# How has the gas price affected your driving?



## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

I added a poll to this thread and moved it to our poll section.
Joe


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## ScoobyDoo (May 7, 2008)

*Dont Complain!*

I don't want to hear people complain about gas prices when they are passing me doing 80 MPH out on the road. Ever hear of CONSERVATION people?
Luckily for me it's bike season. But I still can't stand spending 25 bucks to fill up my motorcycle.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I just heard on CNN that gas has gone up 39 cents per gallon just this past month alone......:doh:

For right now I just consolidate my errands.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

ScoobyDoo said:


> I don't want to hear people complain about gas prices when they are passing me doing 80 MPH out on the road. Ever hear of CONSERVATION people?
> Luckily for me it's bike season. But I still can't stand spending 25 bucks to fill up my motorcycle.


 
I am so temped to go buy a bike. I had one for 10 years then sold it. Now I would love to have one again, not only for gas prices but for the enjoyment too.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

The thing I can't change is my job requires that I move from site to site---and that can't be changed (well, I could quit). They raised my mileage reimbursement to 44.5 cnets per gallon last fall but won't have an allocation to raise mileage again til next fall!


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

I use my bike,a lot more and try to do all my errands on 1 route!.


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

Prices are CRAZY here at the moment too...I just paid £1.27 per LITRE yesterday!!!

I worked this out into US gallons...and that converts to *$9.51* per gallon!!

How much is it per gallon in the US? you do measure petrol in gallons don't you??

I do think about whether I really NEED to go before I set off somewhere now and luckily my new placement school is only a couple of miles down the road. Last term I was driving 100 miles a day and filling up every 2-3 days...Im so glad Im not doing that anymore!


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## sophiesadiehannah's mom (Feb 11, 2007)

i do home health care, mileage reimbursement has not gone up since january, on the news it said gas has gone up .90 since jan for a gallon. the reimbursement is now less than the cost to put gas in the car.


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## Nicole&Zack (Feb 27, 2007)

I still drive as usuall. I pay about $70 to fill up my van. I dont work yet ( starting in a couple of weeks), so a tank last me almost 2 weeks.


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

this is a local station right before memorial day. i thought it had peaked for a while, but it's higher today.










and, i'm finding i'm doing all sorts of errands online. companies are hurting, so alot are offering free shipping. if i can't buy it online, i consolidate my driving as much as possible. and, i'll spend $2.00 more for something at a grocery store than waste the mileage to drive to Target to get it cheaper.


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

My driving can't be changed. I absolutely hate driving, so the only driving I do is out of necessity. I drive to work and the grocery store. That's it.


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

Emma&Tilly said:


> Prices are CRAZY here at the moment too...I just paid £1.27 per LITRE yesterday!!!
> 
> I worked this out into US gallons...and that converts to *$9.51* per gallon!!


Your figures are correct. I just checked the differences as well and I came out to about $9.45 per US gallon equivalant that you are paying over there. So you guys in the UK have it much worse. Is it that your fuel as many more taxes on it?


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I thought a liter was about 33 oz, so there are a little less than 4 liters to the gallon? Wouldn't that make it closer to about $5 gallon?


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Oh, I just noticed it was in British dollars. Are there almost 2 pounds to the dollar now?


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## Shining Star (Jan 7, 2007)

I have a *HUMMER H2* 
so I don't worry about gas prices


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

Yup Rob...you have hit the nail on the head...



> UK diesel prices are the cheapest in western Europe before tax is added, Government figures revealed.
> But once taxes are imposed on the fuel, the average price at the pump is higher than any other European Union country.
> The figures show taxes made up 58% of the total price in April - the highest in Europe - raising the cost from an average 48.8p a litre to 116.6p.
> Pre-tax unleaded prices for April were the third-lowest of all EU states, at 41.2p a litre, but after tax and duty the 107.6p cost meant 18 other EU countries had cheaper petrol.


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

lgnutah said:


> Oh, I just noticed it was in British dollars. Are there almost 2 pounds to the dollar now?


Just about...1 British pound = 1.982 USD


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

My daughter and grandson live 50 miles away. That really curtails my visits. : ( makes me very sad.
Of course another daughter/grandchildren live 500 miles away so who knows when we'll see them again!

