6 myths about saving on gas
6 myths about saving on gas
6 myths about saving on gas
CBC News
Posted: Apr 6, 2012 5:12 AM ET
Last Updated: Apr 6, 2012 5:09 AM ET
As gas prices continue to soar, many Canadians are searching for ways to increase the fuel economy of their cars. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
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High gas prices may mean tough summer for motoristsBreaking down the price of gasolineMAP: Gas prices across Canada
1970's gas prices3:09
Save that gas4:18
As fuel prices continue to rise across the country, many people are desperate for ways to save money on gas. Over the years, motorists, mechanics and other car enthusiasts have come up with a number of methods of purportedly improving a car's fuel efficiency.
Here is the truth behind some of the most popular gas-saving myths:
Over-inflate your tires
Myth: Keeping tires inflated above their recommended pressure will help maintain a car's optimum fuel consumption.
Fact: Every five pounds per square inch (psi) of tire pressure you lose can translate into a two per cent loss of gas mileage. You can usually find your recommended pressure on the inside of the driver's side door.
You may think that over-inflating your tires would save money on gas. In 2009, Popular Mechanics tested this premise by over-inflating the tires on a Honda Fit to 45 psi — 13 psi above the recommended pressure but five psi below the maximum.
MAP Check gas prices across Canada
On a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix, the magazine's writers recorded a fuel consumption of 42.19 miles per gallon (5.575 litres per 100 kilometres). On the return trip, they inflated the tires to the recommended 32 psi, and the car's fuel consumption was nearly identical, at 42.14 mpg (5.581 L/100 km).
They noted that driving with over-inflated tires greatly reduced the car's handling and made for a bumpier ride. If you over-inflate your tires too much, i.e. above the maximum, there is also the risk a tire could burst.
Fill your tires with nitrogen
Myth: Some car dealerships and garages have begun offering to fill a customer's tires with nitrogen gas instead of compressed air, with promises of increased performance and better fuel consumption.
Fact: According to Wheels.ca, this practice amounts to no more than a way for the garages to make a quick buck — the difference is negligible.
5 ways to really save on gas
Nitrogen gas is used in commercial aircraft, high-performance race cars and some long-haul trucks because it is a pure gas, unlike air, which contains several different gases. That enables engineers to more precisely predict how it will react at high temperatures, which cause the gas inside the tires to expand and inflate the tires.
It's especially useful for airplanes because their tires undergo a lot of stress and temperature variations: from warm temperatures at take-off to freezing temperatures during flight and back to average temperatures prior to landing. When a plane lands, friction causes intense heat, which will affect each tire's pressure.
Filling your tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air has no bearing on fuel consumption, as long as they are properly inflated.
Get gas in the morning
Myth: Many fluids, including gasoline, are denser at colder temperatures. Therefore, it would lead one to reason that filling up your car with gas in the wee hours of the morning, when it's cold, would give you more bang for your fuel buck.
Fact: The reality is service stations store their gasoline in underground fuel tanks, where the temperature is nearly constant all day and night. You may end up saving a penny or a fraction thereof by filing up in the morning, but any savings would be negligible.
Open windows cause drag
Myth: The argument goes that even though running your car's air conditioning will reduce your gas mileage, it makes more sense to run the A/C on the highway because of the drag caused by opening your car's windows.
Fact: In 2011, Consumer Reports tested this theory and drove a Honda Accord on the highway at a speed of 105 km/h with the air conditioning on and reported that gas mileage was reduced. Driving the same car at the same speed but with no air conditioning and the windows down yielded no noticeable change in gas mileage.
Shift into neutral when driving downhill
Myth: The (misguided) idea behind this popular myth is that by shifting to neutral when driving downhill, you cut off the fuel supply to the car engine and it stops burning gas.
Fact: Modern fuel-injected cars continue to burn fuel when you take your foot off the gas pedal as only the fuel-delivery system shuts down. That's why idling your car laps up so much gas. Coasting in neutral down a hill, therefore, does not increase fuel economy because the car still uses gas. A better idea would be to coast in drive because constant shifting between gears, with an automatic transmission, could cause transmission shock.
