Gas prices...
#557
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Ca
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holy crap! its still $3.35 here (but i live on a military base) but surrounding areas are like .10c higher. (rosamond/lancaster) sorry to hear that....crap not looking forward to the rise!!!
#558
Dad said gas was $2.05 in Bristol TN. In another part of the state in Franklin TN it was $2.40
Any coincidence that Bristol is one of the poorer areas in the state and Franklin is in the 9th richest county in the United States? I think not.
Any coincidence that Bristol is one of the poorer areas in the state and Franklin is in the 9th richest county in the United States? I think not.
#559
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
Southern California smog is far far better than it was two decades ago. We've made huge progress. The San Fernando Valley and DTLA rarely have days where smog is staggeringly obvious or a big issue. Other than some of the regions you listed, we are doing pretty good.
The main thing though is it's not the added taxes to keep the environment clean. That is the excuse the execs and oil companies are trying to feed to us. If all the extra cost of environmentally clean gas was added up, we should only be paying 20-30 cents above the national average. Rather, we are at least a dollar above, which keeps getting brushed under the carpet. These crooks know we like to drive and don't give it up. So why not just keep the price as high as possible, make astronomical profits, and feed the excuses? It's the perfect storm.
The main thing though is it's not the added taxes to keep the environment clean. That is the excuse the execs and oil companies are trying to feed to us. If all the extra cost of environmentally clean gas was added up, we should only be paying 20-30 cents above the national average. Rather, we are at least a dollar above, which keeps getting brushed under the carpet. These crooks know we like to drive and don't give it up. So why not just keep the price as high as possible, make astronomical profits, and feed the excuses? It's the perfect storm.
#560
Lexus Test Driver
and yet its significantly cheaper in the rest of the country. CA laws make it very difficult if there is a supply disruption because no one else is allowed by law to pick up the slack. Complain about oil companies all you want, how come only CA is being affected? So they only want to profit off CA? If Oregon, Nevada, Arizona can sell their gas at $2 higher than the national average they would unload all that gas on CA to bring the price down...but they cant because it doesn't have the special CA kool aid that no one else knows how to make.
Even after you factor in the CA formula and extra taxes, we should still be way under $1 more a gallon compared to elsewhere. There is always that unexplained element no one has an physical answer for.
#562
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
Don't know why CA allows the scamming, our politcians are screwed up beyond belief.
Even after you factor in the CA formula and extra taxes, we should still be way under $1 more a gallon compared to elsewhere. There is always that unexplained element no one has an physical answer for.
Even after you factor in the CA formula and extra taxes, we should still be way under $1 more a gallon compared to elsewhere. There is always that unexplained element no one has an physical answer for.
Let's put it this way: CA fuels their cars with oranges. The rest of the country uses apples. Suddenly, an orange tree is struck by lightning and explodes. Now there are not enough oranges for everyone in CA to have one, and since no one can use apples, the price increases to account for the rarity of oranges, despite and exclusive of the fact that it only costs $1 more to grow an orange tree than an apple tree.
The increased price is the only way to balance supply and demand. Else, there would likely not be any oranges for sale when you want to buy some - someone else would have bought them already (because demand exceeds supply at the lower price). The penalty for price fixing is shortages. Look at any economy that fixes prices on products and you'll see them constantly run out of certain items.
What you are seeing is the result of restrictions on the market, or put another way, the effect of a smaller, isolated market. Markets work best when they are large, as there will be a higher chance that a seller has what a buyer wants, and volatility of prices will be reduced.
Last edited by Infra; 08-19-15 at 02:01 PM.
#563
Lexus Test Driver
The physical answer to your query is "basic supply and demand economics". Gas in California is not fungible with the rest of the country, so when supply decreases (refinery issues), your price spikes. This is 100% caused by the "CA formula".
Let's put it this way: CA fuels their cars with oranges. The rest of the country uses apples. Suddenly, an orange tree is struck by lightning and explodes. Now there are not enough oranges for everyone in CA to have one, and since no one can use apples, the price increases to account for the rarity of oranges, despite and exclusive of the fact that it only costs $1 more to grow an orange tree than an apple tree.
The increased price is the only way to balance supply and demand. Else, there would likely not be any oranges for sale when you want to buy some - someone else would have bought them already (because demand exceeds supply at the lower price). The penalty for price fixing is shortages. Look at any economy that fixes prices on products and you'll see them constantly run out of certain items.
