US gasoline prices may finally adjust to a reasonable figure

[Greed and Death]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

[Gun Manufacturers]

I can't afford $7 per gallon gas.

I doubt many people in the US can.

We do it fine, what's so different about the US?

Currently, I pay $382.50/month for my share of the rent. If I need to fill up my truck every week (it has a 24 gallon tank), it will cost $168/week at $7/gallon. So I'd be paying $672/month for gas (or 1.76 times what I pay a month in rent). Those 2 bills wouldn't leave me with enough money for food, electricity, internet/phone, clothes, auto insurance, auto upkeep, etc (my monthly income is about $1362 right now). I actually have less bills than many other people, and I still couldn't afford $7/gallon.

Now, I've never traveled out of the US, maybe your overall cost of living is lower.

[Maurepas]

We don't have a public transport system like those countries. If gas really got that high, I think there'd be violence tbh, hell, I'd consider joining it, that'd be it for me, I couldn't afford to make it to the city, that means no work, no food, no nothing, >_>

Exactly thus screwing tons of people who have to drive to cities in order to work. Excellent idea! Destroy the economy completely by making it impossible for the workers to go to work!

And I know what they'd say, "Move to the city", and the idea that I could afford an apartment in the city is even more laughable.

If I could afford that, I'd already be there.

Where do you live? Most places I know of, a house in the suburbs in much more expensive than renting an apartment in the city.

Unfortunately, we used to have great cost-of-living, but, Insurance Companies are some of the worst scumbags on the face of the earth, it's one of the primary reasons I wanted them to put them outta business with that Healthcare bill, after the Storm, they've skyrocketed their prices on everyone down here.

Meaning, that out in the woods, you don't have to pay as much as that guy who owns the apartment complex, and he compensates this by charging you more.

[Maurepas]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

Fortunately, I have faith the GOP will pull through on this one, and obstruct the hell out of it, it's one of the reasons I like to keep them around.

[Gun Manufacturers]

If the price starts getting too high, I suspect we'll start seeing a lot of people making their own alcohol based fuel.

And by that you mean walking around drunk?

No, I mean that since gasoline engines can burn alcohol, people may start distilling their own auto fuel.

[Panzerjaeger]

If the price starts getting too high, I suspect we'll start seeing a lot of people making their own alcohol based fuel.

And by that you mean walking around drunk?

No, I mean that since gasoline engines can burn alcohol, people may start distilling their own auto fuel.

And we thought Moonshining could be dangerous.

[Greed and Death]

We don't have a public transport system like those countries. If gas really got that high, I think there'd be violence tbh, hell, I'd consider joining it, that'd be it for me, I couldn't afford to make it to the city, that means no work, no food, no nothing, >_>

Exactly thus screwing tons of people who have to drive to cities in order to work. Excellent idea! Destroy the economy completely by making it impossible for the workers to go to work!

And I know what they'd say, "Move to the city", and the idea that I could afford an apartment in the city is even more laughable.

If I could afford that, I'd already be there.

Where do you live? Most places I know of, a house in the suburbs in much more expensive than renting an apartment in the city.

A house in a rural area is cheaper then both though.

[L3 Communications]

I fail to see how $7/gallon is "reasonable".

[Brogavia]

I can't afford $7 per gallon gas.

I doubt many people in the US can.

We do it fine, what's so different about the US?

You have to drive everywhere. There is no public transportation in many places, and in those places that DO have public transport, it usually sucks.

Actually, I believe the same can be said for rural parts of the UK.

But I accept the point that it's bigger may have an effect.

Public transit does not work in rural areas, period. It works in Europe because the countries or more densely packed and smaller.

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network,

That would actually be more expensive than $7 dollar/gallon gas.

[L3 Communications]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

Maybe we'll just have riots and burning down buildings, eh? My idea is just as far-fetched as yours, and considering the makeup of the US and it's size in general, you won't be seeing any sort of public transport outside the major cities for quite some time.

[Rolling squid]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

[Brogavia]

If the price starts getting too high, I suspect we'll start seeing a lot of people making their own alcohol based fuel.

And by that you mean walking around drunk?

No, I mean that since gasoline engines can burn alcohol, people may start distilling their own auto fuel.

You'd have to gut the O2 sensor in the exhaust, rip out the computer and make everything mechanical to do it, but its possible.

[Greed and Death]

If the price starts getting too high, I suspect we'll start seeing a lot of people making their own alcohol based fuel.

And by that you mean walking around drunk?

No, I mean that since gasoline engines can burn alcohol, people may start distilling their own auto fuel.

And we thought Moonshining could be dangerous.

LoL the gas tax could bring back a Prohibitionisk era of cracking down on moonshine.
I love it. I could see the feds randomly testing fuel tanks to make sure there is not unauthorized ethanol in there.
And the feds chasing moonshine delivery haulers through the back woods.