Change your air filter regularly
Myth: The air filter in your car is designed to keep dust and dirt out of your motor in order to maintain performance, so keeping the filter clean will keep your motor running efficiently, right? Wrong.
Fact: Many of us change our air filters on the recommendation of a mechanic, usually when we get an oil change. However, modern air filters are actually designed to work more efficiently when dirty, using the dust and dirt as an added filter layer. A 2009 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that a dirty air filter had no effect on gas mileage in modern cars using fuel-injection technology. The study does say a dirty filter may result in acceleration difficulty and therefore shouldn't be left in place indefinitely. An air filter should be changed after about 48,000 km.
CBC News
Posted: Apr 6, 2012 5:12 AM ET
Last Updated: Apr 6, 2012 5:09 AM ET
As gas prices continue to soar, many Canadians are searching for ways to increase the fuel economy of their cars. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press) Facebook31
Twitter2
Share33
EmailRelated Stories
High gas prices may mean tough summer for motoristsBreaking down the price of gasolineMAP: Gas prices across Canada
1970's gas prices3:09Save that gas4:18As fuel prices continue to rise across the country, many people are desperate for ways to save money on gas. Over the years, motorists, mechanics and other car enthusiasts have come up with a number of methods of purportedly improving a car's fuel efficiency.
Here is the truth behind some of the most popular gas-saving myths:
Over-inflate your tires
Myth: Keeping tires inflated above their recommended pressure will help maintain a car's optimum fuel consumption.
Fact: Every five pounds per square inch (psi) of tire pressure you lose can translate into a two per cent loss of gas mileage. You can usually find your recommended pressure on the inside of the driver's side door.
You may think that over-inflating your tires would save money on gas. In 2009, Popular Mechanics tested this premise by over-inflating the tires on a Honda Fit to 45 psi — 13 psi above the recommended pressure but five psi below the maximum.
MAP Check gas prices across Canada On a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix, the magazine's writers recorded a fuel consumption of 42.19 miles per gallon (5.575 litres per 100 kilometres). On the return trip, they inflated the tires to the recommended 32 psi, and the car's fuel consumption was nearly identical, at 42.14 mpg (5.581 L/100 km).
They noted that driving with over-inflated tires greatly reduced the car's handling and made for a bumpier ride. If you over-inflate your tires too much, i.e. above the maximum, there is also the risk a tire could burst.
Fill your tires with nitrogen
Myth: Some car dealerships and garages have begun offering to fill a customer's tires with nitrogen gas instead of compressed air, with promises of increased performance and better fuel consumption.
Fact: According to Wheels.ca, this practice amounts to no more than a way for the garages to make a quick buck — the difference is negligible.
5 ways to really save on gas
- Don't speed. Jim Davidson, author of 75 Ways to Save Gas, says drivers should keep their speed between 50 and 80 km/h whenever possible and avoid driving faster than 93 km/h. "Every 10 km over 93 km/h is 10 per cent fuel loss," he said.
- Drive safely. Aggressive drivers tend to use more gas because they usually need to slow down and speed up repeatedly in order to avoid catastrophe.
- Monitor your tire pressure. Davidson suggests driving with a tire pressure gauge and checking pressure regularly. Under-inflated tires cause drivers to use more gas because the car becomes difficult to accelerate.
- Service your car regularly.
- Change your tires seasonally. The increased grip and traction on winter tires means cars use more gas, so it's best to switch to a different set of tires in the warmer months. All-season tires tend not to work as well in snowy conditions.
Nitrogen gas is used in commercial aircraft, high-performance race cars and some long-haul trucks because it is a pure gas, unlike air, which contains several different gases. That enables engineers to more precisely predict how it will react at high temperatures, which cause the gas inside the tires to expand and inflate the tires.
It's especially useful for airplanes because their tires undergo a lot of stress and temperature variations: from warm temperatures at take-off to freezing temperatures during flight and back to average temperatures prior to landing. When a plane lands, friction causes intense heat, which will affect each tire's pressure.
Filling your tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air has no bearing on fuel consumption, as long as they are properly inflated.
