State by State Gas Prices=How are gas prices in your area?

[gtalum]

It would only take a couple of stupid things out there for it to happen..

I doubt it. There's a point at which people just won't be able to afford petroelum products any more. As the price approaches that point it will quit rising and even collapse because demand will drop off. Simple economics. OPEC is smart enough to keep prices high but affordable.

[gtalum]

$71.50 is that all?.

It's lower than $74.22.

[gtalum]

On an interesting side note, while everyone panics about the price of oil being at a record high, they ignore the fact that in inflation adjusted dollars we're still over $15 per barrel below the peak during the Iran-Iraq war in 1980.

[SouthFloridawx]

It would only take a couple of stupid things out there for it to happen..

I doub tit. There's a point at which people just won't be able to afford petroelum products any more. As the price approaches that point it will quit rising and even collapse because demand will drop off. Simple economics. OPEC is smartt enough to keep prices high but affordable.

I would hardly say the current prices are affordable. Lets say you have a 12 gallon tank, the car is a 4 cylinder, and the cost is 3.00 to fill up. Now lets say you only work for 7-8 dollars per hour and work a full work week of 40 hours.

7 X 40 = 280.00 per week before taxes.

280 X 15% taxes = 238.00 per week after taxes

Let's say realistically that you fill up your tank twice a week.

12X3.00 = 36 X 2 = 72.00 per week just to fill your tank.

238.00 - 72.00 = leave 166.00 per week for the rest of things in life including everything such as rent/food/bills and other things like that.

I do not think that 3.00 per gallon is affordable. Even if you made 10.00 per hour it's still out rageous.

Add to that the cost of children and you got yourself in a pickle. I know my mom raised the 5 of us and never had a cent left over from month to month.

[gtalum]

It's affordable, or else demand would be dropping. It's not that difficult to reduce consumption of petroleum. We as a nation, however, are still stuck in the mindset from the late 1990's when gasoline was as low as $0.70 ($1.00 or so in 2006 dollars) per gallon in some places.

If someone making $8 per hour is filling up twice a week, they're not handling their finances very well. Anyone can find a $8 per hour job near their home.

[SouthFloridawx]

It's affordable, or else demand would be dropping. It's not that difficult to reduce consumption of petroleum. We as a nation, however, are still stuck in the mindset from the late 1990's when gasoline was as low as $0.70 ($1.00 or so in 2006 dollars) per gallon in some places.

If someone making $8 per hour is filling up twice a week, they're not handling their finances very well. Anyone can find a $8 per hour job near their home.

Well if you have a family and only one car I think that 2 x's per week is probably realistic. Remember it's not just the running back and forth to work that gets people. It is not affordable trust me.

[gtalum]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. There's no need for a family with only one breadwinner making $7 per hour to fill up the car with twice a week. Or even once a week, for that matter.

[SouthFloridawx]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. There's no need for a family with only one breadwinner making $7 per hour to fill up the car with twice a week. Or even once a week, for that matter.

Are you single, married or married with kids?

[feederband]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. There's no need for a family with only one breadwinner making $7 per hour to fill up the car with twice a week. Or even once a week, for that matter.

How many do you have in your family?

[gtalum]

Married, no kids. One on the way.

People feel they "need" everything, when they really just want it.

Let's say your hypothetical poor family has a beater that gets 20 miles to the gallon. There is no need whatsoever for a family with one breadwinner making $7 per hour to drive 480 miles (two fillups) per week. There's not even a need for them to drive 240 miles per week.

This also ignores the fact that this family would be on food stamps, paying no income tax, and would get a large Earned Income Tax Credit every year.

[SouthFloridawx]

Ok your right... gas is affordable...

.

[feederband]

Married, no kids. One on the way.

People feel they "need" everything, when they really just want it.

Let's say your hypothetical poor family has a beater that gets 20 miles to the gallon. There is no need whatsoever for a family with one breadwinner making $7 per hour to drive 480 miles (two fillups) per week. There's not even a need for them to drive 240 miles per week.

This also ignores the fact that this family would be on food stamps, paying no income tax, and would get a large Earned Income Tax Credit every year.

Let me guess you work at home too..

[gtalum]

Let me guess you work at home too..

Nope, I drive 30 miles to work. But you don't see me in here complaining about the price of gas. I did buy a more fuel efficient vehicle a few weeks ago and cut my consumption in half.

[feederband]

Let me guess you work at home too..

Nope, I drive 30 miles to work. But you don't see me in here complaining about the price of gas. I did buy a more fuel efficient vehicle a few weeks ago and cut my consumption in half.

Well you are the only one not complaining..

[SouthFloridawx]

On second thought, I would like to add that just because you think it's affordable for a family to pay 3.00 per gallon of gas doesn't mean that it is. Life is not black and white like that. People don't just go to work, they also take kids to school, go to the grociery store, family things, unexpected medical expenses, rent, electric, phone bills and other things I can't even think of right now. Gas is not affordable period. It's not the fact that gas is around 3.00 per gallon, its the fact that the cost's of many things are going up also. Just because they may not be paying much in taxes and they have help with food stamps does not put them in the clear to feel comfortable. Yeah you could say they should move but, many of them can't move and are stuck where they are. In a lot of places in america there are not a lot of choices in the job market. Back where I used to live i knew many people who worked and made $8.00 per hour to feed thier family and take care of all their bills. Certainly the wives had to stay home and take care of the children cause the cost of child care is astronomic. So please the cost of gas is not affordable

[gtalum]

Well you are the only one not complaining..

Not really. It's harder to notice who's not complaining than it is who is complaining. I prefer to do something rather than complain. But that's just me.

I just keep in mind the fact that we're not nearly as high pricewise as we were during the oil crisis of the late 1970's/early 1980's. Also, on the world scene our gas prices are a bargain.

What's happening right now is that we're paying for the generally poor civil planning of the 20th century. Perhaps high fuel prices will spur city planners to make more logical decisions. It seems to be working in many places.

[SouthFloridawx]

Let's say your hypothetical poor family has a beater that gets 20 miles to the gallon. There is no need whatsoever for a family with one breadwinner making $7 per hour to drive 480 miles (two fillups) per week. There's not even a need for them to drive 240 miles per week.

Nope, I drive 30 miles to work. But you don't see me in here complaining about the price of gas.

So then how many miles a week do drive back and forth to work?

[gtalum]

So then how many miles a week do drive back and forth to work?

About 300 miles a week. But I sure as heck wouldn't do that if I were making $7-$8 per hour. I'd go to the McDonald's or Wal-Mart within walking distance of my house instead, if that were the case.

[SouthFloridawx]

So then how many miles a week do drive back and forth to work?

About 300 miles a week. But I sure as heck wouldn't do that if I were making $7-$8 per hour. I'd go to the McDonald's or Wal-Mart within walking distance of my house instead, if that were the case.

Supposing they lived near a walmart or mcdonalds that was hiring right?

[gtalum]

1) Every Wal-Mart and McDonald's (and similar establishments) is almost always hiring, in my experience.

2) If you make $8 per hour, you need to live near where you work or on a transit line.