GAS PRICES

[jonesthecurl]

Has this large increase in gas prices made American car manufacturers change engine cc size downwards?

I never could understand why every old American car you see in England, was bigger in every dimension than a European model. (and why an idiot living here felt it was a good idea to own one, and fill it up with petrol is also beyond me)

I think it will do. Meanwhile public transport is suddenly a whole lot more used.

[MeDeFe]

They should have started downsizing 50 years ago.

[Bertros Bertros]

Has this large increase in gas prices made American car manufacturers change engine cc size downwards?

I never could understand why every old American car you see in England, was bigger in every dimension than a European model. (and why an idiot living here felt it was a good idea to own one, and fill it up with petrol is also beyond me)

Engine size isn't everything though, you'd struggle to get over 25 MPG out of a Mazda RX8 and that only has a 1.25 litre engine and would probably fit inside the average US SUV. It does purr up to 9000 RPM though which explains a lot...

[tzor]

I never could understand why every old American car you see in England, was bigger in every dimension than a European model.

Actually the logic is in the opposite direction. Cars and trucks are generally smaller in England because the roads are older and narrower in many locations compared to the roads built in the United States. The ability for larger trucks in the US went as far as the "tandem" trailer tucks that drive along the interstate highways. During the 1950's the growth of these trucks pushed out the small European models because they weren't massive enough to drive along these 18 wheelers. The American trend was for bigger and bigger cars and trucks. This was idealized by the Hummer craze.

In response to the increase of car sizes we have actually widened all of our roads, allowing for even larger vehicles. The US Interstate System has a minimum lane width of 12 ft (3.62 m).

[bradleybadly]

They say there is more oil in Alaska than any other part of the world. Problem is; all the tree huggers and ecologists are afraid to disrupt the wildlife and desolate areas of Alaska. Citizens in the Middle East pay .30 cents a gallon. This is what we could pay if they start drilling in the USA!

It's $3.91 here for 87 grade as of last night

By the way, spurgistan - is that actually you on the left of your avatar?

[PLAYER57832]

They say there is more oil in Alaska than any other part of the world.

LINK?

Not sure where you got your information, but Saudia Arabia/the gulf is pretty universally felt to have far more than Alaska. Other reserves might exist in Canada and elsewhere, but are much harder to obtain.

[Bertros Bertros]

They say there is more oil in Alaska than any other part of the world. Problem is; all the tree huggers and ecologists are afraid to disrupt the wildlife and desolate areas of Alaska. Citizens in the Middle East pay .30 cents a gallon. This is what we could pay if they start drilling in the USA!

It's $3.91 here for 87 grade as of last night

By the way, spurgistan - is that actually you on the left of your avatar?

Sorry 87 grade. By that do you mean 87 Octane Fuel? The lowest you can buy in the UK is 95 Octane, maybe that explains why fuel is so cheap for you guys, you're feeding your monster trucks on really mucky shit...

[Optimus Prime]

Just jumped 12 cents this morning to hit $3.65 here in Utah. And to think, I forgot to fill up yesterday. Dang.

[bradleybadly]

Sorry 87 grade. By that do you mean 87 Octane Fuel? The lowest you can buy in the UK is 95 Octane, maybe that explains why fuel is so cheap for you guys, you're feeding your monster trucks on really mucky shit...

Yeah, it is actually the octane rating for unleaded fuel. Usually Americans just say the word grade to indicate the octane rating. Most cars sold here can operate at 87 while a few need 89 or 91.

[Anarkistsdream]

They say there is more oil in Alaska than any other part of the world.

LINK?

Not sure where you got your information, but Saudia Arabia/the gulf is pretty universally felt to have far more than Alaska. Other reserves might exist in Canada and elsewhere, but are much harder to obtain.

Much harder to obtain... They have things called "oil dunes" in Canada, where the oil has actually seeped into the soil, but it is actually less energy efficient to pull the oil out of this 'soil' due to the refining techniques required.

Codeblue certainly does not have his facts straight.

[Bertros Bertros]

Sorry 87 grade. By that do you mean 87 Octane Fuel? The lowest you can buy in the UK is 95 Octane, maybe that explains why fuel is so cheap for you guys, you're feeding your monster trucks on really mucky shit...

Yeah, it is actually the octane rating for unleaded fuel. Usually Americans just say the word grade to indicate the octane rating. Most cars sold here can operate at 87 while a few need 89 or 91.

Yeah its the octane rating for unleaded fuel in the UK too. Can you buy leaded fuel in the states? Here you can only buy lead replacement fuel whatever that is. I did see a BP station wiht 102 Octane fuel somewhere... I don't think it really makes any difference to emissions/pollution/performance etc at all these days anyway as all modern cars use fuel injectors effectively illiminating engine knocj anyway but thats a big difference 87 - 95 as the standard octane rating all the same.

[Ray Rider]

It's about 1.25 per liter here (for regular gas).

[Hologram]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

[muy_thaiguy]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

Broken leg?

[Optimus Prime]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

Unless you are purchasing $100 in groceries to feed your family, in which case, riding a bike is pretty pointless because you won't be able to get the groceries home.

