Fuel price thread again.. but with SUGGESTIONS!!!

slowrev · Sep 1, 2005

Fred,
When I was a kid I had to walk 1/4 mile uphill each way to catch the bus /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Actually I did have to walk 1/4 mile each way but one way was downhill.

Actually the current and upcoming generation are very highly spoiled, as times get harder they will have a very difficult time adjusting. They have it made, valet service, basket weaving class, air conditioning, cell phone, and no discipline.

Ben

Freds · Sep 1, 2005

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Yeah... "both ways", I knew someone would say it /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
At least semi-rural bus drivers have the courtesy to wave you by after they pick up a kid. There usually is not enough distance to pass them before they stop to pick up the next. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

reb · Sep 1, 2005

( hen a high school kid plays a sport and there is no bus to bring them home... )

When my daughter was in school the district ran an "activity bus" which took the kids home after late school activities. Seemed to work well.

I got one of those looks that could kill when I informed her that she would not be driving to school when she got her driver's license. I figured she would be safer on the bus than showing off in a car in front of her friends.

Gatorboy · Sep 1, 2005

( When my daughter was in school the district ran an "activity bus" which took the kids home after late school activities. ) 

My high school had the same, but times must really be changing. The kids at my son's high school don't even have an athletic locker room or shower after practice. They have to change in the bathrooms.

bmac · Sep 1, 2005

Re: Fuel price thread again.. but with SUGGESTIONS!!!

 I was thinking about a couple of things that could be mandated that would save big time. School kids should ride busses. Period.


Help me understand how making all kids ride the bus is going to lower the price of fuel.

Now, it may certainly reduce the consumption of fuel to some extent, but I'm not so sure that it would have a dramatic impact (or any impact, for that matter) on what we are paying for gas.

I don't believe our current, post-hurricane spike in gas prices has anything to do with the global supply of oil. As I understand things (and I may not be understanding things well), the current problem is due to (a) a temporary disruption of the flow through the pipelines due to power outages and (b) the oil companies' pre-charging the consumers for the anticipated cost of repairs to the refineries, off-shore rigs, etc.

In our state, the news that the pipeline flow was disrupted led to panic by the consumers who thought they had to get gas ASAP before there was no gas to buy. Yesterday, we had long lines at the pump and stations running out of gas to sell. Of course, this led to increased panic. As the rush to buy intensified, the prices increased dramatically throughout the day, with some stations charging as much as $6.00/gal. So, here, it was panic that led to a short term shortage and higher prices. The govenor stepped in and placed a ban on such price gouging.

Interestingly, I heard on the radio today that generators have already been installed on some of the pumps and the flow of gas to Georgia should return by this weekend, at least to some degree. It seems as though the panic was unfounded. We will see shortly.

slowrev · Sep 1, 2005

I can't believe we will be getting any gas thru New Orleans for at least a month or more. And from what I heard 15% of our import oil/gas came thru their port and refineries. A notable percentage of our refineries were shut down by the hurricane, they are all along the north side of New Orleans. According to a map I saw last night on the tube.

The president releasing strategic oil reserves won't help the gas situation much for the next month or so, not enough operating refineries left to process the oil into gas.

In summary I believe we will have a genuine gas shortage for the next month or two.

It will hit some areas harder than others.
Florida is being hit early because most of their gas came by tanker from New Orleans....

Me I am just glad I work from home. Had everything full with fuel before this all hit and can get by with 10-20 GAL per week. Of course that means the wife will be spending more time at home /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif And not our running the roads in her Lincoln Town House /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

May we all stand together in times of trouble.
Ben

DannyD · Sep 1, 2005

Thought our taxes paid for that parking lot...........and they charge to let you park? this is getting pretty low in the barrell IMHO

MikeIA · Sep 1, 2005

( Thought our taxes paid for that parking lot...........and they charge to let you park? )

In what way is this different than parking meters on the street or having to pay to park in a city-owned parking garage?

A school district charging $150 for a student parking permit is probably trying to discourage students from driveing. I think it's a great idea, rather than spending tax money to maintain a parking lot, charge the students who use it, and use the tax money for something better, like, maybe, education.

The high school here is building a new gym. In addition to losing part of their parking permanently for the building site, the construction has forced everyone to park out on the streets. The city is not happy about that. To get the parking back , they would have to purchase neighboring homes, at market rates, and knock them down. Being a bedroom community to a college town, real estate is not cheap. If they could find a way to pay for parking expansion without using tax dollars, I'd say "go for it". A parking fee sounds like a good start. I suppose there comes a liability issue with paid parking...the lot would probably then have to be patrolled to prevent vandalism and such.

Cityboyfarmer · Sep 1, 2005

I'll tell you what I think we need to do.

1. Drill in ANWR. The caribou won't care.

2. Drill more off shore wells.

3. Build more refineries.

4. Make Iraq pay us back all war costs in free oil.

5. Build more nuclear power plants. (Even the French have figured this one out)