DH and I were eating at Hardee's Tue. night before my quilt guild meeting. When we got there, gas was $3.05 at the station just down the road. By the time we left 1/2 hr. later, the price was $3.35. Sure glad I changed from my SUV 18 mpg to my compact car getting 31 mpg a couple years ago. Of course I'm not saving any gas $$ because I just drive twice as much now that I'm getting better gas mileage. LOL!

kwiltamomma-I totally agree with you.

I bought myself an ole fashion Bubble Gum Pink Schwinn bike w/ large basket last summer and I rode it all over to go where I could, over to visit my sister and to the little store. [/quote]

If gas prices shoot up like they did the last time, I might join the bicycle club. Just need to find one that has a comfortable seat. :)

The news said last night that the experts were saying it could go as high as $5 a gal for gas, but........ only if the cost of a barrel of oil reached $160 plus would it do that. They have doubts even with the unrest going on that it would reach that.
Apparently the price of a barrel went to $100 already.
Everything will be going up and some places of business will be shutting down due to lack of sales.

I don't think gas prices are high enough yet. SUV's and big PU trucks are still big sellers. Every time I go to the PO there is someone in a big gas guzzler, leaves engine running while they go in and get their mail, comes back and reads mail in vehicle with engine still running... (and this is in moderate temps so it's not for heating or cooling)

If I was in charge I would add taxes on until it was $10 a gallon, use the extra money to fund alternative energy (domestic) and a subsidy for low-income drivers. Then see if they still want to keep the engine idling.

I am UK born, so I get a single persons UK pension allowance of the $153.61 per week. Because I live in Ireland, where the cost of living is deemed higher than in the UK, the Irish Govt tops that up by about another $60. So yes, cost of petrol/gas is a big consideration, and I try to limit trips out to no more than twice a week. I live 6 miles from the nearest shops, doctors etc., which is also where the nearest place I could get on a bus. My nearest train station is about 10 miles away.

My biggest cost during the winter is oil for the central heating, and I dread to think how much the next tankful will cost.

My DB has lived in the US, and says that he estimates that food here costs 55% more here, and 40% more in the UK. Our national sales tax here is 21%.

Salaries in the UK are generally about 30% higher, and only about 15% higher here.

Thanks for the info, Lacelady. It sounds to me like even with higher salaries, you folks have to be more mindful of your gas use because of your prices. Americans in general have become very used to just hopping in the car and going. Any time the price jumps, we panic.

Yep, we definitely think about it before we travel. Apart from anything else, I resent all that tax in the petrol prices (they tell us it's about 80% tax).

I'm in Edmond, OK and at 7-11 the cheapest place in town is $3.09/gal
I need to fill up before it gets any higher

I do agree with ptquilts. I think they need to put a "luxury" tax on the big SUV's(stupid useless vehicles) and the huge pickups. Other than the middle east, we have the cheapest gas in the world, and what has it gotten us? More vehicles on the road, families having multiple vehicles, very few people carpool, very few people ride public transportation, too many people get in their car and drive down the street to do shopping. I do understand that carpooling and public transportation wouldn't work for everyone, but I've seen the lines of vehicles on the freeways, big SUV's with 1 person in it, you can't tell me that among all that mass of cars, that NO ONE can carpool? Unlikely.

We feel the pinch just like everyone else, but maybe this will inspire people to get all their shopping done at one time and not make multiple trips.