RV Fuel Issues & Prices - Post 'Em Here!

[Dick_A]

All other fuel threads will be automatically deleted. 🙂

[AO_hitech]

That kind of price hike based solely on someones desperate need should be included in the definition of gouging, and therefore illegal. No new law, just update the definition of gouging.

[LindsayRichards]

I was born in Fort Myers back in the last century. My Dad moved there in 1920. It has changed drastically since I left and I don't even recognize it anymore.

[DelCamper]

Lindsay

Glad to see the ticker is up and running. I had a couple of additional stints put in about a month ago in Ft Myers FL.

I remember as a kid the predictions of life in the future. It's far more busy and worry some now.

[LindsayRichards]

I too yearn for the good old days of my youth when the government was an after thought and not the number one factor in so many folks lives. I am part of the half that pays federal income taxes. On the RV front, I am taking my first trip today since having my open heart surgery in Dec and going back in to the hospital in Feb. I did manage to fill up my RV while the price was at it's max like I normally do. I'll be burning out the expensive gas and then I'll be left with decision to refill or wait. I have a horrible record of guessing the trends.

[cekkk]

LR, very reasonable thinking, but must we turn all phases of life over to the government? The Labor Department now wants to regulate when and whether kids can work on their folks' farm! It never ends! The problem is too many government workers with nothing to do. Here's an idea. For every law that is passed on the federal level, 100 active federal employees in the government entity that would enforce that law must be terminated, starting with the most senior employee. And for every law that is repealed, 25 of them could be rehired. Great idea! God, I'm good at this! :B

[LindsayRichards]

The key word there is "savy". Lots of these folks are from overseas, can't speak English, and are trying to herd the kids. Leaves them with a bad taste of our area.

[Bumpyroad]

I think that any savvy car renter knows to fill it up a few blocks further away from the return spot. I mean the gas gauge doesn't fall to 3/4 in 3 blocks.
of course you could always return the car non-filled up and see what that costs you at the avis counter. 🙂
bumpy

[LindsayRichards]

The reason it should be illegal is that it gives our tourist based state a huge black eye when immoral folks overcharge people that have been brought here by large expenditures of our tax money. Unfortunately we have other similar practices around Orlando's airport and attractions. They negate a lot of the good will we pay dearly for. I agree we have way too many laws (and lawyers) and not nearly enough common sense.
I have been known to put $1 worth of gas in my truck with my debit card when I discover the price on the sign is cash and my card price is a dime higher. They have to pay the swipe fee and lose money on the transaction.

[Gale_Hawkins]

In town today 87 is $3.55 but much higher in other towns nearly.

[cekkk]

LindsayRichards wrote:
That should be illegal

Thought you found something that wasn't already against the law?!? Ha!

Stations can be charged with price gouging, I believe on a state by state level. However, it probably doesn't apply when there is no shortage and a station simply finds itself able to charge a high price and still get customers, as in the case of the last station on the way to the rental return.

If anyone's gouging, it's the rental car companies with enormous charges for even small amounts of fuel to top off.

Anyway, we don't need anymore laws for a couple of centuries. I'm voting for any pol, right wing or Communist, who gets a bill passed requiring all, again, all legislatures to eliminate 100 laws a day every day they're in session.

[DelCamper]

Tomman 58

I know oil refineries cut back when the market is such that there is no profit in running a barrel. Ford does not make more cars then it can sell. There are times that refineries sell gasoline and diesel for less than the cost of crude and refining. As I stated before the big money in oil is in the crude not the refining.

Crude oil is a different animal. OPEC announces increases to drop prices and cuts to increase them occur too. If you want a real eye opener surf "US Dollar", "Reserve Currency" and "Oil Peg".

The cost of Natural Gas has dropped from $16 to $2 because of fracking technology. Look for Natural Gas commercial trucks in the next few years.

[LindsayRichards]

That should be illegal, but I guess it is not. It is unethical as it can be. I guess it is what they mean by buyer beware. I also watch the numbers as they go up. Years ago, they found some stations that with electronic pumps were delivering the first 5 gallons accurately and then shorting everything above that. The state inspectors check the pumps by running 5 gallons into a graduated can and approving the pump based on that. Smart thieves. As prices get higher, there are more incentives to cheat.

[Gale_Hawkins]

We paid $5.95 in Orlando a couple weeks ago at a Shell station near Disney at was one block of the main road where gas was $3.77 to $3.95 including Shell. We had been at Universal theme parks all day and I did not catch the difference between $3.95 amd $5.95 at a glance.

[LindsayRichards]

In Orlando, it looks like you hit the station that is the last one on the way to the airport. It is designed to get tourists who have to turn in their rental cars with a full tank. The locals have been trying to stop this practice for years and there have been lawsuits. He is still doing it. It is always a great idea to check the price at the pump as many stations advertise the cash price and then when you insert your credit card, the price goes up 6 to 10 cents. We had a easy in easy out station close to home that did the cash/credit card thing and stopped using them. They soon switched back to the honest method.

[tomman58]

Gee wonder if gasoline and diesel prices are also munipulated like the NG price????????????????
From WSJ today

"Energy producers are showing the first significant signs of scaling back their natural-gas output, responding to a glut that has driven prices to the lowest level in more than a decade.

Exxon Mobil Corp., Encana Corp. and ConocoPhillips, among the country's largest natural gas producers, said in recent days they reduced production in the first quarter and pledged to reduce drilling further in coming months. And government data earlier this week showed output in February had the biggest percentage drop in a year.

The production decline could be the beginning of a trend that would help alleviate what has been ..."