Yesterday I stopped at the gas station to fill up my truck. Yes, unfortunately I own a full-size truck that does NOT get the greatest gas mileage. However, anything smaller would not do. Anyway, I dropped about $87.00 into my tank and just shook my head. I am starting to wonder when I will reach the point of not being able to drive anywhere anymore.I would like to pose a question. Should the government step in and regulate the price of gas? I have a difficult time with oil companies having annual profits of about $30 BILLION as I am paying about $3.80/gal now. That is about 60 cents more than I paid in February and over a dollar more than I paid before Christmas. Notice I said "profits"? That is after payroll, exploration, maintenance, etc. That is PROFIT!! I personally think that the oil companies are price fixing. There is plenty of supply right now and the demand has not increased. What is going to happen in the summertime?
Gas here is $4.31. And I still see people leaving their trucks idling for prolonged periods when it's well above freezing, because apparently turning the ignition off and on again is too much work. And I watch my fully-able-bodied neighbor get in her car and drive the 120 feet to the mailbox and back. So I think gas doesn't cost enough yet. My question for you: why will nothing less than full-size do? How often do you actually use that thing to its capacity? There are people such as contractors who really do need larger rigs - but I am tired of hearing people assert that they "need" a big pickup because once or maybe twice a year they pull their camper with it. Ya know, you can rent a truck for those one or two trips. Or they have three kids. Well, minivans haul kids just fine and get way better mileage. And they're good for hauling things, too. Oh, ya go huntin'. Again, how often? Get a beater truck good for those couple trips a year and drive something reasonable the rest of the time. Gas is still cheaper in the US than in most other countries, which is why most other countries have reasonable vehicles and mass transit. We need to quit whining, lose our sense of entitlement and start living in a way that doesn't punish our kids' generation for our lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteBut if you really think that government regulation is the answer (I love how conservatives are always for small, limited government until they want government to do something for them), well, President Obama's one step ahead; he announced yesterday the formation of a working group to investigate whether there is price-fixing in the energy industry.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI do actually use my truck quite often to its capacity. I do fill the bed up with "stuff" I may need to haul and I do pull a trailer occasionally for those items that will not fit in the bed. I will tell you that renting a truck for that weeklong camping trip can cost as much as the difference was between gassing up your own truck and a minivan. The last minivan I owned got only about 21 mpg on the highway. My truck gets about 18 or 19, not a huge difference. When minivans can get 25+ mpg, then I would jump at the chance. Getting a beater truck isn't exactly the answer either. Now you have to insure another vehicle. Plain and simple, gas prices are out of control. They are making billions and getting tax breaks to boot. Let's hope that President Obama's "working group" is just that, and not another one of his "look I created jobs" answers by using some of his cronies.