per month are allowed to be made for personal consumption. So again, it is the politicians as well as the peddlers. Boy do I miss that old Packard that shot flames out of the exhaust pipes when the white-lightening was wide open. Nowadays, you can’t make enough to drink to forget it. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/26 "2003-08-24T02:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Xema \*\*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > _Originally posted by mangeorge_ > > I walked 70 miles to school and back, in the snow, and uphill both ways. Everyday. > > The was a strong headwind. And you forgot to mention the canoe you dragged behind you. \*\* Also that it was -40°(F). In August. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/27 "2003-08-24T02:44:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MortonC \* > **First, consider a motorcycle for use whenever the weather allows.** I’d need money first. \*\* > [@](#): > > Second, check with co-workers and post a Car Pool note on the campuses.\*\* I can _walk_ to work, school, I can’t get to. And it’s a small trade school, and nobody with a schedule similar to the one I have lives in this area. \*\* > [@](#): > > Mass transit started with just a few folks needing to go from one point to another and deciding they should go together. If there’s a demand for it, they will build it.\*\* The population density in this area is too low to justify the costs. Even if everyone in this area gave up on cars, there still wouldn’t be enough folks headed to Nashville from here to justify mass trans.\*\* > [@](#): > > Our area only had buses, but despite population decreases, we built a light rail system that has been expanding ever since.\*\* There aren’t even buses out here. \*\* > [@](#): > > Third, consider an alternative fuel vehicle. One that runs on E85 can be purchased for nearly the same price as gasoline vehicles. Many car/truck makers are now offering such vehicle options in their regular line of models. The Dodge Ram 1500 pickup started offering this option in 2003 models, as well as some foreign autos. Although E85 is still 15% gasoline, 15% is way better than 100% \*\* I’d consider it, but I _can’t_ afford it. I paid $500 for my current car, and even though it needs replacing, I haven’t the income to do so. Not even if I lucked up on another $500 beater. Also, there’s only a _handful_ of stations in the area which sell E85. The closest ones to me are some 35 miles away. (Near where I go to school.) And **MannyL** , yes it has. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/28 "2003-08-24T02:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MortonC \* > \*\*MOONSHINE AS AN ALTERNATIVE? > > It’s not just the supply and demand economics at work here, as the fuel companies would love to have us believing. It is also our political system and the influences from highly paid lobbyists that defeat the consumers every time. Most baby boomers abandoned the notion that ‘money is the root of all evils’ for the realistic ‘money makes the world go around’ theory. > > So before you run out back and build a still like in the old days of moonshining and white-lightening, check your local ordinances and state laws. In most states, you can’t make enough legally to drink, let alone fill up the family SUV. Only a few gallons per month are allowed to be made for personal consumption. So again, it is the politicians as well as the peddlers. > > Boy do I miss that old Packard that shot flames out of the exhaust pipes when the white-lightening was wide open. Nowadays, you can’t make enough to drink to forget it. \*\* [This book](http://lindsaybks.com/dgjp/djgbk/still/index.html) details everything you need to know (including how to get the necessary permits) on making an alcohol fuel. However > [@](#): > > The fuel you produce is not going to be cheaper than gasoline unless you have a low cost source of fermentables and want to make a version you can fire with scrap wood or coal. But if you can’t buy gasoline at any price, even alcohol at three or four dollars a gallon is a bargain. One could, of course, run their car on [producer gas](http://lindsaybks.com/bks/producer/index.html), but I’m not sure that it’s all that efficient a method of powering your car. There’s also [hyrdrogen](http://lindsaybks.com/bks/hydrogen/index.html), but until suppliers become common, you’ll have to make your own. ---
**Author:** ![Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@Beryl\_Mooncalf\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beryl_Mooncalf_1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/29 "2003-08-24T03:12:49Z")
If people paid for gasoline what they willingly pay for their designer water, gas would cost about $12…50 a gallon. We aren’t going to see that level of price in gasoline for at least another year, maybe 16 months, right mangeorge? Tuckerfan let it slip… > [@](#): > > on making an alcohol fuel. ye gads boy, you mean we will have one product that will work as gasoline and designer water?:eek: ---
**Author:** ![MortonC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@MortonC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortonC)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/30 "2003-08-24T03:21:14Z")
Yes MannyL and Tuckerfan, I’m done. I feel sympathetic to your situation Tuckerfan and when I was in the same spot, all I could do was to pay the price. But a few of us did write a letter to the news departments at the TV stations. In short, do what you can, but don’t do nothing at all. Drop by drop, united we make a gallon. If two people ride, the price of gas is under $1 per gal for each. Wish you had not requested an end to this thread, but I guess I will start my own and perhaps allow others that are interested to voice their solutions or complaints. ENDLESSLY, IF NEEDED. ---
**Author:** ![MortonC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@MortonC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortonC)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/31 "2003-08-24T03:28:01Z")
OKAY, sorry, but one final note: We in the USA pay one of the cheapest prices at the pump in the free world, and yes I know, there are some exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/32 "2003-08-24T03:28:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MortonC \* > \*\*Yes MannyL and Tuckerfan, I’m done. > > I feel sympathetic to your situation Tuckerfan and when I was in the same spot, all I could do was to pay the price. But a few of us did write a letter to the news departments at the TV stations. > > In short, do what you can, but don’t do nothing at all. Drop by drop, united we make a gallon. > > If two people ride, the price of gas is under $1 per gal for each. > > Wish you had not requested an end to this thread, but I guess I will start my own and perhaps allow others that are interested to voice their solutions or complaints. ENDLESSLY, IF NEEDED. \*\* Nobody’s calling for an end to the thread **MortonC** , only an end to the tired joke about 1920’s death rays. Besides, I wouldn’t want to end a discussion with a Packard fan. ---
