esrosedotblog

WHAT A GAS!

Yes, I used this gag photo before but it is pretty good, so why not again.

I read this morning that we could expect $3.00 gas nation wide very soon.

Shit, we routinely pay that much for the stuff out here at the end of the supply line. The special blends and 'maintenance problems' at the few local refineries play their part as well.

We have been the champs at gas prices more than a few times this year. I paid 3.03 this morning.

So what is wrong with that?

A friend in London chortles at our outrage. They pay at least 1 pound per liter (four liters to a gallon; $1.85/pound) or $7.40 per gallon. And, they pay a lot more for taxes as well as use of their cars in the inner city. Funny too, that they still drive all over so they don't have to go into the tube. Terrorism trumps the pocketbook.

Now, granted I do not have to drive. But if you push it to the extreme, neither does anyone else. It is just that we have decided to live way far from our work.

It is well known that in LA, people routinely drive across the County to their jobs and to visit friends and all. No one considers buying or renting a home near the job. Laughable.

Price is not a consideration until it hurts. Evidently the big three hurts since now there is talk of capping it out at that price and so on.

Then there are the SUV's. What about the 8 mpg guzzlers? At freeway clogged speeds, or crawls. it is a lot more.

There is a fashionable turn to the Prius and other hybrids out here but that is mostly ceremonial. The cost of buying and maintaining is a near break even with any cost saving.

I have a friend who is all freaked about the cost of gas. He does not commute. It is all discretionary driving. I suggested that he might cut down on the driving if it was costing him so much.

Did he ever give me a look.

So here we are. The problem is the miles and the vehicle. And the Hummer 3 is turning up here as often as the Scion.

And so on. Scion/so on.

People.

Now the WSJ has a prediction in its bulletin today about $4.00/gallon. Maybe that will do it.