[ale] OT: gas going up this weekend

[Geoffrey Myers]

Tom Freeman wrote:
> 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.

My absolute favorite example of 'lack of maintenance', I actually have a 
picture.  It's a sign installed on a road in Shreveport LA.  The sign 
says: 'Caution, substandard roadway.'  The sign is obviously a whole lot 
cheaper then repairing the road.

> 
> 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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-- 
Until later, Geoffrey

"I predict future happiness for America if they can prevent
the government from wasting the labors of the people under
the pretense of taking care of them."
- Thomas Jefferson