Yesterday i was at a stop light and looked over and saw gas selling for 3.14 per gallon. I just came back from lunch and drove past the same gas station and now it's up to 3.30 per gallon. What a bunch of crap. Im so sick of the oil companies bending everyone over when summer rolls around. This time about 3 months ago the prices here were down to about 2.55 and oil per barrel is still lower then it was then

you really won't want to read this then. <BR><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/26/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm?postversion=2007042605" target="_blank">http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/26/news/economy/gas_prices/index.htm?postversion=2007042605</a>

Jay, you beat me to it..... LOL

Oh jeeze...here we go again... <BR> <BR>You really should educate yourself before you start threads like this. <BR> <BR>This article is just the tip of the iceberg, but, as you can see...one of the biggest problems right now is lack of GASOLINE - not lack of OIL. And the "Oil Companies" really have very little if ANYTHING to do with the pricing.

"It's worth noting that while $4 gasoline would be a record for American motorists, in Europe it's common. The average price for a gallon of gas in the Netherlands is over $7, and it's over $6 in many other European countries" <BR> <BR>Ok, i'm tired of hearing about how high gas is in europe. it's apples and oranges. the price at the pump in europe is around 70% taxes.

Yeah, it sucks, but is it going to keep you from hitting the water? Not me and probably not the majority of the people on this site.

Even though it's all taxes in Europe, it makes me feel good to know how cheap we get it

The bottom line is not what the prices of gas are any where else. In some places it is under .50 a gallon. We are being hammered by these prices so other people can retire with nealry half a billion dollars in money stocks and percs. Im all for making a buck but this is getting rediculous. The prices go up right before summer every year and they tell us its because the consumption will be higher thus the supply will go down. I call crap on that. it's just an excuse to charge more and reap all the benefis from summer travelers. 2 summers ago i remember thinking holy crap gas prices just toppled 2.00 per gallon. Now were looking at possibly 4.00? Somtething doesn't smell right and its not the broccoli and cheeze i just ate.

I am not sure who is to blame for all of this. one little thing I wanted to add though. <BR>the shell station right near my house is usually the cheapest in town. about 5 weeks ago, they added these flat screen tv's to each pump, so they can pump more commercials and what not at you while you are pumping gas. yet, at the very same time those went it, gas went up like $.10. why? I would have asked the guy working there, but he did not speak english. <BR>and it won't prevent me from going to the lake. hopefully it will prevent all the power turners though!

Thomas Im with you, not gonna stop me from hittin gthe lake but I will be asking my bros to fork out atleast a 10 spot each time we go out

Actually, the actual gas stations apparently make very little from the sale of the gas itself, especially as prices get higher. It's all the other junk they sell where they make the bulk of their profit. <BR> <BR>Even tho it's a year old, good read on gas station stuff. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.smartmoney.com/10things/index.cfm?story=august2006" target="_blank">http://www.smartmoney.com/10things/index.cfm?story=august2006</a> <BR> <BR>With the popularity of green &amp; save the planet stuff, gas prices are probably going to stay up un until people curb their driving habits. We've been spoiled here in the US for a long time and it apparently took a major disaster(Katrina) to bring our reliance on crude to the forefront. I still plan on using my boat as much as usual (at least until I start bouncing checks), but I sure as heck also ride my bike more and don't make unnecessary trips around like I used to. Got some of those flourscent light bulbs in the house, too.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/happy.gif" border=0>

we need biofuel boats. solves everything, although i don't think any mfgs actually MAKE them yet... go figure <BR> <BR>EDIT <BR>here in Iowa gas is still around $2.80 or so, so I should'nt really be talking, although I shall continue for the heck of it. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by pwningjr on April 26, 2007)

joe is right. gas stations don't make jack on actual gas. my family owns one and we make far less than 1 cent per gallon.

february they were at like 1.99 <BR> <BR>now its 2.79... still a lot better than yours

i shouldn't say "far" less, but it's less than a penny. there are also a lot of other factors that come in to play as well that can determine what your profit is...there are times when a guy could make 5 cents a gallon, but as a general rule it is about a penny.