Get gas in the morning
Myth: Many fluids, including gasoline, are denser at colder temperatures. Therefore, it would lead one to reason that filling up your car with gas in the wee hours of the morning, when it's cold, would give you more bang for your fuel buck.
Fact: The reality is service stations store their gasoline in underground fuel tanks, where the temperature is nearly constant all day and night. You may end up saving a penny or a fraction thereof by filing up in the morning, but any savings would be negligible.
Open windows cause drag
Myth: The argument goes that even though running your car's air conditioning will reduce your gas mileage, it makes more sense to run the A/C on the highway because of the drag caused by opening your car's windows.
Fact: In 2011, Consumer Reports tested this theory and drove a Honda Accord on the highway at a speed of 105 km/h with the air conditioning on and reported that gas mileage was reduced. Driving the same car at the same speed but with no air conditioning and the windows down yielded no noticeable change in gas mileage.
Shift into neutral when driving downhill
Myth: The (misguided) idea behind this popular myth is that by shifting to neutral when driving downhill, you cut off the fuel supply to the car engine and it stops burning gas.
Fact: Modern fuel-injected cars continue to burn fuel when you take your foot off the gas pedal as only the fuel-delivery system shuts down. That's why idling your car laps up so much gas. Coasting in neutral down a hill, therefore, does not increase fuel economy because the car still uses gas. A better idea would be to coast in drive because constant shifting between gears, with an automatic transmission, could cause transmission shock.
Change your air filter regularly
Myth: The air filter in your car is designed to keep dust and dirt out of your motor in order to maintain performance, so keeping the filter clean will keep your motor running efficiently, right? Wrong.
Fact: Many of us change our air filters on the recommendation of a mechanic, usually when we get an oil change. However, modern air filters are actually designed to work more efficiently when dirty, using the dust and dirt as an added filter layer. A 2009 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that a dirty air filter had no effect on gas mileage in modern cars using fuel-injection technology. The study does say a dirty filter may result in acceleration difficulty and therefore shouldn't be left in place indefinitely. An air filter should be changed after about 48,000 km.
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From: New York
You'd think the folks at Popular Mechanics would do a more scientific test than going in one direction, changing something then going in the other direction, rather than using the same stretch of road for both halves of the test. Have they not heard of wind and hills?
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,371
From: NC USA
6 myths about saving on gas
As fuel prices continue to rise across the country, many people are desperate for ways to save money on gas. Over the years, motorists, mechanics and other car enthusiasts have come up with a number of methods of purportedly improving a car's fuel efficiency.
Here is the truth behind some of the most popular gas-saving myths:
Over-inflate your tires
Myth: Keeping tires inflated above their recommended pressure will help maintain a car's optimum fuel consumption.
Fact: Every five pounds per square inch (psi) of tire pressure you lose can translate into a two per cent loss of gas mileage. You can usually find your recommended pressure on the inside of the driver's side door.
You may think that over-inflating your tires would save money on gas. In 2009, Popular Mechanics tested this premise by over-inflating the tires on a Honda Fit to 45 psi — 13 psi above the recommended pressure but five psi below the maximum.
MAP Check gas prices across Canada
On a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix, the magazine's writers recorded a fuel consumption of 42.19 miles per gallon (5.575 litres per 100 kilometres). On the return trip, they inflated the tires to the recommended 32 psi, and the car's fuel consumption was nearly identical, at 42.14 mpg (5.581 L/100 km).
They noted that driving with over-inflated tires greatly reduced the car's handling and made for a bumpier ride. If you over-inflate your tires too much, i.e. above the maximum, there is also the risk a tire could burst.
Fill your tires with nitrogen
Myth: Some car dealerships and garages have begun offering to fill a customer's tires with nitrogen gas instead of compressed air, with promises of increased performance and better fuel consumption.
Fact: According to Wheels.ca, this practice amounts to no more than a way for the garages to make a quick buck — the difference is negligible.
5 ways to really save on gas
It's especially useful for airplanes because their tires undergo a lot of stress and temperature variations: from warm temperatures at take-off to freezing temperatures during flight and back to average temperatures prior to landing. When a plane lands, friction causes intense heat, which will affect each tire's pressure.
