"The "INSANE" Price of Fuel"

I don't know about the rest of you folks but the recent spike in fuel and grocery prices has forced us to cancel an upcoming trip. We discussed this in length over a couple of margaritas and came to the conclusion that we can bypass this trip and save a bunch of money that will help cover our next scheduled trip in Sept. I personally feel that recent and ongoing high fuel prices and groceries, etc. is going to eventually impact the RV industry and traveling by RV. and that will filter down and affect RV parks and campgrounds and so on. NOT GOOD FOR OUR WAY OF TRAVELING!!! I do not want to get "political" about this let alone go off on a tangent about how the country is seemingly falling into a deep pit economy wise, etc. but I am "just a tad" upset over how all this is affecting the joys of RVing overall. I am hoping and praying that "something" is done, and done soon, to turn all this around to where we can all continue to enjoy this wonderful way of traveling about the country in our RVs, and enjoying what unfolds in front of us as we set out on our various adventures. Who'd a thunk we'd be having to go thru all this BS and bow to the big oil companies, etc. Something is simply not right...... Rant ended..................

BankShot............(aka Terry)

 

There's very little that's actually "political" in the current wave of worldwide inflation, but the way I look at it, the increased grocery prices are the same no matter where we are, so the only thing that affects our travels is the price of fuel. We have state park reservations in place through next April, and have every intention of making it to all of them. A $1 a gallon fuel price increase adds $120 to our fuel bill per one thousand miles at 8 MPG, and we can handle that or even double that with some relatively painless budget cuts in other areas such as how often we dine out.

 

We're not all that happy either. The additional cost has influenced the way we travel. States and Provinces that have not or will not ease the cost by eliminating or reducing their fuel tax are boycotted (if we can). We spend where ever we go and our "tourist dollars" will go where they are appreciated. We are crossing Canada right now thus have opted to travel south of Lake Superior through Minnesota, Wisconsin and now Northern Michigan rather than Northern Ontario. The highest we have paid for Regular 87 so far is $5.09 US here in Michigan. The lowest was $4.55 in Minnesota. Sadly, as we head back into Canada (Ontario), it's selling for about $7.00 US.

We will continue our "North American Tour". It will cost us more, but you only live once and we can't take it with us. On the upside, American Dairy is so much better than Canadian, Our booze bill always goes way down whilst South of the Border and we find most Americans are friendly.

 

so far, fuel prices have not changed any of our plans. sorry Banks, that it affected yours. we only had short trips planned anyway, but next year, we hope to take a big trip from Colo. to Florida and back. hope prices will come down some but we will budget for it either way.

Chris g.

 

I filled my 150 gallon fuel tank on our way back from Texas about 25 miles from home in March and paid $5.40 per gallon of diesel, thinking it was sure to go up and might as well park it with a full tank for the summer. We are all set with our plans for this winter travel and will pay whatever the costs are, not happily but will pay becasue as others have said, we can not take it with us and we are not going to just sit and wait. I think some of the rv parks might be hurt if folks decide not to show up becasue of the costs to get there. Might be a rough summer.

 

------------------------------------------------------------
Understood Dutch but with the current cost of gas, groceries, and most everything else it's just a tad more difficult to stretch travel funds overall. We average about 7.4 mpg in our coach and gas out here in CA is approaching $7/gal in some areas. One area on the northern coast gas is over $10/gal. and it's going up almost daily now. Our next scheduled trip is in early Sept. and hopefully by then perhaps things will have settled down a bit, but that's just wishful thinking at this point. We will make do just as most others are and we will manage to keep our heads above water. Gas has doubled plus since we last drove the beast up into Oregon to our favorite hangout and we have already calculated what that cost will be now at current prices and will budget for it as best we can. Perhaps McD's will have to suffice for meals out instead of the nice seafood joints we prefer to unlax our old butts at while watching the seagulls swoop down to grab what they can. When all this SI (super inflation) settles back to some form of normal, we will be back out there as often as possible terrorizing the highways and byways and using the air horns to the max...........

Safe travels to you, Terry..................(aka BankShot)

 

I

I do hope this SI will settle down but I have my doubts. Not wanting to get too deep into the political mess most first world countries are saddled with, but I strongly believe those we empowered to lead our nations love this, and will do their utmost to keep the prices high. I think we will have this mess for years to come.

Darrell

 

I think those elected officials that want to get re-elected will do everything they can within their limited powers to bring prices down.

 

Inflation has a long way to run. The increases due to transportation costs have not fully worked their way to the retail level. Massive increases in the cost of producing and delivering food (fuel, fertilizer , labor shortages) for this growing season have yet to make it to market. Drought and war will contribute to an anticipated shortage of food stocks.
On the fuel front, we have cut off our nose to spite our face. Oil is a global commodity. Russia continues to sell the same amount of crude it always has, they just now sell to China, India and their Allies at a discounted price. The US has made domestic production and transportation of crude difficult. The government has pressured banks to cease lending to oil producers through ESG ratings. Delayed and cancelled pipelines increase the cost of transportation of crude. Environmental hurdles have meant no refineries have been built in decades.
The cost of crude itself is a relatively small part of overall refined fuel costs. Labor, transportation, refining costs, retailer costs are significant. Heck credit card fees account for 3% right off the top. Then there are taxes, both state, federal and in some states local. Even removing those taxes only creates a taxation revenue shortfall that must be made up on increasing taxes somewhere else. It is likely going to be years before inflation returns to the targeted level of 2%. And even then, are we really going to be happy gas prices might sink from $6.00 a gallon to $5.25? While inflation rate may eventually slow or even stop , those price increases during these inflationary years are almost assuredly here to stay.

