How high can gas go?

[ranmaniac]

Expect a sharp rise in crime, especially thieves puncturing tanks, and carjackings.

http://www.patriotledger.com/n...and_courts/x2103872274

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: rh71
^ I wouldn't trust other drivers while on a motorbike, much less a much slower & fragile bicycle. Really taking your life into your own hands out there... or more like leaving it in the hands of others. Probably being passed by hundreds of different drivers a day, that's a lot of risk.

We have dedicated bike lanes on most of the roads around here. Cars aren't supposed to enter into them under normal circumstances but I've seen people ticketed for driving in or cutting past cars by driving in the bike lane. Yes, you are passed by hundreds of cars on the average commute and I've had a couple close calls but not one situation in which I wasn't able to do something to a) predict it and b) change the outcome in my favor.

I guess I could get clouted from behind by some idiot in an SUV talking on the phone but there really isn't anything I can do about that so I tend not to worry about it. I have bright lights to help alert the clueless morons in their cages that I am there.

Hell, you could die falling down stairs or a million other things that you have no control over. Using that as a reason not to do it is lame. Bicycling isn't that dangerous.

What city do you live in? When I lived in Portland, OR it was easy to bike around and was fairly safe as there were bike lanes everywhere. Now I'm in the NE and I can only think of one road in my city that has a bike lane, and it's only for about 2 miles. People up here are a lot less courteous to bikers and pretty much view them as a nuisance here.

San Diego.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: skace
And the place you are envisioning is not what most people will be stuck in. They won't be in some beautiful, futuristic, Utopian society. And what about playing with fireworks? Or a game of tag? How about building a tree house? What about blasting your stereo? What about a sun tan? What about fresh air? Right now I spend my afternoons sitting outside in a hammock, can you do that on your skywalk? I can open my sliding door and let my dogs run free.

How about you realize not everyone wants to live like you?

Damn straight.

 

[meltdown75]

I place the over/under on when people go batshit crazy over gas at...

1.75/litre

(Canadian gas prices)

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: rh71
^ I wouldn't trust other drivers while on a motorbike, much less a much slower & fragile bicycle. Really taking your life into your own hands out there... or more like leaving it in the hands of others. Probably being passed by hundreds of different drivers a day, that's a lot of risk.

True, but if you make yourself known on the street (bicyclists are allowed on the main roads) you decrease the odds. If you can stay on the sidewalk, you're good. You can also get a rear-view mirror for your helmet (and you're insane if you bike on the street without one), and other things to make it safer. That, and just being aware of your surroundings.

That said, I'd only do if I was awake. If I had just pulled an all nighter, I'd trust myself to drive safely, but keeping my balance on a bike is a different story. One wrong weight shift and I'm swerving in front of cars.

Bicyclists should be ticketed if they ride on the sidewalks. They're vehicles just like any other and should be riding in the road unless there is a dedicated bike lane. If police enforced rules for bicyclists as well as they did for autos there would be fewer issues between the two, I think.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: rh71
^ I wouldn't trust other drivers while on a motorbike, much less a much slower & fragile bicycle. Really taking your life into your own hands out there... or more like leaving it in the hands of others. Probably being passed by hundreds of different drivers a day, that's a lot of risk.

True, but if you make yourself known on the street (bicyclists are allowed on the main roads) you decrease the odds. If you can stay on the sidewalk, you're good. You can also get a rear-view mirror for your helmet (and you're insane if you bike on the street without one), and other things to make it safer. That, and just being aware of your surroundings.

That said, I'd only do if I was awake. If I had just pulled an all nighter, I'd trust myself to drive safely, but keeping my balance on a bike is a different story. One wrong weight shift and I'm swerving in front of cars.

Bicyclists should be ticketed if they ride on the sidewalks. They're vehicles just like any other and should be riding in the road unless there is a dedicated bike lane. If police enforced rules for bicyclists as well as they did for autos there would be fewer issues between the two, I think.

I'd never ride on the sidewalk. It is far too uneven a surface and I've hit speeds of almost 50mph on the road and can average 20mph easily. Put me on the sidewalk and the bicycle becomes unusable for transportation...hell, it becomes unusable for recreation at that point too.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Hell, you could die falling down stairs or a million other things that you have no control over. Using that as a reason not to do it is lame. Bicycling isn't that dangerous.

I'm sorry but comparing falling down the stairs (or even getting hit by a bus as a pedestrian) to purposely putting yourself in front of hundreds of random cars driven by random people per day every weekday is not the same risk factor. You are hugely increasing your risk of injury/death being out there so often with extremely little protection, riding on shared roads. You DO have control over this risk.

We have bike lanes in NYC too... one drive straight up Broadway and you can see they may as well not be there. Cabs, trucks, fire trucks, buses, and all us regular drivers making stops & turns with so many streets in a small span of land. Huge fricken mess.

