Gas Prices from 1989-2008

[A-Husker-4-Life]

Here's a look at gas prices from 89-08;

89 - 1.12
90 - 1.19
91 - 1.12
92 - 1.13
93 - 1.08
94 - 1.16
95 - 1.12
96 - 1.20
97 - 1.23
98 - 1.01
99 - 1.21
00 - 1.44
01 - 1.53
02 - 1.36
03 - 1.69
04 - 1.85
05 - 2.58
06 - 2.80
07 - 2.75
08 - 4.06


Look this over, then lets discuss it.

[st.cronin]

They seem to have gone up lately.

[korme]

i hate gas

[Lorena]

Yeah I remember when my friends used to say, "I'll give you $5.00 of gas if you take me to so-and-so's house"; those same $5.00 now won't get me far.

[NoMyths]

[korme]

Seems like every time I fill up I break my previous record of $$ spent.

[st.cronin]

It actually has ticked down lately, at least around here. July 4th weekend it was @ 3.95 most places for regular.

[korme]

3.95 does not quite entice me to rush to a gas station to save a few cents like it used to.

[digamma]

Los Angeles Metro ridership was up 13% in June versus June 2007.

[Cringer]

Cringer's bicycle riding was up 150% in the first 6 months of 2008 compared to the first 6 months of 2007.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Lorena

Yeah I remember when my friends used to say, "I'll give you $5.00 of gas if you take me to so-and-so's house"; those same $5.00 now won't get me far.

At $4 a gallon, that's more than a gallon -- in a standard car that gets you at least 30 miles. Was the old five dollar ride basically a two day trip or something?

[Daimyo]

What do those numbers represent? The median price for the year? The price on an arbitrary date? Gas was well over 1.12 in the build up to the Gulf War.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by A-Husker-4-Life

Look this over, then lets discuss it.

OK, I'm ready to discuss. So gas prices have dropped considerably as we enter 2089. This is good news.

What?

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

At $4 a gallon, that's more than a gallon -- in a standard car that gets you at least 30 miles. Was the old five dollar ride basically a two day trip or something?

Drive in Los Angeles and you will see how far a gallon of gas will get you.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Antmeister

Drive in Los Angeles and you will see how far a gallon of gas will get you.

Why on earth would I want to do that?

[Flasch186]

Keeping in mind that Im generally wrong, parabolic moves one way are usually followed by parabolic moves in the other direction. FWIW....However I said to go short Oil 2 months ago and boy was I wrong.....wrongedy wrong wrong wrong!

[st.cronin]

I agree that a drop is likely on the way. My guess is next year a gallon of regular will cost about $3.00.

[Drake]

I realized the other day that when I was just out of HS (i.e., 1989), I could fill up my tank *and* buy cigarettes for the week for $20.

Now I can't do either.

But on the other hand, where I live, a gallon of gas once more costs than a pack of cigarettes (like it did in 1989), so as far as I'm concerned all is right with the world. The universe has achieved balance again.

[JeeberD]

Since when does the standard car get 30mpg?

[Ryan S]

Originally Posted by korme

Seems like every time I fill up I break my previous record of $$ spent.

I spent $130 filling up my car yesterday. My father managed to put $150 in his car a few weeks ago.

[Buccaneer]

I just exceeded $50 a month in fuel bills for my vehicle.

[cougarfreak]

Just ask the President, it's all Congress' fault! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25653628/

What business is he about to go into again in about 6 months?

[TCY Junkie]

In 2002 a gas station opened up next to another one and got in a price war. I filled up for 67 cents a gallon. Now some pumps cut off at 75 dollars and the tank isn't even close to full.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I just exceeded $50 a month in fuel bills for my vehicle.

That is the closest you will ever see Bucc get to saying, "Hey, fuck you all! Hahahahaha!"

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Drake

That is the closest you will ever see Bucc get to saying, "Hey, fuck you all! Hahahahaha!"

Lol.

I did make two trips to Denver this month but I did ride the light rail once I got to the south end.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I just exceeded $50 a month in fuel bills for my vehicle.

I have to fill up my car next week. My last fill-up was in late April.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I love how somebody starts a thread begging for discussion, and then that person disappears and ends up not discussing anything himself.

Yeah, I'm pretty damn grouchy tonight.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I love how somebody starts a thread begging for discussion, and then that person disappears and ends up not discussing anything himself.

Yeah, I'm pretty damn grouchy tonight.

