A gallon of gas...?

[TubaRay]

The bottom line is that idiots are idiots, regardless of their powertrain components.

Can't argue with that.

[TubaRay]

True... but a stick (at least at first) requires much greater concentration and multitasking. It's pretty hard to screw up an automatic, but a teenager who is NOT ready to drive would likely fail a good driving test on a stick.
Rob "NOT that I like driving a stick... I just see his point" McD

This, too, is logical.[And I do like driving a stick]

[MikeMason]

Tie a knot and hold on Bloke.You'll soon have fresh eggs and bass fillets to balance out those high gas prices...

[tubatom91]

the last time I checked it was $3.69 a gallon and sadly I drive an '89 chevy truck and of course it is a 2500HD monster with a 34 gallon tank. It's not the most Eco-friendly vehicle to drive every day with its 350 V8 engine .

Is that one of the solid axle trucks or one of those silly vacuum controlled IFS trucks? I cannot remember the exact years of change anymore.




Gas is getting so bad that I'm worried about even getting a motorcycle!

looks solid, I was crawling around underneath it yesterday. Fixing a Gas leak (the stuff is too expensive to let drip onto the pavement!!!)

[Sally Larsen]

My '88 240 Volvo (not, repeat, NOT, an automatic) gets close to 30 mpg when I drive it, and closer to 22mpg when my 21-yr-old son gets his hands on it.
I suspect he has a lot more fun on the road.
How do you draw the line between modern fuel-efficiency and the re-use (judiciously) of some of the vintage beauties?

[tbn.al]

$3.49 in suburban Atlanta, that includes the extra $.12 a gallon I understand the EPS mandated low sulpher gas adds. I moved my office to my home and do 90% of my work over the internet and phone. I don't venture out unless absolutely necessary. It was necessary last week to drive 180 miles round trip to look at a suspected inferior mountain cabin one of my clients bought. It turned out the cabin was ok, I took my wife along and we had a great time, and I was able to knock a couple of other non-related work issues out on the way back. Still it cost me $90 bucks in travel expense to write an insurance policy that pays me less than $50 a year. Can't do much of that and afford another tuba.

[Tom Holtz]

Not my work...

[BVD Press]

Does anyone wonder why the higher rates jumped around April 15? I am not big on dates, etc., but the US citizens file taxes, returns are coming and prices sky rocket. Coincidence?

[Tubaryan12]

Does anyone wonder why the higher rates jumped around April 15? I am not big on dates, etc., but the US citizens file taxes, returns are coming and prices sky rocket. Coincidence?

lol..then today must be special too. I pulled into the gas station this morning and when I got out of the car, an employee was going to change the sign. I asked "should I hurry?" and she said "yes". I pumped at $3.27/gal. She changed it to $3.59/gal. On a good note, I got 37mpg on that tank!

[JCalkin]

Does anyone wonder why the higher rates jumped around April 15? I am not big on dates, etc., but the US citizens file taxes, returns are coming and prices sky rocket. Coincidence?

Most likely just because the demand has increased due to increased travel. I know lotsa folks who are saying "as soon as I get my refund I'm gonna go visit my mom/dad/grandpa/parole officer/etc." It's only going to get worse as the spring and summer progress.

Also, I heard on the news that in order to keep prices "down", refineries are taking the lowest percentage on each gallon of gas sold in a REALLY long time (less than $.25 a gallon IIRC). Forecasters are saying that even if the price of crude drops below the ridiculous, the end cost to consumers will likely not change because refiners will try to get their profit margins back up to usual levels.

I'm starting to really love my bicycle.

[chipster55]

We just got back from a camping trip to Oklahoma. We were planning on going to Florida, but when diesel hit $3.99 (now it's $4.09 - $4.29) a gallon, we decided to take a shorter trip. I lose 3-4 mpg towing the RV.

[BVD Press]

Does anyone wonder why the higher rates jumped around April 15? I am not big on dates, etc., but the US citizens file taxes, returns are coming and prices sky rocket. Coincidence?

lol..then today must be special too.

Maybe every day is special for the gas industry!

[SplatterTone]

The "Experts" are convinced the increase is due to market speculators bidding up the price. It's a price bubble that is going to bust. Those who get in late are going to lose money. Even so, I'm still a believer in conserving -- not as an environmentalist, but as a pragmatist who knows the higher the demand to supply ratio, the higher the price. The first new car I bought was a 1977 Mazda GLC wagon at about 33 MPG. It replaced my first car, hand-me-down from dad, 1964 Dodge Polara. 318 engine. 18 MPG. Push-button transmission. Loooove that push-button transmission.

