Gas prices?

[Jeffe]

I just filled up in AZ for $3.49 a gallon...Crossed the river into Needles,CA and it was $4.49 & no it didn't come with any Vaseline.

The 5 minute drive into AZ from our house is work the $50 in savings.

[jwanck11]

gas prices are moving upward, as I understand, for a couple of reasons:

Supply is the same as demand...

1) Although the US is fairly stagnant, China and India are increasing demand quickly.
2) Supply is tightly controlled and OPEC might be able to ramp up demand, but the supply is increasingly harder to extract (geography)
3) There is some speculation that the Saudi capability to ramp up production might be overestimated all ready.
4) The worlds refinement capability has stagnated for years. Certainly the US has not substantively invested in refinement for many years.
5) The unrest of the world is a distant impact compared to above. But, it is there and reminds us that the world, as it progresses, will increasingly need a scarcer non-renewable resource.
6) There are a lot of "greedy" people that stand to make an awful lot of money off of the rise in prices.

Sucks, but we will be forced to cut back. I drive 2 hrs one way to work and as it is, am spending more than 150/wk in gas.

[IDBoating]

I hate the extra cost too, but really - this isn't the cheapest family activity in the first place.

Furthermore, think about the increase and not the total cost. If gas were $3.00 per gallon you'd think it was a bargain these days, right? So if it's $4.00 per gallon, and you burn five gallons per hour of engine operation, that's $5 more per actual engine hour. If you run the boat for five engine hours in a day, the total fuel cost is $100. Figure out how many people you take out on the boat... could you give that many people that much fun at, say, an amusement part for less money? I seriously doubt it.

I hate the extra expense, but time creating memories is precious. I'll spend the extra money. I'll grouse and grumble and complain while I'm doing it, but in a few years I'd rather have the memories and the great friendships than a few extra bucks in my pocket.

[tnvolgrad]

As crazy as this sounds I would actually prefer that gas prices rise. When prices went nuts in 2008 the lakes were empty and I figure 100 or so hours equates to a couple three to five hundred bucks extra to operate the boat. I would gladly pay this to keep half the village idiots off the lake in the summer time.

I am all for people enjoying the waterways, but it gets a little out of control on the weekends.

[IDBoating]

I figure 100 or so hours equates to a couple three to five hundred bucks extra to operate the boat. I would gladly pay this to keep half the village idiots off the lake in the summer time.

Interesting perspective! Would I pay a few hundred dollars extra to have a semi-private lake? YES!

[Bad05]

Can't say it will keep me off the lake, but it will cut down on the amount of people I let ride for free! I also agree with what tnvolgrad states about prices lessening the population of the lake....

[chpthril]

Back in 08 when gas here was $4 - $4.50 p/gal, we still hit the water every weekend, but we spent less time boarding and surfing and more time at the sandbar.

[robert theisen]

YEAH party instead of riding,then at the end of the day you won't care what gas costs.Plus you won't have used as much.

[jbort]

gas is about 3.60 - 3.70 in portions of Atlanta. I've planned for $5.00 and we'll keep going past that if it comes to it because we have too much fun. We are fortunate the boat is kept on the lake so no trailering cost. I also take a long view that while its unpleasant at $4-5/gal in 10-12 yrs gas could be $8-12/gal which might make it unreachable unless the income ramps too so I'm going now while the health is good and even though more painful, its doable.

[scoot18]

Furthermore, think about the increase and not the total cost. If gas were $3.00 per gallon you'd think it was a bargain these days, right? So if it's $4.00 per gallon, and you burn five gallons per hour of engine operation, that's $5 more per actual engine hour. If you run the boat for five engine hours in a day, the total fuel cost is $100.

This is where the problem really lies. Don't take this the wrong way, nothing personal; but this is exactly what they want us to do. Find ways to rationalize and accept it, find ways to talk ourselves into finding some way to deal with it. The prices spike up and we hurt for a while, and then they slowly go back down and we celebrate the relief. Keep in mind they don't go way down or below where they once were stable, then months or a few years pass and the cycle repeats it self, just like a pendeulum swing, only it always tends to swing further in the rising side. So as the cylce repeats itself, do we all jump in on a thread next summer talking about how much of a bargin gas was at $4.50, because we all got used to it and we then we will be worried when it breaches $6.00? It's like anything else, when you deal with it long enough you begin to get used to it and then it's what you expect. Nothing that we can do about it I guess, but bend over and take it. It's kind of like being a bunch of lab rats. This cycle is in it's 3rd swing, the first was back in the Summer of 06, there was a quick rise, here in VA we were used to $1.89, gas quickly spiked to about $3.40. After a while in slowly worked it's way back down to about $2.20's then in 08 again, falling back to about $2.80's just under $3. and now were headed in the next swing upwards over $4 when we have just gotten used to $3.00 range. All the while we find a way to get used to the newly elevated norm.

As far as us this summer, lots of floating time for us. The rides with the boat filled full of ballast, and fat sac's everywhere, will be a rare occurance unless $$$$$ up front. My son is probably not going to like that very much. Oh well!

Good luck and happy boating to us all this summer.

[samw]

Here in Iowa we are running around $3.59 sucks but what do you do? We may cut back some but we will go when we want. I do like the idea of some of he idiots not being on the lake running there boats causing problems.

[Nobody]

The biggest factor right now is the dollar value decreasing against all the other major currencies. In the long haul, this is a good thing for the US economy. Getting there sucks. Small manufacturing is starting to come back from China. Exports are gaining speed and in the long run the US economy will soon be a 18T economy. From now to then, everyone will be buying smaller cars, driving less, boating less and alternative fuels, electric cars, solar to hydrogen will be in full swing. Getting their will be painful, but the other side is where we need to be without a doubt.
My truck is now used just for work and towing, my next purchase will be car that gets gets 25 mpg. Personally like the Sonata...I better go check with Dom first and get his opinion.

[helmut]

Yeah declining dollar is good for us and our economy come on. High gas prices good forcing people to drive less blah blah blah. That is the biggest load of crap that I keep hearing come out of the Dem party and Obama. Was not what was running out of their mouth when the prices spiked under Bush. High gas prices and energy is NOT good for anyone. Its only good for the environmental nazis that run the dems energy policy and dictate energy for the masses. The damn energy secretary rides a bike to work good luck doing that in Tampa. The poor and middle class that we keep hearing so much about and the dems care are the ones that get hammered. They cant afford to buy a new POS chevy volt, they cant afford to have multiple cars one for work and one for weekends. Hell most cant afford to buy a used car. Oh and everything gets shipped on truck so groceries go up everything that gets shipped goes up and screws everyone. We are all in pain from unemployment don't make it worse with a joke of an energy policy. So the plan of making the dollar worth pennies is working but helps no one in this country. Come on!

[robert theisen]

I see this thread going south real quick.

[helmut]

Your right should not have said anything. I like NOBODY he is actually a good guy and ridiculously smart much smarter than me but just disagree on this one. Yes gas prices will keep me and my family from doing many things this summer. Glad a I got a smaller boat. Its really affecting people I know that just cant afford to do the things I said. I am all for finding cheaper fuels and get the traders out of it too.