 

Very well stated newkemoedoe! You pretty much summed up what is happening and only fools won't recognize this. What was basically stated may decades ago in the Communist Doctrine, is coming true to a large extent today. Unless we as a country stand up and turn this whole downhill slide around, the the good old US of A is eventually going to fade away and become not recognized at it once was. I hate to even say stuff like this but hey, it doesn't take a blind man with even half a brain to see and understand what's going on and "what's not being done to stop it"!!! I'll end this on that note as this is not supposed to be a forum to discus politics and/or our country's problems. Our plans for our next trip are being looked at currently with thoughts of canceling if fuel and other high prices don't start dropping soon. This whole scenario currently playing out is, as my heading on this discussion stated.................."INSANE"............!!! .

BankShot................"aka Terry"

 

I fully expect to see fuel prices start to drop some as the holiday/summer travel demand begins to drop off due to the high prices of fuel and other items. Supply and demand pricing is still very much alive and well, and governments have no control over it.

 

As for inflation, I completely agree with you, unfortunately it cannot be stopped. Question - Do you think the fact that Russia sells oil at reduced prices will not affect other oil sellers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran (if all bans are lifted) also sell oil at a low price? Don't you think that the price of oil has been artificially inflated lately? And this situation will make it possible to equalize the price of oil on the world market.

 

----------------------------------------------------------
Insane, insanity, outrageous, CORRUPT, you can use any number of words to describe the price for gasoline we are all having to pay currently. Big oil and corrupt politicians, as well as a few other underlying corrupt individuals who control so many aspects of our society nowadays, have all added to what is happening and what no doubt will continue to happen in the years ahead. The fact that we have allowed all this to simmer over the past decades and grow into what it has become today is OUR fault. We keep electing and allowing these types of individuals to control just about every aspect of our lives while stuffing their own pockets and becoming billionaires, etc. WE THE PEOPLE are at fault bottom line IMHO. I will stop this here as this is not a political forum, but I think many of us are aware of what is being allowed to happen to the country, and the world at large. I am glad that I grew up and lived thru some good and better times and also glad that my years ahead are now kinda-sorta short to where i won't be around when the big hammer finally falls and the good old US of A goes down the tubes completely. Sorry for expounding as I have here but I am both angry and sad to this all unfolding as it is. I be done now and apologize if I have said anything that has offended anyone who knows something I don't and sees something different ahead for us in the future....

BankShot.................(aka Terry)

 

If you wonder why the price of gas has still been going up, here's part of the reason:

Fourth of July travel: A record 42 million people expected to hit the road, despite high gas prices

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/j...-the-road-despite-high-gas-prices-11655837774

 

There is no need to apologize in my opinion Terry. This is a subject that is affecting many RVers (me included). We Canadians are in the same pickle jar that you folks south of the border are in......maybe worse. There are many people to blame for our predicament. Mostly, as you said, ourselves. Secondly, I add "The Media" that sensationalizes every item they can to scare the heck out of people "just to sell advertising". Then their are the politicians that have to jump when the media runs a headline because if they don't they will be blamed "BY US" for doing nothing while a future disaster may take place and the fear of not being re-elected scares hell out them. Then their are the squeaky wheels. The vocal minorities that raise heck about a flea bite that they make look like a shark attack. Our politicians are there to be elected and re elected so you bet they will fall in line with anything that the media can grab and we all just sat back and let someone else worry about it cause it didn't affect us much. Well, now it affects us lots and we don't like it. Certainly there are many QUALIFIED folks out there that would be better running our counties but instead of making a wise choice, hell lets just vote for for the PARTY that we have been for generations. It doesn't matter what or who they represent. It's family tradition! Divide and you will be conquered. We are nations divided. We are taxed to death. We have been conquered. The politicians have won! there isn't much I can do, but I will do what little I can. I will boycott (as much as possible) provinces and states that will not reduce their fuel taxes. They don't want my tourist dollars so I won't give them any. I have never voted for a Party. I have voted for the person that I think has a head on their shoulder. It's time the general public to stand up and be noticed. Okay, my political rate is over now too!!

 

my i resprctfully disagree with the comments saying that current political folks are to blame for the high gas prices. first, high gas prices are bad for votes and bad for getting re-elected. if they had any power to bring the gas prices down, dont you think they would be trying their darndest to make their constituants happy?

second, gas prices are high throughout the world. no one administration in one country can control these gas prices in other countries, so probably shows its out of their hands (for the most part).

now, i believe the oil companies saw the war started by Russia as an opprtunity to raise the price of oil and gas to increase profits, as war is good for business. on top of that, demand drastically increased as Covid restrictions were eased increasing demand for fuel everywhere. prices were way down when no one went anywhere, so now the converse is true.

just my 2-cents, feel free to disagree.