... i think 2.79 is a lot better than 3.30!!! <BR>but you may be talking to someone else

i remember the old days when gas stations would have price warz for a while driving prices down to like 75 cents a gallon and everyone would go crazy, but now anything less than 2 dollars gets the same results from the public

I read an article on yahoo saying gas would not hit $4 a gallon this summer but whatever. The thing that sucks is when gas is 2.79 and you drive 1000 feet to the lake it jumps 50 cents. I hate that but they do have you by the you no what so what else can you do but pay the sonsabitc#es.

In The Netherlands we transform our motor. After the boat arrive in The Netherlands they change the oil motor to a Liquefied Petroleum Gas motor. a lot cheaper!

LPG or propane is loads cheaper over here in the UK too. My boat runs dual fuel. Just flick a switch to choose gasoline ($8 a gallon) or propane ($4 a gallon).

I dunno...Sometimes I think it is good that gas prices are going up because I think it will convince people to start looking for more efficient means of transportation. That doesn't mean I like paying $2.67 every time I fill up though!

I will tell you about the gas docks and why the price is so high. I am a geologist that deals with contamination in water, and its a lot harder to have a gas station on the water and not contaminate, and they must protect from spilling so thats why is higher, not to say that it should be that much higher but a little.

We are at $3.12 right now for unleaded and $2.99 for desiel. I was going to take my son's baseball team to Redding for a baseball tournament but it would end up costing us to much in fuel and we are only 6 hours away.

Its too bad that public transportation is crap in the US.

it is crap...up here in minneapolis i believe we've had 3 people killed on public transport in less than 2 months

Yes gas prices are getting stupid...on the other hand some of you are cruising around in $ 50,000 + boats( don't get me wrong I can't wait to have a newer boat myself) and you are complaining about gas. If you can afford the boat and all the toys to go with it you can afford the gas! <BR> <BR>The one thing that is really BS is how the gas prices go up in summer and especially on Fridays when most people are leaving town. Go figure.

Thats my whole point dave. These companies know the buying habbits when it comes to gas comsumption and take full advantage of it. They don;t need to raise the prices like they do they still make an insane amount of money. Look at some of these guys in the middle east, they own palaces that are 50,000 sq ft and more. they have 250 cars and dont know how to spend their freaking money. I just get sick of it when i think how whoever controls the gas oil etc controls the world.

Here's something simple that everyone can do to help keep prices down – shop around and support the gas stations that have the lowest prices! <BR> <BR>I hate it when I see one gas station charging 3.28 per gallon and another gas station charging 3.18 per gallon, both within walking distance of each other, and both filled with cars filling up. As long as we “consumers” pay whatever they ask per gallon, why should the gas station owners lower their prices. The gas station owners are not greedy, and they are certainly not stupid. They understand the basic principle of supply and demand, and they will price their product according to what the market will bear. Time to send them a message, YOU MUST BE COMPETITIVE WITH YOUR PRICES TO EARN MY BUSINESS! <BR> <BR>I remember when a local radio station did a daily report of who had the lowest prices around Oahu, and guess what, overall prices fell! The gas station owners suddenly had to compete for customers instead of just pricing the gas at whatever they wanted. <BR> <BR>So the morale of this story, SHOP AROUND! Do one better, call your local radio stations and tell them when you find a gas station that has cheap gas and you just wanted to let their listeners know, you’ll be surprised at how successful this is!

I think I'll give up, sell the boat and take up Golf. What...green fees are $75...per round? Let's see...three rounds a week...carry the one....I guess boating is cheaper. Never mind. <BR> <BR>If you're really hard up, you can check local gas prices at gasbuddy.com

i must say, the prices are quite simple, supply and demand, think about how many extra gallons of gas you burn in the summertime, multiply that times every other person on wakeworld who also buns that amount.. wanna save cost, buy a 300 gallon fuel tank and fill it during the middle of winter, when prices are at there lowest.

Uhh…yea…last time I checked golf clubs didn’t cost $60,000.00. Sure, greens fees are expensive, but you pay your fee and then you play your game, and that’s it. Golf clubs don’t require fluid changes, 50 hr. checks, repairs, washing, waxing, etc., etc., etc. <BR> <BR>Tuneman, dude, you carried your one but you forgot at least two decimal points in your mathematical calculation.

