Gas was $4.teens a couple weeks ago where I am north of Detroit, I saw $3.87 the other day and that's not the "cash" price either. Guy at work had a good point, end of Aug. all the rug rats go back to school. The big yeller rolling road blocks hit the roads about the same time I head to work or class and soccer moms fire up the ole V10 excursion a few more times a day. I don't know quantitatively what kind of effect that has on demand but I sure do notice the bump in traffic.
Sub $4 finally hit a station near me, but I fill on 93, sooo...still nice to see $3.99 for anything.
The only reason the prices have come down now is because for a change the demand for oil actually went down considerably. Thanks to the changes people made in their commuting habits/cars. For the first time in 15 years or so I now see more bikes (a lot of those little scooters) and smaller cars on the road. Heck half the people at my work started car-pooling and working from home for at least one day out of the week. I'm hearing people all over the world are doing similar things...I bet OPEC got a bit concerned.
However, as history's shown us the prices do come down after the shock-and-awe of a couple of months, I wonder they do this so the public becomes desensitized and when they lower the prices slightly everyone feels the prices have come down though they're still way more than where they were the previous year - and the cycle continues.
"...demand for oil actually went down considerably". While i'm not sure how they arrived at the precise figure, I remember hearing on the news last week that demand for oil in the U.S. (or was it the amount used in just vehicles?) decreased 2%. I'm not sure I would consider that to be CONSIDERABLE.
I sort of started this because just like the last time oil/gas prices shot up, folks dumped their SUVs and pickups....and when prices dropped, they went out and bought new ones. I would like to think folks who don't really need a huge vehicle have had time to examine their lifestyle/habits and realize that even if gas drops to just under $3.00/gallon they need not feel it's a reason to go back to that un-necessary gas guzzler.
it is almost funny to see how fast 50cc scooters are selling, plus the fact that at 50cc and under you dont need a motorcycle endorsement
For the 1st time last month I saw a scooter gang all hanging out at Friendly's restaurant. I wish I had my camera to take a pic - funniest thing.
This area we are used to seeing Harley gangs hanging out at bars and pubs. Not anymore ;)
RXBeetle wrote: ....end of Aug. all the rug rats go back to school...
This is exactly what I have been thinking also. If you want to save a bunch of gas money, let the little fat bastards walk to school.
Of note, I live in an area were it would be very easy for most school kids to walk to school. Of course there is always a huge crowd of Mommy Tanks on the roads in the morning during school times, with the moms I'm sure trying to figure out why little Johny is so damn tubby.
It will be interesting to see if there is any change this fall, I kind of doubt it unfortunately.
i hadn't been buying much gas till earlier this week on the trip back to MI... from FL...
cheapest i saw was $3.5x in southern KY... lots of gas in the 3.70's...
gota love the prices when your transport is an 18mpg beast with a 27 gallon tank haha doh... nothing like putting 100$ in and it not being 100% full (gas was over $4/gal at the time) have had it for about a month and will have payed more in gas on it then i paid for it pretty soon... when i stop making 1000 mile trips in it i won't care to much though.
side note... saw A LOT less hummers on the trip this last week then i did earlier this year when gas was still $3/gal... inversly noticed A LOT more priui' (plural of prius?) and other hybrids
I finally noted a drop in prices around here.. a whole $.02
aircooled wrote:RXBeetle wrote: ....end of Aug. all the rug rats go back to school...This is exactly what I have been thinking also. If you want to save a bunch of gas money, let the little fat bastards walk to school. Of note, I live in an area were it would be very easy for most school kids to walk to school. Of course there is always a huge crowd of Mommy Tanks on the roads in the morning during school times, with the moms I'm sure trying to figure out why little Johny is so damn tubby. It will be interesting to see if there is any change this fall, I kind of doubt it unfortunately.
School bus? Wait, that takes extra time away from going to 3 different practices and such. rolls eyes
Until oil started back up on tuesday, a station near me had it for $3.70 and one selling the same brand a few miles further up the road had it for $3.80/gallon.
With credit tightening, and the "big 2.5" taking a bath on their truck and SUV leases, maybe, just maybe, the car buying public and the manufacturers will be able to swing back to sensibly-sized vehicles.
As a sort of side note, I've noticed that Ford/Mercury have nearly sold out of Fusions/Milans...at least in this area, but you can still get a '08 Focus.
I filled up for 3.689/gal yesterday.
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