THansenite

Actually, most of the oil used in the US comes from Canada.

HeathenBrewing

Source?

Where does America get most of its oil? OPEC.

Whos in charge of OPEC? Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, as you can see below, we produce more oil here in America than we import from Canada.

Top oil producing countries (2004):

Saudi Arabia (OPEC) - 10.37 MMbbl/d
Russia - 9.27 MMbbl/d
United States 1 - 8.69 MMbbl/d
Iran (OPEC) - 4.09 MMbbl/d
Mexico 1 - 3.83 MMbbl/d
China 1 - 3.62 MMbbl/d
Norway 1 - 3.18 MMbbl/d
Canada 1 - 3.14 MMbbl/d
Venezuela (OPEC) 1 - 2.86 MMbbl/d
United Arab Emirates (OPEC) - 2.76 MMbbl/d
Kuwait (OPEC) - 2.51 MMbbl/d
Nigeria (OPEC) - 2.51 MMbbl/d
United Kingdom 1 - 2.08 MMbbl/d
Iraq (OPEC) 2 - 2.03 MMbbl/d

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum

Chillaxin206

I agree, carpool or use public transportation. I work downtown and considering that I live 20 miles from work the amount I would pay on gas and parking would just be too much each month and it's really not worth it. There are tons of parking spaces around here, but your going to be paying like $70-$100 a month for them. Instead I invested $100 for a bus pass for a year which would normally cost me $72 a month if I didn't get it through my job. Now I get 2 extra hours of sleep, 1 to work and 1 going home. Also I don't have to deal with freeway traffic because I'm not the one driving. All this is to say that there are ways of working around the rise in gas prices because complaining about it obviously isn't doing anything. Most of my driving is on the weekend and I don't spend more than $20 a week on gas. That's even with the rise in gas prices because before then it was about $15.

wibblywobbly

What ____es me off is the cheapskate gas station that stopped taking credit cards so they could save the 3 cents on processing. Gas costs what gas costs, what can you do but pay it, but I'm not going to blow all my cash on filling up (then have to find an ATM and then pay the ATM fee...)

I'm also sick of the gas station owners whining that they only make "pennies" on each fill up and they are hurting too. If the sodas inside are marked up and overpriced, you can bet the gas is too.

trikkonceptz

I read a lot of valid points, the one thing I haven't heard is this. As Gas/Oil/Diesel prices continue to rise we need to see beyond our own snouts ..

What do you think, Trains, Buses, Tractor Trailers, Delivery Trucks run on ? Mostly gas and Diesel. As these oil prices rise so will the cost of transporting goods to the public, driving the prices of everything up.

So this isn't about us and our Scions, it is about our economy and now having to pay $4.99 for a Big mac combo where last month it was $3.99. The difference is fuel charges for delivery of your precious Big Mac. Now that seems simplistic, but notice what every day items have gone up ever so slightly recently, fast food is one of them, batteries and groceries have also begun to rise. All a by product of rising fuel costs. Whether or not directly affected everyone is using the high price of oil to squeeze us for a couple extra bucks everywhere we go.

Like it has been said, there is nothing we can do, it would be sweet if none of us paid our gas credit cards for one month. That would send a message, but impossible to coordinate and pointless unless everyone in the country agreed to not pay thier bill. Wouldn't that be cool ... ahh to dream

Nick06tC

Wow, I am really impressed by this thread. I thought everyone would bash me and say it was the governments fault. But others have restated my point of view.

And most importantly alot of people realize that Public transportation is the problem. I lived in europe for 5 years I know what its like to pay crazy prices.

If we had PT like europe does we wouldnt have this problem.

(its good to see that SL can have a discussion without people yelling at each other)

lalagimp

skewed logic

credit cards are owned by BANKS. the banks paid the fuel bill and you owe the bank. You agreed to pay the bank back. it has nothing to do with the first company.

ricktoyota73

I worked at an Amoco all thru high school (and a couple years after). They charged 4 cents more a gallon if you were paying by credit card when I started, but quit that while I still worked there.
This was 1989-1994 and even then, when gas was reasonable, we were only making about 10 cents a gallon. We made all of our money off pop/candy/cigarettes.

dskinner

Hmmm... Never thought of that before. I see your point, however, I still think that all you can do is not be a lazy American. Carpool, walk, ride a bike or bus. If you do want to be lazy and still save, be like me and buy a scooter. Can you say "90 mpg"?

