MR

GASHOLES -- That's my new term for whoever is bidding up the price of oil. I keep hearing that there is a bubble in the oil market that should burst soon, but then hear that people holding to that theory are starting to back away from it. Also hear that this is nothing more than supply and demand, but I don't see how it could increase so dramatically in such an incredibly short period of time. But I figure some gasholes somewhere are keeping this going!

I considered a hybrid a while back, but they are so costly that any savings you have on gas can be spent on the extra cost for the car. My boss, however, drives a big-A truck that is a fuel monster, and has a daily 70-mile commute. He just bought a Toyota Yaris that apparently gets around 40mpg and the gas savings alone are paying for the car.

Me, I'm driving and spending much less to compensate. Starting to work from home and remotely a lot more where I can. Where I was having to fill my tank once a week before, this really will make a difference. You know, it just sucks when you are just a couple of months away from being in an even better place budget-wise, such as losing a car payment or a weekly daycare payment, and see some of that get sucked down the tubes by increased gas prices, grocery prices, etc.

Let me tell ya -- when I hear ANY politician talking about raising taxes right now, I want to reach through the TV and choke them. So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

I've eliminated my drinking and driving routine. It's too expensive these days. Plus, bumming rides home is saving me some dough. I'm thinking about making this a permanent thing.

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

Driving slower and using cruise control as much as possible. Unfortunately, my company is run by a bunch of morons and they don't let us work from home even though it would be no inconvenience to the company or the employees.

Saint John wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

I've eliminated my drinking and driving routine. It's too expensive these days. Plus, bumming rides home is saving me some dough. I'm thinking about making this a permanent thing.

Was your car running on gasahol? LOL! I applaud ya... a benefit to society as well as your wallet.

conversationpc wrote:Driving slower and using cruise control as much as possible. Unfortunately, my company is run by a bunch of morons and they don't let us work from home even though it would be no inconvenience to the company or the employees.

Maybe if you tell them they are morons it will help them see the error in their thinking. I haven't tried that myself, but in theory it could work!

Rip Rokken wrote:

conversationpc wrote:Driving slower and using cruise control as much as possible. Unfortunately, my company is run by a bunch of morons and they don't let us work from home even though it would be no inconvenience to the company or the employees.

Maybe if you tell them they are morons it will help them see the error in their thinking. I haven't tried that myself, but in theory it could work!

Yeah, I'm sure it would work really well at assisting me in finding another job.

Rip Rokken wrote:Was your car running on gasahol?

No, but it was being driven by an asshole.

I agree.

This is now beyond a fucking joke. Some assholes somewhere are making a shitload of cash of the workers of the world. A 12 pound sledge of pressure needs to be placed on these oil producing nations and the financers that trade in this crap.

$1.70/ltr here this week...that's nearly $7 a gallon for you US folk.

I work from home right now, so I'm one of the lucky ones! However, I just interviewed for a new job but it's only about 3 miles from my house. I am much more careful now about planning my errands so I'm doing several all in one trip and planning the shortest possible routes. If I have to go somewhere that is within walking distance, I walk if I have time. I am considering getting a regular car with better gas mileage. I have a minivan and my husband has a pickup that he uses for work. His situation is going to be changing, so I'll get the new car and he'll get the minivan because he'll still be able to throw his tools in the back. He also has a motorcycle that he will be driving when he can this summer. I seriously thought about buying a few extra gas cans a few months ago and filling them up so I would have enough gas for the lawn mower for the whole summer. I'm kicking myself now for not doing it! We're also going to get a big freezer so we can buy meat and other frozen stuff on sale.

Andrew wrote:I agree.

This is now beyond a fucking joke. Some assholes somewhere are making a shitload of cash of the workers of the world. A 12 pound sledge of pressure needs to be placed on these oil producing nations and the financers that trade in this crap.

$1.70/ltr here this week...that's nearly $7 a gallon for you US folk.

