Gas prices

[rolanaj]

I thought it might be a good idea to start a gas price thread seeing as it's a hot topic. Here in Eastern Canada we are paying $1.30 a litre CAD which I think works out to approx $5.20 a Gal it is getting too expensive to drive.EDlTI can spell I just can't type

Edited September 5, 2005 by rolanaj

[Ed_P]

For those who like math: 4 liters = 1 Imperial gallon = 5 US quarts = 1.20 US gallons. Thus a liter of gas selling for $1.30 CA is equivalent to a US gallon selling for $4.16CA. If the exchange rate is 20% $4.16CA converts to $3.33US. Which is about what we're seeing.

[Rons]

EdP - thanks for breaking it down. I didn't think the Canadians were paying more than we were.

[ebrke]

EdP - thanks for breaking it down.  I didn't think the Canadians were paying more than we were. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think just about everyone pays more than we do here in the US, but it's still a shock when prices go up fast. We're close to $3.50 here in central NJ, but I know it's higher other places.

[zlim]

We managed to find "bargain" price of $3.20 here in PA yesterday. I'm more concerned at the moment about the price of heating oil with cooler weather approaching.

[ebrke]

I hear you, Liz, I use natural gas and they have said that will go way up too.

[Ed_P]

We should all go live with an environmentalist. No coal burning power plants, no nuclear power plants, no drilling in Alaska, etc. We can't afford to drive our cars or heat our homes but hey, air is still free and the polar bears and caribou have a nice area to roam in.

[havnblast]

3.19 a gallon in North Dakota, I hear reports of other places being 3.19-3.25 tho.

[lewmur]

I thought it might be a good idea to start a gas price thread  seeing as it's a hot topic. Here in Eastern  Canada we are paying $1.30 a litre CAD which I think works out to approx $5.20 a Gal it is getting too expensive to drive.EDlTI can spell I just can't type

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't see what the problem is. The only production loss was from "lil' ole Louisiana." There is plenty of oil off Florida, California, Oregon, Washington and North Carolina. Not to mentrion the vast amounts in ANWAR.Of course I realize that the people of those states are much more important than the "bunch of rednecks" in south Louisiana. We're to dumb to know that oil rigs 25 miles off the coast (where they can't be seen except from a 50 story building) are "spoiling the natural beauty."Just be glad you can buy gas period. We here in parts of south Louisiana can't. I have relatives bringing me a portable generator right now. The challenge will be to find gas to run it. Edited September 5, 2005 by lewmur

[havnblast]

The whole thing is a mes. I went out and bought a used car, 91 Buick Regal 3.1L, so I can get better mpg than my pickup. My paycheck doesn't cover the added costs of driving to work. I can't imagin what impact this is going to have on those that have yearly budgets, like our law enforcement and emergency vehicles.I know our department and state highway patrol are all on budgets. It's not just vehicles, but the cost of heating and cool also.

[lewmur]

The whole thing is a mes.  I went out and bought a used car, 91 Buick Regal 3.1L, so I can get better mpg than my pickup.  My paycheck doesn't cover the added costs of driving to work.  I can't imagin what impact this is going to have on those that have yearly budgets, like our law enforcement and emergency vehicles.I know our department and state highway patrol are all on budgets.  It's not just vehicles, but the cost of heating and cool also.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Blame it on the people who had sit-ins and boycotts everytime we tried to build a new nuclear plant or open a new oil field.

[jaquoval]

For those who like math: 4 liters = 1 Imperial gallon = 5 US quarts = 1.20 US gallons. Thus a liter of gas selling for $1.30 CA is equivalent to a US gallon selling for $4.16CA. If the exchange rate is 20% $4.16CA converts to $3.33US.  Which is about what we're seeing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Methinks there's a little too much rounding here.1 litre is approx 0.264 US gal1 CAD = 0.839 USDSo the equivalent price would be 0.839 * 1.3 / 0.264 = US$4.13 / US gal

[rolanaj]

Well gas prices are at $1.40 a liter here now and across the border in Calais Me the price is $1.09 so we are definitely paying more here in Canada

[Ed_P]

Methinks there's a little too much rounding here.1 litre is approx 0.264 US gal1 CAD = 0.839 USDSo the equivalent price would be 0.839 * 1.3  / 0.264 = US$4.13 / US gal

