because everyone can just buy a new car whenever gas prices go up to take advantage of new standards? Its irrelevant if you arent in a financial position to afford a new car.

im sure the Fed printing loads of money has nothing to do with $7 gas, but it will be blamed on the evil oil companies making profits.

 

I don't care if gas is $27 a gallon, I don't want the imbeciles in the government imposing the whole "efficiency standards" nonsense.

 

It's actually more a factor of the world having finite oil reserves, more than simply just high price. If the world's oil fields run dry, it won't matter what the price of gas is....conventional cars as we know them will be unusable, unless gasoline and diesel fuel can be produced from alternate sources like oil-shale. That's why it's important to get started with alternative-fuel sources.

Now, that's not to say that the world's oil reserves are going to run out tomorrow, or even in the near future...particularly in Saudi Arabia with its enormous resources. But world oil production peaked in 1970 (ironically, BTW, the peak year for American muscle-cars), and, since then, more is being used than discovered in new sources. Simple math proves that it can't go on forever.

 

Yep, But I cannot do anything about it, so might as well make lite of the situation.

 

So are (probably) a lot of Prius drivers. They'll make a killing on the residual value of their used cars if it does.

 

Count my in-laws with that thought. Retired and drive perhaps 20 miles a week in their Prius.

 

And if you're not in that position?

Say in 5 years gas is $7 a gal. Okay, so someone who has the money for a new car can afford a new car that gets 35 + MPG. But what if you can't? Might as well get a jump start on the impending doom.

 

$7 a gallon would hurt many many people in the US's pocket. Even if you drive a car that gets 35mpg. For me that would be horrible to fill the car up, would almost not be worth it for how little I work now while in school. 7 X 15 = $105 for me. And that's only filling up at 1/4 of the tank left. I certainly hope it doesn't go anywhere near that price. They want to see unemployment rise, do that and you'll have plenty of people still in high-school dropping jobs, and folks who are still in college doing the same. I know that doesn't make up a majority of our society, but still it's a portion.

 

it went up to like $8.00 in korea few years ago. when i was london i think the peak was around $7.50. right now i'm in Antigua, it's about $4.20

 

http://www.newsminer.com/pages/full_...20&id=7222100&
the price of gas is one thing but its also heating fuel prices which are having a big effect on many people

 

Still cheap by European standards, but, in my neighborhood, 87-Octane regular now averages $3.00 a gallon...up substantially from just a few months ago. It's probably somewhat more than that in CA, where gas is traditionally more expensive.

Seems obvious, though, that the current price run-up, in the last few weeks or so, is related to the Gulf oil spill, the media panic and its effect on oil-speculators, and the political prospect of Obama and Congress changing their minds on allowing more offshore drilling.

 

About $3.20 for Chevron regular in Bay Area of CA, prices a bit less inland CA.

 

$12 a gallon is in our future soon lol

 

No they won't people will riot. 4.00 gas will crush us if it happens we will have to invade someone.

 

Sigh...do you guys know America holds the single largest oil reserve in the world?

http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911