[PRCo] gas and travel

[Fred Schneider]

You are correct.   The long term trend is up and probably up  
sharply.  Too many people are forgetting that we have probably used  
half the world's fuel and that demand has be going up at 3 percent a  
year and that China and India have eight times more people than we  
do.   Don't expect it to go down long term.   Maybe a minor course  
adjustment and then back up.  This minor adjustment would be a good  
time to dump that SUV or Hummer on some unsuspecting slob who thinks  
we've beaten the Arabs.   It will be a good month for the Cadillac  
dealer on route 283 to get rid of all those Escalades.

What our politicians just do not want to tell us is that the U. S. A.  
has 4 percent of the world's population and we consume  20 percent of  
the world's oil each year.   Sorry guys, that will not continue.  You  
can only play the 800 pound gorilla role so long.

I felt sorry for the local Indian and his wife who own their Sunoco  
gas station.   I topped off the tank Sunday morning after coming back  
from Baltimore.   They were selling for $3.779.   I asked the wife  
what they paid for that tank of gasoline.   The answer?   $3.770.    
By the time I slipped my American Express card into the pump reader  
(which cost them three percent), they lost 51 cents selling the  
gasoline to me.   Sometimes I think I should buy my gas from a  
someone I don't care about instead of a family I like.   I go to  
those people and I feel I have to buy a coke and some peanuts so they  
can at least break even.

Travel industry hurting?  No kidding.   I want to drive to Phoenix  
for the December opening of the light rail.  Considering going to San  
Diego too.   That would burn up a thousand dollars worth of gasoline  
in my VW.  Cutting back from 75 to 60 mph would save about $150 in  
fuel and I can remember when I could cross the country and come home  
with a Ford V-8 for $112 worth of gas.  I'll bet I can find some  
bargains at Motel 6 this time.

On Jul 28, 2008, at 10:01 AM, John Swindler wrote:

>
> As Ed once commented, it fluctuates, but long term trend is up.  If  
> oil drops to around $100 per barrel, I would not be surprised to  
> see states raise gas taxes. They are hurting from increased  
> supplier costs for repair material.
>
> Saw diesel at $4.79 per gallon at Hess on way to work this  
> morning.  This is hurting the transit industry with its reliance on  
> diesel buses.  One large agency in northeast PA was looking at  
> increase from $2.50 last year to $4.50 starting July 1st.
>
> These are interesting times.  Public transit is becoming more  
> attractive to people's wallets, which could help rail transit  
> proposals.  Travel industry is hurting, for those who like to travel.
>
> John
>
>
>
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