Filling your tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air has no bearing on fuel consumption, as long as they are properly inflated.
Get gas in the morning
Myth: Many fluids, including gasoline, are denser at colder temperatures. Therefore, it would lead one to reason that filling up your car with gas in the wee hours of the morning, when it's cold, would give you more bang for your fuel buck.
Fact: The reality is service stations store their gasoline in underground fuel tanks, where the temperature is nearly constant all day and night. You may end up saving a penny or a fraction thereof by filing up in the morning, but any savings would be negligible.
Open windows cause drag
Myth: The argument goes that even though running your car's air conditioning will reduce your gas mileage, it makes more sense to run the A/C on the highway because of the drag caused by opening your car's windows.
Fact: In 2011, Consumer Reports tested this theory and drove a Honda Accord on the highway at a speed of 105 km/h with the air conditioning on and reported that gas mileage was reduced. Driving the same car at the same speed but with no air conditioning and the windows down yielded no noticeable change in gas mileage.
Shift into neutral when driving downhill
Myth: The (misguided) idea behind this popular myth is that by shifting to neutral when driving downhill, you cut off the fuel supply to the car engine and it stops burning gas.
Fact: Modern fuel-injected cars continue to burn fuel when you take your foot off the gas pedal as only the fuel-delivery system shuts down. That's why idling your car laps up so much gas. Coasting in neutral down a hill, therefore, does not increase fuel economy because the car still uses gas. A better idea would be to coast in drive because constant shifting between gears, with an automatic transmission, could cause transmission shock.
Change your air filter regularly
Myth: The air filter in your car is designed to keep dust and dirt out of your motor in order to maintain performance, so keeping the filter clean will keep your motor running efficiently, right? Wrong.
Fact: Many of us change our air filters on the recommendation of a mechanic, usually when we get an oil change. However, modern air filters are actually designed to work more efficiently when dirty, using the dust and dirt as an added filter layer. A 2009 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that a dirty air filter had no effect on gas mileage in modern cars using fuel-injection technology. The study does say a dirty filter may result in acceleration difficulty and therefore shouldn't be left in place indefinitely. An air filter should be changed after about 48,000 km.
As fuel prices continue to rise across the country, many people are desperate for ways to save money on gas. Over the years, motorists, mechanics and other car enthusiasts have come up with a number of methods of purportedly improving a car's fuel efficiency.
Here is the truth behind some of the most popular gas-saving myths:
Over-inflate your tires
Myth: Keeping tires inflated above their recommended pressure will help maintain a car's optimum fuel consumption.
Fact: Every five pounds per square inch (psi) of tire pressure you lose can translate into a two per cent loss of gas mileage. You can usually find your recommended pressure on the inside of the driver's side door.
You may think that over-inflating your tires would save money on gas. In 2009, Popular Mechanics tested this premise by over-inflating the tires on a Honda Fit to 45 psi — 13 psi above the recommended pressure but five psi below the maximum.
MAP Check gas prices across Canada
On a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix, the magazine's writers recorded a fuel consumption of 42.19 miles per gallon (5.575 litres per 100 kilometres). On the return trip, they inflated the tires to the recommended 32 psi, and the car's fuel consumption was nearly identical, at 42.14 mpg (5.581 L/100 km).
They noted that driving with over-inflated tires greatly reduced the car's handling and made for a bumpier ride. If you over-inflate your tires too much, i.e. above the maximum, there is also the risk a tire could burst.
Fill your tires with nitrogen
Myth: Some car dealerships and garages have begun offering to fill a customer's tires with nitrogen gas instead of compressed air, with promises of increased performance and better fuel consumption.
Fact: According to Wheels.ca, this practice amounts to no more than a way for the garages to make a quick buck — the difference is negligible.
5 ways to really save on gas
- Don't speed. Jim Davidson, author of 75 Ways to Save Gas, says drivers should keep their speed between 50 and 80 km/h whenever possible and avoid driving faster than 93 km/h. "Every 10 km over 93 km/h is 10 per cent fuel loss," he said.