 

[rh71]

and nobody cares about my spreadsheet results. Get educated on the numbers folks. They are not a huge deal unless you're a po college student.

 

[wasssup]

$3.50/gallon for premium here

i wished my civic wasn't stolen...been 6 weeks now...

 

[eldorado99]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

You're being disingenuous.

They cut back on production because the costs of refining increased (because of the price of a barrel of oil) to the point where they were losing money.

This was from a link that you provided previously.

You actually believe that? and you call me being the one "disingenuous". :roll:

Go back and read that link you posted. Correctly this time. You got your math wrong on your reply to my post then too.

Are you saying oil companies are LOSING money?!

 

[StageLeft]

I'm gathering my guns when it hits $6/gallon. Watch out!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Hell, you could die falling down stairs or a million other things that you have no control over. Using that as a reason not to do it is lame. Bicycling isn't that dangerous.

I'm sorry but comparing falling down the stairs (or even getting hit by a bus as a pedestrian) to purposely putting yourself in front of hundreds of random cars driven by random people per day every weekday is not the same risk factor. You are hugely increasing your risk of injury/death being out there so often with extremely little protection, riding on shared roads. You DO have control over this risk.

We have bike lanes in NYC too... one drive straight up Broadway and you can see they may as well not be there. Cabs, trucks, fire trucks, buses, and all us regular drivers making stops & turns with so many streets in a small span of land. Huge fricken mess.

Oh bullshit. I've been riding on the roads for decades and I'm still alive. I've slipped walking down the stairs more times than I've laid my bike down because of some cager.

I grew up in upstate NY riding on two lane 50mph roads with no shoulder. I've ridden all over Los Angeles and now I'm living in San Diego and riding on the roads down here. Been doing it as long as I've been able to ride a bicycle.

You make it sound as though I'm lucky to be alive. I think you overestimate the danger.

 

[Nitemare]

I've already decreased my car driving significantly. When it hits 5, I'm getting a 250cc bike and riding that.

 

[bctbct]

The oil companies have been manipulating the price of gas for years. Its time to cap their profits for them. They should be taxed to death.

Oil company tax credits/breaks-gone

Any profit over 30 billion taxed at the rate of 60% and they are required to spend an addition 5% of profits on alternative energy. Add another 5% enviornmental tax to further cut profits and show them that it costs them much more when they make much more.

This is a concept similar to the US tax payer system, when you make more you pay more.

With the increased tax revenue, taxes at the pump can be eliminated.

Investors/speculators pay 50% tax on oil profits...money will move back into the stock market where it came from.

Oil companies will react with breaking up the big companies to manipulate the overall profit. After they do this we aljust the 30 million cap and rinse and repeat.

Give temporary tax incentives for new oil companies to come to the US market.

Oil is supply and demand...more supply and the cheaper it will get.

The next President needs to negotiate with Venezuela to increase suppliers instead of fighting with them to lower supplies cough<bush>cough

 

[BlackTigers]

Originally posted by: Orsorum

Originally posted by: irishScott

Originally posted by: rh71
^ I wouldn't trust other drivers while on a motorbike, much less a much slower & fragile bicycle. Really taking your life into your own hands out there... or more like leaving it in the hands of others. Probably being passed by hundreds of different drivers a day, that's a lot of risk.

True, but if you make yourself known on the street (bicyclists are allowed on the main roads) you decrease the odds. If you can stay on the sidewalk, you're good. You can also get a rear-view mirror for your helmet (and you're insane if you bike on the street without one), and other things to make it safer. That, and just being aware of your surroundings.

That said, I'd only do if I was awake. If I had just pulled an all nighter, I'd trust myself to drive safely, but keeping my balance on a bike is a different story. One wrong weight shift and I'm swerving in front of cars.

Bicyclists should be ticketed if they ride on the sidewalks. They're vehicles just like any other and should be riding in the road unless there is a dedicated bike lane. If police enforced rules for bicyclists as well as they did for autos there would be fewer issues between the two, I think.

I ride on the sidewalk practically every time I ride my bike. Of course I pull over and stop for pedestrians, and I'm not a douche. But no way in hell am I going to ride my 20" BMX bike with traffic at 35MPH in Ohio.

I'd take my chances in russian roulette before I'd happily ride a bike in the street here.

 

[Gothgar]

Gas is already over or at 4 bucks a gallon here... thank god I have a gas card.... for now anyways.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Hell, you could die falling down stairs or a million other things that you have no control over. Using that as a reason not to do it is lame. Bicycling isn't that dangerous.

I'm sorry but comparing falling down the stairs (or even getting hit by a bus as a pedestrian) to purposely putting yourself in front of hundreds of random cars driven by random people per day every weekday is not the same risk factor. You are hugely increasing your risk of injury/death being out there so often with extremely little protection, riding on shared roads. You DO have control over this risk.