Exxon gave its first quarter profit report this week. Last years first quarter netted $4 billion in profit, this years first quarter netted $9 billion. I don't care who you are that is ridiculous. However, like so many others, I too will continue to drive a big gas gusling truck and take my $50,000 boat to the lake 2-3 times a week. I don't like spending so much on gas, but like most, I don't do anything to keep from it.

I remember when gas would be .99 cents and it was EXPENSIVE. <BR>}Gas has gone up from 2.43 to 2.89 here in Kansas in less than a WEEK! <BR>Just remember, save your reciepts. Boats do NOT "drive" on land, and they put road taxes into the gas prices. Therefore, when you file your taxes you get back... <BR>Just a wild money saver. I think about it this way, my parents will spend money to put the boat in the water, because it's what we love to do as a family.

Workers got smart in the middle-east and formed unions. They now demand 17 times the pay for remedial labor, so the prices are reflected at the pump. Haha. <BR> <BR>It's now $3.30 a gallon here too (in Washington). People have really started to grumble, so apparently there's an investigation being launched. I'll get back to you in 8 years when they release the report...

3 bucks per gallon in Michigan. And the governor is talking a 15% hike in the gas tax... We are screwed... Anyone talking about retro fit kits for alternative fuels on here. Just wondering if they are out there for marine engines? I still think the E85 is more expensive. SO that is not the solution for the high prices. Hybrid boats...that would be weird. But no more H2O ballast systems needed. Because you will have huge honkin batteries to provide weight. Man I don't know...if it hits $4 per gallon...just don't know. I make a good wage and I just don't want to fork over the dough. Good point Kelley....I am going to check into that tax thing for Michigan. I really think hydrogen fuel cell power would be beneficial to boats. Good for the environment, cheaper to run, it is sensitive to cold weather conditions...and so are boaters and boarders. So that is not a negative for us. Someone really needs to push this. Plus we will bankrupt those middle east countries that hate us. I am all for it.

I don't care who's profiting on these insane gas prices, where it's coming from and why it's so high. I'm a freakin college student and can barely afford to fill up my car...It SUCKS. PERIOD. and there is nothing we can do about. They are going to get higher and higher as it gets warmer and warmer because people will start to travel, get on the river, etc. We all know how it goes...

I really dont think the prices are being reflected at the pump because of increased labor costs, or damaged wells/pumps, I say that cause chevron just posted a $20 BILLION profit... PROFIT...as in extra money, thats a thousand millions. I think the govt. should step in a regualte... oh yeah... hes an oil tycoon too...

It was a joke. The labor union part. I was poking fun at the unions. <BR> <BR>With regards to gas prices: <b>supply and demand.</b> Demand, naturally, is as high as ever. They can charge $3.30 at the pump because people will buy it. <BR> <BR>We like to believe we "need" gas. They prey on us because we believe we "need" it. If it were disposable, something we used occasionally and not daily, prices would be a fraction of what they are. <BR> <BR>It would be like if you had a product you could only produce 1,000 of every year, but you had 1 million people knocking on your door for it. What would you do?? would you sell the product for the price you had initially intended? No way. you would charge ten times for it, and knock the interested number down to 10% of what it was. Why, you ask? You can don't have to initiate cost to keep up with high demand for your product. Your cost is the same as it was in the beginning, you are able to fulfill your annual quota and make significant profit without changing anything. <BR> <BR>Think of it this way: designer sunglasses. Freaking expensive. Why?? There is a small portion of the population that feels they "need" to be fashionable. They will pay whatever it takes to be that. So, Dolce &amp; Gabbana knows they can charge $400 for a pair of sunglasses that costs them $10 to produce. This same "need" mentality is what we have toward gasoline. They know they can charge whatever they want. And they do. <BR> <BR>It's not that they can't supply us or they are running low, they just know that the demand is insatiable and people will still buy the same amount regardless of how much they charge (they may lose a few yuppies along the way, but it will be minimal loss for the amount of gain they experience). <BR> <BR><b>The problem with gas prices: us.</b>

this is where are gas money goes. Fortunately when we find an alternative fuel all these arabs will go broke losing there main export <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/441825.jpg" alt="Upload">

Ben, thats what Im talking about.

another thing that i don't think i've seen mentioned is how much the Credit Card company's are making off of the pumps. how many of us fork over $100 or more in hard cash...not me, i slip that piece of plastic in there. talked to my pops this weekend. he said that they paid out over six figures in credit card expenses for last year. the more $ amounts everyone rings up on their cards the more the cc companys make.