- Drive safely. Aggressive drivers tend to use more gas because they usually need to slow down and speed up repeatedly in order to avoid catastrophe.
- Monitor your tire pressure. Davidson suggests driving with a tire pressure gauge and checking pressure regularly. Under-inflated tires cause drivers to use more gas because the car becomes difficult to accelerate.
- Service your car regularly.
- Change your tires seasonally. The increased grip and traction on winter tires means cars use more gas, so it's best to switch to a different set of tires in the warmer months. All-season tires tend not to work as well in snowy conditions.
It's especially useful for airplanes because their tires undergo a lot of stress and temperature variations: from warm temperatures at take-off to freezing temperatures during flight and back to average temperatures prior to landing. When a plane lands, friction causes intense heat, which will affect each tire's pressure.
Filling your tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air has no bearing on fuel consumption, as long as they are properly inflated.
Get gas in the morning
Myth: Many fluids, including gasoline, are denser at colder temperatures. Therefore, it would lead one to reason that filling up your car with gas in the wee hours of the morning, when it's cold, would give you more bang for your fuel buck.
Fact: The reality is service stations store their gasoline in underground fuel tanks, where the temperature is nearly constant all day and night. You may end up saving a penny or a fraction thereof by filing up in the morning, but any savings would be negligible.
Open windows cause drag
Myth: The argument goes that even though running your car's air conditioning will reduce your gas mileage, it makes more sense to run the A/C on the highway because of the drag caused by opening your car's windows.
Fact: In 2011, Consumer Reports tested this theory and drove a Honda Accord on the highway at a speed of 105 km/h with the air conditioning on and reported that gas mileage was reduced. Driving the same car at the same speed but with no air conditioning and the windows down yielded no noticeable change in gas mileage.
Shift into neutral when driving downhill
Myth: The (misguided) idea behind this popular myth is that by shifting to neutral when driving downhill, you cut off the fuel supply to the car engine and it stops burning gas.
Fact: Modern fuel-injected cars continue to burn fuel when you take your foot off the gas pedal as only the fuel-delivery system shuts down. That's why idling your car laps up so much gas. Coasting in neutral down a hill, therefore, does not increase fuel economy because the car still uses gas. A better idea would be to coast in drive because constant shifting between gears, with an automatic transmission, could cause transmission shock.
Change your air filter regularly
Myth: The air filter in your car is designed to keep dust and dirt out of your motor in order to maintain performance, so keeping the filter clean will keep your motor running efficiently, right? Wrong.
Fact: Many of us change our air filters on the recommendation of a mechanic, usually when we get an oil change. However, modern air filters are actually designed to work more efficiently when dirty, using the dust and dirt as an added filter layer. A 2009 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy found that a dirty air filter had no effect on gas mileage in modern cars using fuel-injection technology. The study does say a dirty filter may result in acceleration difficulty and therefore shouldn't be left in place indefinitely. An air filter should be changed after about 48,000 km.
We agree with most of your points but 2 we have opposing data.
First, inflating tires by 5 to 8 psig will reduce rolling resistance and that reduction means higher mpg. Handling is also improved thanks to stiffer sidewalls. As for MT's test they drove the same route but in opposite directions, thus a faulty test. That test is only valid when PRECISELY controlled as in the EPA test.
as for handling why does MT, C&D, and R&T entries in races inflate the tires to higher than 'standard' pressures? We have driven a route several times in the samr direction with similar conditions and always got higher mpg with higher inflation. True its only a couple of mpg but when gas is $4 its worthwhile
Wanna oppose higher gas prices?
Ask why that pipeline from Canada was rejected; would you rather bget gas from Canada or Saudi Arabia?
Ask who will pay for the fines and penalties about to be laid on BP for the Gulf disaster? perhaps you at the pump.
As our government keeps printing money to pay itself, thus making dollars cheaper against foreign currency, do you think crude will cost more in dollars?
And finally, if government eliminates thosde 'nasty credits to oil companies, who do you think will pay the costs that have to be made up?
