GAS STUFF - who get's the 9/10's?? and May 19th BOYCOTT

[copcarguy]

Hey all - while writing about camping trips and gas prices in another thread, a question occured to me.  Gas prices are always posted (for example) $1.959 or $2.079 at the pump, or they'll have a little 9/10ths fraction after the price.  Who gets the 9/10's and why is it there??  If you add up the 9/10's of a cent that everyone buys everyday, that is a LOT of money!  Anyone have an answer??
 
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Also, I just got an email that I'll cut & paste here:
 
Subject: STICK IT TO THEM ON MAY 19TH!!!

Don't Buy Gas, May 19th

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS OF OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL COMPANIES.
 
THEREFORE MAY 19TH HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED "STICK IT UP THEIR BEHIND" DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF GASOLINE THAT DAY.

THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT.


WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL IN PRICES THAT
THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?

REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE GOING UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES, TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH EFFECTS PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING, BUILDING MATERIALS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC.
WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE DO!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND MAKE MAY 19TH A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES SAY "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"
 
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I'm not sure is this'll work, but it couldn't hurt.

[angelsmom10]

I can remember several years ago when gas prices were skyrocketing into the between 1.50 and 1.75 and either not many did it, or to oil companies didn't give a hoot.

[Old Goat]

I can't see where not buying gas for a day will make a difference in any way...Those who don't buy one day will surely have to buy the next day, or the next. Oil companys will sell the gas regardless, because we are all dependant upon it..If they cannot sell it locally, which is highly unlikely, they will export it to foreign markets.....

9/10's of a cent is used in gasoline sales for the same reason that .99 cents is used by all retail outlets in pricing. $9.99 looks a lot smaller than $10.00, even though there is only a .01 cent difference.....It's called sales phychology, and is applied by those who think all consumers are a bunch of idiots.........

[birol]

When we went to get Milo, we saw prices in Buffalo area ranging from 2.05 to 2.22 ! Such a rip off !!!!! We filled up at seneca (ran by natives) for 1.85 and loved it. We always do that when we go throuugh that area ! Also we do not have to pay toll on I90, and it is a very scenic drive we love it !

The way I see it, gas compnaies are ripping us off knowing that soon all their investments will be all for nothing ! The sooner the better I says ! They are like vultures preying on their victims !

[AustinBoston]

We filled up at seneca (ran by natives) for 1.85 and loved it. We always do that when we go throuugh that area ! Also we do not have to pay toll on I90, and it is a very scenic drive we love it !

The way I see it, gas compnaies are ripping us off knowing that soon all their investments will be all for nothing ! The sooner the better I says ! They are like vultures preying on their victims !

The reason gas on an American Indian reservation is cheaper is because they are not subject to some of the taxes that the rest of us are.  They can actually charge more, but not charge the tax and have it come out cheaper.  (Note: This is NOT a complaint.  Were I in their shoes, I'd do the same.)

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF GASOLINE FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

It has been proven that this doesn't make any difference.  In the long run, the only thing that will make a difference is if we all use less (a lot less) gasoline.

There is a better way.

There are over a million Americans who ride bikes to work every day (the number may be as high as 2.5 million, I don't have the census numbers right now).  Some of them ride as far as 30 miles each way - 60 miles a day - to and from work.

I used to drive 17 miles one way to work.  On a good day, it took 40 minutes, or about 26 mph average.  At it's worst, it took up to 2-1/2 hours.  Good days were rare.  Cyclists frequently average at 20 mph, and can do so when the rest of traffic is stopped.

Despite the fear-mongering that goes on, cycling is also safer than driving, with a fatality rate that is about half that of driving.  Currently, 35,000-40,000 people a year are killed while driving, but less than 400 a year while bicycling.  (Most of the cyclists killed were riding at night without lights, while most cyclists ride in the daytime, so typical cycling is safer than these numbers might suggest).

Those who cycle everywhere don't care in the least what the cost of gasoline is because they don't buy it at any price.  Oh, and they often save the cost of a car (or a second car).

Can't cycle everywhere?  Lots of people use bicycles for grocery shopping and virtually all other erands.  I have seen documentation of one guy who moved his entire apartment by bicycle, including a washing machine and dryer!

In this day and age, it is possible to have anything (that can't be carried on a bicycle) delivered.  Home delivery of construction materials is sometimes less than the cost of a tank of gas.  Home delivery of groceries is usually less than the cost of a tank of gas.

So sell that gas guzzler and get a bicycle.  You'll be healther for it, too.

Austin (who, of course, hasn't figured out how to tow a Bayside with a bicycle)

[byrdr1]

Just watching CNN at lunch and the OPEC president said he was going to ask the council to up production of crude oil as to NOT cause a world recession. He was very concerned about the price of crude worldwide.. Have it I say, REDUCE that price so that way in 5 weeks when I go on vaction I can afford it.
JMHO
randy

[jpreiser]

I found this very interesting...    

 http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/nogas.asp

[labontefan]

Snopes.com is a handy site. Anyone time I get one of those e-mails that says "Forward this to everyone you know. Everyone needs to know about this", etc., I always check it out at Snopes first. Nine times out of ten, it's a hoax.

