A Picture is Worth... And You Thought Gas Was Expensive Before?
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 03. 8.08
Image courtesy of movie lover via flickr
LAist's editor, Zach Behrens, caught this shocker in Brentwood - a swanky LA neighborhood if there ever was one - courtesy of one of his eagle-eyed readers. As he notes, we've long heard analysts warning of impending price hikes; and with crude hitting record highs this past week, $4 a gallon by the summer certain seems likely (CERA has an excellent analysis of the factors driving up the price of crude). But still: $9.38? It's not yet April Fool's Day so we can only assume it's an honest mistake...
See also: ::Are Gas Prices High Enough?, ::Book Review: "Beat High Gas Prices Now!"
lol you silly Americans always complaining! jk jk. haha here in Canada we've hit $1.10/Liter several times in 2007 year.. that's almost $4.25 gallon
Unleaded Plus costs $7.45 a gallon over in the Netherlands and even more in some other European countries. In two years time it might indeed be $9.38. I wish fuel cell cars would be on the market already.
Some 76 stations offer 100 octane unleaded race fuel, I am guessing this is the case in the picture. It typically runs from $8-10 per gallon.
@ hkeijser
Why fuel cells?
There is a old technology that runs on renewable energy, cost next to nothing, its faster is city traffic, parking is always upfront and keeps you fit at the same time. Its called bicycle commuting.
The next best is Battery Electric Vehicles and Range Extended Electric Vehicles.
Add another 30% when spring time rolls around.
At the 76 station in Beverly Hills on the Corner of Cannon and South Santa Monica, gas was over $4 for mid and high-grade on the sign when I was driving home last night. I maybe should've taken a photo of that.
Snow, ice, sleet, rain, hills, pot holes, multi lane traffic, complex intersections, interstates, bridges without walkways, and 30 miles each way makes bicycle commuting a bit difficult.
$4/gallon? Boo-hoo. It's time the US catches up with the rest of the world and start to pay the real price for it's fuel.
I think the green movement in the US (and Canada) would go a lot further if they paid the same for fuel as the rest of the world. How many H2 and F350's would you see if US fuel prices were $7.45 / gallon?
I think Dave Storm's right. My buddy used to fuel up on the racing stuff for well over $4 a gallon, and that was at least 5 years ago.
we have been paying the real price for fuel in the states, they just pay more taxes to pay for their social programs.
"Snow, ice, sleet, rain, hills, pot holes, multi lane traffic, complex intersections, interstates, bridges without walkways, and 30 miles each way makes bicycle commuting a bit difficult."
Another reason why we should all live and work within a reasonable distance. Snow and ice won't stop a subway - usually.
We do NOT pay for the real price of fuel. Check the balance sheets of your state and federal government - the transportation sector is HEAVILY subsidized by tax receipts from many other areas, to the tune of 60 - 90 cents per gallon. Those are numbers from my transportation economics class four years ago.
Don't forget the cost of securing our national interest in oil imports either.
And our roads and bridges are still overcrowded and crumbling.
@mr. Brody
Of course I ride a bike! However, non-zero emission cars would come in handy in many cases where a bike would not suffice. Like when transporting larger loads or patients for instance.
The fuel cell car I was thinking of is in essence an electric car with the fuel cells taking the place of batteries. Mercedes has a nice concept car on fuel cells - as a prototype.
It took me a while to realize how much I'm paying for gas in asia since it's in Korean Won and in Liters (I still am not used to liters and kilometers...) But when I found out I was paying $7 a gallon I was glad I do most of my travel by bike!
"time the US catches up with the rest of the world"
Volume discount.
USA pays a far lower price for fuel because it gets it (steals it?!) from other countries, justifying the theft with a crusade for 'freedom' and 'democracy'. Does that ring any bells?
And the government would do anything to keep the status quo, like conspiring, drilling in natural parks and starting wars.
...just my 2 cents...
UK unleaded - I filled up yesterday for £1.08 per litre.
That's $8.17 per US Gallon.
I generally don't trust CERA for analysis. They tend to dismiss peak oil, and figure the free hand of the market place will solve all our problems without much pain to the consumer. I suggest www.theoildrum.com for analysis.
Mezcal, should we be in a position like the Ukraine and Russia ... they shut off the gas pipe when they feel like it and the Ukranians freeze. Nice to be at the complete mercy of others.
Spreading some political ideology is one thing, securing access to a needed resource is another. How are we 'stealing' the oil? I doubt we are doing that since our deficits are so high and our dollar is cr@p. What 'conspiring'? No drilling, we need to have refineries that are more modern than the World War II technology. We need the advances to happen in electric vehicle technology they are based on now.
We need the public to accept more alternative sources of energy. We need oil to be the 'alternative energy' and wind, hydro, solar, etc to be the mainstream.
vsk
Mezcal, should we be in a position like the Ukraine and Russia ... they shut off the gas pipe when they feel like it and the Ukranians freeze. Nice to be at the complete mercy of others.
Spreading some political ideology is one thing, securing access to a needed resource is another. How are we 'stealing' the oil? I doubt we are doing that since our deficits are so high and our dollar is cr@p. What 'conspiring'? No drilling, we need to have refineries that are more modern than the World War II technology. We need the advances to happen in electric vehicle technology they are based on now.
We need the public to accept more alternative sources of energy. We need oil to be the 'alternative energy' and wind, hydro, solar, etc to be the mainstream.
vsk
americans make me laugh when they say their gas is expensive - ours is at least £1 a litre and is going up weekly...
when will you guys in america get it - the price of fuel will continually climb higher, because the resource is becoming scarce. it's called economics!
I'm sure the gas prices we complain about are hilarious to you guys over in small European countries, but this country is huge and most of us have long distances to travel. Heck my commute to work alone would probably take most of you halfway across your countries. It's the combination of poor infrastructure and urban/suburban design and pitiful public transit that is my problem, not gas prices. We don't have a viable alternative in most places in the US like you do in Europe. It's much easier to bike to work in a place like London or Amsterdam than it is in Tampa or Knoxville.
and the sad truth is that we don't need oil for family transportation anymore. See http://www.physicslablh.com/futureDesign.htm
yes, it's *hilarious* that the US squanders it's oil on huge 4x4's and then complain about the price of fuel.
the whole world needs to get used to the idea that oil is becoming harder to get hold of and the prices will go up...
even in the UK, the government is dithering on how to present this reality of economics to the consumer/electorate! so, it's not just a US problem, but the it will have an even greater impact in the US, because of it's surface area.
My name is Stephanie with MyRide.com and here are a few helpful fuel
saving tips
?editorialId=949> .
My name is Stephanie with MyRide.com and here are a few helpful fuel
saving tips
?editorialId=949> .
HERE IN CHINA WE PAY 2O BUCKS U GUYS COMPANE TOO MUCH
Silly Americans!!!! In Hong Kong, we have $15.35 a liter which is much higher
1 gallon=3 liters!!!
over $45!!!
I'm forced to concede that gas in the U.S. is cheap compared to Europe, Japan and some other places. However, it's expensive compared to last year. Soooooooooooo.