Why are gas prices so high (and why do they keep climbing)?

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I figure that we the bystanders, the citizens around the world, have to muddle along for awhile and put up with sanction blowback's inconveniences or real hardships. These are nothing compared to the misery being experienced by Ukrainians. They have all those inconveniences plus the horrors of war, of bombs dropping on their hospitals and homes, the prospect of lost harvest, of starvation, decimation, all while Putin stis in his bubble and talks like he's just doing what must be done, as if disciplining an errant child. Jesus! It's all so infuriating and frustrating. And so, so dangerous.

I’d feel better about “doing my part” if it wasn’t for the fact that in just about every crisis it’s made worse by corporate greed and the government fully supporting that. I’m sure right now the fossil fuel and military industries are cracking open bottles of champaign while the rest of us are “doing our part.” Then tack on all the countless related trickle down fuel charges with profits skimmed off every transaction. And I’m not going to ignore those things because it’s substantially worse in Ukraine. That doesn’t give all involved a pass on those abuses.

It's beyond infuriating to me that Congress just approved 1.5 trillion for Ukraine while a good percentage of them unilaterally blocked spending even a dime on the American people over the past year.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I pay around £980 ($1289) a month in PAYE, National Insurance and other deductions. Our healthcare is only really free for those who don’t work. The cost of living is going up for everybody and we are one of the most taxed in Europe to be fair. We also pay more for petrol and diesel than most of Europe. £1.71.9 a litre in my town for diesel tonight.

Everyone forgets our free NHS, is paid for every month (whether we use it or not!). But I'd not switch to the US system.

Petrol is crazy. I'm off to London Wednesday for work. I'll get 44p a mile. I was getting that around 4-5 years ago. Its not that good a deal these days.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Everyone forgets our free NHS, is paid for every month (whether we use it or not!). But I'd not switch to the US system.

Petrol is crazy. I'm off to London Wednesday for work. I'll get 44p a mile. I was getting that around 4-5 years ago. Its not that good a deal these days.

My company only give £0.45 per mile and that’s been static for the 6 years I have worked there. I rarely use my car for work as we have a few 5 Series BMW’s that are pool cars, so I’d rather use those if I can. I think there is less incentive for anybody to use their car for company use if mileage allowances don’t match the rate of fuel increases.

 

[MEJHarrison]

I'm one of the lucky ones. The pandemic has pushed my position to be remote full-time. So while the price of gas is insane, at least I'm still barely driving and only need to fill up every few months.

And if things change and they decide we need to start coming back in to the office, it's 2 miles away. So I could walk or take the bus if needed. Before the pandemic, I'd just walk on nice days, then hop a ride home on the bus after work.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I'm one of the lucky ones. The pandemic has pushed my position to be remote full-time. So while the price of gas is insane, at least I'm still barely driving and only need to fill up every few months.

And if things change and they decide we need to start coming back in to the office, it's 2 miles away. So I could walk or take the bus if needed. Before the pandemic, I'd just walk on nice days, then hop a ride home on the bus after work.

I live 32 miles from work and at least a couple years ago that is the exact average for Bay Area commuters.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I live 32 miles from work and at least a couple years ago that is the exact average for Bay Area commuters.

Pretty much the same for me.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Pretty much the same for me.

And since it's the average, that includes people who live in Facebook's campus apartments and a much larger percentage of the workforce who lives an hour+ away due to the high cost of living.

The irony is the people who can afford to live in the Bay Area proper are more likely to be able to afford an EV while those with the longer commute can't. So now you can flush your cost of living savings down the toilet due to the increase in gas prices. But hey, you still get to enjoy that long ass commute.

 

[Herdfan]

That got straightened out right quick, but the incident became part of my family's "remembered tales" for keeps, and all of us living around here still do business farther up the road at Lowe's instead of HD.

We have a similar one for Pella. They make great windows, but I will not use them.

My mom ordered some for her sunroom when I was in college. She ordered the ones with the mini-blinds inside. The truck showed up and the windows did not have the mini-blinds. I told mom to not accept delivery and it needed to be worked out. She felt bad for the driver and accepted the delivery. Pella refused to make good even though the order clearly stated they were supposed to be the ones with the blinds. So over the years I have put probably north of $250K worth of windows in places, but not a single one was a Pella.

So, yeah, I get it.

But HD carries Milwaukee, Lowe's does not.