The idea of riding a bike is great...but I have to cross a mountain to work everyday, and I don't think my 50+ year old knees (or the rest of me, for that matter) could handle it! :rolleyes:

At least I only have to drive about 12-15 miles to work now. A couple of years ago, I was driving 102 miles round trip every day! Fortunately for me, I was not driving a V-8 at the time. Still, I had to get gas every three days.  :yikes:

[angelsmom10]

Riding a bike to work would be definitely out of the question for me.  I work 23 miles 1 way to work and that's if I take the expressway.  I can get to work with the side roads, but I'm sure that would be at least 35 miles as I would have to constantly be going north, east, north, west (zig-zag the whole way).  
 
Really the only driving I do is going to work.  I'm usually home the rest of the time.  No friends or family to visit.
 
Oh yeah, I have not bike.  

[Viking99]

I ride my bike to work four days a week. It is a 12.5 mile one way route. Great exercise. Here is a article that I am in from the local paper. (not me in the picture)
 
http://www.cinweekly.com/content/2004/05/12/0512news_biketowork.asp
 
 
I have saved plenty in gas money and wear and tare on my truck. Really it is nothing once you get started bike commuting to work. I am suprised at how drivers are actually pretty considerate for the most part around here. I get the occaisional yell but not as often as I thought I would

[copcarguy]

Hey all!

 
I WISH I could ride to work, but work is almost 50 miles away... and even if it was closer, I work 2:30pm to 10:30pm and would not feel comfortable riding home around 11pm at night.

[angelsmom10]

I ride my bike to work four days a week. It is a 12.5 mile one way route. Great exercise. Here is a article that I am in from the local paper. (not me in the picture)
 
http://www.cinweekly.com/content/2004/05/12/0512news_biketowork.asp
 
 
I have saved plenty in gas money and wear and tare on my truck. Really it is nothing once you get started bike commuting to work. I am suprised at how drivers are actually pretty considerate for the most part around here. I get the occaisional yell but not as often as I thought I would

Cool... a celebrity in our midst.
 
Oh, by the way... I could very easily be your mother:yikes: ... thanks for making me feel really old now....:%  :%  :%  :%  :%  :%  :%

[wiininkwe]

For the most part this problem doesn't originate with the individual gas stations, but with the oil producers and suppliers.  However, I know, no matter what they say, that the Speedways, Mobils, BP's and the like are getting a lot of our money by taking advantage of our habitual buying practices.  They aren't actually making much on the gas sales, because of all the taxes, etc.  But they are getting it out of us by selling the 'convenience' foods that we tend to stock up on while we're there.  The gallon of milk, pack of cigs, loaf of bread and 12 pack of beer makes them lots more money.   I propose that if there is a gas station in your area that you feel is price gauging (like raising the prices on weekends, etc) then fight back by refusing, and asking your neighbors to refuse, to buy their other products.
  When I use to work for a gas station in my area,we sold 2 liter bottles of soft drinks for .99 .  Then, every now and then we would have a special where we would sell it for .79 and the place would go crazy.   And while there, the people would fil up on gas, no matter what the price, and buy all kinds of other stuff.  The kicker was that the soft drinks only cost us at that time about .29  so we were making money on it regardless.   But the big profit came because we could draw them in for something other than the gas.
T

[AustinBoston]

But they are getting it out of us by selling the 'convenience' foods that we tend to stock up on while we're there.  

This is exactly why I always "pay at the pump"...I don't have to go in there and see that Hershey's bar with my name on it...and exactly why the pump won't print the receipt half the time, so I do have to go in.

Austin

[wynot]

The 9/10s was supposed to be for tax purposes originally.  Probably before the days of 23 and more cents per gallon being added in for highway taxes, etc..

What probably frustrates most of us, is that OPEC (or our own questionable petroleum spokesman) announce a price increase of so much per barrel.  Now first off, most of us, don't have clue what that really means, because of how the fuel is refined into the different factions.  Before the echo of the announcement has left the air, the gas stations are already putting the increase on the pumps.  I guarantee the station owners don't know or care what an increase in the price per barrel will mean or be - but daggone it, they're going to get that higher price per gallon.  WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT PURE PROFIT? - because they haven't started paying the increase yet because the crude oil hasn't even been purchased on the market yet.

Now, my soapbox.  We are currently playing an occupation force in one of the world's largest oil producers, yet we are willing to be taken advantage of by OPEC.  World opinion is against Americans anyhow, we might as well be guilty of what we are being blamed for.  If British and American forces were to pump (and dump) oil out onto the world market from Iraq, the cartel would be destroyed.  They would have to drop their prices substantially just to compete.  If nothing else, the oil production should be used to pay for the expenses of being there.