The Price of Gasoline - How does (will) it affect you?

[swmdrayfan]

With the minute to minute changing of the price of gasoline, how does it affect your photography trips, and will it influence your plans for the summer? As for me, a couple of things I was going to do this summer are probably out now. No long drives or going out of town unless there's a definate purpose. Even my in-town travels are going to have to be carefully thought out.

[poker]

Yeah....there are some birding locations on the edge of the county I want to hit. The cost of gas sometimes stop the plans since I drive so much in the week.

I want to use the bus to get to work but I have not gotten myself to do so. Hopefully I will soon. I never thought visiting my mother in Los Angeles would cost so much coming from the valley.

[mjs1973]

I'm sure the price of gas will have a noticable impact on my photo trips this summer. I have already passed on some short photo trips this spring, due to the weather. If gas was cheaper, I may have gone anyway dispite the less than perfect conditions, but add the two together, and it just wasn't worth it to me.

I do plan on riding my bicycle, and motorcycle to work more often this year. I have been saying that for the last couple of years now, but I'm hoping this year I can actually motivate myself to do it.

As far as long trips go, we will have to wait and see. Just this week the wife mentioned taking a motorcycle trip to Glacier NP this summer. Traveling on the bike will save a lot of $ on gas, but it's very limiting as far as what we can take with us.

Yesterday afternoon my wife called me on her way home from work. She had just filled up with gas and the person at the station told her the price of gas was going to go up 10 cents tomorrow. So I took my truck and filled it up. A guy pulled in right behind me to do the same. I went home, and got my other truck, and went back to the same filling station to fill that one up too. The same guy pulled in right behind me with a differnent car to fill up. I guess the word was out. I'm interested to see what the price is on my way home this afternoon.

[jorgemonkey]

I'll be taking a few less trips this summer because of gas prices. When I do travel a good amount of distance, I'll try to bring a friend or two who are interested in photography so we can all split the cost of gas.

Around town I've been able to ride to work on my bike, which is good for my health (unless I get hit) and saves ALOT less gas. I've even been able to ride to school which is a 32 mile round trip.

My wife has even started to ride to the house she babysits at as well.

[JSPhoto]

It's obvious that the gas companies are gouging again so they can make more record profits. Unfortunately it won't affect my driving, in fact, with these outrageous prices I am suddenly working more instead of less and driving more. It's really going to suck next month as I am shooting at Indy. I may however cut back the number of days at the track. I will however be there opening day, pole day, carb day and race day.
Carb day will be tough, at the track at 7am, out at 6pm and at the state fairgrounds to shoot a prom at 7pm.
There are a number of other races to cover as well in May, and a lot of miles to drive.

BTW, the news had a story on gas pumps not being measured last year in Anderson In and now the state is auditing every counties gas pump records to make sure they are being measured properly. Since I started driving in 1975 I have NEVER seen anyone measuring gas pumps anywhere in the country. I wonder how much money we are actually over paying for gas just due to faulty pumps?

JS

[Frog]

Its going to limit me a lot. I wanted to go several places in-state but don't know if I can now. The prices have already stopped one trip and being on limited fixed income, I'll just have to decide which places I can go.
The good news...maybe it will stop global warming.

[mjs1973]

I just heard a story on the news yesterday about the Gov. of Wisconin fining the oil companies for something or other. It might have been a tax for something, but I'm not sure. Either way, we all know who will end up paying for it.

[photophorous]

I drive a Honda. 10 cents per gallon means $1.50 more per tank, which means $5-6 more per month. I spent more than that eating chicken wings for lunch today. The difference between what I pay now and what I paid 15 years ago is worth complaining about, but 10 cents is practically nothing in terms of how I operate my finances. I don't make a lot of long road trips and I work relatively close to home, so it's not really going to change my driving habits.

That doesn't mean I like the obscene profits the oil companies are making. Something needs to be done about that. One thing I'm concerned about, that seems to get little attention, is how high oil prices are effecting the cost of the products we have shipped, trucked, and flown in from all over the world. That's practically everything. I have no way to quantify that, but we are paying for it. We also use petrochemicals to manufacture all kinds of things, like plastic. I wish someone would do a study to see how much high oil prices effect the average Joe for purchases other than fuel. That would be interesting to see.

Paul

[racingpinarello]

Good question...

Luckily I have only a 6 mile round trip commute to work so I feel I have a little freedom to drive for photography. With my new truck which has diesel I can also save some money there.

For now, I will have a purpose for my drives but I don't plan on letting the gas prices affect me too much. If I had a commute I would ride my bike everywhere....

Loren

[racingpinarello]

Are you going to be photographing the Formula One event? My wife, daughter, and I are heading out for it.

Loren

[Tel]

Hahahahaha. Were Ethanol users in my family. Unless theres a drought of corn, We'll be good.

Ethanol is awesome!

[another view]

I wish someone would do a study to see how much high oil prices effect the average Joe for purchases other than fuel.

I work with electrical stuff, and in the week that followed Hurricane Rita the price of plastic conduit literally doubled. That had to do with plants in the affected area that make the plastic - then add the higher fuel prices for moving it all around and that equals higher construction costs... This stuff is a market priced commodity, much like the oil that goes into the process of manufacturing it. The cost of everything goes up if even just a little bit, based on the fact that it's more expensive to move it.

