Are You Prepared, Pt. IV [The Gas Prices Thread]

**Crumbled_pavement** · March-03-11, 10:55 AM

Gas most likely will be $5 a gallon before summertime hits. What will you do? Will you support more mass transit? Will you walk, bike more? Will you just go bankrupt with the vast majority of Americans? Our economy is truly in a dangerous place and is only hanging on by a thread. Not just us, the whole entire world. Are you prepared?

http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/26/news...rices/?npt=NP1
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...gas22_ST_N.htm

P.S.: List the cheapest gas stations around that you know of.

$3.45 at Marathon Gas Station on Seven Mile/Telegraph [[up $0.12 from just yesterday)

**DetroitPlanner** · March-03-11, 11:03 AM

http://detroitgasprices.com/

How is this a uniquely Detroit issue?

**stasu1213** · March-04-11, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

http://detroitgasprices.com/

How is this a uniquely Detroit issue?

This is uniquely a Detroit issue for if Detroit had it's shit together years ago with it's transportation people would had the option of riding the bus instead of going into debt owning a car. DDOT could had ranked in a lot of money if all of DDOT money didn't go into the general funds. A moronic move on behalf of city leaders at that time.New Yorkers and Chicagoans don't have to worry too much about gas prices for most of their residents catches the train, reliable busses, or subways. I sometimes hear people around the D talk that crap saying that ridership is down on the DDOT. That is total b.s. More people are catching the bus for the hike in gas prices or the lost of a car due to employement and high insurance. Have the money generated by DDOT through ridership go back into DDOT's fund. Decrease wait time and don't let crazy mentally ill acted people get on the bus and you will see DDOT will be the next best alternative than driving.
'.

**canuck** · March-05-11, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

This is uniquely a Detroit issue for if Detroit had it's shit together years ago with it's transportation people would had the option of riding the bus instead of going into debt owning a car. DDOT could had ranked in a lot of money if all of DDOT money didn't go into the general funds. A moronic move on behalf of city leaders at that time.New Yorkers and Chicagoans don't have to worry too much about gas prices for most of their residents catches the train, reliable busses, or subways. I sometimes hear people around the D talk that crap saying that ridership is down on the DDOT. That is total b.s. More people are catching the bus for the hike in gas prices or the lost of a car due to employement and high insurance. Have the money generated by DDOT through ridership go back into DDOT's fund. Decrease wait time and don't let crazy mentally ill acted people get on the bus and you will see DDOT will be the next best alternative than driving.
'.

I wonder, does the city of Detroit have the right to add an extra tax above the state and federal tax on fuel? They have started doing this here to help pay for transit operation costs.

**erikd** · March-06-11, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by canuck

I wonder, does the city of Detroit have the right to add an extra tax above the state and federal tax on fuel? They have started doing this here to help pay for transit operation costs.

That is an interesting question. It depends on the state tax laws. Local municipalities in Michigan have the right to add extra income and property taxes, but I doubt that they have the right to add extra gas or sales taxes, because I have never heard of a local municipality in Michigan even considering the addition of these taxes.

**reddog289** · March-06-11, 03:51 AM

Mass Transit ain't gonna get me to work and back.I will change my plugs, keep track of the air in my tires and deal with it. Besides gives me an excuse to stay away from my cousin in Northern Michigan.

**Detroitnerd** · March-03-11, 11:05 AM

Yeah, well. Everything's gonna be fine. We don't need mass transit. We can still drive everywhere. We can all still afford to drive an hour to work because ...

... oh shit ... we're screwed ...

**Planner3357** · March-03-11, 11:06 AM

Regular $3.52 at Costco on 13 Mile and Stephenson Hwy. I fill up there when I need to as I work in Waterford and live downtown.

Unfortunately, my car requires Premium which is $3.72

**Tig3rzhark** · March-03-11, 11:08 AM

Today, I hauled ass back on my bike again. I haven't been on it since January.

The feeling was reassuring since I was in the FTW mood today. My mom offered to help me get a car if I can go six months without having a seizure, which I'm trying to do. However, I have more of a reason to ride my bike again with winter coming to an end.

I definitely need to get it fixed quickly since riding it during the winter can cause many problems with the parts. I should have been more prepared, but it's too late for regrets. I have to learn from them now.

I wouldn't be surprised if the gas prices were @ $5 a gallon by May. My bike should be in good shape by then. Although there are bike racks on both DDOT and SMART buses, not all the DDOT buses have them.

Yes I will have more of an incentive to bike more, not just to lose some weight, but to save what little money that I have left.

**Crumbled_pavement** · March-03-11, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Tig3rzhark

I wouldn't be surprised if the gas prices were @ $5 a gallon by May.

This is what I expect as well.

DetroitPlanner, it's not uniquely a Detroit issue, but we don't want to share the cheapest gas prices for any gas station in the country. We're focused on the cheapest gas prices in Metro Detroit.

P.S.: Thanks for the link.

**Danny** · March-03-11, 11:09 AM

Who want to pay 5.00 for a gallon of gas? Surely folks who live WAY WAY WAY out from 50 mile Rd. willl have to. They have to get to work, shop and play in merry merry automobile. You all can go right ahead and blame the Arab conflict in the Middle east or some oil corps fo them mess. There's NOTHING you all could do to stop their black gold mess. Go buy a hybrid. I think the Chevy VOLT would be a likely good ideal to save tons of money on gas.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

I as watch the glory days of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's going to the junk heap!

Neda, I miss you so.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · March-04-11, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Who want to pay 5.00 for a gallon of gas? Surely folks who live WAY WAY WAY out from 50 mile Rd. willl have to. They have to get to work, shop and play in merry merry automobile. You all can go right ahead and blame the Arab conflict in the Middle east or some oil corps fo them mess. There's NOTHING you all could do to stop their black gold mess. Go buy a hybrid. I think the Chevy VOLT would be a likely good ideal to save tons of money on gas.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

I as watch the glory days of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's going to the junk heap!