I know, its not too practical unless your in a big city (or you live in a city like mine, where they don't believe in freeways).

dp-_-

Dude, you really love your scooter huh? I think every single post that I have ever seen you post mentions your scooter

Basstrack17

^^^ some valid points thoughout up there. I handle distribution in our company, and work with various carriers. There already has been some regular freight increases this spring-and that doesn't even count any fuel surcharges. Same with farm equipment, etc.. I can guarantee that those extra costs will get passed on down the line, so at some point everything will cost more..... Am I happy with the 3+ a gallon for the premium we need to use--no; but if we want to play a little more, we'll have to accept paying a little more. We also have a bass boat; the higher prices just mean more time spent fishing, less time ripping around the lakes. Meaning you can still enjoy the toy you worked so hard for; but just need to use it a bit more "responsibly".
PT can be a great idea if it's available; i'd say the higher prices hurt suburban commuters more than others, where there are little opportunities to use pt.
And as for gas pricing compared to last year; some of the boss's family came up from MS to stay while their area had no power.... and the most expensive gas they paid for while in route back home??? Up here, far away from the tragedy....
Now figure that one out...

dskinner

Yea, the guys here at Scion all give me a hard time about it as well, but I laugh at them when they spend $45 on a tank of gas.

The thing is still pretty new, so I'm still loving it! . Call me a dork if you want. If I couldn't take it, I wouldn't have purchaced it...

Back to the main subject. You guys have posted some great stuff. I love to read your comments, especially on skechy issues.

tikbhoy

my 2 cents

we need to get out of iraq.

at least make use of the oil they got if not stop wasting our tax$$$ where there isnt any weapons of mass destruction to begin with.

Brent_23M

another point.... the gas were burning today was refined and barrelled (sp) a long while ago.... so why is the cost of oil-per-gallon effecting gas prices now? im kinda ignorant to how the whole oil industry works but a lot of things posted in this thread and on other news sites dont match up or make much sense to the common/average consumor..(i.e. ME!)

scion_adam

The news media reports on ANYTHING that makes it appear that this country is in crisis (be it true or overly exaggerated). Speculators use this as a reason to drive up crude oil prices, especially if it involves the Middle East. Oil companies in turn use this as a reason to drive up gas prices. It's simply price gouging. We have a free market economy so it's not something that can be controlled by George Bush, the Republicans, the Democrats, Mexicans, Jews, Leprechauns, or whoever else you want to blame it on. It’s just greed.

Oh, and did anyone else see the severance package the retiring CEO of Exxon/Mobile received. It was worth over 400 million dollars.

Brent_23M

im in the wrong businuss

ShadyEye16

I agree that we should get out of there (but that's a whole differant discussion, despite the connections to this one)

A lot of people thought that the war was secretly (or not so secretly) about getting the oil in Iraq. Now I think that's a bad reason to go to war and the decision to go over there was based on a lot of reasons, all of which are vague and at least somewhat flawed, but if oil was indeed one of those reasons, why has nothing really come of it? Whether it was right or wrong to go over there for that reason, I can't help but think that if they paid more attention to getting Iraq's oil refineries back up and running, it would help the people of Iraq get back on their feet quicker and the rest of the world's (i.e. the US, as selfish as it sounds) rising oil costs. Understanding of course the complicated and conflicted political climate in Iraq would not neccessarily ensure the even or fair distribution of the profits from the oil, or that it would neccessarily mean a sudden decrease in our oil prices. There are, of course, many problems to overcome in getting their oil business back to full capacity because of the constant security threats, corruption, logistics, etc. But really, despite the reality that we will eventually run out of oil, the problem lies in politics just as much as the diminishing natural resource that we are addicted to.

I know its not as simple as all that, because I do believe that the oil companies, Exxon/Mobil in particular, are gouging customer because, just like many have said in this thread before me, they can. We can (and will) continue b***h and moan about how much gas costs, but we'll still buy it. Our ecomony and our city's infrastructures are built around personal vehicles; no city's PT system can handle all of the human traffic that flows in and out of our cities every day, and I doubt that we will ever convince everyone to use it anyway, even if it could handle the load.

The whole debate is very complex, with many differant angles and directions in which to cast blame. This is just my opinion.

chadfo

It wouldn't be easy but there is something we can do. We, the public, can make a stand and force the government to do something. This is a democracy and if enough people make their voices heard the government has no choice but to act.

Electricity is regulated. Why? Because the power companies would do exactly what the oil companies are doing right now. I don't remember all the details but I believe a few years ago California deregulated power and everyone's electricity bills quintupled immediately after.

Take a look at AT&T. Although the situation was different, the government made that company split up because it had a monopoly. Without competition they had too much power and control.

If the government will not regulate gas to keep the economy stable, alternative sources of power for transportation need to be offered quickly like hydrogen, alternative fuels like ethanol, and whatever else is available. Big oil has probably spent millions keeping those out of the market. It's time to break down the barriers.

Nick06tC

This sums it up pretty good.

jwaggz82

iTrader: (1)

all the stations are doing now is raising the $$ when the weather gets bad/snowing/etc and also when the oil price goes up. They dont raise it when they get their shipment ...just when they wanna make a few extra cents. I too have seen a $.15 increase from morning to night. If they had someone inspecting the gouging then that would help.