Is $4.00+ gas really affecting you??

Yes AshleyD, the air lines are having a hard time, but is more now than just the gas prices even when that is a priority, the security and mishandle of the costumers and the extra charges is making air travel a hazard for those that only use it for leisure.

Every thing is impacted by the gas prices even things that we have taken for granted all our lives when gas was more affordable and easily forgotten.

Sad to say, we have brought this upon ourselves by mindless ineptness and servitude.
We have not been given the choice to get off the oil nipple because POTUS is making billions on the backs of hard working Americans.
I'd ask for some lube before the dirty deed.

reply to post by marg6043


Excellent point. I heard some airlines were now charging for carry-on and all checked luggage. Not a smart move business-wise. That's only going to piss off the consumer and, like you said, make those who travel for leisure and don't have to be out and about refrain from flying.

Well out here in los angeles gas is hovering around 4.55 to 4.60(sometimes more depending on the part of the city you're in) for regular unleaded.

L.A. is not known for it's public transportation system so if you wanna go anywhere you need to drive.

When I first got my car it cost around 20 bucks to fill up and that was super unleaded. I just filled up this morning and it was 54.04 to fill up the tank(with regular).

That's over two hundred a month out the window as I fill up once a week sometimes more, so it can even be up to 300 a month.

I make a decent living but yoinks that's painful.

This week I"m doing a lot of driving back and forth so I'll probably have to fill up twice.

And it does affect my decisions. A couple of years ago I would not have batted an eye if someone invited me out to malibu for dinner but now days I find myself ticking over my schedule in my head and if I'm doing a lot of driving around for business I might opt out of a social gathering out in malibu just to save on the gas.

Spiderj



[edit on 7/12/2008 by Spiderj]

reply to post by AshleyD


Yes, the latest is to, no only make passengers pay for every carry out weight but also to made them pay for their own body weight, I know it sounds ridiculous but its true.

Here in Cleveland ridership is at record rate on RTA. Rail and bus. But they raised fares and cut services for fuel costs.

reply to post by jpm1602


Also some states schools are making the week shorter 4 days to save on the school buses fuel.

I am surprise that they are not trying to start making the parents pay for the school buses ride.

It's effecting us all. I live in St Louis and we have a decent public transportation system.

I take public transportation, bus/train and I have noticed a marked increase in ridership in the last year. Metro is breaking ridership records almost every month. Fares are increasing next month.

I work at a 4 star hotel, and well we have never been so slow most departments have limited employees to a 4 day work week, some are worse, and many employees are in danger of losing their medical coverage. We have almost No vacationers staying in the hotel and our business travelers are not coming in like they used too. Our medical insurance premiums have also increased in the last year.

At the grocery store milk now costs $4.18 a gallon, the cheap bread I used to buy went from $.44 to $.98 a loaf. Everything is more expensive and it's adding up to big future problems.

The casinos here are really hurting, next to no business.

In 1999 before Bush and before the Iraq war oil was $19 a barrel, ya thing there is a connection?

Ya think anything will get better anytime soon?

Hiyah Marg. But I did in HS then they sent me a reimbursement check at years end which my kindly father snapped up.
At that time in the late 70's early 80's fare was a buck twenty. I rode my bike most I could. All downhill to Lakewood....all uphill back.
Would you let your seven year old shovel poop out of your neighbors back yards for money?
Mine did. Mine sent my sister to two different private nursing schools because she was a screwup.
Me.....fend for yourself or join the army.
That was ugly. True, but ugly. I never regretted taking care of myself.


[edit on 7/12/2008 by jpm1602]

[edit on 7/12/2008 by jpm1602]

I used to work for a restaurant delivery service. We delivered for about 40-50 restaurants around town (some chain restaurants like Chili's, others Mom & Pop joints and the like). When I started back in 1997-98, gas was around 99 cents per gallon. The company would reimburse you for gas - about 88 cents.

Well, over the years, as the price of gas rose, so would the amount the company would reimburse you. The company would also raise the delivery fee in order to cover some of the reimbursement costs. Finally, about a year ago, the price of gas got to the point where it was no longer financially feasible for the company to reimburse you. The delivery fee was already bordering on absolutely ludicrous, so I don't think raising it again was even considered. So the company closed up shop and is now out of business.

It was a small business - 20 or so employees. But they were good people. And it was a good business. You could make really good money. I worked there for 10 years. It was the best job I ever had. When people talk about how high gas prices are affecting people and the economy, they forget about small businesses like this - businesses that don't have the capital to sustain such a hit, but yet are vital to the economy nonetheless.

Rome is collapsing all about us Darth. And everyone seems to be in a halcion daze. My fear is, this is only the start.

reply to post by jpm1602


It was a time when people use to care, they would take the streets and protest, they would march over to Washington and scream for the government to listen, that was over 30 years ago and the people even made one of our presidents resign.

Now we just sit here complain anonymous and just let our own government screw us over.