What someone told me yesterday that makes perfect sense, is that as the market was suffering, investors started pulling their money out of traditional stocks and investing their cash in something they believed to be safe -- oil. With so many people doing this, it's driven the price of oil thru the roof and it continues to rise. I love the market, but the truth is, for someone to win, someone has to lose. That's just the way it goes... Right now, the appearance is we are all losing so some of these guys can win. Not trying to stir up class envy at all, because I know it's not that simple.

I don't really know what can be done, and have no ideas that don't greatly oversimplify the problem. Easy for me to wish someone would whack these guys, but I think it's a worldwide issue -- not just us. I do know this -- what the government can do to help us the most immediately is loosen up the death-grip on our wallets, and also open up our oil reserves a bit until a better solution is found.

Hey Rip, WWDD?

I'm spending about $600/month for gas for two cars that get decent mileage. I drive about 1hour each way to work and my wife drives about 20 minutes each way. It doesn't make sense for us to buy new cars since one is paid for and the other has 6 payments left. We just have to suck it up and pay and cut spending somewhere else. Not too many places to cut though as everything else keeps going up since it's tied in with oil. Let's see... where are those plans I was working on for a transporter beam.

Rip Rokken wrote:
What someone told me yesterday that makes perfect sense, is that as the market was suffering, investors started pulling their money out of traditional stocks and investing their cash in something they believed to be safe -- oil. With so many people doing this, it's driven the price of oil thru the roof and it continues to rise. I love the market, but the truth is, for someone to win, someone has to lose. That's just the way it goes... Right now, the appearance is we are all losing so some of these guys can win. Not trying to stir up class envy at all, because I know it's not that simple.

Makes sense. Gives me another reason to resent the whole stock market set up. Basically a foundation for the rich to get richer and for companies to use as excuses as they screw us for more fees and higher costs, all in order to deliver massive profits to report back and keep shareholders happy.

That whole scenario just gets up my goat.

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

Well, before I moved halfway across the country I was driving around 1,200 miles per month. Since I moved I only drive about 800 miles per month and soon will be moving closer to where I work and should cut down even more. The thing that helps me the most is I pretty much stay put after work, I go to my friend's house and chill until about 10-11 and then go the rest of the way home. Without that I'd get restless and bored and probably end up just road running wasting gas like I used to.

Andrew wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:
What someone told me yesterday that makes perfect sense, is that as the market was suffering, investors started pulling their money out of traditional stocks and investing their cash in something they believed to be safe -- oil. With so many people doing this, it's driven the price of oil thru the roof and it continues to rise. I love the market, but the truth is, for someone to win, someone has to lose. That's just the way it goes... Right now, the appearance is we are all losing so some of these guys can win. Not trying to stir up class envy at all, because I know it's not that simple.

Makes sense. Gives me another reason to resent the whole stock market set up. Basically a foundation for the rich to get richer and for companies to use as excuses as they screw us for more fees and higher costs, all in order to deliver massive profits to report back and keep shareholders happy.

That whole scenario just gets up my goat.

I'm with Comrade Wombat

We're rich so we don't mind paying extra for gas, nor have we had to cut anything out.
Sucks to be you guys....














right, I wish.

conversationpc wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

Driving slower and using cruise control as much as possible. Unfortunately, my company is run by a bunch of morons and they don't let us work from home even though it would be no inconvenience to the company or the employees.

Not entirely acurate and this is often misstated by people...

First issue, speed. Most cars these days...due to the gear ratios employed by modern transmissions, are far more efficient at 65 or even 75mph than at 55mph. While, you didn't say 'drive 55 to save gas' which is the common mistakenly stated phrase, driving slower, depending on what you consider slower, doesn't always save you gas. You really have to do your *own* math with your *own* vehicle and determine whether or not your car is more efficient at 55mph or 65mph. If your car was made in the mid 90s, chances are, 55 is a better speed to drive. However, If your car is a recent model with either additional gears or modern gear ratios, you need to make a more car-specific judgement as to whether or not your particular car is more efficient at 55mph or higher. My car, for example, gets the greatest gas mileage at about 65mph. At 55 mph, I'm actually getting nearly 5mpg less than at 65mph.

