Skyrocketing gasoline prices

[bjarvis]

This morning, I noticed that my local BP station has raised prices again, the third time ten days. I never buy gas there except as an emergency as it's a pricey station at the best of times, largely because of their location (on the beltway) and county taxes. Still, about ten days ago, the lowest grade of gas was $1.359 $2.359. By mid-week it was $1.559 $2.559. This morning, it was $1.759 $2.759.


There are two stations in downtown DC which routinely charge $0.30 per gallon more than anywhere else in the greater DC area. The first is immediately adjacent to the Capitol: why bother charging normal prices when your customers have charge cards backed up by a $4 trillion economy? The other almost exclusively serves the SUVs exiting from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the only service station I know with a commanding view of the Potomac River and Georgetown. Some time this week, Kent & I have to go to the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop to dismantle the stage lights following the close of "HMS Pinafore" last week so I'll have a chance to check out their prices while I'm in the neighbourhood.

One of the (dumber) guys at my office confided in me this morning that he's going to approach his manager for a raise because he's having trouble affording his Ford Excursion. I thought he was joking. After an awkward silence, I suggested that perhaps the proper course might be to replace the Excursion with a more reasonable vehicle. From the look on his face you'd have thought I had asked him to shoot his mother.

I'm quite content with my 2001 Honda Civic. I calculate it gets about 35 mpg as it now spends most of its time at highway speeds rather than inner city travel. Fuel efficiency was one of the primary criteria when I bought the car, which I suppose makes me a statistical oddity. When I replace it in a few years, I'll be looking seriously at a Prius or other such hybrid although in my ideal world, Kent & I dispose of either my Civic or his Caravan to become a one vehicle household again.

What's the price of gasoline in your area?

Comments

[allanh.livejournal.com]

$2.71 to $2.95/gallon

I have a Prius. One of our new (young, VERY young) engineers has a huge Silverado truck-thing. He's been carefully pimping it and plans to add "dubs" (22-inch wheel rims), and and and ...

And he has the nerve to complain about how much of his salary is going down his gas tank.

After he complimented my Prius during a brief mid-day excursion for lunch, I suggested (politely, for once) that he replace his gas-sucking vehicle with something like a Prius, or a hybrid Civic, or even a regular Civic or Accord.

Silence. Then ... "But that's not my STYle, MAN. I got to have my STYle on the STREET, or I ain't got no CRED."

I suggested that a hybride might provide him with less cred but more cash.

He was just too horrified at giving up his pimped ride to answer.

[shaking my head]

Different people, different values.

As for me ... I used to fill up my VW Passat V6 between 2 and 3 times a week. Now I fill up my Prius once a week. I've saved at least $50/week since buying the Prius ... which is a substantial amount of my monthly payment. The higher the gas prices go in this area, the more money I save.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

I've thought about getting a Prius for my next car but the Prius only gets slightly better highway milage than my Civic for almost $10k more in the initial purchase price. I'd have to drive more than I want to in order to get my investment back. Hopefully the price will drop in coming years.

Ah, for the days in Toronto when I didn't need a car at all. sigh