MICHIGAN...beware. Legislation has been drawn up and is to be voted on by our faithful government. A gas guzzler tax is being considered. This would be on boats, and trucks with certain size engines or engines that use large amounts of fuel in short time periods. It's part of the sin tax that is being voted on. So boater might get dinged in the great lake state.

Ben, I doubt that our gas money goes to a hotel in Abu Dhabi? My recommendation is for everyone to buy Exxon and Chevron stock, and then when you fill up at the pump you can try and tell yourself that you are just making yourself rich!

"think the govt. should step in a regualte... oh yeah... hes an oil tycoon too..." Jimmy I know what your saying, but just to keep it in perspective, Al gore wants fuel prices to be $5 a gallon. That was posted on most major news sources last week. They are ALL crooks. Soon boaters will have to buy carbon offsets. Which in my opinion is a fancy word for taxes.

Wont make me ride less, just eat less.

everyone just start kiteboarding, problem solved.

isn't it kinda hard to fit chicks in bikini's up in the kite to watch you?

Jay, you wouldnt believe how many you can fit on one shoreline. And you dont have to go all the way back to the dock when they want to leave.

lol, that's the problem...they can leave when they want.

it looks really fun, i've never done it.

What does the average boat use per hour? Like 6 gallons or so??? So say you put 100 hours on your boat you would use 600 gallons @ $4 = $2,400 on gas...<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/sad.gif" border=0> <BR>and that doesn't include the gas to get to the lake or tow the boat... <BR>Hmmm- I didn't budget for that this year... <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/angry.gif" border=0> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by timmyb on May 08, 2007)

well, when they arent stuck on a boat shuffling around listening to blaring music, they hang out longer, haha! They can lay in the sun or in the shade or get in the water anytime they want. And they can easily make you a sammich for when you come in.

I'm on facebook and theres a thing going around saying not to go to the gas stations on May 15th because it will cost the major companies billions of dollars, apparently this was done once and the prices went down .30 overnight. Look into it, I don't know if its legit or not

<i>"I remember when gas would be .99 cents and it was EXPENSIVE."</i> <BR> <BR>IIRC, gas broke the dollar mark about 1979. I remember in the office building where I worked, I looked out a window at a gas station sign (among other things) and that's when I saw it top a buck. <BR> <BR>edit: And I rented a 1 bedroom apartment overlooking a ski lake for $235 a month. <BR> <BR>(Message edited by fly135 on May 08, 2007)

Man Timmy! thanks for being the bearer of bad news. I think your math is off though. It's going to be more like $4.50 to $5 a gallon on the lake here in Oregon. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/angry.gif" border=0>

I remember when gas station signs didnt even have the third digit! When gas topped a buck all the signs said .03c. I thought it was a serious drop! Imagine if that happened today have many lawsuits for false advertising there would be!

When I posted this only a few weeks ago gas was up from about 2.50 to 3:30 per g. Now its 3.50 and rising here in So Oregon. <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/angry.gif" border=0>

anoyyingdyne--being a local 33 sheetmetal worker, kiss my <font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font><font color="ff0000">•</font> ass you maggot..if it wasnt for the unions the scabs(non-union) wouldnt get paid what hey get(10-18 hr/)..maggot...just poking fun.hahahaha