Our engery director, Chu, has states often that America needs to pay gas prices same as Europe; his recent retraction is a lie for plitical reasons, When our administration starts doing things to retard gas price increases you might believe they want gas at less than $4 but not until then. Its your vote.
Last edited by mahout; Apr 7, 2012 at 08:16 PM.
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,661
From: Georgia
The owners of the pipeline (TransCanada) and the owners of the oilfields would love to extend the pipeline from Cushing OK to the gulf to sell their crude on the international market. This will have the effect of raising market prices in Illinois and Oklahoma. As this does not cross US borders, the extension is not restricted by the Federal Government. This is not delayed; construction is on schedule.
TransCanada wants to build an additional pipeline once this is in to get more of their oil to the international market. This is governed by the Fed, and they are rightly delaying the permits to assess environmental impacts to sensitive areas of Nebraska. TransCanada has threatened to build a pipeline to BC to sell their oil to China if we don't tow the line. Let them. China and India have more to do with demand and rising prices. The US consumption is growing more slowly these days thanks to the soft economy, and people buying Fits.
I know it makes good conservative blood boil to think the Nasty US Libs are preventing cheap oil from flowing into US refineries, but actually the argument is either non-existent or will hurt US oil prices. Find something else to gnash your teeth about.
Who are the owners? People that own stock in BP that will get lower dividends or a lower price for their shares when they sell. It might have an effect on BP's management who have stock options and want to increase their nesteggs.
Oil companies are making record profits. They don't need subsidies in the form of tax credits. Especially nice British companies.
Our engery director, Chu, has states often that America needs to pay gas prices same as Europe; his recent retraction is a lie for plitical reasons, When our administration starts doing things to retard gas price increases you might believe they want gas at less than $4 but not until then. Its your vote.
Higher prices aren't all bad. And adjusted for inflation, gas is pretty cheap.
But it does warm the cockles of my shriveled liberal heart to see people averaging 15mpg pay through the nose to fill their land yachts.
Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,371
From: NC USA
The pipeline from Canada wasn't rejected. It's quite happily pumping crude from Alberta to Illinois and Oklahoma. Has been for years.
As you admit later, thats not the pipeline in question.
The owners of the pipeline (TransCanada) and the owners of the oilfields would love to extend the pipeline from Cushing OK to the gulf to sell their crude on the international market. This will have the effect of raising market prices in Illinois and Oklahoma. As this does not cross US borders, the extension is not restricted by the Federal Government. This is not delayed; construction is on schedule.
Nonsense. Its to hedge crude prices by getting less costly (if no other reason than lesser transpot costs) onshore crude to refineries. Offshore sales have nothing to do with it. i'm part of it, no schedule is being met.
TransCanada wants to build an additional pipeline once this is in to get more of their oil to the international market. This is governed by the Fed, and they are rightly delaying the permits to assess environmental impacts to sensitive areas of Nebraska. TransCanada has threatened to build a pipeline to BC to sell their oil to China if we don't tow the line. Let them. China and India have more to do with demand and rising prices. The US consumption is growing more slowly these days thanks to the soft economy, and people buying Fits.
Our economy is always tied directly to the cost of energy. China's effect on our economy is related to deporting jobs there. as China will sell 30 mm cars next year their demand for crude willlet OPEC charge the hell out of us. I trust Canada far more than OPEC. delay is not it; rejects are it. TransCan rationally expects to sell crude; if we're too stupid to buy it then why not sell to someone who does want it?
I know it makes good conservative blood boil to think the Nasty US Libs are preventing cheap oil from flowing into US refineries, but actually the argument is either non-existent or will hurt US oil prices. Find something else to gnash your teeth about.
As a petroleum engineer and not politician i'm aware your statement is false; its proven fact that liberal 'environmentalists' have threatened Democrats to withdraw election campaign contributions if they didn't reject that pipeline. We stopped work on it because of the rejections.
$7 for gas is the quicker result.
The owners of BP will pay. BP can't "pass along the fines" by charging more for their refined products then the market will bear.
Think so, eh? Sure BP will raise prices and the rest of us will go along with those raises. Surely you don't think customers control the prices when in fact we do. And surely you don't think oil companies are cooperating being in the same boat? rest assured any increase in costs will result in higher gas prices whether the costs are fines or reduced subsidies. you need to get out of politics and into business.