I try to think "It's only money" But when you don't have any, it sucks!


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## ScoobyDoo (May 7, 2008)

What I don't understand is why Diesel is so much now. It use to be cheaper than Regular U.L. but not anymore. I thought that was because it was unrefined same as home heating. But I'm getting reamed at home too! Thank God for warmer temps because my heat is off now but I'm afraid of next Fall what I'm going to pay if in March I paid 3.75!!!
I fore see a Madd Maxx like future sooner than any of us could imagine.
Which brings me to maybe another poll question...Does anyone think prices will return to under even $3.50 per gallon national average?


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Well no matter what, it's better than living in Turkey, where the price of a liter of gasoline is reaching $2.8 and expecting to hit YTL 3.48 and YTL 3.03, respectively. 
But yeah, I hear what you're saying. When I came to Canada in 1997 it was $0.4 for litter of reg. gas, this morning it was $1.36,.. a dollar a litter more in just 10 years.


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## Sunshine Goldens (Oct 31, 2005)

Everytime I fill up I think of those who truly have to choose between gas and groceries. I know many people are struggling as it is, and gas prices just make it that much harder.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Sionce I don't like to drive in trafic, I rarely go to Corpus. It is 5 miles up the road to WalMart in Aransas Pass and about 7 ilew down theroad to WalMart in Porthland. I sometiems go 2-3 even 4 days without driving my car--now that I am banned from theBaot, wher I use to go 3 to 5 nights a week, 25 mile round trip., Since both my car insurance place and city hall (water/garbage pick up place) are on my way to grocery store (or WalMart if I keep going), I stop and drop off payments at bot of them and save the postage and am not going out of my way using more gas. I can pay the cable in Aransas Pass and did so on my way to the boat. Now if not going over there for a reason (it is a diffeet area from Walmart) I mail it in. My car gets 30 miles ot the gallon and it is about a 10 mile round trip to go pay cable--which translates to about 1/3 gallon and that wld be rght t $1.30 right now--postage is cheaper.

As to deisel, it use to be cheap. BUT most rigs run on it and apparently so do most motor homes. The roads got clogged with motor homes and the gas companies saw a way of racking up the money. It is killing owner operaters of rigs who hae to pay for their own fuel, and is hurint companies and they are passing along their increaes to customers, who pass them on to us.

Jrr was just in 
Anchorage, Alasak doing a delivry a couple of weeks ago. He said people ar riled over the high cost (think he said he paid $6 a gallon or almost $6 a gallon for deisel. Don't remember what he said gas was. But folks up there told him ALL THE OIL COMING OFF THE NORTH SLOPE IS GOING TO JAPAN AND We ARE BUYING HIGH DOLLAR OIL FROM THE ARAB COUNTRIES. Doen't make much sense does it.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

Gassing up is so unpleasant with these high prices. I get a little sick feeling when I see how fast the dollar part moves. My car requires premium, which bugs me and I've read more and more cars are being manufactured that don't just suggest it, but require it. It costs about $85 these days to fill up. Though seeing the UK prices, I don't have much to complain about! At Emma and Tilly's station, that would cost me almost $200 for my 20 gallons... 

I find I drive the speed limit now (which in CA is pretty unheard of and I often get glared at) and I try to be smart about planning my errands. I also make sure that I don't have superfluous heavy items in the car (besides me and the dogs!) and that the tires are inflated properly. 

I've thought about a car with better mileage - mine is an SUV and I average about 20 mpg (good for an SUV). I've done the math and it doesn't make sense to sell my car which is only a year old nor does it make monetary sense to have a second car like a hybrid for errands what with the extra insurance and the cost of the car.

Sigh. I think so many of the issues right now from oil to food shortages are largely driven by commodities markets feeding off the panic of consumers which is fueled by the media's need to make everything a crisis because it sells more ad revenue and feeds their egos. It makes me angry because the losers are not those who find it inconvenient to pay more - it's those who can't afford to live if they have to pay more.