I drive a VW Diesel and usually get in the high 40's for MPG. 20k per year at 45mpg at $3/gallon is about $1350 versus $1125 at $2.50/gal = extra $225/year. It won't affect me too much... What can you do? Check your tire pressure at least once every two weeks. Replace your air filter as scheduled (in the owner's manual). Plan ahead and try to cut down on miles. This will reduce the quantity of gas that you have to buy which will help out regardless of the price - but obviously the more it costs the more opportunity you have to save. The benefits are more than just the cost though.

[SmartWombat]

Huh, has it reached $7 per gallon yet?
£0.919 per litre for 95 octane here
That's $6.95 per US gallon
I don't reckon you've got much to complain about yet.

[Frog]

We have further to drive I think, Paul plus a very limited public transport unless you live in a city.
Milk recently went up 30 cents a gallon here. The clerk said she was told it was because of the increase in cost to produce the plastic carton. I don't think the carton cost more than one cent to make myself but they'll use any excuse to raise prices.

[mjs1973]

We have further to drive I think, Paul plus a very limited public transport unless you live in a city.
Milk recently went up 30 cents a gallon here. The clerk said she was told it was because of the increase in cost to produce the plastic carton. I don't think the carton cost more than one cent to make myself but they'll use any excuse to raise prices.

The increased cost of milk could be a result of ethanol. The price of corn has gone way up because people are investing in ethanol. That's great for the corn farmers that can sell their crops to the ethanol plants, but what about all the other farmers who buy corn to feed their livestock? Their cost of production just went up as a result of ethanol. It's not just milk. Pretty much everything that's corn based is going to get more expensive.

[SmartWombat]

but they'll use any excuse to raise prices.

Same here, petrol prices creeping up a tenth of a penny at a time.
There is now a reduce packaging campaign starting.
e.g. four pears in a plastic tray, with a plastic cover over each pear, and a lid over the top, wrapped in clingfilm. Why not use recycled cardboard like an egg box, and only one cover?

[SmartWombat]

We have further to drive I think, Paul plus a very limited public transport unless you live in a city.

I've done the maths on gettimg to work, $7000 per year in round numbers.
That's at 100-106 miles a day, depending on traffic diversions.

However going by bus and train, the cost increases !

[JSPhoto]

SW,

a 10th of a penny? Try anywhere from 10 to 50 cents a gallon each time it goes up, and then when it goes down it goes very slowly from 1 to 5 cents at a time. Tonight listening to the scanner there were 15 drive offs in an hour, and two armed robberies.... oil prices go up and crime goes up with it.....

JS

[KenB]

I think gas would have to hit $5 or $6 per gallon (or more) before it would impact/change my driving habits as I try to drive as little as possible anyway. The corresponding increase in the cost of transported goods would be noticed first but, in the end, it is what it is.

[Tyson L. Sparks]

The price has driven me to park my F150 4x4 and search for a VW Jetta.

[drg]

Someone, customers or me is going to have to pay the tariff!

I just hope the the $4.00/gal prediction is a long way off!

[swmdrayfan]

Someone, customers or me is going to have to pay the tariff!

I just hope the the $4.00/gal prediction is a long way off!

What I wouldn't give to have one of those Exxon CEO's ask me to do some photography work for them. I'd start at $1,000 and an hour later raise it to $1,500 and so on. Just so they'd know how it feels.

[adina]

I've been trying to convince dh to move back into the city. We'd use soo much less gas. On the other hand, I'm hesitant to give up the comfort we have here in a small town.

Decisions decisions...Fortunately, I'm one of those people who doesn't really pay a lot of attention to how much $ I spend.

[Franglais]

With the minute to minute changing of the price of gasoline, how does it affect your photography trips, and will it influence your plans for the summer? As for me, a couple of things I was going to do this summer are probably out now. No long drives or going out of town unless there's a definate purpose. Even my in-town travels are going to have to be carefully thought out.

It is really strange to read this discussion (about using your car less) and see that nobody has mentioned global warming. This is really getting to be a big deal in Europe. Didn't people see Al Gore's movie?

In Europe we have always had what Americans would call high gas prices. Personally I have a small car, I drive economically, I don't make unnecessary trips (including plane trips) - but it's to limit my output of CO2.

Charles

p.s. Global Warming = the CO2 gas produced by combustion is causing the world temperature to rise, with unpredictable effects on the weather and on the world in general.

[Canuck935]

I didn't read all the replies, but I'm not going to let it stop me from going out. In fact, I've just done two 300+ mile trips in the last two weekends. I have to fill up on premium too.

What I will do is try to improve my MPG.

- Keep my right foot in check
- Take out the clutter for weight reduction.
- Clean air filter (I already have a free flowing intake which helps)
- Keep tire pressures up
- I just installed an underdrive pulley which has netted me 5+ MPG the last two tanks.
- Next weekend I'm going to detail my car to a 'smooth as glass' finish to reduce drag.
- I have light-weight wheels and tires on order which should be here by end of May.