The Price of Gas

[93henfan]

Is it just me or is this the first time in our lifetimes that the price of gas went down in the days and weeks preceding Memorial Day weekend? IIRC, just about every year it shoots up 20 or 30 cents/gallon in mid-May. Hell, in the crazy summer of 2008 it seemed like gas would shoot up 10 or 20 cents based on the news of the day, and now we have the worst oil spill in the history of the US and gas is dropping during the first travel holiday, one in which the tourism reports say people were traveling in droves.

What the hell is going on?

[Gil Dobie]

Is it just me or is this the first time in our lifetimes that the price of gas went down in the days and weeks preceding Memorial Day weekend? IIRC, just about every year it shoots up 20 or 30 cents/gallon in mid-May. Hell, in the crazy summer of 2008 it seemed like gas would shoot up 10 or 20 cents based on the news of the day, and now we have the worst oil spill in the history of the US and gas is dropping during the first travel holiday, one in which the tourism reports say people were traveling in droves.

What the hell is going on?

Travel is down and the refineries are still cranking. Prices are down to the $2.50 range here.

[ASUG8]

I filled up for $2.42 this morning, down from $2.65 a few weeks ago. I made the same comment over the weekend that normally the mere mention of Memorial Day causes gas spikes. Speculation and futures dictate current pricing - I think a lot of people are foregoing the annual long vacation and doing some mini-vacations which drop demand and keep prices reasonably low, but that's purely a guess.

[andy7171]

$2.59 here in Baltimore. It is weird. Early May it was in the $2.85 range and I was like here we go. But it went down. I'm not going to complain too loudly.

I stopped to fill up yesterday on my way home, noticed it was a BP station and stopped at $8 and left. F ;em.

[clenz]

It's around $2.50-$2.60 around Cedar Falls, depending what station you stop at and what small town around Cedar Falls.


The station I normally stop at was 2.55 yesterday, down from 2.78 2 weeks ago. I hadn't even noticed the drop, however, that could be that I've been filling my car every 5 days now instead of once every two or three weeks so I don't look I just fill.

[GannonFan]

Like I said before, Obama just found the gas price dial in the Oval Office that lets Presidents raise or lower the price of gasoline at a whim. It's the same one people were saying Bush was using to jack up prices while he was in office. Apparently the delay in finding the dial was because the clues left on where to find it referred to walking a certain number of steps from the bust of Winston Churchill, and since that bust was returned to the UK last year we've been flummoxed in terms of how to remember where it was when the clue was written. Good work by whomever figured that out - it's good to have the price dial back in play!

But in all seriousness, the price of gasoline at the pump is due to about 100 different factors that all get blended together, and only one of those factors is how much Americans intend to drive. There's the Greek crisis and the crash of the euro, there's the lethargic global recovery, there's the move by China to currently look more inward for resources, at least temporarily, there's the rise of natural gas in terms of exploration and discovery of a lot more than we ever thought there could be, and so on. The other poster was right - speculation has a lot to do with the price of oil over the past few years - people are apparently betting for lower prices.

But I personally think it's the White House price dial.

[andy7171]

Like I said before, Obama just found the gas price dial in the Oval Office that lets Presidents raise or lower the price of gasoline at a whim. It's the same one people were saying Bush was using to jack up prices while he was in office. Apparently the delay in finding the dial was because the clues left on where to find it referred to walking a certain number of steps from the bust of Winston Churchill, and since that bust was returned to the UK last year we've been flummoxed in terms of how to remember where it was when the clue was written. Good work by whomever figured that out - it's good to have the price dial back in play!

But in all seriousness, the price of gasoline at the pump is due to about 100 different factors that all get blended together, and only one of those factors is how much Americans intend to drive. There's the Greek crisis and the crash of the euro, there's the lethargic global recovery, there's the move by China to currently look more inward for resources, at least temporarily, there's the rise of natural gas in terms of exploration and discovery of a lot more than we ever thought there could be, and so on. The other poster was right - speculation has a lot to do with the price of oil over the past few years - people are apparently betting for lower prices.

But I personally think it's the White House price dial.

The Churchhill bust was the frozen wheel. The WH gas price dial is now appearing and disappearing in random locations around the White House grounds.