Neda, I miss you so.

Yeah right, I'm not going to pay $42,000.00 dollars for a Volt. The price of that car is ridiculous, I don't see how anyone would buy one, I don't care what kind of mileage it gets. GM is raping people.

thatguy123 · March-07-11, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Yeah right, I'm not going to pay $42,000.00 dollars for a Volt. The price of that car is ridiculous, I don't see how anyone would buy one, I don't care what kind of mileage it gets. GM is raping people.

You and everyone else isn't paying that extremely laughable price. They only sold 281 Volts last month. What a joke

**ghettopalmetto** · March-07-11, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Yeah right, I'm not going to pay $42,000.00 dollars for a Volt. The price of that car is ridiculous, I don't see how anyone would buy one, I don't care what kind of mileage it gets. GM is raping people.

Yet people don't bat an eye paying the same amount of money for a Suburban Assault Vehicle that will actually cost them *more* in gas and insurance.

You don't like the Volt? Fine, don't buy it. But there's no need to extrapolate your personal tastes to 310 million other people.

**Stinger4me** · March-07-11, 10:42 AM

i know this is not the answer, but we should slow down and cut down on fuel consumption. That INCLUDES semi-trucks. We have very little speed enforcement. We certainly don't set too good of an example. I wonder when the hunyoks who drive the massive trucks and pass me at 75 mph on the freeway get the money for their fuel.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · March-08-11, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

Yet people don't bat an eye paying the same amount of money for a Suburban Assault Vehicle that will actually cost them *more* in gas and insurance.

You don't like the Volt? Fine, don't buy it. But there's no need to extrapolate your personal tastes to 310 million other people.

Extrapolate?? Must be the "Word of the Day" Sounds impressive though.

DetroitDad · March-08-11, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Extrapolate?? Must be the "Word of the Day" Sounds impressive though.

Cincinnati public schools?

Kidding

**mwilbert** · March-03-11, 11:15 AM

I expect gas will not reach $5/gallon this year. Not that it is impossible; it could absolutely happen, but it would take a pretty severe supply disruption. However, I won't be a bit surprised to see that as a fairly normal price within 5 years.

The only way most Detroiters can reduce their oil consumption significantly is by changing something about how they drive--distances, vehicles, fuels. If you were planning to take a vacation that involves a long flight, you might want to do that sooner rather than later, because if gas gets that expensive flights will be scarcer and more costly. You can probably wait to buy your house in Ferndale, but you should start looking if you don't like CNG powered cars.

**Detroitnerd** · March-03-11, 11:20 AM

Electric cars or hybrids aren't the best answer, unfortunately. They're neat innovations that allow an individual or a household to save on gas, but by helping maintain a car-only region they ultimately hold us back from better, broader social responses such as conservation, mass transit and density ...

**rid0617** · March-11-11, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Electric cars or hybrids aren't the best answer, unfortunately. They're neat innovations that allow an individual or a household to save on gas, but by helping maintain a car-only region they ultimately hold us back from better, broader social responses such as conservation, mass transit and density ...

Thank you. You don't hear one important fact in the electric car discussion. The more electric cars produced the more electricity you need. Then you need more power plants. But that will upset the enviros who don't want any more coal or nuclear. How do you power these electric cars?

Then taxes will have to go up because governments won't be getting enough road taxes from fuel.

**Hermod** · April-04-11, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Electric cars or hybrids aren't the best answer, unfortunately. They're neat innovations that allow an individual or a household to save on gas, but by helping maintain a car-only region they ultimately hold us back from better, broader social responses such as conservation, mass transit and density ...

ummmm, electric cars, hybrids, high mileage econo-boxes are "conservation".

Augustiner · April-04-11, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

ummmm, electric cars, hybrids, high mileage econo-boxes are "conservation".

Not if people have a fixed gas budget that determines how far they're willing to drive for things. If the cost of gas stays the same and cars get more efficient, people could just start driving more.

**Detroitnerd** · April-04-11, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

ummmm, electric cars, hybrids, high mileage econo-boxes are "conservation".

Not when they only perpetuate the car-only mode of lifestyle. Remember, half the energy involved in cars goes into the making of them and the disposal of them. That's why serious conservation involves ditching cars and having transit alternatives. This frees up land for development that used to be for parking. This puts pedestrians on the street and helps encourage businesses to open there instead of in far-flung parkingopolises.

At their very worst, EVs, hybrids and boxes are little toys that help certain people rationalize our local policy of driving personal vehicles for everything until the end of time...

bartock · March-03-11, 11:38 AM

This may be unpopular, but is limiting private vehicle driving really tied to that much gasoline consumption? Personal conservation is good, but for the average driver in Michigan [[believe it or not we are in the bottom half in per capita usage), a one or two dollar hit gas by itself may be absorbable for a while. But, add to it the fact that $5 gasoline smacks everyone in transportation of goods costs. The price of EVERYTHING goes up, even if buying local from local producers. Trickle down theory always works when the prices are going UP.

Now, if the military stopped using fuel for awhile...

**Crumbled_pavement** · March-03-11, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by bartock

But, add to it the fact that $5 gasoline smacks everyone in transportation of goods costs. The price of EVERYTHING goes up, even if buying local from local producers. Trickle down theory always works when the prices are going UP.

Bingo! This is what I'm most afraid of. Gas prices will end up squeezing everyone and causing the price of just about everything to rise. This is where most of the harm to our economy would come from.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41845694...s_and_economy/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41846460...s_and_economy/