Funny stuff!!! <BR> <BR>Compared with Gasoline... <BR> <BR>Think a gallon of gas is expensive? <BR> <BR>This makes one think, and also puts things in perspective. <BR> <BR> <BR>Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ... $10.32 per gallon <BR> <BR>Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ..........$9.52 per gallon <BR> <BR>Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 .... $10.17 per gallon <BR> <BR>Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ......... $10.00 per gallon <BR> <BR>Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ......... $33.60 per gallon <BR> <BR>Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ... $178.13 per gallon <BR> <BR>Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 .. $123.20 per gallon <BR> <BR>Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ....... . $25.42 per gallon <BR> <BR>Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 .....$84.48 per gallon <BR> <BR>And this is the REAL KICKER... <BR> <BR>Evian water 9 oz $1.49..........$21.19 per gallon! <BR>$21.19 for WATER and the buyers don't even know the <BR>source. (Evian spelled backwards is Naive.) <BR> <BR>Ever wonder why printers are so cheap? <BR>So they have you hooked for the ink. <BR> <BR>Someone calculated the cost of the ink at... <BR>you won't believe it... but it is true... <BR>$5,200 a gal. (five thousand two hundred dollars) <BR> <BR> <BR>So, the next time you're at the pump, <BR>be glad your car doesn't run on <BR>water, Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil <BR>or God forbid, Printer Ink!!!!! <BR> <BR> <BR>Just a little humor to help ease the pain of your <BR>next trip to the pump... <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/proud.gif" border=0>

eder...that's funny! I like that. I am still going to hit the water no matter the cost. But one thing that disturbs me is the government gets 50 cents per gallon.....why? what have they done to deserve that money...absolutely nothing. Take that 50 cents out of the equation, people would not be pissed, now would they? For kite boarding....not everyday there is a breeze or good stiff wind, then what? In the midwest we are already reliant on a rather short season to board. Looking for windy days would shorten the season that much more. A boat company...not a wakeboat company either (unfortunately) has a hydrogen power plant coming out next year. That is fricken cool. I got that tidbit right from the source (boat manufacturer)

I have a solution. LOL... Buy a wakeboard winch, we can run our winch all day long for less than $5.00. If you live near the beach, you have the best of all worlds: You have a 5 ft wake to hit, you can float the wave just like surfers do for a rail slide, and you can surf multiple waves. <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/446010.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/446011.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR> <BR>And I almost forgot... You can hit that waterfall gap at your local golf course too. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/446012.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR> <BR> <BR>Ken Land <BR>Bullet Lines <BR><a href="http://www.bulletlines.com" target="_blank">www.bulletlines.com</a> <BR><a href="http://www.wakeboarding-winch.com" target="_blank">www.wakeboarding-winch.com</a>

id rather spend $2000 on gas than on a whinch, maybe it sounds unreasonable...but at least while im typing this i think i would...who knows <img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/angry.gif" border=0>

anodyne. i buy gas because i HAVE to. if i dont then i dont make any money and then the bank comes and takes everything . its not us its them. its not supply and demand. its gouging people because they can.

You HAVE to? No you don't. Buying gas is not the equivalent of making money. You might buy gas in the course of getting to or doing your current job but that's something you force upon yourself. Personally, I'm looking at moving closer to where I work in the next year or so. There are several subdivisions I could easily afford to live in nearby once I account for the gasoline I wouldn't be spending on my daily commute. I know that's not always a viable option, but there are other options out there. Resigning yourself to believing that purchasing gas is mandatory only prevents you from finding those other options. <BR> <BR>I buy gasoline because it is the most convenient thing for me to do given my lifestyle choices. And I'd wager a hefty amount that there are no more than a few people out there who don't fall under that umbrella. Don't blame your lifestyle choices on oil and automobile companies. You stuck your head in that noose.

I paid 4.00 for gas two weeks ago in Cali. I was freaking pissed.

Plano, TX - last night - $2.88/gallon <BR> <BR>This keeps up and I'll be at the skate park way more than the lake this year.

I wish I were paying $2.88 a gallon, but it was $3.39 for me yesterday south of Seattle.

any body know what the price of fuel is in china? (the world leader in fuel consumption at present date) <BR> <BR>i dought its more then we pay! thats why we pay more cuz they buy more then we do! it aint 3 bucks a gallon!

This link shows some global prices and china is at about $1.50 but Venesuela is paying .14 cents. Imagine that you could fill up a 33 gallon tank fo $4.62. Tht would be unbelievable. <BR> <BR> <BR><a href="http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/price.html" target="_blank">http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/price.html</a>

14 cents would be nice, but you would also have to live in Venesuela.