Gas Price Increase overnite. Who else saw it?

[ChrisTech]

I know in St. Louis Metro Area, gas prices went up last night. Around $0.20 per gallon or more. My mom called me last night on her way home from work in St. Louis, MO telling me that prices were going up ($2.15 in StL). When I got out of work I got gas from a local station near work in Columbia, IL for $1.97 a gallon. This station is normally $0.10 per gal higher than others. I called my sister in Indiana and she said that the prices were around $2.15 per gal there as well. (IL has high gas taxes compared to other states - MO is normally $0.10 per gal cheaper, if not more and IN is normally $0.10-$0.15 cheaper)

I wish I didn't have to drive 30 miles round trip to work every day, but I have to. No way around it.

[Jonathan]

That stinks, Chris. My brother used to have to drive something like a 100-miles or
there about, round trip, to his old job. Thankfully he has one in town that is closer now.

As for the increase, I think a few days ago it was just under $2.00/gal, but when I went
with my dad to get some stuf ffrom the store, we filled up mom's SUV- something like
$2.07/gal or there about Ford Explorer's use alot of gas, lol or so it seems...

[sdjl]

Looks like you'll have to start paying what the rest of the world does for fuel
The UK prices fluctuate daily.

David

[Frank Hagan]

The difference in gas prices around the US at any point in time is primarily the difference in taxes, and that's the reason the Europeans pay more for gas. It really isn't that much of a difference in the gas cost as much as it is in the taxes paid. We've had several politicians promise to raise gas taxes by .50 or 1.00 a gallon over the past 20 years, but they usually don't get very far. Higher taxes won't encourage exploration (although it might help with making alternative fuels more attractive).

Here in southern California, we have been over $2 a gallon for a while now. We have a "winter" and "summer" formulation for air quality, so when they switch over from one to the other, there's always a brief price hike. And since summer is coming and gas prices always go up in summer (because of increased demand). But our state taxes on gasoline are high too, and we have sales tax included in the price. I paid 2.34 per gallon on Sunday for "regular unleaded". Diesel was about .10 higher, so I really feel for the truck drivers.

[joan]

It is hard to be sympathetic from this distance. If the US gallon is 3.7 litres, then in the UK - if you shop around - you can get petrol as cheap as $US5.85/gallon.

My recent 70 mile round trip commute (often with bumper to bumper traffic) really hurt.

[Frank Hagan]

It is hard to be sympathetic from this distance. If the US gallon is 3.7 litres, then in the UK - if you shop around - you can get petrol as cheap as $US5.85/gallon.

My recent 70 mile round trip commute (often with bumper to bumper traffic) really hurt.

I agree, the prices in the UK and Europe are absurb. But the difference in price is your choice (rather, its your government's, but as a democracy, you have some control over that).

We don't subsidize the prices here; they are cheaper because we choose not to tax our citizens as much on gasoline as the rest of the world.

[Buddha]

Couple of Census Bureau reports:

http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/c2kbr-33.pdf

http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/Ranking/2003/R04T040.htm

Average commute to work, 26 minutes.

I remember one place I worked that was about 70+ mile drive. One way. I wouldn't mind the drive if I didn't have to go through Tampa to get there. With my clucky V6, I don't even want to think about how much I spent on gas.

[Jonathan]

Went to get gas, AGAIN, today- $2.16 for unleaded
Ugh, I hate to think what it'll be like when I get my permit and
have to pay for all the gas I use up learning to drive

[Anthony]

Ya, it's horrible, even here in Canada, we're paying about 94 cents per liter. my VR6 and my C6 both take supreme, so about 1 buck a liter, 4 liters in a gallon (when will you guys catch up?) so we pay about 3 bucks a gallon

[ThomasW]

The prices here in Tampa have jumped a lot this week, I filled up Saturday and it is at least .14 more a gallon now.

We just bought a Scion xB 2 weeks ago, we are getting 35-38 a gallon so I am a happy camper.

About the only good thing is I get to laugh at the people who are driving the King of the Universe sized SUV's when they fill up. I have nothing really against SUV's themselves, just the people that make it such a joy to park in the parking garage at work. Pity the dealerships do not give out driving lessons when they sell the things...."parking between the lines good...parking on the lines bad" and so on...

[Buddha]

... when will you guys catch up?

Canada is our largest supplier of oil. Canadains supply us with even more oil than the Saudis or Mexicians. Canada has the second largest oil reserve in the world too.

NAFTA, free trade agreement or sneaky way to deregulate our biggest oil supplier? Food for thought.

[openbox]

Yep, I just spent $52 filling my 25 gallon Chevy Silverado that gets about 14 mpg. I hope Floriday isn't too bad, I'm moving there in a couple of months. I can't complain too much...I lived in Germany for several years where I never spent less than $4/gallon, so I do have sympathy for the rest of the world.

[Anthony]

Problem is, I have a really hardcore road trip ahead of me this weekend. Montreal to Orange County and back in less than 4 days and a half. 6000 something miles round trip. In a C6...Ill be crying every mile