An Imperial gallon is 8 pints each of 20 fluid ounces. (ie 160 fluid oz.)A US a fluid gallon is 8 pints of 16 fluid ounces. (ie 128 fluid oz.)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon)160 - 128 = 32 / 160 = .20 or 1/5 more than a US gallon.The bank statement I got the other day for converting CA into US was 19.45%I don't think the rounding is off by as much as you think.

across the border in Calais Me the price is $1.09 so we are definitely paying more here in Canada

Are you serious!!!! That's an unbelievable bargain (now days ). Are you sure that's what's on the pumps and isn't just what's on a sign they didn't change?? Edited September 6, 2005 by EdP

[hkspike]

I love it when North Americans talk about gas prices; the stuff is dirt cheap in US/Canada. Maybe a bit of basic supply/demand economics will help out. Average US vehicle mpg is at it lowest since way back when.EdP, those polar bears and caribou are big polluters too - all the fur, guano, methane and then they die and lie around for months rotting. Is nowhere safe?

[jaquoval]

LOL, Ed - must be the new math you're using. Not sure why you're calculating the difference between Imp and US gallons to figure out a conversion from litres. Kind of like subtracting your zip code from your bank's to figure out the interest rate on your mortgage...

[BoardFlak]

For those who like math: 4 liters = 1 Imperial gallon = 5 US quarts = 1.20 US gallons. Thus a liter of gas selling for $1.30 CA is equivalent to a US gallon selling for $4.16CA. If the exchange rate is 20% $4.16CA converts to $3.33US.  Which is about what we're seeing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I may point out one small thing? Since a US quart is .25 US gallon, 5 US quarts is 1.25 US gallons, not 1.20 as given (5x32=160, 160/128 = 1.25).But then, the whole thing breaks down even before that, because according to Google: 1 Imperial gallon = 4.54609188 litre, not an even 4. Edited September 6, 2005 by BoardFlak

[Ed_P]

Sorry about the 1.25/1.20 error. You are correct of course. The 1/5th thought was clouding my vision. While an Imperial gal. may indeed equal 4.54609188 litre an even more basic question is are the gas pumps in CA pumping true litres or 1/4 of Imperial gallon liters. I'll let someone else do the math if they are pumping true litres. And for money exchange rates don't forget to add in the bank fees. You can't just go by what's posted on the 'net.

[longgone]

..............Way on back in the good old days when the rate was 360 yen to $1.00US .... fond memories ... also in same time period $1.00 US = $1.20 AU .... but you got a lot for it too....

[henderrob]

I have a diesel Jetta and diesel is at CAD 0.939. I usually get over 1000Km on 50 liters of diesel.But yesterday the attendent put 31 liters of gasoline in my tank. Apparently, I wasn't the first at this station. The supervisor had a laminate sheet on towing, repair, and car rental for these occasions. I think this will cost them around $1000 bucks by the time we get our car back.

[longgone]

But yesterday the attendent put 31 liters of gasoline in my tank. Apparently, I wasn't the first at this station.

Ouch............ the qiuck way to send your diesel engine into runaway/self destruct ... hope the supvr consoled his attendant on this gross error and the final costs..........

[Bruno]

Might want to look at these:http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/ Bruno

[epp_b]

EDIT (CORRECTION): Paying $1.15 CAD per litre here. That's approx. $3.80/gallon USD. Grrr...greedy oil companies/refineries/government....What's even more sick about this greed is that Alberta -- the province with so much oil that they have no PST and are debt-free -- could be charging practically half-a-buck less per litre (CAD)...but they are charging just as much as everyone else at the pumps simply "because they can" Just disgusting. Doesn't really make a difference to me, because I don't live there, but it still makes me sick.

But yesterday the attendent put 31 liters of gasoline in my tank. Apparently, I wasn't the first at this station. The supervisor had a laminate sheet on towing, repair, and car rental for these occasions. I think this will cost them around $1000 bucks by the time we get our car back.

Awk!! :'(Good luck with that! It sure had better cost them.