[mainejeff]

People are confused about gas prices because they are gullible enough to believe prior excuses for rising gas prices.......it's all a bunch of B.S. When the powers-that-be want the prices to rise again.......you can bet that the tried and true "refinery capacity" issue will be used again .........then there's always the hurricane excuse.

[GannonFan]

People are confused about gas prices because they are gullible enough to believe prior excuses for rising gas prices.......it's all a bunch of B.S. When the powers-that-be want the prices to rise again.......you can bet that the tried and true "refinery capacity" issue will be used again .........then there's always the hurricane excuse.

What confusion??? The President just turns the dial to the appropriate price depending on the dictates from the oil industry. Thank God (or god(s) if you prefer) that we found that dial - it was getting worrisome there for awhile.

[ASUG8]

Like I said before, Obama just found the gas price dial in the Oval Office that lets Presidents raise or lower the price of gasoline at a whim. It's the same one people were saying Bush was using to jack up prices while he was in office. Apparently the delay in finding the dial was because the clues left on where to find it referred to walking a certain number of steps from the bust of Winston Churchill, and since that bust was returned to the UK last year we've been flummoxed in terms of how to remember where it was when the clue was written. Good work by whomever figured that out - it's good to have the price dial back in play!

But in all seriousness, the price of gasoline at the pump is due to about 100 different factors that all get blended together, and only one of those factors is how much Americans intend to drive. There's the Greek crisis and the crash of the euro, there's the lethargic global recovery, there's the move by China to currently look more inward for resources, at least temporarily, there's the rise of natural gas in terms of exploration and discovery of a lot more than we ever thought there could be, and so on. The other poster was right - speculation has a lot to do with the price of oil over the past few years - people are apparently betting for lower prices.

But I personally think it's the White House price dial.

Nice to know I'm nameless to you, GF - my feelings are hurt.

[SuperHornet]

You guys are lucky. The cheapest gas here in Lodi (ARCO) is $2.79 for the cheap stuff, and there are still places (notably Chevron/Standard Oil) who are still completely over $3. I realize that some of that has to do with Cali taxes, but Big Oil has a rep around here of gouging Cali.

I wouldn't be surprised that IF the average price around the country slid to below $2, they would still charge $2.50 or more here....

[GSUhooligan]

It's a lot more of this:

I realize that some of that has to do with Cali taxes,

than this

...but Big Oil has a rep around here of gouging Cali.

I love the environment as much as the next guy, but your state is run by nature nazi's.

[GannonFan]

Like I said before, Obama just found the gas price dial in the Oval Office that lets Presidents raise or lower the price of gasoline at a whim. It's the same one people were saying Bush was using to jack up prices while he was in office. Apparently the delay in finding the dial was because the clues left on where to find it referred to walking a certain number of steps from the bust of Winston Churchill, and since that bust was returned to the UK last year we've been flummoxed in terms of how to remember where it was when the clue was written. Good work by whomever figured that out - it's good to have the price dial back in play!

But in all seriousness, the price of gasoline at the pump is due to about 100 different factors that all get blended together, and only one of those factors is how much Americans intend to drive. There's the Greek crisis and the crash of the euro, there's the lethargic global recovery, there's the move by China to currently look more inward for resources, at least temporarily, there's the rise of natural gas in terms of exploration and discovery of a lot more than we ever thought there could be, and so on. The other poster was right - speculation has a lot to do with the price of oil over the past few years - people are apparently betting for lower prices.

But I personally think it's the White House price dial.

Nice to know I'm nameless to you, GF - my feelings are hurt.

Nah, I'm just too lazy to look back when I'm typing - it ruins my train of thought!

[houndawg]

You guys are lucky. The cheapest gas here in Lodi (ARCO) is $2.79 for the cheap stuff, and there are still places (notably Chevron/Standard Oil) who are still completely over $3. I realize that some of that has to do with Cali taxes, but Big Oil has a rep around here of gouging Cali.

I wouldn't be surprised that IF the average price around the country slid to below $2, they would still charge $2.50 or more here....

They figure if you're dumb enough to live in Lodi you deserve to be gouged.

[SuperHornet]

What's wrong with Lodi, Dawg? We're the birthplace of A&W Root Beer and the site of a big General Mills plant, and the home of the best wine in Cali....

