Fuel Costs!

[Gnome]

I'd still ride my motorbike even if the cost went up to five bucks a gallon,but gee wiz I'm about to get grand pappy's recipe for moon shine out and dust it off. Maybe I can run on that:banghead Fuel prices are getting crazy!!!!!!!
What's your thoughts?

[username]

they arent high enough yet. people are still buying ford expletives and hummers in large numbers. i say raise 'em another buck with a tax, and use it as a rebate to motorcycle riders for having efficient vehicles and being so darn good-looking.

:D

[ScottM]

It pretty amazing here in the SF Bay Area that we have some of the most expensive gas in the nation and yet when I commute into work we still have miles of bumper to bumper cages. Each one carrying a single person.

As a side note I stopped a fight at my local station the other morning. Seems someone was waiting to pull up and someone cut him off. Was about to come to blows, when I asked why anyone would fight over $2.50/gal gas? They both looked at me with a kind of glazed expression and then walked away. Pretty funny!:)

[manicmechanic]

What's also interesting is the number of older bikes coming out of "retirement" due to the price of gas. Our shop is getting all sorts of early-to-mid-eighties UJM's and econo-bikes to get running for folks. Now all we have to do is find tires for some of them. Seen any 3.00-17's lately? We can find front tires from one mfr, and rears from another, now try and match a set. Last week I spent over an hour on one carb with my dental tools scraping out the varnish, followed by the Dremel with a wire wheel to finish the job.

I'm finding a lot of folks asking about bikes in general now, and investigating riding courses. But they're getting disappointed to find the courses are pretty much filled up.

[sgborgstrom]

There is an intriguing splint in the american personality that complains about the rising cost of fuel while buying vehicles that are horribly inefficient in their use of that same fuel. Madison Av and the moto-press (cars AND bikes) have managed to sell us on this "Bigger is Better" methodology to our buying habits. Very few people NEED a 5.3L hemi to haul their kids to school or crawl along in 10mph traffic.

Motorcyclists aren't immune, how many go-fast bikes are sold every year to folks who will never be able to use 50% of the capabilities of the machine?

My NSHO... buy what you want but don't come complaining to me about it's lousy gas mileage.

Back to the original post, it has always intrigued me how fast gas prices rise in relation to outside events and how slow they are to return to "normal".

Steve

[Gizmo]

Originally posted by ScottM
It pretty amazing here in the SF Bay Area that we have some of the most expensive gas in the nation and yet when I commute into work we still have miles of bumper to bumper cages. Each one carrying a single person.

As a side note I stopped a fight at my local station the other morning. Seems someone was waiting to pull up and someone cut him off. Was about to come to blows, when I asked why anyone would fight over $2.50/gal gas? They both looked at me with a kind of glazed expression and then walked away. Pretty funny!:)

This reminds me of the gas lines in late 70's early 80's, a friend of mine was waiting his turn on a line that wrapped around the block. There was a woman in front of him who dozed off and so when the line started to move, my friend tapped his horn, she woke up moved forward and went back to sleep. This scenario was repeated until they were finally ready to enter the station, when a guy came from behind my friend and pulled in front of this woman, at this point she woke up, said something to this guy to which he said "tough ----". The woman took her locking cap off and put it on his tank and left, with the keys of course. He was near empty, I guess she was not and the gas attendant who got wind of this laughed at him when he asked for help getting the cap off.

[Cliffy777]

"Back to the original post, it has always intrigued me how fast gas prices rise in relation to outside events and how slow they are to return to "normal"."

It especially bothers me when the outside event is a holiday. The petroleum companies try to put it off on supply and demand, the supply hasn't changed but just the demand.

I lived in Traverse City for a couple of years. Real tourist trap. It didn't take but a couple of holidays to realize EVERYTHING went up in price for them. From gas to lodging to groceries. Those of us who lived there learned to stock up on staples and such a couple weeks before the big holiday. Yipes.

[LICK MY BRICK]

The rise of gas prices here in New York City does not bother me as much as paying $8.00 for a pack of my favorite smokes!!!And on top of it,I can't even smoke them in my favorite Bar because its illegal! I think it is time to move,and sorry for going off the topic just ranting:banghead

[Gnome]

The United States has become a very "un-free" country. Anyone out there yelling about this country being so damn free is an idiot,and is fooling himself. (of course you'll tell me love it or leave it,and that's ok).
The man who can't even smoke his cigarettes in a bar. Another who might offend someone by praying over his meal in public. What has become of the good old USA ? I'll tell you what the U.S of A has become,and it's one big cess pool of slithering lawyers who don't give a rat's ass how they make a buck! Lawsuit here,lawsuit there, it's getting unreal!
The government is also one big out of control gas guzling beast that has control over every part of our lives.
This country was not founded on the principals that it is showing today. The government was NOT to be all powerful,but individual States were to have they're rights. This country hasn't been free since 1861,when the Tyrant Abraham Lincoln destroyed it with his so called "Civil War". But when has war ever been "civil".
If you think you are not a slave to the government of the United States, look at how much of the year you work just to cover the taxes you owe.
Back to gas prices. I don't agree with all these little moms out there hauling their kids from home to school and soccer practice in an army tank,I mean SUV. But hey it's still not illegal to own one. If they want to have ten F-ing cylinders and get eight mph that's they're stupid insane buisness. I on the other hand will protest like a good American patriot should and ride my fuel efficient motorbike. May we all protest until our voices are heard,and the pinch is felt. God bless America...or will he ever again?

[lancew]

www.gasbuddy.com is great- it links to local sites that show the ten highest and lowest prices in areas around the country.