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## rosie way (Apr 6, 2008)

*gas prices*

livung in united kingdom, we seem to have one of the highest tax rates on fuel. its still rising!!!! geting to work cost so much. living in a rural community, driving is essential.


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## SimTek (Dec 21, 2007)

I ride All year round here in Atlanta. (except for severe thunderstorms). Every 2 years me and my buds do a long bike ride. 04 we rode to the Grand Canyon. 06 we rode to Maine. This year we are suppose to ride to Yellowstone. I will have to cancel this trip due to gas and food prices to high.  Guess that leaves me 2 extra weeks to spend with the dogs..


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## GoldenSmile (Apr 10, 2008)

It takes me $40.00 to fill up my car (A Hybrid SUV-- Jeep Compass). I used to have a dodge Dakota, I had to trade it in because it was getting way, way too expensive. It was like $90.00 to fill. My mother has a Dodge Ram and she pays $120.00 to fill it. Mind you, Gas prices are more expensive in Canada than they are in the States. I think they guessed that Canadian prices per gallon are $4.45 ($1.29/litre here right now, at this moment) it may be more since those numbers are from march. I don't complain much about it since the Brits are getting wrung out on gas prices which are almost double what we pay. We have oil coming in from Alberta, huge deposits of the stuff and you'd think it'd be cheaper but it isn't. C'est la vie.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I now consolidate all my errands on one day and figure the shortest way and make a big circle. Even in my little beetle bug it is costing me over $50 to fill it. My husband is about *$110 to fill up and he fills up at least 2-3 times* *a week*. I am now looking for a job to pay for his gas bill. His work does pay us $250-a mo to compensate but that covers 2 tanks. I stay home most days now instead of doing running around. I used to split up my errands everyday for something different but now do it all in one day to save.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

I consolidate my errands tryign to stop on the way home from work. Gas here is down to $4.08 at most stations but it is costing me about $45 a week to ger back and forth to work. I looked at riding the bus (it's $40 a month) but it doesn't come out my way so I'd have to drive a mile to the grocery store in order to catch it and it would take me over an hour to get to work and longer to get home. It only takes me 20 - 25 minutes to drive myself.

Once my daughter is out of school I may carpool with a co-worker but ahe goes in at 6am I don't go in until 8 - 8:30. I'm not sure I want to spend my summer getting up at 4:30am.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

I'm also thinking of getting a bicycle for running little errands to the neighborhood center. I've secretly always wanted one with a big basket! Too bad for the furkids that they won't fit in the basket...


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## Shining Star (Jan 7, 2007)

ScoobyDoo said:


> What I don't understand is why Diesel is so much now. It use to be cheaper than Regular U.L. but not anymore. I thought that was because it was unrefined same as home heating. But I'm getting reamed at home too! Thank God for warmer temps because my heat is off now but I'm afraid of next Fall what I'm going to pay if in March I paid 3.75!!!
> I fore see a Madd Maxx like future sooner than any of us could imagine.
> Which brings me to maybe another poll question...Does anyone think prices will return to under even $3.50 per gallon national average?


 Diesel cost more because our Goverment made the oil Co. clean up the Diesel oil.
That made the price of Diesel go way up.
The Diesel you buy now is a lot cleaner Diesel them the Diesel we got 
10 years ago.
I can remenber when Gas was 16 cents a gal and you got S & H Green stamps.
Diesel was about 10 cents a Gal. and no budy but truckers wanted it.


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

Actually what has affected my driving is my non-displaced tibial plateau fracture. 

I keep seeing in the news where gas is going up in price but as a result of my injury, I haven't driven much and I haven't bought any gas in about 5 weeks now!!!!!!!!!


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## grcharlie (Nov 10, 2007)

Emma&Tilly said:


> Prices are CRAZY here at the moment too...I just paid £1.27 per LITRE yesterday!!!
> 
> I worked this out into US gallons...and that converts to *$9.51* per gallon!!
> 
> ...


 
Ouch!! 9.51.......yikes! That would be rioting time if that was our prices. My dh is seeing a lot more cars that come into his shop with cut lines or punctured gas tanks. I went to Castaic Animal shelter this weekend and it was $4.29 per gallon for regular. My car is sitting home on fumes......it takes premium.


