[Falconoffury]

An article on the main page about clerks getting yelled at over high gas prices got me thinking. The thing that I don't understand is that, if one buys gasoline, then the price must not be too high, because one would logically not pay if he truly thought the price was too high. One has no right to complain about price if one is still paying. Actions speak louder than words. Vote with one's wallet!

It's the free market forces that many experts praise. Everyone is free to sell, and everyone is free to not purchase.

On a side note, people are shooting the messenger, in a manner of speaking. People need to understand that consumers are to blame for wanting or needing the gasoline.

[mekrob]

Well, if you think about it from the driver's perspective, they 'need to' use gasoline to get around everywhere. Actually, they do need it but mainly because of their stupidity in the past (and currently). They should have known of the geopolitical and the simple limits of oil production and availability before they start embarking on $20 grand cars and suburban houses. So, they do need to buy gasoline, but they are the reason for that necessity.

[Falconoffury]

But there's no such thing as "need" in economics, only supply and demand. Don't you worship the free market god?

Anyway, for those who can't survive on higher gas prices, the idea is planning ahead. Don't take anything for granted. Plan for the worst case scenario.

I wonder how the USA would be if everyone was frugal, planning for the worst, not buying stuff they don't need with money they don't have. They economy would be down big time, but people would be happier!

[Andrew_S]

These stories are making me realize that oil addiction is real. The addict is not free to make a choice - whether physically a change is possible to them I don't know, but psychologically no. Next people will be getting shot.

I'm off to the pub. A beer (0.5 L = bit more than an American pint) is €3.00 in a cheap dive of a place, €4 or more in a decent place. Can I get away with ranting about the price? I just drinks me beer and keeps me mouth shut.

I'm looking forward to the day when a litre of petrol (about €1.32 now) costs more than a litre of beer.

A few years off no doubt.

[mekrob]

Falcon, I only have a problem with the first part of your second post, not the rest (to avoid confusion). But when you live 80 miles from work, you kinda need gasoline don't ya? If there are no other options (no public transport, no alternatives like walking, no carpooling) then you do NEED the gasoline. There is no way you can argue against that (so don't try ). But I am saying it is their fault, 100% completely. No one duped them into thinking that this joyride could be so cheap forever, only dumbasses could think that. I'm just saying, when you need it, you need it (short term).

[Falconoffury]

The first paragraph of my second post is just a shot against all the flat earth economists out there, not you personally.

Pure economics is not an accurate way to understand how the world works.

[AmericanEmpire]

I fully expect there to be rioting and blood in the streets when it becomes unaffordable for the masses to continue driving. People think being able to buy gasoline is a right.

Moving out of the suburbs closer to work where they can walk or ride a bicycle doesn't even cross their minds. They can't stoop that low.

As long as they got a job they will cut every damn thing else out of the budget to buy gasoline. The car will be one of the last things to go.

[ravensburg]

You can always complain about something, yes you have the right to do so if you wish. However yelling at the people that work at the gas station is nothing more then yelling at someone just to make yourself feel better. Really do they expect some poor cashier who is working the counter to be able to lower the price of gas for them? I really do not feel sorry for the people that drive around the huge cars with the 40 gallon tanks by themselves. I think a lot of this just goes to show how out of touch people are getting with reality, my parents have bought three new cares in the past year and every time I tell them that instead of buying a new car pay of the other two you just bought.