Who are the owners? People that own stock in BP that will get lower dividends or a lower price for their shares when they sell. It might have an effect on BP's management who have stock options and want to increase their nesteggs.
My stocks, options, and resales are good as gold. And will remain so. We'll be long dead and buried before any alternative energy sources, except nuclear, have any alternative to gasoline. I've worked on solar and wind; as recent failures have shown alternative energies are only costly to taxpayers.
Inflation is almost non-existent. "Printing money" without GDP to back it up is inflationary. I think you made this part up.
Obviously, you haven't priced groceries and milk; as the cost of transportation increases so does the cost of goods.
And as printing money continues to make our dollar of less worth to offshore currencies, such as OPEC, that alone will increase the cost of crude. we have to pay them in their currencies and right now ours continues to devalue.
So goes the cost of crude so goes the price of gas.
See above. Stockholders will get reduced dividends.
Not on our wildest wishes. we'll get higher ones.
Oil companies are making record profits. They don't need subsidies in the form of tax credits. Especially nice British companies.
We make record profits because we sell astronomical amounts at astronomical prices; the profit margin is only 3 to 4%, much lower than most companies, such as hard goods combines, alcoholics,electronics, vehicles, etc. Only grocery congomerates has profit margins as low as ours and thats because they're in the same kind of business. Basic needs, not luxuries.
Until prices at the pump are higher and sustained, we won't have alternatives to get us off the international oil teet. The current round of higher prices is causing a mini oil boom in places like Wyoming and Texas.
Hey, why not? Those wells closed because it cost more to pump the crude out than it was worth. When crude rose to $100 a barrel it became profitable. Whats that have to with the cost of crude needing to be $133 a barrel to make alternatives worthwhile? Think we have to artificially raise the price of crude there? Based on the crude available now that we know of we'll be long dead and buried before then.
Higher prices aren't all bad. And adjusted for inflation, gas is pretty cheap.
Tell that to the small usiness owner, housewife, and wage-earner filling his gas tank. The increases in gas prices over the last 3 years compared to the cost-of-living is the highest ever.
Energy Department's Chu's manifesto is to raise our prices to similar to Europes; never mind his recent testimony, he only recanted for political reasons. He does mean what he said originally.
But it does warm the cockles of my shriveled liberal heart to see people averaging 15mpg pay through the nose to fill their land yachts.
As you admit later, thats not the pipeline in question.
The owners of the pipeline (TransCanada) and the owners of the oilfields would love to extend the pipeline from Cushing OK to the gulf to sell their crude on the international market. This will have the effect of raising market prices in Illinois and Oklahoma. As this does not cross US borders, the extension is not restricted by the Federal Government. This is not delayed; construction is on schedule.
Nonsense. Its to hedge crude prices by getting less costly (if no other reason than lesser transpot costs) onshore crude to refineries. Offshore sales have nothing to do with it. i'm part of it, no schedule is being met.
TransCanada wants to build an additional pipeline once this is in to get more of their oil to the international market. This is governed by the Fed, and they are rightly delaying the permits to assess environmental impacts to sensitive areas of Nebraska. TransCanada has threatened to build a pipeline to BC to sell their oil to China if we don't tow the line. Let them. China and India have more to do with demand and rising prices. The US consumption is growing more slowly these days thanks to the soft economy, and people buying Fits.
Our economy is always tied directly to the cost of energy. China's effect on our economy is related to deporting jobs there. as China will sell 30 mm cars next year their demand for crude willlet OPEC charge the hell out of us. I trust Canada far more than OPEC. delay is not it; rejects are it. TransCan rationally expects to sell crude; if we're too stupid to buy it then why not sell to someone who does want it?
I know it makes good conservative blood boil to think the Nasty US Libs are preventing cheap oil from flowing into US refineries, but actually the argument is either non-existent or will hurt US oil prices. Find something else to gnash your teeth about.
