Gas Prices

[zff]

Re: Gas Prices

Higher gas prices have more to do with the number of cars on the road. It increases everything else we pay for.

Sure. Nobody said it was going to be easy.

Remember how bad it was in the 70s? Skyrocketing gas prices, many years of double-digit inflation? Nobody back then would've said the oil crisis could possibly be a blessing in disguise, but now, 30 years later, we can see that it was.

We established a national speed limit (which was implemented to save gas, not necessarily for safety), we made carpool lanes to encourage ride sharing, we mandated fuel-efficiency standards on our auto industry. Sure, they seem like small steps now, but remember how epic they were in the 70s? Remember how everyone thought it was going to cripple our way of life?

High gas prices would force another epic change in thinking down our throats, and that's exactly what we need. Nobody wants to give up luxuries we've all become accustomed to, even if it's in our best interests.

[zff]

Re: Gas Prices

Like it or not, the number of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles are on the increase. So even if gasoline prices do go sky high in the future, it may do little to relieve traffic as more and more motorists purchase cars that run on alternative fuels like electricity, ethanol, or compressed natural gas.

If we could replace SUVs with economy cars, it'd still be an improvement, but traffic is the smaller problem. If we can replace the majority of gas-burning cars with hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles, we've made a lot of progress even if traffic doesn't improve.

Although, I understand where you are coming from on this point, the answer to our transportation policy is a new, innovative way of thinking, from governement officials down to the driver on the street.

Now that, I completely agree with. The problem is getting everyone to adopt the new innovative way of thinking.

Scientists and environmentalists have been preaching the same story for years -- carpool, buy economical cars, drive sparingly, use public transportation, etc. Nobody listened until gas prices started skyrocketing. There isn't a faster and simpler way to get people to adopt environmentally-friendly practices -- and do so with a better rate of compliance and participation -- than to make gas expensive. I know it sucks, but that's just how people are.

The problem is nobody is going to vote for a public official that supports high gas prices, even if it's what we desperately need.

[Bobinator]

Re: Gas Prices

I miss the high gas prices. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse, and if gas prices stay this way, it won't get any better.

Gas prices need to be high, and they need to keep going up. It's the answer to so many of our problems.

Higher gas prices have more to do with the number of cars on the road. It increases everything else we pay for. I think we were all be better off when the Arabs kissed our asses.

[joshuatree]

Re: Gas Prices

Assinine thinking.

Like it or not, the number of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles are on the increase. So even if gasoline prices do go sky high in the future, it may do little to relieve traffic as more and more motorists purchase cars that run on alternative fuels like electricity, ethanol, or compressed natural gas.

Other factors missing from the equation, even with increasing number of hybrids, the premium hybrids have over regular models still is an influencing factor on purchase. Also, no matter how much better gas mileages hybrids get, it won't change the situation of number of cars on the road, unless we're gonna see a slew of new models physically half the size of current cars.

[matapule]

Re: Gas Prices

I miss the high gas prices. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse, and if gas prices stay this way, it won't get any better.

Gas prices need to be high, and they need to keep going up. It's the answer to so many of our problems.

Although, I understand where you are coming from on this point, the answer to our transportation policy is a new, innovative way of thinking, from governement officials down to the driver on the street.

[Palama Kid]

Re: Gas Prices

Just returned from almost two-week drive up to Boise / Meridian, ID via Reno.

Prices as I gassed up: Boise $1.55, Nevada from $1.67 (in Winnemucca) to $1.85 (in Reno), Bay Area from $1.57 (Tracy, CA) to $1.77 (San Jose now).

I don't automatically need two 20s to buy gas anymore. After seeing Honolulu prices, no complaints here.

[Frankie's Market]

Re: Gas Prices

Gas prices need to be high, and they need to keep going up. It's the answer to so many of our problems.

Assinine thinking.

Like it or not, the number of hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles are on the increase. So even if gasoline prices do go sky high in the future, it may do little to relieve traffic as more and more motorists purchase cars that run on alternative fuels like electricity, ethanol, or compressed natural gas.

[zff]

Re: Gas Prices

I miss the high gas prices. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse, and if gas prices stay this way, it won't get any better.

Gas prices need to be high, and they need to keep going up. It's the answer to so many of our problems.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Gas Prices

At its peak, it was costing $60 a fill-up. Now, my last three have been in the high $20-low $30, for PREMIUM! I used a $100 Costco Cash-Card, which still has an $11 balance.

[Nords]

Re: Gas Prices

Costco Waipio was at $2.08/gallon last Friday and seems determined to attract every vehicle on the island to their pumps. They've been aggressively lowering their prices for the last few months.

Every time we've gone by there (weekday mornings/afternoons) they've been lined up solid with waits of 15-30 minutes. We don't even go near the place on weekends. Anyone have a good time to fill up there without long lines?

[Kimo]

Re: Gas Prices

Not mine - it's mostly full of kids heading for St. Louis/Sacred Hearts/Hanahauoli/Punahou/Maryknoll/MidPac/St. Francis/UH Lab School/UH Manoa. (Most of them are polite about taking their packbacks off the "empty" seat so people don't have to stand, but some aren't - especially the St. Louis kids.) Only thing that seems to make a difference in ridership is a school holiday. There were days last summer when it was only me, one other passenger and the driver ...

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Gas Prices

Does The Buses seem less crowded now that gas prices have lowered?

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Gas Prices

What's interesting is oil prices keep falling (it's under $100 now), but gas prices is not. Even raising! And now Ike happened, how convenient! Blame on Ike!!!

Didn't the oil companies have an emergency fund to cover disasters such as Hurricane Ike? Their huge profits must be sufficient enough to repair those damaged oil refineries from Hurricane Ike.

[sophielynette]

Re: Gas Prices

Big wind storm blew through Cincinnati yesterday and did a lot of damage, some places might take a week to replace the power. My mom says right before the power went out a lot of gas stations hiked their prices to as much as $5 a gallon.

[MadRussian]

Re: Gas Prices

What's interesting is oil prices keep falling (it's under $100 now), but gas prices is not. Even raising! And now Ike happened, how convenient! Blame on Ike!!!