We have bike lanes in NYC too... one drive straight up Broadway and you can see they may as well not be there. Cabs, trucks, fire trucks, buses, and all us regular drivers making stops & turns with so many streets in a small span of land. Huge fricken mess.

Oh bullshit. I've been riding on the roads for decades and I'm still alive. I've slipped walking down the stairs more times than I've laid my bike down because of some cager.

I grew up in upstate NY riding on two lane 50mph roads with no shoulder. I've ridden all over Los Angeles and now I'm living in San Diego and riding on the roads down here. Been doing it as long as I've been able to ride a bicycle.

You make it sound as though I'm lucky to be alive. I think you overestimate the danger.

What part of hugely increasing your risk compared to being in a car or not even out on the road do you not understand? Yet you equate that with the risk of falling down stairs?!

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

One of the things a value investor looks at (if it is pertinant) is whether or not a company can raise the price of it's product(s) in order to increase earnings, etc.

5 years ago, it was obvious that oil companies could do this. Today? They still can, but they are more limited. I think energy prices can still go up 50% before people will actually start making financial decisions due to it. Today, people will buy a car instead of an SUV. Great. But till people stop buying coffee at Starbucks, there is roomfor prices to go up.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: TallBill
Car companies need to stop selling 30 mpg cars as "high fuel efficiency" when they have the technology for 70+ And consumers need to learn to buy a smaller car.

could not agree more.
i see Chevy? commercials on tv, we have 8 models that get 30 mpg or more!
30 mpg is not good u morons. i had a mid 90's civic that got 40 mpg.

By today's standards, 30 mpg is competitive. Sure, it doesnt compare to earlier automobiles gas mileage, like your older civic, but cars today are much bigger than they were in the 80's and 90's. And they keep getting bigger every year.

From a quick google search, a 1995 2 door Civic weighed 2231 lbs and today's 2008 civic weighs 2875 lbs.

not just bigger but safer. both for the driver and enviorment.

but yeah wish i still had my old 02 honda Accord. it was small but got great gas mileage heh

FYI: A new civiv gets 40 mpg.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

RIght now, people spend on average 6% of their income on energy costs. In the 1970s when an actual supply side problem existed, that was 9%.

Another thing. In investing you have to say and then waht ... and then what ... and then what .....

Here is the thing. People will not live without gas. The will just pay more for it. And then what? They will spend less on their homes. Home prices will drop if people will not pay the current prices. I think this is what alot of people are not paying attention to.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
They did a survey and asked people what the price of gas would have to be for people to change their driving habits.
The answer: 5.00

I'd say $6 personally. At that point it would be cost effective to buy a fuel efficient car (and keep my truck). For now, it is cheaper to just put the gas in the tank. Yes, I did hte math considering what I am willing to do in terms of car ownership.

 

[fallenangel99]

newbie question - how do oil companies like exxonmobile, lukoil, etc. work with OPEC? Those companies refine/extract/distribute the oil that comes out of Saudi, for example?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: fallenangel99
newbie question - how do oil companies like exxonmobile, lukoil, etc. work with OPEC? Those companies refine/extract/distribute the oil that comes out of Saudi, for example?

They claim they are losing money.

ATers always claim companies only exist to make money so if they are losing money why are they even bothering getting the oil, refining it and selling it at all?

4-20-2008 Profits taken by governments of oil-rich countries is cutting international oil companies' profits, in some cases below their capital costs.

"The average government take is now moving to overcome the critical barrier of 90 percent, which means that oil companies' profitability is decreasing," Paolo Scaroni, the CEO of Italy's largest oil and gas company by revenue, said in a speech at the International Energy Forum.

Major Western oil companies have been forced to renegotiate contracts as hydrocarbon-rich countries aim for a bigger slice of profits on the back of surging crude prices.

International oil companies need to "profoundly rethink their business model in order to survive and prosper," Scaroni said.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: TallBill
Car companies need to stop selling 30 mpg cars as "high fuel efficiency" when they have the technology for 70+ And consumers need to learn to buy a smaller car.

could not agree more.
i see Chevy? commercials on tv, we have 8 models that get 30 mpg or more!
30 mpg is not good u morons. i had a mid 90's civic that got 40 mpg.

By today's standards, 30 mpg is competitive. Sure, it doesnt compare to earlier automobiles gas mileage, like your older civic, but cars today are much bigger than they were in the 80's and 90's. And they keep getting bigger every year.

From a quick google search, a 1995 2 door Civic weighed 2231 lbs and today's 2008 civic weighs 2875 lbs.

not just bigger but safer. both for the driver and enviorment.

but yeah wish i still had my old 02 honda Accord. it was small but got great gas mileage heh

FYI: A new civiv gets 40 mpg.

That's the Civic hybrid that gets 40 MPG, a regular Civic gets 26/34 (manual) 25/36 (auto)

 

[imported_Baloo]

Out economy is already destroyed. Just takes a while for it to ripple about. Watch gas prices drop after January next year.