As a petroleum engineer and not politician i'm aware your statement is false; its proven fact that liberal 'environmentalists' have threatened Democrats to withdraw election campaign contributions if they didn't reject that pipeline. We stopped work on it because of the rejections.
$7 for gas is the quicker result.
The owners of BP will pay. BP can't "pass along the fines" by charging more for their refined products then the market will bear.
Think so, eh? Sure BP will raise prices and the rest of us will go along with those raises. Surely you don't think customers control the prices when in fact we do. And surely you don't think oil companies are cooperating being in the same boat? rest assured any increase in costs will result in higher gas prices whether the costs are fines or reduced subsidies. you need to get out of politics and into business.
Who are the owners? People that own stock in BP that will get lower dividends or a lower price for their shares when they sell. It might have an effect on BP's management who have stock options and want to increase their nesteggs.
My stocks, options, and resales are good as gold. And will remain so. We'll be long dead and buried before any alternative energy sources, except nuclear, have any alternative to gasoline. I've worked on solar and wind; as recent failures have shown alternative energies are only costly to taxpayers.
Inflation is almost non-existent. "Printing money" without GDP to back it up is inflationary. I think you made this part up.
Obviously, you haven't priced groceries and milk; as the cost of transportation increases so does the cost of goods.
And as printing money continues to make our dollar of less worth to offshore currencies, such as OPEC, that alone will increase the cost of crude. we have to pay them in their currencies and right now ours continues to devalue.
So goes the cost of crude so goes the price of gas.
See above. Stockholders will get reduced dividends.
Not on our wildest wishes. we'll get higher ones.
Oil companies are making record profits. They don't need subsidies in the form of tax credits. Especially nice British companies.
We make record profits because we sell astronomical amounts at astronomical prices; the profit margin is only 3 to 4%, much lower than most companies, such as hard goods combines, alcoholics,electronics, vehicles, etc. Only grocery congomerates has profit margins as low as ours and thats because they're in the same kind of business. Basic needs, not luxuries.
Until prices at the pump are higher and sustained, we won't have alternatives to get us off the international oil teet. The current round of higher prices is causing a mini oil boom in places like Wyoming and Texas.
Hey, why not? Those wells closed because it cost more to pump the crude out than it was worth. When crude rose to $100 a barrel it became profitable. Whats that have to with the cost of crude needing to be $133 a barrel to make alternatives worthwhile? Think we have to artificially raise the price of crude there? Based on the crude available now that we know of we'll be long dead and buried before then.
Higher prices aren't all bad. And adjusted for inflation, gas is pretty cheap.
Tell that to the small usiness owner, housewife, and wage-earner filling his gas tank. The increases in gas prices over the last 3 years compared to the cost-of-living is the highest ever.
Energy Department's Chu's manifesto is to raise our prices to similar to Europes; never mind his recent testimony, he only recanted for political reasons. He does mean what he said originally.
But it does warm the cockles of my shriveled liberal heart to see people averaging 15mpg pay through the nose to fill their land yachts.
Are you aware of the so-called 'rich' working feverishly to reduce income to minimize potential much higher taxes from Democrats in case they are re-elected. When 50% of the voters don't pay taxes and in fact get income from taxpayers we aren't sure that Obama won't be re-elected but we can damn sure minimize the cost. guess who'll pay the difference?
Here's two more challenges to Democats:
1. Do you know that the cost of Obama Care is 17% of the GDP of $15 trillion, or $2.5 trillion a year. So how do you expect 120 MM wage-earners to pay an average of nearly $21,000 a year?
2. Do liberals have even an idea how to get to a balanced budget in 5 years or do they expect to sell states to China to pay for the debt CITIZENS, not government owe for the national debt?
OK so I had a rant; it was needed. Worse, I had to do it thrice. The site kicked me off twice.
We either get smart voters or drop dead. Simple as that.
Last edited by mahout; Apr 8, 2012 at 04:55 PM.
Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 80
From: Central OH
It's been obvious for at least a couple of decades that gas prices are going to increase over time. So the easiest way to save gas is to buy only the vehicle you need, not the one that massages your ego. Then combine trips, drive conservatively, walk, bike, etc. No tricks, myths or magic involved.
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