[ale] OT: gas going up this weekend

[Tom Freeman]

On Thu, 28 Apr 2011, The Don Lachlan wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 08:59:10AM -0400, Lightner, Jeff wrote:
>> The thing about gas going up is it is immediately noticeable when you
>> fuel up.  It's effect on the cost of everything else is also quickly
>> noticeable.
>
> Absolutely. Grocery store prices are up because it costs more to transport
> food. All physical goods are more expensive right now because
> transportation costs are up.
>
> Additionally, we're not talking about $0.60 every time I fill up. We're
> talking about $3.70/gal now versus <$3.00 the same time last year, and
> <$2.00 before *some* event in 2004 and <$1.00 maybe 10 years ago.
>
>> An inch of rain doesn't sound like much.  However if you get one inch
>> per hour for 40 days you might consider building an ark...
>
> Georgia used to have very inexpensive gas. Now, it's the higher side
> of average and the national average is between 3 and 4 times what it was 10
> years ago.
>
> So, a few pennies per gallon may not matter much for my commute, but it adds
> up to real dollars over time. And a few pennies every few weeks, well, that
> adds up to real dollars ever time I fill up.
>
>
>> From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of Tom Freeman
>>
>> 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).
>
> At 30mpg, your fuel cost is >$0.12/mile. On a 50 mile round trip commute,
> that's >$6, while $0.10/mile is $5. Your miscalculation is significant. :)

Yup. Figured with $3/gal, not $4/gal - told you I needed more coffee.

>
> And last year, that trip cost $4.50. Ten years ago, it cost $1.50. Five days
> a week, 50 weeks a year. We're not talking about pennies. We're gonna need a
> bigger boat.
>
>> 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.
>
> Yes, other things cost more. It's also completely irrelevent. Saying that a
> gallon of milk costs more than a tomato doesn't mean that I shouldn't care
> about the price of tomatoes - especially if the price of milk has been
> fairly consistent. (This was an analogy. Both cost lots more now. See above
> and below.)
>
> Gas prices affect not only the cost of personal travel but also everything
> you buy at the grocery store and the cost of almost every other good or
> service out there because gas prices are significant in their production,
> distribution or delivery.
>
> To be clear, I'm not against this gas tax. But to dismiss its consequences
> is very misguided.
And I think you missed my point. The cost of fuel drives the amount of 
driving considered, but actually represents a relatively small portion of 
the actual cost of driving.

Yes a gas price hike for any reason will ripple quickly through the 
economy, and raise costs all around. I am aware of that, quite painfully 
aware actually. And that wasn't my point. The cost of fuel is a major 
factor for much of the behavior, and a (relatively) minor cost of that 
behavior.