I get the feeling that we are just beginning to see a permanent rise in gas prices. Peak oil production is coming soon or is already here. I remember back in the 70s when gas prices rose and everyone ran out to buy a compact car. Then prices fell again and everyone was buying mom vans and SUVs. High gas prices have been Europe's reality for a very long time. Somehow, Americans believe it's their god given right to cheap gas.
Thoughts?
It's not so much my right to cheap gas, but the right to not be further socked in the wallet via regressive gas taxes. Already - and this intensified during the pandemic - the superrich got richer and the working class is worse off.
The poor have a larger social safety net under Biden. It's those who work for a living who are really struggling with things like high housing costs, since they don't qualify for subsidized housing. I know many young families who would love to buy but just can't. Meanwhile, houses are snatched up by corporations. So it's not just gas, it's a whole system of "let them drive electric cars" which is a variation on "let them eat cake" given the range limit, the high purchase costs, and the limited charging infrastructure.
Europe is not as spread out as the US. You're not comparing apples to oranges.
I think the biggest influence on gas prices has nothing to do with peak oil, but rather governmental policies designed to restrict or enhance production coupled with per gallon taxes levied by both federal and state governments.
It's interesting to note that our government began restricting access to oil leases just under 1.5 years ago while also increasing regulatory hurdles and fees for producers. I think this had a two fold purpose, one being to reduce consumer usage through price increases brought on by scarcity and the second being a political maneuver to placate a particular wing of the dominant political party. Unfortunately, having successfully doubled the price of fuel in just over a year had a downside. Everyday people (voters) began to complain which then forced our government to send emissaries to bad actors such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia asking them to increase production in hopes of somewhat relieving the pressure to do something without having to reverse the policies which contributed to the complaint.
I think we should expect all energy prices to soar through 2024 and into the first quarter of 2025 when a more citizen friendly administration takes over.
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein
I live in a state (California) with relatively (maybe not by european but definitely by u.s. standards) high gas taxes and high gas prices and I'm VERY MUCH in favor of it. It's 5.50 and up currently. Because the average vehicle driven does seem to be smaller than in many states. So it works.
The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is not bad either and there are a decent amount of electric vehicles on the road (still majority gas vehicles). But it is inconvenient to a degree if you can't charge at home and have to go to a charging station, this can take a few hours every charge.
I don't complain that it's a problem that we have these gas prices because the world is not perfectly fair or we are owed cheap housing prices either (lol cheap housing prices). The world is not fair, but maybe isn't going to be anytime soon. And despite the world not being fair, I still favor positive measures to cut down on gas use.
The peak oil thing, I don't know that I believe it all, but WE SHOULD BE SO LUCKY. I mean peak oil was talked about a bit maybe 15 years ago. It didn't happen because while conventional oil may have peaked, they found ways to exploit unconventional oil like shale oil. I'm not sure those are peaked out. The thing is there is enough oil in the ground to fry the planet several times over I suspect, and those who said that then, and sheesh I was involved with things, met a climate scientists who said: "there is enough oil to fry the planet", were right. Those worried about peak oil were not, climate change is the real threat. So we should be so lucky that it ran out, but I don't think we will be.
Trees don't grow on money
I’m getting really tired of the buy an EV, ride a bike, or take public transit spiel.
Many areas of the US do not have public transportation. There is none that could get me to work. It is an hour's drive from where I live. I could spend thousands on a motorcycle but it would not work all the cold months of the year or when it's raining, and I already get close to 50 miles per gallon.
I did think about applying for a job closer to home but the manager at the nearby location is verbally abusive and I just couldn't go there.
I totally agree with you Yppej! I am glad that I don’t have to drive much anymore.
I don’t normally agree with you, but definitely do on this.Originally Posted by Yppej
As discussed in another thread …. this would definitely not be Republicans!
Depends on whether you like the constitution, and things like free speech, or believe Big Brother should be monitoring you for "disinformation" and to force the elite's ideas on everyone else.
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