relatively cheap gas

[shuby5]

Is it just me, or does anyone else realize just how cheap gas still is compared to other things, cars included? Twenty five years ago gas in Canada was about 50 cents per litre and a mid range price of a new car was about $8000. Today gas has doubled in number of cents per litre but cars have gone up by a factor of 4 times. When you adjust for inflation to put things into constant value currency, gas even today is cheaper than it was 25 years ago, so why all the whining and compaining? Do we feel that somehow we have the right to very cheap fuel to subsidize our use of expensive and big powerful cars?

Every time I read or hear someone making some statement about the government doing something about the price of gas it makes me cringe for our governments constantly prove themselve incapable of doing anything right other than taking care of their own through corruption and graft.

Can you imaging the 'solution' they would come up with? Rationing with those favored by those in power getting a disproportionate allocation to their friends. They would love this solution as it would give them even more political power to control our lives.

[The General]

Welcome to our forums.

You make a very good point. I agree in part with what you say. The issue, if I take your example, is that car prices took 25 years to go up 3x and 4x. With inflation, salary increases... it was a gradual acceptable increase. Gas prices when up nearly 2x in 2 years time ($0.70 to $1.25). My salary did not double, heating my house will cost nearly 3x more this winter but I'm not making more money to offset the rocketing prices. My budget will require major adjustments. These increases are reasonable OVER A 25 YEAR PERIOD, not 24 months.

[snoproblem]

Exactly.

Also, it's damn galling to be gouged when buying any product, but especially fuel. On top of that, the excuses given for all the price-gouging are really insulting to the intelligence.

Angry? You bet, and we have every right to be. :drive:

[The General]

I have a question:

How long have there been hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico? How long have there been oil rigs in the Gulf? Why, this year, has it become a reason to panic every time a storm is within 5 000 miles from a rig? This has never hapenned before?

This is one of those insults to our intelligents.

[woohoo!]

Although I agree that we might be complaining for nothing that gas is 1$ a litre when it's triple that in Europe, that fact is that a large portion of that 1$ is taxes that are taken out of our pockets, and that don't seem to be reinvested in our roads, in alternative transportation, in public transport...

What burns me is that the oil companies seem to have the liberty to raise and lower prices as they wish, without any intervention from the government.

But mostly, I don't consider gasoline to be a luxury, and thus shouldn't be so taxed. It's what powers my car to go to work every day in order for me to make money to pay the house, pay the bills and raise my family.

[The General]

But mostly, I don't consider gasoline to be a luxury, and thus shouldn't be so taxed. It's what powers my car to go to work every day in order for me to make money to pay the house, pay the bills and raise my family.

And pay the government more taxes...

Taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes...

[KaPtNk]

And pay the government more taxes...

Taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes and taxes...

So it's a bit like the Energizer bunny, goes on and on and on [...] !! :P

[Leigh]

I guess this explains why people were more and more going to big gas guzzling SUVs with over powered engines (who needs 300 hp to drive at 120 km/hr) since for 20 years the real price of gas just kept getting lower and lower (in real inflation adjusted dollars). This was hardly a scenario that would inspire conservation thus wasteful habits developed. It is remarkable how people think that they should be paid more each year for doing the same job but not pay more for buying the same things.

If you can get the government to reduce the price of cars to what they were 20 years ago I will be glad to pay today's price for fuel. That seems to be so typical of Canadians, trying to get someone else to pay, whether it is fuel or healthcare. We are a nation that should hang our heads in shame.

[The General]

Other than what you said about wastefull habits, I fail to understand what you are saying.

I don't think the issue is that we do not want to pay, it has more to do with not wating to pay so much so quickly. Even if in Europe fuel costs 2 euros a liter, it did not go up from nearly 100% overnight as it did here.

And about getting a raise. Are you saying that you never go a raise and was happy to get it?

[gpoli]

gas should be cheaper in Canada for this reason...in Greece gas is about 1 euro per litre...but most of there autos are small, and have engines that are under 2.0 liters....I have a renault clio over there, and you can drive forever without filling up....if we are paying the same prices in europe but only have large gas guzzlers to choose from...its not fair...the industry here should provide us with more options regarding sub-compacts, smaller displacement engines...and of course more diesels...

and yes we are being gouged.....I mean why should the price of gas go up everytime we have a week of cold weather in the north east....i mean its winter its supposed to be cold....I mean the excuses they give for the price of oil going up are just unbelievable

[Hammerjoe]

Another point that shouldnt be forgotten, is that usually in Europe salaries are higher than in Canada.
At least minimum wage is.

And also consider that they extract more mileage per liter than we do here in Canada, and they probably dont have to drive as much as we do.