[ale] OT: gas going up this weekend

[Tom Freeman]

I find this amusing, in a rather sour sort of way. Has anybody else 
noticed how the cost of fuel really controls the perception of the cost of 
driving, yet is _actually_ a relatively minor cost? That is, the cost of 
gas goes up and everybody panics about their expenses, but they don't 
blink much at the insurance, regular maintanence, capital costs, parking 
costs (which are usually hidden somewhere), and so forth?

At 30mpg my cost per mile is approaching (if I did it right, need more 
coffee) $0.10/mile. Or very similar to the capital cost of just purchasing 
the vehicle (I got 260,000miles from the last one). Insurance costs were 
pretty close last time I checked my own statements, but YMWV by a 
significant amount. If you work/shop in a center city environment, you 
might get to pay for the parking. Otherwise, somebody else gets to pick up 
the tab to maintain the lot and the access ways.

Add to these "hidden" costs the tax burden on the country for a portion of 
the miltary adventurism needed to protect the fuel sources for the world, 
the lack of maintanence that many locals have invensted in their roadways 
which becomes a direct cost to you for fixing wear on the vehicle and an 
eventual tax cost if the repairs are ever to be done, and it becomes a 
tidy wad of money.

On Wed, 27 Apr 2011, Michael Potter wrote:

>>> On Wednesday, April 27, 2011 09:53:21 am Tim Watts wrote:
>>>
>>>> 3-5 cents/gallon I can deal with. And at least I know it's coming. It's
>>>
>>>> the random/inexplicable 25-45 cent/gallon hikes that grab me by the
>>>
>>>> shorts.
>
>
> $0.04/gal * 15 gal = $0.60.
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