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http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/101833.html
I agree... In fact, I would like to see $5 a gallon. Really. For almost all of the reasons this guy talks about. Granted, I am all for market freedom and such, but our dependance on foreign sources of energy is a very grave issue. If we could drill all the oil we need here, then by all means everybody can have a Hummer if they want.
Discuss?
I don't know what everyone here is complaining about :D
In Ontario they are already paying over $4 a gallon and have been for some time lol.... AND we don't even get our oil from elsewhere lol. We can get it all from Alberta.... explain THAT :D
Well maybe it doesn't affect you greatly, but it does affect a great many people very much so. I don't really see it as complaining, I see it as people who were already having trouble making ends meet not being able to get to work. What Canada does or doesn't do doesn't matter, we aren't IN Canada. They also aren't faced with paying for their own medical issues and in the larger places have good mass transit systems. That isn't the case everywhere. IMO that's a bit of a flippant attitude to have when some people are faced with not being able to provide for their families because they can't get to work. The prices of everythign else will go up as well, as trucking companies have to pay more for gas. It's a very large problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vela
:rolleyes: Good lord it was a joke.... and you think we have people in Canada that aren't living cent to cent? not to mention they have 15% sales tax on EVERYTHING including clothes AND food.
I'm aware it is a very large problem..... I'm not quite sure how it was missed that it was a joke with all the :D 's and what not but can't change that now.
anyway My point was.... people want to blame gas prices on what is going on over seas and yadda yadda yadda..... Canada does NOT rely on that.... Alberta has more oil than we can shake a stick at.... yet we are STILL paying more for gas. I can vividly recall last summer .... the gas prices were upwards of $1.30+ a LITRE. Last I heard it was $1.10+ a litre right now.
Of course... there is always the bus.... may cost to ride it everytime but I bet it ends up being cheaper each week than putting gas in the car. or scooters .... 60 miles to the gallon :O
Well the oil companies can explain that away with their lies. The same happened here, and petrol prices shot thru the roof, people questioned it etc etc, and were just told a whole heap of lies. We know what is going on here with their profiteering.Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks19
But I don't think raising the prices of petrol is the answer.
Alternative fuel makes more sense to me......we humans are in an inventive little lot, I'm sure alternatives have already been found and have been swept under the carpet.
Wom
You know, I see these "discussions" started at times that seem to be looking for debate/discussion, but from all I've read from past ones (and it's no different in this one) don't think I'd ever care to try to express my opinions because any disagreement ends up with personal slams and plenty of use of :rolleyes: Yes I've seen it go on between both sides of an issue. Personally if I see someone asking for a serious issue to be discussed, my thoughts and replies on it are serious. Some people use :D and ;) and "LOL" so frequently that it's not always a clear indicator of intent. Just food for thought.
As an aside, from what I have read, the US has one of the worst overall mass transit systems of any of the 1st world countries. The big cities such as NY and Chicago have them for within their boundaries, but in many places it is sorely lacking.
I have a lot of thoughts on this, but only one comments for now because I almost feel directly attacked when he states
I almost feel a direct attack. I drive a full size truck, and 80% of that time it is for my 60 mile round trip commute with only myself in the truck. However, I use my truck weekly for hauling construction material, making dump runs, or moving large items. Almost monthly I'm either towing a trailer, loading the kayaks, loading muddy mountain bikes, or loading my truck up with dirt bikes and gear for weekends in the desert.Quote:
But when I see these ever-growing vehicles driving through Miami -- where I have yet to find a hill, let alone a mountain -- with just one person inside, carrying nothing, I can only conclude that America deserves the foreign oil-rich despots that are causing so much trouble.
The majority of time I am driving by myself in city traffic. I guess that means that I'm intentionally attacking my own country and attempting to cripple the nation; heck might as well call me a terrorist. :rolleyes:
I honestly couldn't own just a car right now in my life. I could sell all of my toys, but it doesn't change the fact that I still find having a bed to haul stuff much more convenient than loading stuff on top of a car and scratching up the roof.
