Don't Look Now...

[Big Dave]

When folks start hurting and ask us about MPG, let's not shuck them with "tune-up" cliches.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Daox

I agree with Tom. I don't think we'll even hear much when it hits $3 again.

Wanna bet?

I think the mainstream media will be all over it when it passes the 3 buck threshold again. Anything for a story.

[Frank Lee]

The recreational drivers/mud truck commuters/suv moms won't even blink at $3 gas, I guarantee it.

The FIRST time it hit $3 they freaked... for a week or two. Then it was business as usual. Subsequent $3 prices, when "revisited", aroused nothing.

Then the first time it hit $4 they freaked... for maybe a week. Then it was business as usual.

Might not even have another freak-out 'til $4.50 or $5 next time.

Metro is right tho', the media is always on the lookout for the next thing to over-dramatize so they will be all over it.

When folks start hurting and ask us about MPG, let's not shuck them with "tune-up" cliches.

Perhaps a group hug would be better?

[wdb]

Agree that $3 won't phase folks. The freakout threshhold isn't $/gallon, it's $/fillup. When the guzzlers started paying $100+ to fill their tanks, they started parking their behemoths. That might happen sooner in this economy, but I wouldn't bet my money on it.

[Frank Lee]

Do people even notice the cost of fill-ups? I mean, there's me and 2 other guys left in the U.S.A. that don't use plastic to pay, so us three notice right then and there what it costs, not at the end of the month.

Reminds me of something else too: I wonder how many people really do "fill up"? Cuz I know legions and legions of guys that through some strange twisted logic prefer to continually pull into stations to put on $5 or $10 worth. Yup- logic has no sway over this irrational behavior.

[cfg83]

Frank -

You and 3 other guys!

CarloSW2

[Old Mechanic]

The sword of Damocles is hanging over their heads (meaning the threat of $4+ per gallon).

Every time the price jumps dramatically there is a panic reaction, and you can see the change in what is on the roads.

Then prices drop and they resort to the same old behaviour.

I think many are getting the picture, which was represented in the vehicles bought with the C4C deal.

I have noticed some of the other drivers seem content to follow me at 47 in a 55 zone lately, but most just keep on flying down the road.

Every time the price spikes upward some just get more desensitized to generally higher prices.

However if you are driving one of those twin tank 60 gallons per fill trucks, you are looking at over $100 for a fill, even at $250.

Maybe Frank is right about the credit cards, but the bill at the end of the month grabs you by the wallet big time. At 60 gallons per fill you are carrying almost 375 pounds of extra weight, which might explain the partial fills, other than the shock effect of the cost of a total fill up.

Our average consumption is about 15 gallons a week, and we pay off all credit cards when we get the bill.

regards
Mech

[wagonman76]

I do agree that most are desensitized. The excuse used to be supply and demand. So drive less, drive more efficiently when you do drive, and everyone can help keep prices down. Now I think they've realized that the barons controlling prices are going to do whatever they want, whenever they want. Election coming up, lower prices. Crude oil goes down, raise prices anyway. Summer driving season over, raise prices anyway. Speculators buying into oil, crude oil not rising, raise prices anyway.

The only time I noticed a drop in traffic was after Katrina, there were noticeably fewer at the bridge walk, gas was $3.55 here. Other than that, it didn't seem to matter. The rich tourists who crowd this part of the state are going to do what they want regardless of fuel price. Fly up here at 80 mph in their SUVs, hauling boats, campers, ATVs, cartop carriers, dirt bikes...gas up all the toys, go blow a bunch of money at ritzy resorts and casinos, then fly back home.

I think it's mostly the local worker who is going to show up here.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Do people even notice the cost of fill-ups?

I'm going by anecdotal evidence, but there was a fair bit of it back in the price spike of Aught Eight. A lot of newspaper articles about people who had been routinely spending $60 or $70 to fill up their duallie pickups but could not bear the thought of going into the triple digits. They took to partially filling the tank and/or parking the beasties. Also a bunch of stories about old pumps that either could not handle triple digits or else could not handle $4/gallon.

Google "$100 fillup" for a...

...fillup of stories.

[MadisonMPG]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Do people even notice the cost of fill-ups? I mean, there's me and 2 other guys left in the U.S.A. that don't use plastic to pay, so us three notice right then and there what it costs, not at the end of the month.

Reminds me of something else too: I wonder how many people really do "fill up"? Cuz I know legions and legions of guys that through some strange twisted logic prefer to continually pull into stations to put on $5 or $10 worth. Yup- logic has no sway over this irrational behavior.

I saw a guy put 3 dollars of gas into a H2.