 

[Herdfan]

I rarely use my car for work as we have a few 5 Series BMW’s that are pool cars, so I’d rather use those if I can.

Nice.

But are they the full luxury version that we get over here, or the more stripped down, manual shift versions?

 

[Joe]

My mid-size truck (Tacoma) gets pretty decent gas mileage. I usually fill up once a week.

 

[lizkat]

I’d feel better about “doing my part” if it wasn’t for the fact that in just about every crisis it’s made worse by corporate greed and the government fully supporting that. I’m sure right now the fossil fuel and military industries are cracking open bottles of champaign while the rest of us are “doing our part.” Then tack on all the countless related trickle down fuel charges with profits skimmed off every transaction. And I’m not going to ignore those things because it’s substantially worse in Ukraine. That doesn’t give all involved a pass on those abuses.
It's beyond infuriating to me that Congress just approved 1.5 trillion for Ukraine while a good percentage of them unilaterally blocked spending even a dime on the American people over the past year.

Yes. And It's hard not to feel like the oilco guys live for the chance of some spectacular windfall. Anything will do: a war, a natural disaster, a harsh winter, a hot summer... whatever looks to jack up the price of the dead dinos can't be all bad.

I mean you couldn't pay them to resume fracking or working to get courts to overturn moratorium rulings on pipeline extensions five and six, seven years ago. They blew millions on legal fees and their own versions of impact studies and Beltway lobbying efforts... but gas prices were tanking, so even if they won they'd still lose. But now they figure to bulldoze all those activist complaints about frack-quakes, toxic waste and well damage plus environmental concerns regarding pipelines and rail, train or water transport, just because Americans look to be needing gas and oil regardless of the sanctions being laid on Russia.

Meanwhile still waiting for Congress to step up and say hey this would be a great time to pour a trillion bucks into getting the grid onto renewables. Plenty of work all over the states, good pay, sign up today! But no. Pens come out instead to write big new checks to the oilcos. It would be disappointing if not for being so infuriating and destructive.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Nice.

But are they the full luxury version that we get over here, or the more stripped down, manual shift versions?

They are 520D M-Sports and one is a 520i SE. Quite popular on our roads as rep cars to be honest. The manuals are quite rare here I think, I haven’t seen many. I drove the 520i the other day and it’s a 2019, check out the mileage:

My own car is a manual Audi A4 and to be honest I have driven mostly manuals for the past 22 years. Our main family car is an auto though.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

There was a headline on CNN the other day that was something like “Why gas prices are rising and will remain high for a long time.” It’s like the fossil fuel industry went “Regardless of what happens in Ukraine in the coming hours, days, weeks, and months you will be getting hosed at the pump for the foreseeable future. During these uncertain times we hope you find comfort in the stability of knowing you will get hosed at the pump for a long time. Sorry, not sorry.”

 

[DT]

I drove the 520i the other day and it’s a 2019, check out the mileage:

 

[Herdfan]

I drove the 520i the other day and it’s a 2019, check out the mileage:

You all use miles? Not kilometer's?

 

[Apple fanboy]

You all use miles? Not kilometer's?

In the U.K.? Absolutely.

 

[Deleted member 215]

There was a headline on CNN the other day that was something like “Why gas prices are rising and will remain high for a long time.” It’s like the fossil fuel industry went “Regardless of what happens in Ukraine in the coming hours, days, weeks, and months you will be getting hosed at the pump for the foreseeable future. During these uncertain times we hope you find comfort in the stability of knowing you will get hosed at the pump for a long time. Sorry, not sorry.”

Yep. Oil companies love for us to think gas prices are completely out of their control; it's just "the market". They are the market.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

Yep. Oil companies love for us to think gas prices are completely out of their control; it's just "the market". They are the market.

Fossil fuel industry’s crisis response:

Step 1: Instantaneously jack up prices
Step 2: Step 1 pretty much covers it on our end. Maybe we’ll have a step 2 in 6 – 12 months. Maybe.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

You all use miles? Not kilometer's?

It’s one the the imperial measurements that has stayed with us, probably to avoid the cost of replacing road signs. We do flip between the two in a lot of instances though I find.

 

[Herdfan]

It’s one the the imperial measurements that has stayed with us, probably to avoid the cost of replacing road signs. We do flip between the two in a lot of instances though I find.

We need to pick a lane, and I really don't care which one, but pick one and stay in it. It is maddening need both SAE and Metric tools and to have to switch between SAE and metric bolts.