**Author:** ![MortonC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@MortonC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortonC)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/33 "2003-08-24T03:42:17Z")
My bad. Thanks for letting me know to Tuckerfan. I am of the _I’m not going to take it anymore_ crowd and am eager to find a way to do something about it!! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/34 "2003-08-24T04:01:39Z")
Riiight, **Beryl**. Only they’re not going to change the _price_ at the dispenser, they’re just going to set the switch to _litres_, instead of gallons, and hope no one notices. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/35 "2003-08-24T12:20:51Z")
> [@](#): > > I am of the I’m not going to take it anymore crowd and am eager to find a way to do something about it!! Achieve financial independence at a young age, enter politics, rise to a position of national influence and then introduce legislation to effect the changes you want to make. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![frixxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@frixxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frixxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/36 "2003-08-24T17:54:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Nobody’s calling for an end to the thread **MortonC** , only an end to the tired joke about 1920’s death rays. Besides, I wouldn’t want to end a discussion with a Packard fan. \*\* The only one not laughing is me with my “gas” powered 1920’s style Death Ray. It’s just like that little pink bunny…it keeps going, and going, and going… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/37 "2003-08-24T18:50:43Z")
> [@](#): > > ‘money is the root of all evils’ Isn’t that **The love of** money is the root of all evils"? It seems obvious that gasoline prices are a price-fixing scam. Price-fixing is ostemsibly illegal, but the legislators are in the oil companies’ pockets. And isn’t it “interesting” that there’s always “something” going wrong just around the time when people are buying more fuel? A pipeline rupture, refinery explosions… There’s always “something” that happens that “forces” the oil companies to raise their prices. I read somewhere that gasoline prices are based on the prevailing price in an area. So “prices are high because prices are high”. :rolleyes: Unfortunately, I have a 90-mile r/t to work every day. Fortunately, I have a motorcycle. My Cherokee gets 20 mpg, the XJ600 gets 50 mpg and the YZF-R1 gets 40 mpg. (The R1 will only run on premium gas, unfortunately.) Riding a motorcycle save me money by using less gas. I also save time, which is also important. I don’t think that writing to legislators to complain about high prices will do anything. It seems that whenever there is an “investigation” they find that prices are high and something must be done about them, but nobody ever does anything. IMO it would be better to write to our representatives to urge them to establish a National Telecommuting Plan. Many of us work with computers. I spearheaded a drive to eliminate paper output in our office. This did two things: First, it saved the company untold thousands of dollars in printing and transportation costs (since our printer is in the main facility in another city), and secondly it demonstrated that our work could be done remotely (since we didn’t have to be in a certain place to receive printouts). These are the benefits of telecommuting: [ul][li]The employee saves money on gasoline, and wear and tear on his vehicles and the associated maintencance costs;[/li][li]Emissions are reduced because there are fewer cars on the road, thus helping to meet our commitment to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we put into the environment and cleaning up the air in our cities;[/li][li]Increases gas mileage for the people who _don’t_ commute since fewer cars on the road will allow the drivers to operate their vehicles more efficiently;[/li][li]Save commuting time since there are fewer cars on the road to slow things down;[/li][li]Save lives since fewer cars on the road will result in fewer collisions;[/li][li]Save repair costs since there will be fewer collisions;[/li][li]Save employers money since they will not need to rent or buy as large facilities as they use now, nor use as much energy for climate control, nor spend as much on “freebies” such as coffee and tea, nor spend as much on office supplies;[/li][li]Spur furher development of high-speed telecommunications infrastructures, and better and faster programs and computers;[/li][li]Reduce our dependence on foreign petroleum, which will also have strategic (as in Defence) benefits;[/li][li]Improve the standard of living of employees by allowing people a more relaxed work environment and allowing people to live where they wish instead of where the corporate office is;[/li][li]Reduce crowding in our cities by allowing people to live where they wish instead of where the corporate office is;[/li][li]Reduce domestic costs such as dry cleaning;[/li][li]Allows tax reductions by claiming one’s home office;[/li][li]Tax or other benefits for companies that allow substantial telecommuting by their employees (In my NTP, such benefits would be written in).[/ul][/li]If more people were allowed to telecommute, then they would see a reduction in fuel expenditures (i.e., vs. what they are spending now, without the NTP) even if the cost of gasoline increases. So I think that writing representatives about the high cost of gasoline is useless, and we would do better to write to them to urge a National Telecommuting Plan. (Feel free to use any of this post to write to your representatives.) Gosh. Maybe I should have started a separate thread in IMHO. :o ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/38 "2003-08-24T19:06:31Z")
Gos quite your moaning! In UK it costs 75p a gallon, which is about a dollar. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/39 "2003-08-24T19:07:36Z")
that should have said “God, quit your moaning…” lol ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010/40 "2003-08-24T19:49:44Z")
I think I’d kill for a dollar a gallon. Northern Virginia: $1.61 per gallon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-sudden-rise-in-gasoline-prices/197010.md?page=3)