If I could take the train to work I would. San Diego has crappy MTS and it's even worse when living in the suburbs, so that's not an option either. I know what kind of gas mileage my truck gets, and that's the cost of owning the truck.
The entire oil thing is BS anyhow, look at the profits of the oil companies and then figure out why you want to pay over $5 a gallon; to give them more money. Congrats on the thought process.
I think it's time Americans get off their power ego trips and trash the Hummer and the Escolade and the rest of the big, useless gas hogs that they drive.
If you need a truck for farming or constrution that is one thing. No one needs a Hummer to drive around. They are 8000 lbs of waste and ego. My Camry gets 31 miles a gallon. My friend drives a van because she likes to sit up high, well her high chair is only getting 15 miles a gallon. I suggested she put a pillow under her behind to raise her up when driving. Of course if you can afford a $60.000 Hummer I am sure you aren't worried about filling the gas tank.
Every time I see a guy driving a huge Hummer or other monster car I always wonder if he is short in another area and is making up for it in the size of his car. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
I'm not on an ego power trip and I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee because I have 3 children and 3 dogs. It's nice to see such GENERALIZED opinions about those who drive bigger cars. I don't have to farm to need a car big enough to take my family somewhere and put groceries in at the same time. Maybe more people ought to get off their holier than thou attitudes before spouting off about things. Not all people drive bigger cars because they WANT to. Jeez, saying things like that is just ridiculous. I don't want to pay 4 dollars a gallon just because I need a bigger car for my family!
If I had a camry I'd have to put my dogs in the back seat, kids in the trunk and tie the groceries to the bumper.
Hmmm...I drive a 4 door Dodge ram Pick up Truck. Do I need it?? YES!! I live in the country, I have a farm, and a Family I have to cart around, not to mention my very large dogs. I also haul wood and tow cars with it! Do you think I enjoy driving something that costs so much to run? no, but I sure as heck cannot get everything done driving a darn car! just dosent work! I sure as heck aint driving my truck as a status symbol! I drive a truck because I need to!Just because some people can make it through life driving a car that gets 60mpg does not mean that us people who drive trucks, dont use/need them!
What on earth are all of you people griping about ???? I'm pretty sure that the intention of Marigold1's post was NOT to say that people shouldn't drive larger vehicles if they had a need for them !!!!
I for one can totally agree with her, as I can see from her post exactly where she is coming from. The real fact of the matter is that there are many people out there who do not live on a farm, do not have 50 kids and 70 dogs, do not deliver construction materials as a form of employment, and therefore do NOT need bloody great vehicles that require a scaffold system to get into. It is so commonplace to see one of these super huge vehicles that park outside of a preschool as a mother drops off her toddler for the day, then promptly returns home to park that vehicle in a garage where the said vehicle spends 99% of it's time. Status symbol to some people ???
You betcha.....it's all around us.
Wombat
*pokes toe carefully into hot water*
I see a need for some people to drive gas hogging cars. I also see that the people who CHOOSE to drive gas hogging cars (regardless of reason) go into it knowing the concequences of their actions. I don't agree that people need to be punished for the car they drive, as it just ends up forking the REST of us anyhow. Yes my car gets 50 mpg (confirmed and calculated :D) but I still feel the sting of paying over 3.50 a gallon. This price goes up with demand, and as the human infastructure grows, sadly we are going to require more resources to fuel it. Yeah ok so everyone uses public transportation but that doesnt build a road or fly an airplane or ship something via rail or truck. The point is we NEED fuel of some type and all fuel takes resources wether building an electric battery or making gas.
It isnt SUVs faults really...they are just easy to blame. Look around you on an average day on the highway, how many big haulers or other industrial trucks do you see?