[Pedronicus]

If he was buying $100 worth of saffron - the bike would still be okay

[Dancing Mustard]

Unless you are purchasing $100 in groceries to feed your family

One word: Tricycle

[rhoges6]

We just hit $4 in Connecticut, home to America's highest gas tax!

[Hologram]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

Unless you are purchasing $100 in groceries to feed your family, in which case, riding a bike is pretty pointless because you won't be able to get the groceries home.

Or space it out so you're only buying for a few days at a time. Even then, if it's still a large load, you can still get a little trailer for your bike. The point is, bikes maintenance is cheaper, the bike itself is cheaper, no insurance, no gas, better for the environment, and it stops you from being a disgusting fatbody (reference, anyone?). So why wouldn't you use a bike or walk if you're not going anywhere too far?

[muy_thaiguy]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

Unless you are purchasing $100 in groceries to feed your family, in which case, riding a bike is pretty pointless because you won't be able to get the groceries home.

Or space it out so you're only buying for a few days at a time. Even then, if it's still a large load, you can still get a little trailer for your bike. The point is, bikes maintenance is cheaper, the bike itself is cheaper, no insurance, no gas, better for the environment, and it stops you from being a disgusting fatbody (reference, anyone?). So why wouldn't you use a bike or walk if you're not going anywhere too far?

Bad knees/knee surgery/broken leg. Can't exactly walk very far OR use a bike. You use a unicycle instead.

[DaGip]

Just think when the Republicrats take us into a war with Iran! Ten bucks a freakin' gallon! WHOOPEEE! And weather climate affects food production! Food prices will be like in the Yukon, ten bucks for one egg!

That's okay, the Oil Companies are making RECORD PROFITS. (Did I mention RECORD FUCKING PROFITS!) And yet you guys love to take it up the ass. You Bush lovers. You corporate boot lickers. Believe everything the government tells you. After they lied to you about Iraq.

Wake up! Get a grip!

9/11 was an inside job!

Oh, but Iran is going to get a nuclear fucking bomb...oooo, so fucking scary!

How about Russia? They had FORTY FUCKING THOUSAND NUCLEAR WEAPONS POINTED RIGHT AT US!!! So what in the FUCKING hell can these little piss ant countries do to us when they don't even have a navy or an air force? Nothing, that's what.

So quit whining about the gas prices, and do something proactive about it.

Like Hologram said, ride a bike or walk, I did that for years.

Horses will cost you about 150 bucks a month, plus you should have the proper facility to keep him in.

You guys love it up the ass and you know it! Spread those cheeks really wide.

And when everything gets REALLY FUCKING BAD, and we all start revolting, then the government will come in with the NEW SOLUTION to your problems. It will seem like a dream come true! And you will pay out the ass for their new SOLUTION, but you won't care, because it will save you from the horror of paying ten dollar a gallon gasoline.

It will be a Global effort, and the environment will have to be dealt with...and the only way that we can deal with the environment, is that we will have to have a GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL TAX! Yep, America...get ready, because YOU AIN"T AMERICA ANYMORE! You pay tax to the UN, you take your marching orders from the UN, shit, even our soldiers have got to where UN pins on their jackets.

What a crock of horse shit.

Get our troops out of that hell hole, get rid of Bush and all the NeoCons (including McCain), and take your country back For the People! Quit giving your liberties up for some made up War On Terror.

Liberty or Death!

Yeah, that's right...

Liberty or Death!

I'll see you guys in the funny papers...

[Herakilla]

the most expensive station around here is like 3.30 and they are usually up to 10 cents higher than everyone else

[muy_thaiguy]

Uh, Gip? Did you forget your meds today?

[Hologram]

The simple solution for all of this: Get off your lazy butts, buy a bike, and use your bike for anything less than 10 blocks away. Preferably even more, but you must acclimate.

There's no reason why you need a car to only go a mile to the grocery store.

Unless you are purchasing $100 in groceries to feed your family, in which case, riding a bike is pretty pointless because you won't be able to get the groceries home.

Or space it out so you're only buying for a few days at a time. Even then, if it's still a large load, you can still get a little trailer for your bike. The point is, bikes maintenance is cheaper, the bike itself is cheaper, no insurance, no gas, better for the environment, and it stops you from being a disgusting fatbody (reference, anyone?). So why wouldn't you use a bike or walk if you're not going anywhere too far?

Bad knees/knee surgery/broken leg. Can't exactly walk very far OR use a bike. You use a unicycle instead.

Mass transit.

Also, mopeds don't use that much gas.

Or perhaps an electric scooter?

Or maybe get someone else to do it?


I can see what you're getting at here, and I admit, the "no reason" bit was probably a little exaggerated, but the point was that there was no reason why a normally healthy human being from his mid-teens to middle age needs a car to commute one mile to school every day or drive two blocks to the nearest fast food joint, etc.

[muy_thaiguy]

Also have to remember farms and ranches. I garuntee you a moped or a little scooter is going to be pretty useless on either one.