Another issue is cruise control. It really depends on how your cruise control is managed by the car's computer. I'm not sure how they're done these days, but in the past some cruise controls managed speed reduction by utilizing the brakes. Others utilized speed reduction by the transmission. One is more efficient than the other, but less reliable. It all depends on your car. Blanket statements like 'drive slower and use cruise control' really don't do anyone justice unless you have a very good knowledge of what the person is driving.


I would submit that the most significant way to save gas, is to simply drive 'differently'. Do things like:

1) When coming up to a red light or stop sign in the distance, take your foot off the gas and coast to the red light or stop sign. Dont accelerate or continue 'driving' to the eventual stop.

2) Accelerate slower. Car engines use more gas when the tachometer climbs high. Starting off slower from a standstill will keep your gas consumption down.

3) make sure your tires are filled properly. A common mistake is to look on the side of the tire for the proper psi. That's wrong. Look on the inside of the door. There's a sticker there that tells you what your tires need to be filled to. That sticker is apropriate for the car. The tires on your car might be OEM equipment on 20 different models of cars with different weights. The proper amount of tire tread on the road will give you optimal gas mileage.

4) Determine the most efficient speed for your vehicle. In reference to the above...do some testing and determine what speeds are the most efficient speeds for your car. Don't trust the little 'readout' in your car either. Actually fill your tank on the way to work, record your odometer, drive to work at an extremely constant speed, when you get to work, refill your tank. Take the difference in odometer readings and divide it by the amount of gas you needed to put in your tank when you get to work. try the same experiment at different speeds. Chances are, you will arrive at a number that is *not* 55mph, but a little bit higher.

5) lose weight. Yeah, this might not fly on this board...but being a fat ass can and will cause your car to have to cart around extra poundage it doesn't need to. Don't carpool with fatties or charge them extra for gas...

6) take the golf clubs out of the trunk. In the same spirit as #5, reduce excess weight in the car that you don't need. why pay to drive around golf clubs, a stroller, books or garbage....when you can store them at home for free?

Andrew wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:
What someone told me yesterday that makes perfect sense, is that as the market was suffering, investors started pulling their money out of traditional stocks and investing their cash in something they believed to be safe -- oil. With so many people doing this, it's driven the price of oil thru the roof and it continues to rise. I love the market, but the truth is, for someone to win, someone has to lose. That's just the way it goes... Right now, the appearance is we are all losing so some of these guys can win. Not trying to stir up class envy at all, because I know it's not that simple.

Makes sense. Gives me another reason to resent the whole stock market set up. Basically a foundation for the rich to get richer and for companies to use as excuses as they screw us for more fees and higher costs, all in order to deliver massive profits to report back and keep shareholders happy.

That whole scenario just gets up my goat.

Eh, part of it. oil futures used to be regulated to some extent. The hayseed jerkwad currently wasting oxygen in the White House lifted a great deal of the oil futures regulation...and it was stated recently, that oil speculation can be attributed to roughly 25% of the cost of crude oil. That translates much higher in the cost of gas....

conversationpc wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

Driving slower and using cruise control as much as possible. Unfortunately, my company is run by a bunch of morons and they don't let us work from home even though it would be no inconvenience to the company or the employees.

I hear ya Dave, our company a few years back started letting some work from home a couple days a week on a pilot project. Which they aren't doing any more, so some still get the 2 days work-at-home and some don't. I hate the high gas prices too.......but living in an oil and gas province and working for an O & G company, I don't complain too loudly.

strangegrey wrote:5) lose weight. Yeah, this might not fly on this board...but being a fat ass can and will cause your car to have to cart around extra poundage it doesn't need to. Don't carpool with fatties or charge them extra for gas...

This might be my favorite post of all-time. Seriously, I couldn't have said it any better myself. Though, if I would have thought of it I certainly would have tried!!!

strangegrey wrote:Not entirely acurate and this is often misstated by people...

