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How does gas at $4 and higher impact you?

2183 messages,  Last post on Nov 21, 2009 at 5:13 PM

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What is this discussion about? Gasoline, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)


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#871 of 2183
Re: In tribute to all those fine Wall Streeters... [kdhspyder] by duke23
Sep 23, 2008 (7:07 pm)
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Sep 23, 2008 10:34 am)

kdhspyder wrote:
" Or... you can just plan that prices will fall...and hope. I prefer to plan for the worst and benefit when it doesn't occur. Wanna bet against $4.50 - $5.00 gas next spring? "
 
I'll be taking that bet sir, please write it down. Long term I see oil rising again but in the short term, oil doth love it's extremes. We may see $75 before we see $150. Congratulation on the purchase of your hybrid. You, the hyper miler were willing to convert at a far lower price than $4/gal.but global slowdown does not portend well for your peak oil hypothesis. Evident economics in place contradict it, The Goldman Sachs analyst is in agreement with you, but many hedge funds ,supposedly brilliant, contributed to yesterdays 30% intra day move on an expiring contract. Chin-India on sir, But Indonesia? Isn't the exchange built on a dirt road with burros moving items of commerce? And doesn't Indonesia possess a gnp less the poorest zipcode in Cleveland ? The Asian contagion of '97 was based on fears of weakness in the Thai Baht. Lmao, Or so to speak. Putting the kart back in Jakarta. An alternate point of view.
#872 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [larsb] by mattandi
Sep 24, 2008 (5:53 am)
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Replying to: larsb (Sep 23, 2008 10:19 am)

Part of the problem is we have to figure out how to divert some of those $$$ currently being spent on foreign oil. Not just reduce the amount, but shift it into these other areas. This year's run up in prices certainly prompted a few changes in habits, and we may come out of this year with lower consumption, but I am not sure the $$$ numbers have changed much. We're still sending billions to the countries with the oil.
 
This is a tough nut. Pickins' ideas are very appealing, and he's right that the drill here drill now thingy is not enough to really provide meaningful change. Finding the political and social will, and the room in real daily life budgets, to pull this off is no easy task.
#873 of 2183
Re: In tribute to all those fine Wall Streeters... [kdhspyder] by kernick
Sep 24, 2008 (9:18 am)
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Replying to: kdhspyder (Sep 23, 2008 4:40 pm)

I have to disagree with you. Families that are middle class in the developing countries are making $5,000 - $10,000/year. The ability and willingness to buy as and oil is strongly correlated to the percentage of their income.
 
$4/gal gas to us is relatively $16/gal to them. If gas goes up $0.50/gal to $4.50, it has 4X the effect on developing countries. Lower income people and countries are forced to "blink", and demand decreases.
 
It is the same thing in this country right now. Lower income people either didn't have money for gas, or they're skimping on other things to buy gas, while people who are better-off maybe don't really care about the price now. It all comes down to personal income. And China and India and such have much larger populations but their economy isn't as large as the U.S. So on a per capita basis U.S. citizens will be able to afford gas/oil long after people making $5,000 - $10,000/ year "blink".
#874 of 2183
Re: In tribute to all those fine Wall Streeters... [kernick] by gagrice
Sep 24, 2008 (9:22 am)
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Replying to: kernick (Sep 24, 2008 9:18 am)

I agree with that. As soon as China and India dropped the subsidy the price of oil plummeted. I am not sure it has reached near the level that China and India will accept. It would help to know just how much their demand dropped with the higher prices. Mexico is the same. They are now paying what we are paying and it has cut consumption.
#875 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [1stpik] by oldfarmer50
Sep 24, 2008 (9:29 am)
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Replying to: 1stpik (Sep 22, 2008 5:56 pm)

"...Those things (wind turbines) cost $30,000..."
 
It's worse than that. Back in the late 70's we looked into the possibility of going off grid with our own wind system. The cost was staggering.
 
Worse though were the government roadblocks. A structure high enough to gather worthwhile wind was taller than allowed by zoning laws. It would have required about 100K in studies, permits and variances to get approval. In effect the local government talked a good game about conservation but when put to the test told us to "drop dead".
 
