As we find ourselves on yet another verge of spring/summer time driving boom and the gas prices are hovering around averaging about $3.16/gallon of unleaded, I often get to thinking about oil, its refinement into gasoline or heating oil, and its effect on consumers.
Oil and Oil Refinement
I am no economist and I surely have no training in the massive inner workings of the oil industry, but it seems to me that we regularly have 2 times a year in which gas prices, for no other reason than “Hey, it’s that time of year”, seem to go up. This happens fairly regularly around Fall for the heating oil switchover, and around Spring for the Summer driving season.
I can pretty much understand the laws of supply and demand and understand that, more homes using more heating oil equals less supply and higher prices. Easy. More cars on the road in the summer equals more full tanks equals higher demand and lower supply thus an increase in prices at the pump.
Driving Solutions
Needless to say, at $3+ per gallon(and likely increasing to $4) and living in a city with zero public transportation opportunities (try living in/around PHX and not having a car, good luck), I find myself toying with different ideas of how to get around and/or how to reduce my driving time.
Some things I have done in the past to reduce my driving time:
- Moved about 400 yards away from my work and walked to work in the morning.
- Carpool (currently still going strong)
- Taken the bus (not so bad, but very limited options in this city)
- Considered buying a jetpack/helicopter.
Of the above options, carpooling seems to work out the best for my current situation. I just pay my carpool-mate at the beginning of each week and she does the driving. Since she lives further away, she just drops by my house in the morning, and drops me off at the gym (right next to my house) on the way home. I works out nicely.
A good buddy of mine recently took to biking to work. It is a great idea if you don’t mind getting a little sweaty I suppose. It is pretty cool that Lance Armstrong just opened up a bike center in downtown Austin with a showering facility that caters to the commuter crowd. (via Desertstandard viaTaoofchange)
Further reading:
Department of Energy Gas Price Forecast Site
UPDATE: oil prices just hit a new all-time inflation adjusted high.
1st year law student busy reading the coming semester's texts. Aspiring politico. Internet businessman. Interested in the socio-cultural aspects of American society, changes that affect the "little guy", use of authority (and abuse of it), Intellectual Property law and Criminal Law. For added flavor, I also play drums in a trip-hop band.