Did any of you catch the NBC evening news last night? There was a piece on soaring fuel prices that predicted the possibility of $2.00 per gallon for regular gasoline by this summer. The report cited reduced production as well as reduced capacity in refineries.

-- JoseMiami (caris@prodigy.net), February 17, 2000

Answers

We'll be lucky if it is that cheap.

-- Dog Gone (dawgawn@yahoo.com), February 17, 2000.

I've got 59 gallons on hand. Who wants to open the bid? I am thinking about $100 a gallon would be fair.

-- Richard (Astral-Acres@webtv.net), February 17, 2000.

Has anyone noticed that the network news pet project for the last 2 years has been bashing SUV's up and down and left and right? They are "Planet Killers" after all. They must be feeling mighty smug right about now.

-- Scottsworth (NewEnglander@Ct.com), February 17, 2000.

By years end, we will be dancing in the streets if gas prices are < $2.00/gallon. There are obvious refinery problems, but to what extent these problems are contributing and/or will contribute to global oil supply deficiencies is the great unknown. This is one area where truthful responses or answers based in fact have not been forthcoming. Once again, we will have to wait and see. I still believe purchasing crude oil call options with strike prices in the $32-40 range warrants consideration for more risk oriented investors.

-- NoJo (RSKeiper@aol.com), February 17, 2000.

I bought, stabilized and stored 200 gallons back last January when I could get it for $.77 a gallon.

I haven't broken into my stash yet. I walk or take the bus to work, and have cut back my driving severely(I have a Honda Civic; gets 41 mpg). I figure my stash'll last me close to a year with careful fuel management, once I have to start dipping into it.

If things get so bad that I have to dip into my stash, I figure infrastructure will be so damaged in a year or less that I'll have no place that I really need to drive, anyway. Hence, only a year's supply...

Good Luck, All.

Justa Jizzmopper

-- Cleaning (stainedglass@thepeepshow.com), February 17, 2000.

Just dont understand the problem - What is wrong with $2.00 per gallon??? Hah? Compared to other countries, $2.00 is a bargain - our oil companies deserve a break!

This is just part of spreading the wealth of our great nation, like our taxes do. Anyone that can afford an SUV certainly can pay more taxes to help those poor folks that are excersising their right not to work. - Just like paying more for fuel will enable oil companies to pay our representatives more so our government stays efficient.

So stop crying. Just sit back and enjoy the fact that we have an administration that feels our pain and is doing everything to take care of us.

Do something constructive - get out and support McCain or another media approved clinton-clone so we can keep this ball rolling.

-- LovItOrLeavIt (WhoNeedsConstitution@WashDC.com), February 17, 2000.

Cleaning:

Pretty good deal (for you)! After 3/31, we'll know more about what OPEC plans to do - whether or not they plan to ease the 7.5% self-imposed restriction on exports. If they don't, will you start using your reserve to alleviate your own gas costs, or will you wait for more dire circumstances? I ask because it seems you could save yourself some money ($200 - $700) if OPEC continues to be difficult for a while.

I'm in the same school with the economists who notice diminishing returns for OPEC past a certain point of the crude restriction, but I wouldn't consider myself an "oil expert". There was a guy on this forum before who was answering some oil questions with some apparent insider knowledge, anyone know who/where he is?

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), February 17, 2000.

Someone in town must have watching & wanted to do their part. The prices took a six cent jump to $1.50 this morning... Not far for that magic $2 now!

-Me-

-- Me-- (me@my.net), February 17, 2000.

I paid $1.909 for my last tank (but it was full serve, and did include a car wash...). So that would only be a dime or so increase. I could live with a 5% increase...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), February 17, 2000.

Bemused wrote:

"Cleaning:

Pretty good deal (for you)! After 3/31, we'll know more about what OPEC plans to do - whether or not they plan to ease the 7.5% self- imposed restriction on exports. If they don't, will you start using your reserve to alleviate your own gas costs, or will you wait for more dire circumstances? I ask because it seems you could save yourself some money ($200 - $700) if OPEC continues to be difficult for a while.

-- Bemused (and_amazed@you.people), February 17, 2000."

Bemused,

To answer your question, I'll probably wait for gas to get up to $3.00 a gallon, or gas rationing; whichever comes first.

If rationing, I won't have to get in lines/have anyone tell me what I can or cannot buy("only 5 gallons a week, sir"). If three bucks a gallon, I may use a combination of stash and store-bought. Right now, my gas usage(if I stay in town, which I've been doing) is about 10 gallons every six weeks. I can pony up 30-40 bucks every six weeks for gas if I have to, or I can cut back even more on my driving(planning trips away from home a bit better to meet the bus, instead of "impulse driving" to the store/wherever).

I prepped, so I'm also ready for higher food and service prices. Once again, I can hold out for about a year just sitting in my home, as long as it rains after 100 days(my water'll run out by then, and I'll need to recharge my tanks) of no city water. If there's no electricity because there's no coal for the coal-fired plant because the trains couldn't run because diesel wasn't readily available, water won't pump.

Remember: none of this is Y2K related.

I like water; it is my friend. One of the few things that is very hard to stash large amounts of on a budget without attracting neighbor's attention("what IS that thing in your back yard?").

I must admit, I'm glad I prepped for Y2K. It may not look like much so far, but I always felt it would be a slow grinding to a halt. I kinda figured oil would be a biggie, and availability of dirt cheap oil for the USA is crucial to keep the economy running.

BTW, I've even considered selling some of my excess gas to the SUV owners when the black market price hits tem bucks a gallon, but I don't have the faintest idea how I'd do that without leading them to my stash. After all, what can one do? Set up something like a lemonade stand in one's front yard, with "gas for sale, cheep" on a sign?

The fire department will shut me down, and confiscate my gas for their own use. Thanks, I'll pass.

Good luck to all,

Justa Jizzmopper

-- Cleaning (stainedglass@thepeepshow.com), February 17, 2000.