[Baldy]

Filled up for $2.39 today. Felt a little like Christmas.

[93henfan]

What's wrong with Lodi, Dawg? We're the birthplace of A&W Root Beer and the site of a big General Mills plant, and the home of the best wine in Cali....

Just about a year ago,
I set out on the road,
Seeking my fame and fortune,
Looking for a pot of gold.
Things got bad, and things got worse,
I guess you will know the tune.
Oh ! Lord, Stuck in Lodi again.

Rode in on the Greyhound,
I'll be walking out if I go.
I was just passing through,
Must be seven months or more.
Ran out of time and money,
Looks like they took my friends.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.

The man from the magazine said I was on my way.
Somewhere I lost connections, ran out of songs to play.
I came into town, a one night stand,
Looks like my plans fell through
Oh ! Lord, Stuck in Lodi again.
Mmmm...

If I only had a dollar, for ev'ry song I've sung.
And ev'ry time I've had to play
While people sat there drunk.
You know, I'd catch the next train back to where I live.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.
Oh ! Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again.

[mrklean]

Is it just me or is this the first time in our lifetimes that the price of gas went down in the days and weeks preceding Memorial Day weekend? IIRC, just about every year it shoots up 20 or 30 cents/gallon in mid-May. Hell, in the crazy summer of 2008 it seemed like gas would shoot up 10 or 20 cents based on the news of the day, and now we have the worst oil spill in the history of the US and gas is dropping during the first travel holiday, one in which the tourism reports say people were traveling in droves.

What the hell is going on?

Gas in Atlanta, Ga has gone down .31 in the past three weeks. FUNNY

[SuperHornet]

93hen:

I LOVE that song, and play it on the free jukebox at our local A&W every time I'm there. Plenty of other oldies on the thing, but that one I love.

Most everyone knows Creedence Clearwater Revival, led by the incomparable John Fogerty, originally did this. What many don't know is that the group Tesla did a remake of it. I, of course, being a purist, didn't like Tesla's version because they rockified it too much.

[houndawg]

What's wrong with Lodi, Dawg? We're the birthplace of A&W Root Beer and the site of a big General Mills plant, and the home of the best wine in Cali....

Lodi, gateway to Turlock.


The best thing about Lodi is that when I lived in Merced we had somebody to look down on.


BTW, are any Clemmons' involved with Slack State FB anymore? Used to play for the River Rats Rugby Club back in the day and Mike Clemmons was our coach/fly half.

[bluehenbillk]

I find it puzzling that after Katrina gas went way up, but now that the entire Gulf is closed down from pumping oil, that gas continues to drop, hmmmmm.

[GSUhooligan]

I find it puzzling that after Katrina gas went way up, but now that the entire Gulf is closed down from pumping oil, that gas continues to drop, hmmmmm.

Pipelines were damaged during Katrina cutting significant supply for an entire section of the country. This is one rig.

[Skjellyfetti]

I find it puzzling that after Katrina gas went way up, but now that the entire Gulf is closed down from pumping oil, that gas continues to drop, hmmmmm.

Pipelines were damaged during Katrina cutting significant supply for an entire section of the country. This is 33 rigs.

Fixed.

[mainejeff]

Pipelines were damaged during Katrina cutting significant supply for an entire section of the country. This is 33 rigs.

Fixed.

You mean that they've stopped all deep water drilling in the Gulf!?!?!.........

[SuperHornet]

What's wrong with Lodi, Dawg? We're the birthplace of A&W Root Beer and the site of a big General Mills plant, and the home of the best wine in Cali....

Lodi, gateway to Turlock.


The best thing about Lodi is that when I lived in Merced we had somebody to look down on.


BTW, are any Clemmons' involved with Slack State FB anymore? Used to play for the River Rats Rugby Club back in the day and Mike Clemmons was our coach/fly half.

How the heck is Lodi the gateway to Turdlock (yes, that's our nickname for the home of Stanislaus State) when the two cities are in two SEPARATE COUNTIES?!?

BTW, my Delta football team took down Merced in their own bowl game in a year nobody south of Stockton thought we had a shot (1996). WE look down on Merced....