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## RileyStar (Mar 24, 2008)

My mother and I work from home (whew!!!) We save so much on gas, buch since we both own SUV's trips to the store and errands we have to consolidate. My car is always on low fuel nowadays!


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## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

We still drive as usual, but we TRY to cut down on where we go and make big trips instead of small ones.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Well, Thank Goodness the new bill in the Senate is threatened with a veto. The Wall Street Journal concluded it would have added an additional 50cents per gallon over time. What are these people thinking?? I also read that Diesel is higher world wide because it is the predominantly used fuel world wide. That would also help explain the cost differences between gas and diesel. For fuel costs to be higher in Canada, yet we get most of our fuel from Canada, must mean Canada's taxes on fuel are much higher???


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## Mandy's Dad (May 27, 2008)

Unfortunately, we grumble a whole lot more now, but we drive pretty much the same amount! Almost all of our driving is required and not luxury or convenience. My wife and I car-pool, but we started doing that two years ago so that can't be attributed to the recent increase of gas prices. If we cut out going to and from work, and church, and my in-law's, we could save A LOT!!! 40 miles each way for work, 26 miles each way for church, and 23 miles each way for my in-law's! Adds up QUICK!!!


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## e.c.mama (May 17, 2008)

I am way more conscious about where and how much I'm driving, but it's not like I am making lots of unnecessary trips. Work, home, store, etc. I just try to make sure that I"m getting/doing everything I can at that place so I don't have to make another trip to the same place in a day or two.


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## Gold Elyse (Jan 6, 2008)

I heard the gas was going to be up to $5.00 in July. Yikes!!!!!!!


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Celeigh said:


> I've thought about a car with better mileage - mine is an SUV and I average about 20 mpg (good for an SUV). I've done the math and it doesn't make sense to sell my car which is only a year old nor does it make monetary sense to have a second car like a hybrid for errands what with the extra insurance and the cost of the car.
> I did the same calculation and realized a car I own with no car payment is still more economical than buying a new hybrid vehicle.
> Sigh. I think so many of the issues right now from oil to food shortages are largely driven by commodities markets feeding off the panic of consumers which is fueled by the media's need to make everything a crisis because it sells more ad revenue and feeds their egos.
> How true!
> ...


In my job I provide support services to people who are just barely scraping by. Gas to go to work is eating up so much of their money that one family I work with hadn't had the extra money yet to purchase the infant safety seat for the baby expected in July...which arrived a month early....(fortunately I was able to locate a donated used seat for them). People speculating on the price of oil (so they can pad their investment portfolios) don't give a thought to what this is doing to people.


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## Goldilocks (Jun 3, 2007)

I really think twice about where I am going to go, etc. Of course getting to work is a necessity but for instance, there's a new grocery store that just opened across from the parking lot so I go there on my way home from work instead of driving across town on Saturday to go grocery shopping.


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## DixieDoodle (Jan 17, 2008)

I drive more civilized now, Set a cruise control and keep it at around 60 mph. Don't race off the redlight, just stuff like that. Finally I see the over 30 mpg that I was looking for (duh!)


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## Emma&Tilly (May 15, 2005)

We have a petrol strike here at the moment...well I think it is the shell tanker drivers to be exact. They had run out at two pumps at my petrol station...uh oh...


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## Christi (Mar 27, 2008)

I actually had an 05 Suburban Z71 with all options that I loved and traded it in January for a Ford Escape Hybrid because I was spending $660 a month in gas. I was getting 10mpg and now I get 32-39 mpg...and haven't looked back. We also just traded my husbands car that took premium gas and got better gas mileage and regular gas. I haven't looked back and as the gas prices go up, I thank my lucky stars that I did what I did when I did it.


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## linktrek (Nov 17, 2007)

I can put the world's supply and damand on oil as not a reason for the price of oil being so high. According to this article back in 2006, it would take the loss of the entire exports of Iran, the 4th largest oil exporter, to get the price of oil up to $130 a gallon. Read this article http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/07/news/international/iran_oil/index.htm

Someone needs to take care of the speculators.


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