First issue, speed. Most cars these days...due to the gear ratios employed by modern transmissions, are far more efficient at 65 or even 75mph than at 55mph. While, you didn't say 'drive 55 to save gas' which is the common mistakenly stated phrase, driving slower, depending on what you consider slower, doesn't always save you gas. You really have to do your *own* math with your *own* vehicle and determine whether or not your car is more efficient at 55mph or 65mph. If your car was made in the mid 90s, chances are, 55 is a better speed to drive. However, If your car is a recent model with either additional gears or modern gear ratios, you need to make a more car-specific judgement as to whether or not your particular car is more efficient at 55mph or higher. My car, for example, gets the greatest gas mileage at about 65mph. At 55 mph, I'm actually getting nearly 5mpg less than at 65mph.

Another issue is cruise control. It really depends on how your cruise control is managed by the car's computer. I'm not sure how they're done these days, but in the past some cruise controls managed speed reduction by utilizing the brakes. Others utilized speed reduction by the transmission. One is more efficient than the other, but less reliable. It all depends on your car. Blanket statements like 'drive slower and use cruise control' really don't do anyone justice unless you have a very good knowledge of what the person is driving.


I would submit that the most significant way to save gas, is to simply drive 'differently'. Do things like:

1) When coming up to a red light or stop sign in the distance, take your foot off the gas and coast to the red light or stop sign. Dont accelerate or continue 'driving' to the eventual stop.

2) Accelerate slower. Car engines use more gas when the tachometer climbs high. Starting off slower from a standstill will keep your gas consumption down.

3) make sure your tires are filled properly. A common mistake is to look on the side of the tire for the proper psi. That's wrong. Look on the inside of the door. There's a sticker there that tells you what your tires need to be filled to. That sticker is apropriate for the car. The tires on your car might be OEM equipment on 20 different models of cars with different weights. The proper amount of tire tread on the road will give you optimal gas mileage.

4) Determine the most efficient speed for your vehicle. In reference to the above...do some testing and determine what speeds are the most efficient speeds for your car. Don't trust the little 'readout' in your car either. Actually fill your tank on the way to work, record your odometer, drive to work at an extremely constant speed, when you get to work, refill your tank. Take the difference in odometer readings and divide it by the amount of gas you needed to put in your tank when you get to work. try the same experiment at different speeds. Chances are, you will arrive at a number that is *not* 55mph, but a little bit higher.

5) lose weight. Yeah, this might not fly on this board...but being a fat ass can and will cause your car to have to cart around extra poundage it doesn't need to. Don't carpool with fatties or charge them extra for gas...

6) take the golf clubs out of the trunk. In the same spirit as #5, reduce excess weight in the car that you don't need. why pay to drive around golf clubs, a stroller, books or garbage....when you can store them at home for free?

I'm getting an additional 30-40 miles per tank by driving slower and using cruise control, so yeah it is working for me.

conversationpc wrote:I'm getting an additional 30-40 miles per tank by driving slower and using cruise control, so yeah it is working for me.

You know what else rocks the gas milage? (Semi-related to Frank's speech on gear ratio)

Driving a manual transmission. You can figure out good gear combos wherever you are (backroad, city, highway, or for me these days parking lots called 'expressways') and maximize fuel that way. I know someone with the exact same car I have (year, motor, body) and theirs is an automatic. Their car gets about 25 mpg city, mine gets near 35 mpg city.

conversationpc wrote:I'm getting an additional 30-40 miles per tank by driving slower and using cruise control, so yeah it is working for me.

Congrats, glad it's working for you. As I stated, each car is different. What speed did you used to drive and what speed are you driving now? I'm merely stating that most people are getting fooled into thinking that 55mph is the optimal rate for all cars. Not true AT ALL. Try my above experiment, you'll see.


I will submit that cruise control is only helping in that it's taming your driving habits. Change them, and you'll not need the cruise control. I'll also submit, that you should try the above without one or the other and see which has more of an effect.