I doubt things have changed much in the last 30 years.
#876 of 2183
Re: In tribute to all those fine Wall Streeters... [kernick] by larsb
Sep 24, 2008 (9:31 am)
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Replying to: kernick (Sep 24, 2008 9:18 am)

kernick says, "Lower income people either didn't have money for gas, or they're skimping on other things to buy gas, while people who are better-off maybe don't really care about the price now"
 
I think the evidence disputes that thought. It's not merely "lower income people" who are driving 11 billion fewer miles each month. It's people from MOST economic levels, possibly excepting the very very rich. ( Although P Diddy recently said he's not flying his private plane nearly as often these days, since it was costing him about $200K per flight. )
 
Maybe ALL income levels have felt the effect.
 
Regardless, it's good that we are moving away from gasoline excesses. We have enough excess consumption in this country, so anything that reduces our excess is a good thing in most people's views.
#877 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [oldfarmer50] by gagrice
Sep 24, 2008 (9:40 am)
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Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Sep 24, 2008 9:29 am)

Regulations will be the biggest stumbling block to alternatives such as wind and solar. Getting a permit in San Diego is a several year proposition for adding anything to your property. I would say if the addition does not generate more tax revenue it is likely to be denied. I have not seen any solar in the town our old house is in. There is a lot of solar in the County. Much looser regs. The suburban cities are looking for more revenue and all permits will reflect that. They are building a very large subdivision on top of the mountain behind our old place. Not a solar panel on any of them. And they all have a clear shot to the South.
#878 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [gagrice] by larsb
Sep 24, 2008 (9:46 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Sep 24, 2008 9:40 am)

There are not many cities who have anti-solar panel ordinances.
 
There was a case in CA recently where a neighbor had a tree blocking another neighbor's solar panel, and the solar panel guy won the case. Tree had to be cut so it would not block the panels.
 
I think your "solar enemies" opinion for CA is flawed. I think there are FAR more people pushing solar than there are anti-solar agendas.
 
I can look it up and post proof if you want, but that is my "shoot-from-the-hip" quickie opinion.
 
P.S. Found something. Looks like the "localized opposition" is just upset that they might be putting large solar arrays out on open desert land. The don't oppose solar power - they just prefer it to be "rooftop" installations and not to be just taking up space in the open desert.
 
NY Times story
 
Terry Frewin, the chairman of the Sierra Club’s California/Nevada desert committee, wrote to the club’s executive director, Carl Pope, in July, criticizing him for backing large-scale solar projects.
 
“Remote solar arrays destroy all native resources on site, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wildernesses,” Mr. Frewin wrote. He urged the Sierra Club to embrace distributed generation as an alternative to the “industrial renewable” option.
#879 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [larsb] by andre1969
Sep 24, 2008 (9:56 am)
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Replying to: larsb (Sep 24, 2008 9:46 am)

There was a case in CA recently where a neighbor had a tree blocking another neighbor's solar panel, and the solar panel guy won the case. Tree had to be cut so it would not block the panels.
 
Just out of curiosity, what was there first? The tree or the solar panel? I could see if the solar panel had been there for ages and the neighbors planted a fast-growing tree that blocked it. But if the tree was there first, I say tough ta-ta's.
 
Back in the 80's, the neighbors behind us got satellite tv. Unfortunately, the trees in our back yard, established old Poplar trees that were probably 80 feet tall, were blocking the signal, so they had someone cut them down...without our permission! That little stunt cost them about $4,000, as I recall.
#880 of 2183
Re: here we go again? [andre1969] by grbeck
Sep 24, 2008 (11:38 am)
Reply

Replying to: andre1969 (Sep 24, 2008 9:56 am)

I would be curious to know, too. Although I think that there may be case law stating that if a tree or something else on your property is hampering the ability of neighboring property owners to receive a necessary service, then said tree must either be removed or trimmed. Given that the solar panels are providing a necessary service, the court could have decided that the tree must go.

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