I am only 14 so I don't drive, but these gas prices (for those of you that are affected by them) are getting really really ridiculous. There was a threat that it would go up to $2.20 a litre today, but the government had to say no. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

The gas prices are killing me. I make my living by being a professional wrestler and I can not afford to go to TV tapings or standard shows any more. Most my income comes from my t-shirt sales and with gas the way it is, Less people show up to the shows and the ones that do show up don't buy any thing.

Yeah, we were just given a threat that by 5:00pm EST the gas prices around GTA (greater Toronto area) would go up to $2.00/liter.

It was $2.20 here.

Walk.

I use Ethanol 85 here in MN. It's $2.33 compare to $2.43 regular unleaded. I don't know why E85 is going up in price as well. They sure know how to catch a Wave, the money wave!

Ethanol??? I think I heard of it, but not quite sure what it is. Its just a type of gas right?

My car burns through ethanol like crazy. With normal unleaded gas I get about 424 miles a tank. With ethanol I get roughly about 180 miles a tank. My car was not designed for it. I have also been told by ford that its a bad idea for my car because ethanol will cause rotting certain areas of my car. My big problem with gas is we are paying the same cost for a barrel of gas as we have been for the last 10 years. at 1.42 a gallon for gas, the gas stations would still be making a killing on us.

E85 is a special fuel formula that uses 85% Ethanol alcohol from renewable organic sources such as grain mixed with 15% gasoline. Since Ethanol is VERY corrosive, special gaskets and modifications must be made to engines that use E85. Generally, cars manufactured in the last five years are E85 ready. You can tell by checking the 8th digit in your vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) usually located at the edge of your windshield. Your Ford is E85 compatible if the 8th figure is a V, K or 5 (depending on model). Chevy's use a Z, K or 5. Daimler Chrysler uses a T, G, P or 3. Mazda's use V and Nissan's use B. According to the hype, E85 burns cleaner, conserves gasoline and runs at around 105 Octane. E85 has gained popularity on the West Coast U.S. and is slowly working its way East. It'll be interesting to see how this catches on.

As Corey suggested, I would think that the alcohol, having a lower flash point than gasoline, would burn faster and get poorer gas mileage. http://www.fueleconomy.gov supports this with a tank of regular gasoline getting about 30% better mileage than E85. According to the site, a Ford Taurus 6 cyl averages 19 City & 29 Hwy on regular gas but only gets 14 City and 21 Hwy with E85. E85 emits 25% fewer pollutants and the E85 was about 15% cheaper over the course of a year in spite of the poorer mileage.

Cars that burn recycled animal fats like old McDonald's fry grease are also catching on in this part of the country. You can tell when one cruises past by the distinct odor of cooking oil left in its wake...and yet, they're supposed to be environmentally friendly, economical and affordable.

I'm also anxious to see the hydrogen powerplants Chrysler (?) is supposedly working on. This would be a great time to revive the old rubber band powered cars, eh?

Skip

Nothin but a bunch of penny pinchers

You are lucky you don't live in the UK. It works out just under $4 per litre in USD.

Get ready for another major jolt in the US. Rita is coming. . . (Cue JAWS music)

Partizan, I don't disagree with you at all...but, they're two different worlds nearly, aren't they? I had the great pleasure of living in Italy and traveling through Europe for 12 years. Gasoline has always been 2-4 times costlier there than in the U.S.. However, Europe's density has led it to establish and maintain some truly fantastic mass transit systems. Your trains, buses and taxi structure makes owning a car nearly unnecessary in many areas. We're far more spread out in the U.S. and not nearly as densely populated. Our mass transit systems lag WAY behind the fantastic Euro system...where they exist at all. I THINK we've evolved as a far more reliant society upon our automobiles for moving around.

We're also spoiled beyond words. In spite of a growing fuel crisis, Americans poured out in droves to buy these huge hulking SUV's, Suburbans, Hummers and everything else that gulps gasoline like a Kennedy downs Scotch. I'll say it again...we are our own worse enemy.

The Europeans have always made economy transportation a priority issue with the availability of little three-wheelers, Citroen Ducks, Sunbeams, Minis and the like. I drove a 1971 2cyl, 2-seat Honda 600 Coupe for years at 45 MPG. Not much to look at but all of these little buggers would run near forever on a tank of petrol. The American government is more concerned with driving our automotive industry into the dirt by producing far heavier "Safe" vehicles that will survive a head-on with a comet...but are far more costly to produce and operate. The American public wants comfort, room and power. Except for the newly reintroduced Cooper Mini and the VW Beetle, we have very few cars that promise the no-frill economy that Europe has to offer.

We Americans demand our cheap gas...and the politicians usually pony up because a pi**ed American is a voting American. Far sooner than later, we're gonna have to pay that piper...just like our sister Europe.

Skip

Hi Skip,

As usual I agree with much of what you said, I will take issue with one point that you did not address. I don't mind paying for the gasoline I need. I also don't mind riding a bicycle to run some small errands. if I don't have to carry to much.

I do mind is the oil companies price gouging techniques. Raising the price because the price went up is fine. Raising the price as a profit building technique, exploiting situations in the news is not. I also have a real issue with the salaries the top oil execs earn. If you cut them in half, these people would still live VERY comfortably and maybe we could lower the prices for the "working" public. Now I am not a communist, I do believe that someone who works a job is entitled to thier salary, but these execs are earning millions.

I agree with you 100% about SUV's these silly vehicles basically throw gasoline out the tail pipe. For years, when I needed payload room in my vehicle, I used a pick-truck. Not flashy, but better mileage, and it got the job done.

Our government (UK) takes around %60 in tax on gas, this along with road tax, MOT, congestion charge, speed cameras, parking fines/fees and so on.
The congestion charge alone is (in USD) $15 per day, that excludes parking which for 4 hours can be $12 so a minimum of $27 for four hours in London.

Public transport (London) is poor value for money. If they even get you there you have to pay through the nose while avoiding terrorists, drunks, muggers and other nasty obstacles. And the Underground and Mainline trains close at 00:00 until 05:00 so that leaves buses and expensive taxis.
Have a great night out in London (plan on going home before midnight though!)

Partizan. No wonder you guys drink all day long. You need to make sure you're done partying by midnight. Geesh.

I had a big feeling a lot of people would answer to this. I found out that it was a threat for $2.25 here. Not $2.20. Not much of a difference tho. In the future, it will just keep gettin worse and worse.

Cliff, I agree with you...but, how are we going to control this in a free economy system. We demand...they supply...at a cost. At the same time, if we WERE to reduce the millions that these oil company fat cats rake in, this alone would actually reduce our direct cost by, what? Thirty cents per gallon? According to the Energy Information Agency, Americans consume an average of 2.04 million gallons of oil products per month. To make any headway, we need to reduce this demand. This alone will bring the prices within reasonable limits again.

Partizan, I wasn't aware that London's mass transit was so unreliable and costly. I always believed that affordable and reliable mass transit was a European staple. Interesting.

Skip

The rest of europe is fine, just England is the problem.

We have a Euro lottery. UK players pay £1.50 per line, European players pay €1.50 for the same line which is £1.01 in UK money. work that out!!!

And I have not won yet

Well I drive now and Petrol is costing me around £30 a week which in USD is $53
yes that is every week! thank god I do magic.

Steve Dela