The Grinch stopped by for a visit

[Rich Engelhardt]

Went past a BP gas station about two hours ago.
Gas was $2.86 a gallon. A block down the road, the price was $3.25 @ the Circle K.
I picked up some chip dip @ Circkle K and went back home.
The BP sign now read $3.29 a gallon.

That's rediculous. How can gas go up $.43 a gallon like that:confused:

Bah humbug,,,

[David Weaver]

over here two hours away from you, it's $3.46. That's the lowest it's been here in months and months.

[Brian Elfert]

That is a bit extreme. An article in today's paper said to expect gas prices to go up soon like in a week or two, but nothing was mentioned about a jump of that much and that quick. Of course, it is the start of the holiday driving season.

[Al Launier]

Went past a BP gas station about two hours ago.
Gas was $2.86 a gallon. A block down the road, the price was $3.25 @ the Circle K.
I picked up some chip dip @ Circkle K and went back home.
The BP sign now read $3.29 a gallon.

That's rediculous. How can gas go up $.43 a gallon like that:confused:

Bah humbug,,,

It sounds like the operator made a mistake in posting the price where it didn't match the actual pump price. Timing is everything. I'll bet as soon as he became aware of it, he was all over that sign! LOL

[David G Baker]

Several years ago a gas station actually raised the price while I was pumping gas and demanded that I pay the new higher price. Never went back to that station and never will.

[Rod Sheridan]

Went past a BP gas station about two hours ago.
Gas was $2.86 a gallon. A block down the road, the price was $3.25 @ the Circle K.
I picked up some chip dip @ Circkle K and went back home.
The BP sign now read $3.29 a gallon.

That's rediculous. How can gas go up $.43 a gallon like that:confused:

Bah humbug,,,

Rich, gas is $1.30/litre here, I'll gladly take $3.29/gallon, even if it's a US gallon.:D


Regards, Rod

[Rich Stewart]

But you get free healthcare.

[Jim Matthews]

But you get free healthcare.

Yeah, but they also are force-fed Poutine...
and don't get me started on beer stores!

[Rick Moyer]

Plus, supply and demand. Local gas prices dependent mostly on market value. can't sell gas $.05 over a competeter regardless of the margins. Probably a mistake, though.

It amuses me, however, how much stock folks put into gas pricing. @15,000 miles per year, .10 difference in gas price is about $100/year, yet people freak over that compared to what they spend on any number of other things: utilities, beer, cigarettes, dining, etc.
I don't get it!

[Rick Potter]

Ten cents? Our gas has varied almost a buck over the last year.

Rick Potter

[Rich Engelhardt]

It amuses me, however, how much stock folks put into gas pricing. @15,000 miles per year, .10 difference in gas price is about $100/year, yet people freak over that compared to what they spend on any number of other things: utilities, beer, cigarettes, dining, etc.
I don't get it!That $.43 a gallon price jump translates into an extra $10.00 we'll have to spend this holiday weekend to travel back and forth to my in laws to celebrate Christmas - for basically no good reason on earth except for greed.....bah humbug...

A year ago at this time, gas was $3.05 a gallon. Right after the first of the year, it jumped to a high of $4.05 a gallon at one point. It averaged about $3.79 a gallon from Jan through August. We had to travel back and forth to one of our rental houses to work on it from Jan to August 5 days a week during that time. The total mileage we had to drive during that time came out to roughly 16,000 miles. We burned through about 500 gallons of gas. It cost us roughly $370.00 extra - again - for pretty much no good reason.

Another way to look at it is - I have to do without a bandsaw because of that.

[Curt Fuller]

Yeah, but they also are force-fed Poutine...


:D:D:D Had never heard of "Poutine" and had to google it. Sounds delicious even though it's kind of a heart attack waiting to happen.

Rich, I think gas prices fall under this category.........."God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change".

Have a Merry Christmas!

[Brian Elfert]

It amuses me, however, how much stock folks put into gas pricing. @15,000 miles per year, .10 difference in gas price is about $100/year, yet people freak over that compared to what they spend on any number of other things: utilities, beer, cigarettes, dining, etc.
I don't get it!

Gasoline is one item just about everyone uses where the price is advertised in big numbers all over town. It also changes prices as often as daily. If the price didn't change up and down so often I don't think people who get so upset about it. If the cable bill gets too high one can cancel it. One can't stop driving to work so we need to buy fuel regardless.

The price of fuel has certainly affected me. I do a yearly trip that uses 525 gallons of diesel. Lowest price I ever paid for diesel for this trip was $1.21 a gallon in 2004. Highest price I ever paid for this trip was around $4.25 a gallon just this year. The same trip cost $1596 more this year than it did 8 years ago. $1596 could buy some nice tools, a lot of wood, or pad the savings account nicely. I spend more on fuel for that one trip than I do for fuel for my car for the rest of the year.

[Rick Moyer]

Plus, supply and demand. Local gas prices dependent mostly on market value. can't sell gas $.05 over a competeter regardless of the margins. Probably a mistake, though.

It amuses me, however, how much stock folks put into gas pricing. @15,000 miles per year, .10 difference in gas price is about $100/year, yet people freak over that compared to what they spend on any number of other things: utilities, beer, cigarettes, dining, etc.
I don't get it!

I wasn't clear, I guess, in what I meant. I meant that there is typically less than .10 difference in local gas prices between local retailers, yet folks will drive several miles to buy gas 5 cents/gal cheaper, when that actually costs them MORE in the long run. False economy, especially if that retailer sells other stuff they're purchasing at a few cents or more higher! Point being, people seem to put more stock in gas prices than a lot of other stuff that affects them as much or more. At least that's what I meant to convey earlier.

To the OP's complaint about it jumping .43, don't blame the retailer too much. His margins are pretty low on gasoline. He may have been selling it briefly at or below cost to be able to compete with someone else's business, then was able to put the price back in line with everyone else. I'd bet neither retailer is making .20/gal on gasoline. I believe the speculators are driving fuel prices and are the ones making money off of it. Pricing doesn't seem to be based on supply and demand anymore. It also fluctuates too wildly to be based on supply and demand. Another reason I try not to get too excited about it; can't seem to do anything about it.

Rich, I understand about your diesel dilemma. I own and operate one triaxle dump truck for wich I buy about 10,000-13,000 gallons of fuel a year. When it's $4/gal vs. $3/gal I make a whole lot less money. Also would buy me a lot of stuff!!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Rick,
I don't blame the retailer.

It just tee's me off no end that it's taken so much for granted that the price can jump by that much in one fell swoop w/no real reason given.

At least in years past, the oil companies actually put some thought into what kind of whopper they wanted us to swallow over a $.05 jump in gas.
Now, they just jack the price by close to a half dollar a gallon without thinking.