What you are seeing is the result of restrictions on the market, or put another way, the effect of a smaller, isolated market. Markets work best when they are large, as there will be a higher chance that a seller has what a buyer wants, and volatility of prices will be reduced.
Let's put it this way: CA fuels their cars with oranges. The rest of the country uses apples. Suddenly, an orange tree is struck by lightning and explodes. Now there are not enough oranges for everyone in CA to have one, and since no one can use apples, the price increases to account for the rarity of oranges, despite and exclusive of the fact that it only costs $1 more to grow an orange tree than an apple tree.
The increased price is the only way to balance supply and demand. Else, there would likely not be any oranges for sale when you want to buy some - someone else would have bought them already (because demand exceeds supply at the lower price). The penalty for price fixing is shortages. Look at any economy that fixes prices on products and you'll see them constantly run out of certain items.
What you are seeing is the result of restrictions on the market, or put another way, the effect of a smaller, isolated market. Markets work best when they are large, as there will be a higher chance that a seller has what a buyer wants, and volatility of prices will be reduced.
But who is behind the restrictions of supply? Isn't that the oil companies? We are back to square one again. They make the oil and distribute it out. This tight restriction garbage has gone on for eight years now. So in eight years, they (or whoever) could not figure out a way to increase production to meet demand? That is where the BS comes in again. It is done on purpose, by them, to be able to keep prices high for us. It is a known fact that CA does not slow down their driving habits even with the higher gas prices, so the oil companies know this and capitalize on it. Production is set to a certain level that just barely meets demand in order to keep the prices high. Yet, through these eight years, there has never really been a shortage. What a coincidence! It just works out perfectly. Again, all pre-planned out to maximize the highest profit.
#564
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
The special cali kool aid blend is behind the restriction in supply. There is no shortage of gas, only CA blend gas. good luck trying to build or expand a refinery in Calis nightmare of a bureaucracy. All cali has to do is stop requiring their stupid CA only blends that no one else can make. Politicians will never admit what a disaster this is for any supply disruption. Cali has to suffer reduced supply and higher prrices while the rest of the country sits on $2.40 or less regular. Why the oil company red herring? So they are only exploiting cali?
#566
Do the tree hugging politicians have an ultierier motive behind the screwed up system and artifically high prices?
Perhaps they want to influence people's car buying habits. With high prices and volatility people are a lot more likely to buy a Prius than a Suburban. That's one indirect way they can reduce carbon emissions, which is their new big thing they're railing on.
Perhaps they want to influence people's car buying habits. With high prices and volatility people are a lot more likely to buy a Prius than a Suburban. That's one indirect way they can reduce carbon emissions, which is their new big thing they're railing on.
#567
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
and that's not surprising or any great conspiracy... no doubt PROPERTY costs (and therefore properrty taxes) and maybe even other taxes and fees are higher in franklin... plus, maybe gas stations have to be nicer there (which isn't free). it's no conspiracy either that gas stations are often dumps in poor areas.
#568
and that's not surprising or any great conspiracy... no doubt PROPERTY costs (and therefore properrty taxes) and maybe even other taxes and fees are higher in franklin... plus, maybe gas stations have to be nicer there (which isn't free). it's no conspiracy either that gas stations are often dumps in poor areas.
#569
Super Moderator
I don't need a choice of 14 different types of coffee(this is no joke btw) at a gas station. If I want fancy coffee I can go to starbucks, stop jacking up the cost of fuel by building these palace like gas stations. I know one chain, twice daily's, has completely renovated most of their stores, and most of them, like the one by my house were actually pretty nice and big to start with.
#570
Lexus Test Driver
Saudi Arabia is pretty ruthless. They want to absolutely positively make sure without a doubt let the world know and more specifically the U.S. that it will stay #1. They will keep pumping this record oil till it gets to $20 barrel. That'll effectively put their boot on the neck of any competitors.
Amazing all these talking heads blathering on about Buy! Buy! Buy! @ $70, $60, $50 and yet here we are at $40 and some change.
My question is when will we see $2 gas again.
Amazing all these talking heads blathering on about Buy! Buy! Buy! @ $70, $60, $50 and yet here we are at $40 and some change.
My question is when will we see $2 gas again.