[tubatom91]

sratch my last post I just paid $3.74......I should've jump when it was $3.59 a few days ago.

[finnbogi]

Overland use (trips that consist of several hundred miles) of 18-wheel tractor-trailer rigs is absolutely becoming obsolete, except where there are regular urgent needs or acute urgent needs. For long routine trips involving the delivery of non-urgent material, it is absolutely silly for one man to burn diesel in a relatively large engine to only haul 1/2 of a train box car worth of material.

The nation needs to greatly expand its rail system. Main lines need to be expanded from one to (three...?? four...?? six...??) sets of tracks, and humans need to also travel this way - rather than idiotic, frustrating, and highly-restrictive air travel to go only a few hundred miles. With "OK" - not state-of-the-art, but better than what we currently have - railroads, humans should be able to travel overland via rail @ c. 150 mph with no problem...ex: 1 hr. from Indianapolis to Chicago, etc.

Bloke, you are starting to sound like a pinko European liberal - congratulations!

[Doug@GT]

In the FREE MARKET

Haven't seen one of those in a while...

[Jess Lightner]

I'm skipping the debate of freight history to offer a different perspective-
I have been enjoying the gas prices for my personal commute- by bicycle. Everyone should consider this option. I live in an urban area, and my twelve mile bike commute takes about 40 minutes, whereas that same drive can be anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes (go DC traffic!).

You might have to get creative- luckily I can leave tubas and clothing at work, and I even have access to a shower. It can be a bit of a drag in the rain (I usually wimp out and drive). That said- this time of year it's amazing.

National Bike to Work Day is coming up on May 16. Do It!

-Jess

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Everyone should consider this option.

I have nothing against people riding bicycles to work if they wish...I even support their decision, as it's great for a cleaner environment and fuel conservation.

I appreciate the sensitivity of your wording...too many folks today would have said "Everyone should do this." I, for one, prefer the flexibility of having an automobile.

I know I asked this in the previous post, but (once again) should one man be paid to haul 1/2 box car load hundreds of miles (consuming diesel/tire rubber) or does it make more sense for two men to haul 200 - 400 1/2 box car loads using microscopically less fuel per 1/2 box car load?

The rail solution is a no-brainer...but it won't happen as long as a disincentive exists for the trucking industry...they are way too powerful as a lobbying force. Maybe we should look to American history for the answer...what did the horse and buggy industry do when cars became affordable for the average consumer?

Oops...that's right...they changed their business plan, or slowly died off. Changing to rail is a different situation, though, as it would mean going back to an earlier technology...American don't like to do that, even when it's the logical solution to a problem.

[finnbogi]

Bloke, you are starting to sound like a pinko European liberal - congratulations!

I know you're teasing, but here is the truth:

- The U.S. would not have its inefficient and over-blown system of overland trucking without the rubber/tire lobby having paid off the government to subsidize them many years ago. That push by "big rubber" was also what "did in" American urban rail transportation (and replaced it with buses...one driver/few passengers/tons of tires).

- I know I asked this in the previous post, but (once again) should one man be paid to haul 1/2 box car load hundreds of miles (consuming diesel/tire rubber) or does it make more sense for two men to haul 200 - 400 1/2 box car loads using microscopically less fuel per 1/2 box car load?

Of course I was teasing, but I do agree with you. We don't have a railway system, but until 10 years ago most of the heavy transport from our capital was by sea (as Iceland is an island and most towns have a decent harbour). Today, almost all heavy domestic transport is done by trucks, mainly due to lobbying and fishy business manoeuvres by the trucking companies, thus causing more traffic, more serious accidents on the roads and higher prices in rural areas.

[Dan Schultz]

..... The nation needs to greatly expand its rail system.......

The US had an acceptable rail system and lots of public transit until General Motors decided to buy them up so they could sell more trucks and cars! The car has been 'King' in the US for a century now and we're going to pay for it dearly before the fuel crisis is over. In fact... the fuel crisis will only be resolved when we resign to the fact that gasoline prices will eventually be on par with other civilized nations around The World. Your only choice will be to either drive a crappy little car, ride a bicycle, take a bus, or walk. As far as I'm concerned, I would be quite content to not own a car and rely only on public transportation.... if I had a choice! It'll be a cold day in hell before a train or bus makes regular runs to Newburgh, Indiana!