ADN

Why in the hell is it that when a natural disaster comes, everyone runs to get gas..? I mean, even if they aren't going anywhere, the lines to get gas are ridiculous...People run out of gas, trying to get gas...

And I myself don't get the analogy...Natural disaster, gas prices may go up, therefore we get a tank full at 2.20 before it skyrockets to 2.80..? When 9/11 hit, stations all across my town ran out of gas...When Katrina hit here, the lines to get gas were legendary...

Is it...Ignorance..? Here's a quick fact or two: The United States is the second largest producer of oil in the world...We have the largest SPR (Strategic Petroleum Reserve) in the world...We are not about to run out of oil, and as long as there are ways to continue to tap, we never will...Of course, we shouldn't rape mother nature, but guys...We're good...

That said...Anybody care to answer the question..?

I would guess that the bottom line is fear. People are afraid of being stuck without the means to escape to a safe place and that takes gas. And as long as there is that strong demand for it, prices will stay up. Yes, we have a very large reserve, but it's controlled by the government (to make sure there is enough for the military primarily) and they are notorious for sitting on what they have and not releasing what is necessary to keep the rest of the country satisfied.

There is a strong petroleum lobby in Washington that tends to put brakes on any alternative fuel incentives and research. We all know that the oil is finite and will run out eventually, but realistcly, we have made very few marketable inroads to change this. Gas/electric hybrids are a step in the right direction, but they still require gas and if you are charging the battery up from the plug at home, where do you think the power companies are getting the fuel for the power plants? Natural gas and oil. Ethanol has been shown to be a much cleaner fuel and it's cheaper to produce, so why isn't Congress pushing for increased Ethanol production and changes to existing autos from gasoline to ethanol? The money that the oil lobby pumps into their wallets is why.

If anyone else has a "take" on this, I'd be interested in hearing other points of view.

hybrids are useless and it takes as much as ten years for you to make the money back you "save" in gas vs. the inflated cost of the vehicle. maintenance is a bish, as well, so you can't buy unless you go to the dealer, which means you have to actually pay the tax for registration (ack!). combined with the effect that a hybrid MAY last eight years, means the car is really useless. and god help you if you need to replace that battery. they will usually just give you a new car.

:oops:

working with the Utilities sector of the energy market, I see a LOT of oil pass hands... if we could have more nuclear reactors for energy production, we would need less fossil fuels, and the public automobile sector would never run dry, even if everyone over the age of 13 drove a hummer five hours a day, five days a week. people are scared of nukes, and the govt. doesn't understand we will have to have a nuclear fission energy grid before we can actually REALLY work on a cold fusion reaction stability. we have to make this gamble. and by dismantling 30% of the existing nucear payload of the US to refit for reactive core voltage generation, we could have electricity bills that you might get change from a $20 back, with the IPP provisions hitting the market and making power trading competitive and advantageous.

we still need auto companies to be forced to get at least 35 miles to the gallon in city, which they have been able to do for years, but they argue that it will compromise their oil futures and force automobile inflation to buffer their companies.

*cough*bullshit*cough*

vertical,
raum
the oil goes to fuel the units that define the control areas that provide power to the energy grid - that's the greatest source of consumption.