According to the New York Times, gas prices may be going up again. The gas prices have went up by 40% since December 19. They went up 25% last week alone. Of course the gas prices are still much less than they were before. The average cost for unleaded gas on Monday was $1.67, which is much lower than the $4 soaring price last summer. Reporters do believe that the gas prices will climb to an average of $2 by spring.
The past few years, the talk about the gas prices is endless. Everyone runs out and fills their tank up when they know that a $0.05 increase has taken place down town. This is odd to me when you look at the big picture. If you have an 18 galloon tank, and you are saving $0.05 a galloon, you are only saving yourself $0.90 by driving clear across town to the cheaper gas station. When in all actuality, you probably spent more than $0.90 in time and gas by getting to that gas station that is 10 minutes away. I know that in the long run, the change in price of gas does help. I use to put $40 in my gas tank and get a little over half a tank, and now I can fill my whole car up for $25. I will definitely be disappointed if it does raise to almost $4 a galloon again.
Why has gas price monopolized our minds more than any other product? I know the prices of television, groceries, and sales tax has raised in the past 10 years, but you do not hear as much discussion or complaints as you do about the recent gas prices changing. It makes me wonder if Americans feel that they are entitled to cheaper gas. It also boggles my mind why most people don’t mind spending more money on clothes or going out to eat, but they complain so much about paying extra money for gas which is more of a necessity. I think is a prime example of our popular culture. Why do we accept paying more for some items and not others? Is it because gas has always been the same with no new upgrades worthy of a higher price?
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106398/As-Prices-Rise,-Some-See-$2-Gas
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Great article. The gas prices here in Ohio are slowly rising too. It was very nice to have them around $1.50 per gallon in November and December. This is definitely an issue concerning pop culture today. Gas prices have affected more than just our wallets, it is changing the automobile industry. Good job Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments about gas prices, rushing across town to save a few pennies. It is horrible that a country can be held hostage by gas prices. I think that gas though it may be necessary to function in the world today, we view it as a small entity that should not be that expensive to manufacture; since we create billions of gallons all the time. Plus it is not tangible in a sense that we can purchase, hold and receive gratification like we do with clothes.
ReplyDeleteI agree and believe this issue needs addressed NOW. I am old enough to remember Gas-rationing in the seventies (License plates ending in even numbers could only buy gas on even-numbered days, likewise for odd numbers), and the talk then was a push for US energy independence. It all disappeared when the supply came back, only to be remembered when the price jumps again like this summer. I owned a GEO Metro ( they were made by Suzuki, for Chevrolet, in Canada, marketed as the Suzuki Swift overseas)in 1990, a 3 cylinder that got close to 50 MPG, and got laughed at most of the time, till the price increases came. The Big three Bailout shouldn't even be necessary, because all three vowed to increase mileage efficency in the 70's, and again in the 90's. We need to relearn responsibility and start thinking globally.
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