As for prices, it makes me feel smart for buying an old Celica ragtop to commute in (25 or so mpg) so I could leave the one-ton diesel horse-puller at home. (I know, I know, but commuting on the bike trashes my suit- I ride in on fridays and look forward to going back to casual day full time... plus the bike is my escape from work, not my ticket TO work. And I just don't feel like loading all my stuff on the bike at 4:30 every morning.)

Oh, and I LOVE the chevy tahoe/ford excursion/etc etc- some owners truly need it, and for others it's the perfect vehicle for anyone not smart enough to fit a soccer ball into a station wagon... :stick

[donkey doctor]

Hello; You guys complaining about $2 a gallon gas can take heart in the fact that here in British Colombia Canada have to pay 97.9 a litre for regular unleaded gas. A litre is 34 oz., your gallon is 128 oz. That equals $4.44 a gallon (us), The gas price is rising and falling every day, but it's hovering artound 97.9 here where I live (on Vancouver Island).
There is lots of political sabre rattling going on about it, blaming this guy and that guy, but we'll probably just sit there and take it.

[Cliffy777]

a bit at my local Shell last night when I realized mid-grade was $2.12 a gal. That is a high point for us around here. Glad the Rockster doesn't cry out for premium.......

[GeoffMiller]

What I don't get is that people will gripe about the price of gas and then spend a buck on half a quart of bottled water which they could get for free from the fountain! Go figure! The guys who came up with pet rocks and bottled water, brilliant!!!

[ArticPrep]

I agree that the higher gas prices are good, in a way. I drive a M3 (6miles round trip to and from work each day), and wife has a 350z, but rides her bicycle the 2 miles to work each day. I would ride the R1100S to work each day, but it's just too hot, and I have to wear a suit to work, so that's out of the question. If our office had a shower, then I would definately ride the bike to work each day. I fill my car up with gas about once a month, so it's not too bad. I can't believe that people are still buying oversized SUVs. HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF DIESEL????? I freakin love diesel! I mean, a friend of mine has a diesel jetta that gets 45 miles to the gallon! WTF aren't car manufactures making more of these!!!!???!?!??! Personally, I think it's kind of cool that gas prices are so high, in a devious sort of way!

[motofranz]

I dont even look at the gas prices any more nuttin' ya can do 'bout it

I have so much fun on my RT I could care less what they charge
.
Dont spend much money on fuel being close to where I work.

I just call it

FUN
PER
GALLON :)

[GlobeBusters]

Hee, hee, hee. I love bringing my bike over the the US. Fuel prices are so cheap. In the UK, we pay about $1.40 for a litre (that is about $6.50 for a gallon). Don't know what you're all moaning about!

[lorazepam]

What makes your fuel in the UK so expensive is not the cost of the fuel, but the taxes that are involved. Seems we in the US had a disagreement with the British about over taxation a while back:D and decided to go it alone with lower taxes.

[1flyer]

Dream Catcher is right. I filled up a rental car at Gatwick airport and the boss in the back seat asked if that included an upgrade to our seat assignments for the flight back home. It was something like $5.50 a gallon but our Travel Department never batted an eye at the charge on the expense report.

[lorazepam]

I was paying 3.75 a gallon in 1978 over there. The exchange rate was $2.11 per pound. It got up for a short time to almost 4 bucks a gallon. I had a '57 Morris minor, it got 50mpg and went about 55mph. Wish I still had it, it was a great car. Hunted phesants with it.

[dzimbric]

We heard you were hunting peasants.

[jgr451]

I heard he was plucking pheasants...:dunno

[BradfordBenn]

Amoco/BP is bringing back "Super Tuesday" where Ultimate (Premium) is that same price as Silver (Mid Grade) filled up at $2.149 yesterday for Ultimate.

Still expensive but it sames about 20 cents a gallon.

[Brickhead]

Originally posted by Gnome
This country was not founded on the principals that it is showing today. The government was NOT to be all powerful,but individual States were to have they're rights.

The smoking law is a good example of what many see as a trend toward overall wussification of NYC...but it had nothing to do with the federal government...it is the result of state-born legislation, brought about by people who, for some reason, are prepared to pour liquor into their bodies but bristle at the health dangers of secondhand smoke...

I think rising fuel prices could have some positive effects - I keep daydreaming about the US populace suddenly going crazy for motorbikes as practical fun transportation, with plenty of lane-splitting and designated motorcycle-only street parking for all...And maybe people will start buying sensible cars again - I just got back from Europe, and diesels have come a long way...My friend has a Volks Passat diesel that gets like 50 mpg, has pretty good pickup and apparently the emissions are pretty good these days...

Also, I agree that we have drifted from some important ideals in this country, but I also think that our attitude of individual freedom, combined with unbridled consumerism is very dangerous without a more widely-held belief in individual responsibility...This SUV crap is a good example - a bunch of people buy SUVs, then when the price of gas goes up, they cry discrimmination, and anyone who doesn't want to drill for oil in Alaska is some kind of America-hating commie jerk...

Isn't the price of fuel kept artificially low, when compared with other countries? If this is true, I think the founders of pure captalism would like to have a word with us as well...

And I heard somewhere that SUVs are classified as "cars", which creates a situation where the costs are not commeasurate with their footprint on the environment and infrastructure (tolls, registration, emissions, etc). Also, I heard that as long as one can call oneself an "independent contractor", they are able to write off the cost of vehicles like Hummers as necessary work vehicles, even if they don't register them as commercial vehicles...If the government is prepared to create this kind of incentive to buy vehicles like this, I don't want to hear another word about drilling in Alaska, etc...