Unless you used to drive 83mph and now you're driving 55mph, that the cruise control is likely making more an effect on the above numbers....simply because of issues like acceleration/slowing stopping, etc...

strangegrey wrote:

conversationpc wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

6) take the golf clubs out of the trunk. In the same spirit as #5, reduce excess weight in the car that you don't need. why pay to drive around golf clubs, a stroller, books or garbage....when you can store them at home for free?

Alright...you had me until #6. I'm not going to take the clubs out of the back of my car. Damn it Congress, let's drill some oil and build some refineries! I'm not giving up my clubs!

hoagiepete wrote:

strangegrey wrote:

conversationpc wrote:

Rip Rokken wrote:So what's everyone else doing to compensate?

6) take the golf clubs out of the trunk. In the same spirit as #5, reduce excess weight in the car that you don't need. why pay to drive around golf clubs, a stroller, books or garbage....when you can store them at home for free?

Alright...you had me until #6. I'm not going to take the clubs out of the back of my car. Damn it Congress, let's drill some oil and build some refineries! I'm not giving up my clubs!

Hell, I got me there as well. I've *not* taken the clubs out of the car yet either. Fucking wife has the garage filled with kiddie toys...I don't have any room for them in the house anyway...

jrnychick wrote:I seriously thought about buying a few extra gas cans a few months ago and filling them up so I would have enough gas for the lawn mower for the whole summer. I'm kicking myself now for not doing it! We're also going to get a big freezer so we can buy meat and other frozen stuff on sale.

I filled my two 1-gal cans up just this past weekend, and it felt strange paying $8 to do so... They should last a few months.

Saint John wrote:Hey Rip, WWDD?

Let me direct you to a Don Dokken Fact I verified on May 18th and posted on Metal Sludge:

"The real reason gas prices are skyrocketing? Don's outrageous salary demands to keep pumping it!"

(look closely at my avatar.... haha!)

When gas prices get as high as the are here in the UK ($12 a gallon) Then you can complain!!!

Andrew wrote:Makes sense. Gives me another reason to resent the whole stock market set up. Basically a foundation for the rich to get richer and for companies to use as excuses as they screw us for more fees and higher costs, all in order to deliver massive profits to report back and keep shareholders happy.

That whole scenario just gets up my goat.

It's really give and take... Of course, I depend on the markets yielding the compounding interest on my IRA's if I ever want to retire. The main issue I have, and again this comes from a layman's perspective, is it seems corporations start losing their souls once they become publicly traded, because at that point pleasing the shareholders becomes the driving factor. Many CEO's can be paid or bonused based on stock performance, so it's in their personal benefit to cut, cut, cut, to make that bottom line look much better in the short term, but often with long-term negative effects. They get their bonuses and are set, while people are losing their jobs, pension plans, etc. I've seen this happen first-hand when another corporation bought out our hospital group several years ago, and it was painful to watch what they did to some of my friends, many who were very close to retirement, when they came in and started hacking things up. We also later found out that nursing supervisors were literally BONUSED to short staff the wings! When we found how many ga-millions the CEO had made that year, it did not sit well with people.

strangegrey wrote:Congrats, glad it's working for you. As I stated, each car is different. What speed did you used to drive and what speed are you driving now? I'm merely stating that most people are getting fooled into thinking that 55mph is the optimal rate for all cars. Not true AT ALL. Try my above experiment, you'll see.

Well, I'm not driving THAT slow, 55 that is. I stick close to the speed limit. The speed limit on I-69 near my house is 70, so I stick fairly close to that, usually right at 70 or just over. Same for when the speed limit goes down to 65. On I-465 where the speed limit is 55, I'm usually going a little over 60.

I will submit that cruise control is only helping in that it's taming your driving habits. Change them, and you'll not need the cruise control. I'll also submit, that you should try the above without one or the other and see which has more of an effect.

Even without cruise control, since my seat cannot go back any further in my truck, I can't relax my leg too much, so I tend to accelerate/decelerate just a little bit all the time, so I use the CC as much as I can.