Sorry PT, just got back from work. Are you grouchy or drunk

Notice how the prices are level from 89 to 2004 and then all the sudden they jump up like crazy. It kinda hard to look at these prices and realize where we are today. It's a very sad situation, take a person making minimum wage and then having to buy gas for his/her 1978 LTD. How the heck are they going to do it? I really hope Obama or McCain having some good in mind to fix this problem or this is going to be a long recession. I better start investing in gold...

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I just exceeded $50 a month in fuel bills for my vehicle.

My wife and I spend maybe $20 per month. Her commute is a few miles each way while my work car is paid for by who I work for. I do have my own Corolla but I take it out once a week, maybe a mile or two, to get groceries or something, just so it doesn't lay dormant. It was 4 months between the 2 most recent fillups on it

SI

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by A-Husker-4-Life

I better start investing in gold...

Bad idea.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Bad idea.

Why, did you buy it all up

[bionicgrov]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

Keeping in mind that Im generally wrong, parabolic moves one way are usually followed by parabolic moves in the other direction. FWIW....However I said to go short Oil 2 months ago and boy was I wrong.....wrongedy wrong wrong wrong!

Are you still short? If so, keep it on. If not, add some shorts on up days over the next 2 weeks. Oil prices will come down into the election and into early next year. After that, go into cash 100% for everything. This is going to get real ugly.

[Antmeister]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Why on earth would I want to do that?

LOL....because that is where she grew up. You don't go far on a gallon of gas in that type of traffic.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by A-Husker-4-Life

Sorry PT, just got back from work. Are you grouchy or drunk

Notice how the prices are level from 89 to 2004 and then all the sudden they jump up like crazy. It kinda hard to look at these prices and realize where we are today. It's a very sad situation, take a person making minimum wage and then having to buy gas for his/her 1978 LTD. How the heck are they going to do it? I really hope Obama or McCain having some good in mind to fix this problem or this is going to be a long recession. I better start investing in gold...

Responding to this now as a reminder to myself to post when I'm not so drunk. Carry on...

[Vince]

It's fairly sad that I was excited to find gas for $4.39 a gallon today.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Since when does the standard car get 30mpg?

Seriously.

I used to drive a Ford Probe, which got me a cool 23 MPG on average, and now I drive a Toyota Corolla, which has got me up to 26-28. The Corolla is supposedly in the upper echelon of non-hybrid cars in terms of gas mileage. Also, I live in the city. About 80% of guys I've seen that live nowhere near the coast drive pickup trucks. They seem to be ecstatic with 15 MPG

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

At $4 a gallon, that's more than a gallon -- in a standard car that gets you at least 30 miles. Was the old five dollar ride basically a two day trip or something?

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Since when does the standard car get 30mpg?

Okay, if this is going to be a big issue...

I said $4 gas, which is basically the national average. $5 worth is not one gallon, it's 1.25 gallons. So, by referencing the figure of 30 miles, I implied 24 miles per gallon, not 30. Maybe 24 is still a shade high for the standard car. If so, please forgive me, I hope my basic point wasn't lost over this bit of math.

Admittedly, I wasn't operating within the confines of one particular person's former hometown and its traffic peculiarities, I hope she and you can forgive me that grave trespass as well.

I'd still suggest that paying someone five bucks back in the day for the livery service was more about paying the person for his time than it really was paying for his gasoline.



People tend to act irrationally with respect to gasoline - that's my essential point. Yes, increases in gas prices tend to squeeze everyone's budget, but the idea that somehow incidental driving (like taking a 5-mile round trip to the store) is now a major financial burden -- it's really just absurd.

In this area, people seem to make regular summer plans to travel to the Ocean - about a 100-150 mile trip each way. I have heard plenty of people say they have canceled their family vacation specifically due to the increased price of gasoline for the drive. Even if that's 300 miles, and say you don't have a 24mpg car but a 15mpg vehicle... you're still only talking about 20 gallons of gas... the increase in price of maybe thirty bucks since last year. Honestly, canceling the vacation because your whole budget is strained I can understand, but doing so over something like thirty bucks is just silly, and that's a fairly extreme example.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

...

...
People tend to act irrationally with respect to gasoline - that's my essential point. Yes, increases in gas prices tend to squeeze everyone's budget, but the idea that somehow incidental driving (like taking a 5-mile round trip to the store) is now a major financial burden -- it's really just absurd.