Humans are needful creatures, we've developed into this over centuries and I dont think any ammount of well wishing or "tree hugging" is going to change it anytime remotely soon. This requires a change of the entire human race, how long is that realistically going to take?
*steps back gently out of hot water*
[QUOTE=DJFyrewolf36
*steps back gently out of hot water*[/QUOTE]
Bathrobe ???? :D
I agree many people need larger cars or trucks, my sister drives a Jeep because she needs one for her work. I am talking about all the Dr's wives and young mom's who drive Hummers and huge SUV. They don't have huge dogs they have huge bank accounts and lots of shopping to do here at Prada, Tiffany, Coach and Macy's. And even though I shop at these stores as well I don't do so on a daily basis. It's a status symbol for them not a necessity. I too had three kids who were in baseball, soccer, basketball, swimming, guitar, boyscouts, girlscouts, keyclub, skiclub, bowling, and a host of other things. And yes I carpooled and had parties and activities and just thinking about it all makes me tired, however I didn't need a Hummer to put everything in. I put four kids in the car and all their stuff fit in the trunk and off we went. Cars here are a status symbol in and around our area. Just like a big home or the big parties everyone is trying to top their neighbor. If they made something bigger or uglier then a Hummer I am sure someone would be dumb enough to buy it regardless of how big their paycheck is.
A Hummer weighs 8000 lbs. The average car weighs 3000. Would you like to be hit by a Hummer? Think about 8000 lbs coming at you. Hummer drivers should have special truck drivers license and training.
I hate to take this thread even more off topic, but I don't think it's just drivers of large trucks that need a special license; I think everyone should be held to a higher standard. One reason that I do not own a street bike is because I am terrified of the drivers in tiny cars, medium cars, big cars, small trucks, big trucks, semi trucks, SUVs, ect.. I see more and more people driving their cars around like go carts with a death wish. Like I've said before, I drive a big truck and have always owned a truck due to my lifestyle. I've been hit 4 times and all of them 100% the other drivers fault and all of them were cars. One was a new driver that managed to total both my truck and her car; another was a lady putting on lipstick, the cop saw the lipstick mark up to her forehead; another was a lady who admitted to watching her kids in the back seat and didn't see me; the last was just a crazy driver and she had no excuse for side swiping me on the freeway.
I think broad statements should really be thought over a few times before posting them. If we want to keep using broad statements here are a few from my experiences :rolleyes: ; please take these with a grain of salt because they are meant to be sarcastic.
Women drivers should have special drivers license and training.
Everyone should ride a scooter or a motorcycle because they are way more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly; cost less too.
Everyone who lives in the city should only ride public transportation or walk/ride a bike.
Everyone who lives in the country can only use their big trucks, with special driver’s license, for work.
Everyone can make broad statements with no facts and hurt the feelings of many people.
I paid $3.29 a gallon for regular unleaded on my way home from work yesterday. Today, same filling station, it is up to $3.44. Gasoline went up and electricity also went up because a 10-year rate freeze ended. Between those two I find myself being more careful about turning switches on, off and where I do or don't go. With the price of gasoline I just wonder where it is going to end. There are people in my wealthy county who drive big cars and SUVs just because they can, not because of need. Lots of little cars like mine on the road too. The whole situation stinks.
Yes, I admit, I'd much rather be filling the car up in this cartoon. :D
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8.../Misc/haha.jpg
I found some more. Sad but true.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8...sc/walking.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l8.../Misc/fuel.jpg
LOL That first one is hilarious. Thrs-T on the license plate :D
Thank you all for a interesting discussion so far...
A couple of tidbits to keep things moving, some more of my personal opinion on the matter.
- As I understand it, from looking at information available from a variety of sources, the currently rising price of gasoline is due mainly to the fact that we do not have enough oil refineries in the US. A new one has not been constructed since the late 70's. Why? As I understand it, overly (some say insanely so) tough environmental laws make it financially impossible to build a new one. As such, the oil companies just maintain the old and run down ones we have now. Because there are so few of them, when they have to change from winter to summer blends and stop making heating oil, the supply of gasoline goes down.