Might want to look at these:http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

Venezuela Caracas $0.12 Edited September 7, 2005 by epp_b

[lewmur]

Paying $1.20 CAD per litre here.  That's approx. $4.00/gallon USD.  Grrr...greedy oil companies/refineries/government....What's even more sick about this greed is that Alberta -- the province with so much oil that they have no PST and are debt-free -- could be charging practically half-a-buck less per litre (CAD)...but they are charging just as much as everyone else at the pumps simply "because they can" Just disgusting.  Doesn't really make a difference to me, because I don't live there, but it still makes me sick.Awk!! :'(Good luck with that!  It sure had better cost them.Venezuela  Caracas  $0.12         

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, they could charge less. I guess you could work for less also. Why don't you?The price of gas is high becuase demand is high and supply is low. But wait till "the sleeping giant," China, fully awakens. Demand is going to skyrocket. If the "Western World" doesn't get off its duff and start building nuclear plants, we are all going to wind up walking.

[Tushman]

Yes, they could charge less. I guess you could work for less also. Why don't you?The price of gas is high becuase demand is high and supply is low.  But wait till "the sleeping giant," China, fully awakens.  Demand is going to skyrocket.  If the "Western World" doesn't get off its duff and start building nuclear plants, we are all going to wind up walking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lewmur, why are you getting so testy with EPP? Personally, if i was trying to deal with the aftermath of a devasting hurricane, I would certainly find better outlets for expending my energy.Your comment above is a bit... off the mark. While demand for oil worldwide hasn't let up (in fact it's been increasing), the OPEC and other nations have been able to able to replenish the oil reserve in pace with the demand wihtout any problems. Someday we will have tapped all the oil we can extract from Earth. And at our current rate of consumption, it might come sooner than expected. However, no one has a crystal ball - and it would be foolish to predict the date and time when we finally run out. Not surprisingly, the classic supply & demand model doesn't always hold true for oil commodity. Historically, the oil companies have never passed on an opportunity to screw over the public when they've had a chance to. Edited September 7, 2005 by Tushman

[hkspike]

Does it matter that oil will run out? Actually I'm not sure it ever will, but it may get to the point it is too expensive to extract. The horse and cart did not become extinct. Nor did sailing ships. The world found a better way to do things. One problem with every prediction of the future is that it fails to model human ingenuity. Perhaps the current crisis of oil refining, ahrdly of oil extraction, will tip us into the next energy generation. Maybe people will start talking sense about nukes.Not sure it's just the oil companies, isn't it every company with a monopoly?

[epp_b]

Yes, they could charge less. I guess you could work for less also. Why don't you?

Comparing thousands to millions and billions isn't exactly fair, don't you think?

The price of gas is high becuase demand is high and supply is low. But wait till "the sleeping giant," China, fully awakens. Demand is going to skyrocket. If the "Western World" doesn't get off its duff and start building nuclear plants, we are all going to wind up walking.

LA LA LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

[epp_b]

Does it matter that oil will run out? Actually I'm not sure it ever will, but it may get to the point it is too expensive to extract. The horse and cart did not become extinct. Nor did sailing ships. The world found a better way to do things. One problem with every prediction of the future is that it fails to model human ingenuity. Perhaps the current crisis of oil refining, ahrdly of oil extraction, will tip us into the next energy generation. Maybe people will start talking sense about nukes.

Too bad electric cars with automatic trannies take all the fun out of driving

Not sure it's just the oil companies, isn't it every company with a monopoly?

Pretty much...

[Tushman]

Does it matter that oil will run out? Actually I'm not sure it ever will, but it may get to the point it is too expensive to extract. The horse and cart did not become extinct. Nor did sailing ships. The world found a better way to do things. One problem with every prediction of the future is that it fails to model human ingenuity. Perhaps the current crisis of oil refining, ahrdly of oil extraction, will tip us into the next energy generation. Maybe people will start talking sense about nukes.Not sure it's just the oil companies, isn't it every company with a monopoly?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well I was with you right up until the very end...."isn't it every company with a monopoly?.Are you trying to say that every company is a monopoly? Last time I checked I could find plenty of competition for several goods & services; autoparts, software, just as an example. Edited September 7, 2005 by Tushman

[rolanaj]

Tushman I think his remark was in regard to this:

Historically, the oil companies have never passed on an opportunity to screw over the public when they've had a chance to.

and he is saying that monopolies like the oil companies are likely guily of this too. I am not sure if oil companies qualify as a monopoly though as I believe their are several of them, but they seem to do a good job of sticking together and holding the rest of the world hostage.