In this area, people seem to make regular summer plans to travel to the Ocean - about a 100-150 mile trip each way. I have heard plenty of people say they have canceled their family vacation specifically due to the increased price of gasoline for the drive. Even if that's 300 miles, and say you don't have a 24mpg car but a 15mpg vehicle... you're still only talking about 20 gallons of gas... the increase in price of maybe thirty bucks since last year. Honestly, canceling the vacation because your whole budget is strained I can understand, but doing so over something like thirty bucks is just silly, and that's a fairly extreme example.

I just roll my eyes when I hear people throw this kind of thing out there.

[Buccaneer]

livery service

I remember those days.

QS has made his point several times before, particularly in reference to car trips. I understand the angst in commuting 100 miles each day (common in the West) but not canceling a 1000 mile trip (say, to DisneyWorld). Let's say a 1000 mile trip will cost $225 ($4.50/g at 20 mpg). Back in the old days (like 3 years ago), that would have cost $105. A difference of $120. Are you saying when you are spending $1000+ on lodging and food and drinks, that $120 will make or break? Just cut out a few souvenirs or something. Or if you are spending the gas to visit family and friends, wouldn't it still be worth it. There are other ways to economize to make up the difference in the extra gas expenditures (e.g., saving on food/drinks, taking public transportation at your destination, etc.).

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

I just roll my eyes when I hear people throw this kind of thing out there.

Then I get one too. It is not about the exhorbant prices one has to pay for long commutes, I genuinely feel for those that have no choice in that. The point was about a one-time trip where gas makes up a small percentage of the total cost.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

People tend to act irrationally with respect to gasoline - that's my essential point. Yes, increases in gas prices tend to squeeze everyone's budget, but the idea that somehow incidental driving (like taking a 5-mile round trip to the store) is now a major financial burden -- it's really just absurd.

In this area, people seem to make regular summer plans to travel to the Ocean - about a 100-150 mile trip each way. I have heard plenty of people say they have canceled their family vacation specifically due to the increased price of gasoline for the drive. Even if that's 300 miles, and say you don't have a 24mpg car but a 15mpg vehicle... you're still only talking about 20 gallons of gas... the increase in price of maybe thirty bucks since last year. Honestly, canceling the vacation because your whole budget is strained I can understand, but doing so over something like thirty bucks is just silly, and that's a fairly extreme example.

THE most absurd aspect of this is seeing the spike in sales of mopeds. Seriously, people, that's just not right.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Seriously.

I used to drive a Ford Probe, which got me a cool 23 MPG on average, and now I drive a Toyota Corolla, which has got me up to 26-28. The Corolla is supposedly in the upper echelon of non-hybrid cars in terms of gas mileage. Also, I live in the city. About 80% of guys I've seen that live nowhere near the coast drive pickup trucks. They seem to be ecstatic with 15 MPG

You must either drive a little crazy or just sit in stop and go all the time. I have an 05 Corolla and during the year I put almost 40000 miles on it, mixed highway and city driving for work, I was getting 31-32 mpg.

SI

[Flasch186]

Originally Posted by bionicgrov

Are you still short? If so, keep it on. If not, add some shorts on up days over the next 2 weeks. Oil prices will come down into the election and into early next year. After that, go into cash 100% for everything. This is going to get real ugly.

Dude, you obviously have never heard of the Contra-Flasch theorem of relativity. If I stay short oil than the price of oil will continue to rise thus punishing our entire commodity. To help out my fellow American I have piled into oil, my entire life savings, a second mortgage and any extra money I can find into the USO so be prepared for a sharp sharp fall in oil prices any day now

[Marc Vaughan]

The biggest effect of gas prices on me hasn't been the car (which is painful but survivable) its flights - I've found that not only have the prices increased between 25-50% (depending on luck when you book largely) but the airlines now are even less reliable with regards to flight times and appear to be 'clubbing' together to ensure only full flights are made - hence you can expect to find that 3pm flight you booked turning into an 11pm flight due to (cough) delays ... which end up turning your BA flight into a BA/Delta/whatever flight ... ba humbug.

PS - There's a lot of noise these days about hybrid cars but I haven't heard anything about improvements in plane engines? - anyone heard anything along these lines ...

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Responding to this now as a reminder to myself to post when I'm not so drunk. Carry on...

A day later and I have no clue what I was going for with this.

[Flasch186]

BTW - Ive seen these sort of moves before:

[molson]

Originally Posted by Flasch186

BTW - Ive seen these sort of moves before:

That really doesn't come close to the increase we've seen in gas.

4X in 10 years. The next 4X won't take nearly as long.