- Hillary Clinton proposed taking all of the oil companies profits and using it for some reserve fund or something. That really dumb and self defeating, this IS America after all. Why stay in business if you cannot turn a profit? PLUS that would make the entire economy take a major downturn. Almost everything in our lives depends on the oil industry, for better or worse. However, along these lines I would support some kind of legislation (as much as I hate MORE laws) that would require the oil companies to spend a % of their profits on either DOMESTIC exploration, new refineries (if the laws making it so difficult to do so can be changed) or alternative fuel research.
I have a few more, but I gotta get back to work. :)
Cheers!
Very funny cartoon. I feel just like that at the pump. I filled up yesterday and it cost me $47.23 to fill my Camry. That however will last me a month, still it's a lot.
:eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by DJFyrewolf36
what do you drive? 50 MPG is amazing.
I read in the paper the other day that a local gas station was forced to raise his gas prices even though he didn't want to.... because it was unfair to the other gas stations I guess :(
Who knew this thread would get so many panties in a wad. People are really sensitive about what they drive?
Of course... there is NO practical use for a Hummer. NO ONE needs a vehicle THAT big no matter how many kids, dogs, or things you haul. It isn't even BUILT for that.
As for me.... I dont' drive.... I dont' WANT to drive..... I hate driving... but I know I will have to some day. I will have to drive the smallest possible vehicle I can.... for easy parking purposes lol. So many people around here drive those little scooters..... VERy fuel efficient but you will never catch me on anything with only two wheels that isn't pedalled by ME lol.
But I figure.... if they can make certain vehicles run on vegetable oil.... they can certainly find somethign other than oil to run cars..... the trick is finding something to EFFICIENTLY run cars. That and the government gets so much tax money from these high gas prices they won't ever be in a big hurry to get rid of it.
Well that's the bottom line isn't it ??? (And it was to.....LOL).Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks19
The Govt here does absolutely nothing about petrol prices because they make so much money from it. So complaints fall on deaf ears.
It was interesting to see tho.....that when prices of petrol started to go up and up in leaps and bounds, the newspapers were full of advertisements from people trying to unload these big petrol gobbling vehicles they own.
I have to laugh tho at some people....we have builders here in this town who are driving the latest model pickups with all of the embellishments, and I see them monitoring someone putting a bag of cement in the back tray with eagle eyes, making sure that it is placed down softly....lol. Me on the other hand drive an old Ford ute that I regularly throw roof tiles into from great heights....lol. It does me fine....I'm a builder...I build, and use my vehicles accordingly.....and I make sure they have got good petrol/mileage.
Wom
LOL it reminds me of a Jeff Foxworthy joke.Quote:
Originally Posted by wombat2u2004
"If you empty the back of your pick up truck by driving backwards really fast and then slamming on the breaks.... you might be a redneck" haha
Damn !!!! I must be a redneck then....thats the way i empty my truck... :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by sparks19
Wom
[QUOTE=Puckstop31
I have a few more, but I gotta get back to work. :)
Cheers![/QUOTE]
Well that's gotta be the cop out of the week !!!!!
Work ???? You use that as an excuse to do a runner ????
Sheesh !!!!
Wom
Har har wom :D Trust me, I really did think your joke was funny, I almost spit soda all over my keyboard lol!
Sparks, I drive a Ford Festiva 1993, I've done a lot of tinkering and experimenting with it over the years, I guess thats why even when given the opportunity to get another car Ive declined. ;)
My ex had one of those years ago...it was a 93 model to........it had to be the best vehicle I have ever seen for petrol consumption....they go forever on a full tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by DJFyrewolf36
Wom
Ha ha it reminds me of the line from Fun with Dick and Jane
"But honey, think of all we can SEE on one tank of gas!" :D