[Ashmoria]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/op ... elOV3k0RsK

Note the gasoline prices for 3/22/10 (the last week the source had data for):
Belgium $7.18
France $6.98
Germany $7.12
Italy $7.06
Netherlands $7.68
UK $6.65
US $3.05
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/gas1.html


Oh no, the US may finally pay a price that reflects reality.

What say you, NSG?
(I suspect I know where this one will fall about. Try and surprise us posters.)

that is politically untenable at this time.

i suppose it could be gradually phased in while we ramp up alternative fuels so that in the end most people will be using some cheaper form of fuel/transportation.

but it couldnt possibly be passed now.

[Panzerjaeger]

Public transit does not work in rural areas, period. It works in Europe because the countries or more densely packed and smaller.

Europeans really, really don't get this at all. They can't even comprehend how big the US is. I remember on the Terminator Files forum one of the Dutch owners wanted to visit both Universal Studios Theme Parks in Florida and California and wanted to know if he had enough time to spend several days at each one for the week he was going to be in the country. I had to break it to him that he could spend almost no time at either park if he wanted to visit both.

[Greed and Death]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

Which is all fine and dandy until the red states reject the funding.
Then use the courts, environmental laws, and everything else they can think of to delay the federal government doing it themselves by decades.

[Brogavia]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

You honestly don't get how big our country is do you? Public transit does not work outside of densely populate areas. Ever.

[Arkinesia]

I can't afford $7 per gallon gas.

I doubt many people in the US can.

We do it fine, what's so different about the US?

Public transport.

Where. The FUCK. Is it.

Because there isn't public transit for about a hundred miles from here. And I can't be arsed to walk for near an hour through cold and heat to school.

Or walk the five or six miles to town if I don't want to eat the same things over and over. Or to do banking business.

The US is forced to run on cars because our urban planners are twats.

[Lacadaemon]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

Bah. Rubbish. Americans know what is coming to them, and they want it good and hard.

There will be no more complaints about $7 dollar gas tax than there was anything else.

[Der Teutoniker]

I doubt many people in the US can.

The economy is kind of in the shitter. Let's kick 'em while their down.

Or think of it this way, increasing gas prices by close to triple will create thousands of jobs! (Because thousands of people won't be able to afford to commute, and will have to give up their jobs!)

Seriously though, the "Fuck our citizens so we can prove an environmentalist point." is a pretty big douchebag move, and it would be an excellent step in making sure Obama doesn't get re-elected in '12.

[Brogavia]

LoL the gas tax could bring back a Prohibitionisk era of cracking down on moonshine.
I love it. I could see the feds randomly testing fuel tanks to make sure there is not unauthorized ethanol in there.
And the feds chasing moonshine delivery haulers through the back woods.

You better stay away from Copperhead Road

[Rolling squid]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

You honestly don't get how big our country is do you? Public transit does not work outside of densely populate areas. Ever.

No, I get it. But if we can crisscross it with highways, we can do the same with rail systems.

[Panzerjaeger]

If the price starts getting too high, I suspect we'll start seeing a lot of people making their own alcohol based fuel.

And by that you mean walking around drunk?

No, I mean that since gasoline engines can burn alcohol, people may start distilling their own auto fuel.

And we thought Moonshining could be dangerous.

LoL the gas tax could bring back a Prohibitionisk era of cracking down on moonshine.
I love it. I could see the feds randomly testing fuel tanks to make sure there is not unauthorized ethanol in there.
And the feds chasing moonshine delivery haulers through the back woods.

Harvey we got illegal fuel here! Get 'em boys!

*machineguns Moonshiners as they try to run away*

Ah the good ole' days where the FBI killed you because they could.

[Brogavia]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

You honestly don't get how big our country is do you? Public transit does not work outside of densely populate areas. Ever.

No, I get it. But if we can crisscross it with highways, we can do the same with rail systems.

That took damn near 50 years to finish.

[Ashmoria]

About time. Maybe that will force some changes, force us to actually build a decent nation-wide public transport network, as well as reviving the inner city trains.

You forget this is the US we are talking about.
When faced with a 7 dollar a gallon tax, The solution will be violence not, wait for next election.

True. So implement a gradual tax, say fifty cents/gallon a year, and use the revenues to build a national high speed rail system. Provide categorical grants to cities so they can build city-suburb rail systems. The point is, we as a country need to be weaned off oil and onto public transportation, and the only way I can see that happening is through higher fuel costs.

You honestly don't get how big our country is do you? Public transit does not work outside of densely populate areas. Ever.

No, I get it. But if we can crisscross it with highways, we can do the same with rail systems.

That took damn near 50 years to finish.

its hard to imagine the cost and effort involved in getting that much new right-of-way let alone the many hundreds of billions of dollars for the new rail bed.