Because we're experiencing inflation and high gas prices, we're going to protest...for what now?

Sure, it's affecting us here. Gas is $5.20/gallon. Fortunately, through the wonder of inexpensive, recycled Japanese cars direct from Japan, both of ours get great mileage. I think we're all feeling it indirectly; here I notice it in higher food and supply costs, as 90% of our goods arrive on a barge. I would guess that anyone aware of rising food costs especially are conscious of the connection.

How have we changed our habits? I group my jobs together more, and don't come home for lunch. I'm less likely to take work on the other end of the island. My Bride's car is on its last wheels, so instead of another recycled car, we ordered a heavy-duty American-made tandem trike made by Worksmans. www.industrialbicycles.com... If I choose to, I'll soon be able to carry my tools, 5 gallon waterpail and lunch on the trike. I don't see gas prices even leveling out, so it's time for us to anticipate the curve and start living as though driving is for emergencies and rare luxuries.

I think shifting our paradigms about what is really important to us..... I think that's been the best. One of our most fortunate luxury is having the ability to live simply. It wasn't easy to get to this place.

Hey dragon fire. 'What recession?' We are just a nation of whiners. I'd like to take a really big stick and head check all these pac feeded congressmen and senators.
You know...........................the rise up will be sooner than later on our current course.

My husband and his men work in construction so when you have 5 work trucks some times going over 250 miles in one day, Yes the price effects us a lot. I know we are about ready to give up on the construction business all together due to the price of gas going up so high. Its around $3.97 here but if the guys need gas near Raleigh its over $4 a gallon.

Hilda

Originally posted by wolf241e
Is it just me or has everybody else noticed that nothing has really changed due to gasoline and the price that it commands now.

Seriously? I'm not sure where you live but it's hurting MANY industries and causing mass job layoffs including the airline industry, automotive industry, construction industry, etc...

The oil still gets here every day in our ports. Sure, it’s more expensive than it’s ever been, but we still use it as we have before, with out care for the most part.

Very untrue. The price increases have hurt many middle class and lower class individuals. Personally, it's killing my construction business.

Planes still fly, cars still race, the military still does their exercises and trucks and trains still deliver the goods.

Yep and all at a higher price.
Gas prices have doubled in Michigan in the last 2 years. Double the price of any other goods or service and see what happens. If I doubled my prices, I would go out of business in a month so I must make less money, hire less help, etc... so I won't go out of business.

Also, keep in mind that supply is not the issue. The irresponsible, unchecked, unregulated speculation of oil IS the main problem.

Answer honestly; do you try to save gas?

Absolutely. I don't know anyone who hasn't changed their driving habits due to the oil companies greed.

Are you restricting your life to a huge degree because of gas prices?

YES.

Are you conserving?

I drive only when I must and only to where I must to make a living, nothing more.

I can say honestly that I don’t conserve a whole lot. I ride my Harley’s when I want,

Oh you mean the bikes that get 45-60 miles per gallon?

take the car out when I want and when I have to get to work.

Good for you. You have a car which probably gets pretty good gas mileage and unless you live within walking or biking distance from work, I would assume you must drive your car to work so you can make a living.


I think the main problem with your post is that the gas prices don't affect you very much so you ASSUME that everyone else is like you, thus not affecting anyone else either. I honestly don't know of ANYONE personally whose life hasn't been changed markedly due to the high gas prices. Consider yourself lucky. Since life is good to you, you might want to look outside your local circle and help those who are less fortunate.

Anyone that lives near small airports, have you noticed any decrease in airplane noise or traffic?

For my input, please refer to this post I put together earlier today:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

We drill all of this crude oil but we only have a handful of domestic facilities to refine the oil we are making, and these refineries were made back in the 70s and beforehand which means that they are aging and we are not able to build anymore new refineries or significantly upgrade any already in existence. So in turn we are forced to ship much of our crude oil out of country in order to process it more quickly, and then from there in those countries where it gets refined it gets more likely to be sold over there because it isn't very economical to haul all that refined oil back here to the states and it's easiest to sell it there.

Everybody has a different situation, but to pose the question "is the price of oil really affecting us?" is like asking "do we need food to live?"

Of course it is affecting us, only it affects some more than others. Have you forgotten about heating oil and the distribution companies? Diesel is almost $5.00/gal where I live, and those 53' trailers are pulling their freight at about 4-5 miles/gal. In turn drivers are asking for more money to cover their costs.

Every product I purchase has gone up in price over the last year due to rising distribution and manufaturing costs. For example, last year it cost me $40 to ride the ferry from CT to NY, now it is $51. Thats about a 20% increase in price. Small money, but it quickly adds up when it is happening with every purchase in your life and business.

With the cost of oil not expected to decline rapildy any time soon followed by a decreasing USD, I see a real big problem for us in the next 50 years.

So is the rising price of oil affecting my family? Absolutely.