Had enough of the “Price gouging”. Yes I said Price gouging! Boycott all the Exxon/Mobil stations in your area. When these stations start closing, I’ll bet congress will do something to bring this mess under control.
we need to boycott not just one company but all on that day plain and simple do not drive or buy gas that one day out of the week and that will send a very clear message that we have had enough of this price and demand slavery they are inflicting on the consumer.
besides the absurdity of this email (which i recieved a week or so ago) and all of its misleading figures and contradictions to basic economics, another way to look at it is the fact that America is facing far greater problems than rising gas prices. instead of forwarding (or even originating) these asanine emails, why don’t these activists focus on boycotting big media that lies perpetually to the american public, or voting out of office corrupt politicians, or pushing for changes in our tax code that counters the concept “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” i think those areas deserve more attention than trying to cut into the profit margin of some “evil” capitalist oil company.
as a side note, the average profit margin of the top 14 oil companies in Fortune 500 was only 6% while the top 33 insurance companies (property and casualty (stock)) had an average profit margin of 12% Dangit – i guess we need to boycott the insurance companies for a day and not use insurance for a day. Lets say…. May 22…
boycott won’t work but if we called work and told them we couldn’t make it in because we can’t afford to drive the hit on the economy for the day may make them think.i have to drive 80 miles a day and don’t know how long i can spend over $100 week on gas.it may be cheaper not to work.
A nationwide boycott one of the major suppliers for a week would bring down the price of gas at those stations. If need be to keep it working, do it again to the same or different supplier.
No a one day boycott will not work, but a good old fashion gas war will, we should start with exxon, buy elsewhere for the next 6 months, and let them choke on their stock, gas does go bad.
A boycott will not work for one day, but I did not buy gas yesterday like alot of other people. But, what will work is if we boycott one company like Exxon-Mobil. Remember what happened about 15-20 years ago, when the Exxon tanker had the oil spill in Alaska. People in many parts of the country stopped buying Exxon gas because they weren’t doing their part for the clean-up. Exxon stations all over south Florida went out of buisness. So if everyone boycotts Exxon-Mobil and buys gas from other stations, this will make Exxon Mobil react and lower their prices. Now, the key is to wait until they lower their prices down below $2.00, maybe somewhere around $1.50 a gallon. This will happen because of supply and demand. While Exxon-Mobil is lowering their prices, other companies will have to follow. Again the key is to be patient and wait until it gets down to $1.50. Once it reaches that level we can start buying from them.
Well, it certainly won’t hurt to try to get their attention. After all, they can’t survive without the consumer purchasing their product, now can they? I am hard pressed to understand how the CEO’s of the large oil companies can command such large bonuses at the working man’s expense! I don’t imagine it is hurting their wallets to pay the prices, but what about the rest of us?
One way to use less gas and therefore lower gas prices is to DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT all the time. Everyone’s car would use less gas if they just slowed down!
It’s not about a one day boycott, it is about a lifestyle change. WALK more often, maybe with your family! Don’t drive for 20 minutes looking for a spot close to the mall and then walk the length of the 1/2 mile behmoth five times! Walk to the grocery store, use and reuse canvas shopping bags rather than petrol based plastic. Ride your bike. Guess what, you will save gas, lose weight, save money, feel better physically by being in better shape and you will feel better mentally by knowing you are doing the right thing. 0 to 60 in 4 seconds? Who Cares?! I will take my 40 MPG Prius over the latest BMW or, God forbid, Hummer any day of the week. Oh, did I mention that my family averages 10 a week in gas expense! Cool.
If for nothing else, if the boycott is vast enough, it will send another message to the oil industry that americans remain fed up with the constant lame excuses for high gas prices. Who cares what the experts think about the boycott…..just do it!
We’ll evaluate the results afterwards.
When I see a big gas guzzler with a yellow ribbon on it, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. With our oil guzzling habits we are subsidizing less than enlightened regimes, many of which openly say they are our enemies. Use less gas now when you can, make your next car 30%-50% more fuel efficient than your current one. It’s the most patriotic thing you can do. Forget about taxes and one-day boycotts.
I agree that we should instead boycott one at a time. Say, everyone stop going to Shell until they lower their price. Then we will target another gas company.
Boycotts are rarely successful. In the few cases where they have worked, the victory was won because consumers committed themselves to a prolonged change in their purchasing behavior. Examples include the Montgomery Alabama bus boycott led by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the table grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez. These leaders were able to articulate and promote an undeniable moral imperative behind the boycott–an imperative that went beyond a nominal financial gain for the boycott participants.
The proposed one day gasoline boycott lacks both these elements: a significant moral imperative and a long-term commitment to modified purchasing behavior.
As an extreme example, imagine our founding fathers debating what to do about the oppressive tea tax. “Let’s send out an e-mail telling everyone not to buy tea for one day! Wait…that won’t work. We don’t have e-mail yet. But if we did have e-mail, a one-day boycott would really show King George what we think about his tax!” Fortunately, what our forefathers lacked in technology they made up for in high ideals and a willingness to make personal sacrifices. Otherwise, there never would have been a revolutionary war and we would all be driving our gas-guzzling SUV’s on the left-hand side of the road and buying “petrol” at European prices—which is twice what we pay in America.
You guys are all looking in the wrong place and at the wrong people. Its the traders, Hedge funds and brokers in New York that are causing the large price increases. They are making more money than the oil companies. Just look at profits of Bear Sterns and the other big brokers thier profits are higher than the oil companies.
Think of it this way- crude oil contracts are traded by these guys everyday and gasoline contracts are traded also – that is twice the brokers are making profit on the same gallon of oil.
Go back to the 1990s – we had the same amount of refinery outages and the price never changed this much – its just when the brokers and hedge funds got into it.
some of the hedge fund managers are making 1 billon dollars per year — that is just pain wrong
we are looking in the wrong places
First and foremost, we need to have national standards for all grades of gasoline. Having all these special blends for individual states makes a supply dramatically worse. Next we need to look at our national refining capabilities and insure that supply can reasonably meet demand. Given that a new refinery has not been built in this country for 20 plus years is insane and a testament to how much we enjoy shooting ourselves in the feet. Lastly, we need a comprehensive program to ween us off foreign oil. Until the above happens we are at the mercy of not only the oil exporting countries, but also corporate oil.
What’s the problem with $6 a gallon gasoline? I’m rich from investingin, amongst other stocks, oil ETF’s, which I purchased when it fell to $50 a barrel in January. Complain as you like, but invest in oil.
All you public-transit advocates are missing one very important thing: There are many parts of the country that HAVE NO PUBLIC TRANSIT. Detroit and the ‘burbs have NOTHING to offer, except a few rickety old busses that don’t even serve the MAJORITY of the CITY. Try living in Southeast Michigan, then tell me how to get around using public transit! I drive a fuel-efficient car. I shouldn’t have to move to Massachusetts to avoid being ripped off. GOUGING OIL COMPANIES SHOULD BE PUNISHED.
Boycotts will not solve the problem. This is an artificial shortage. Just look at the press releases that put out daily by the industry “analysts”. Everyday it’s a different excuse. The fact is, according to the Government and API number, crude is overstocked, however, refineries are operating below 90% of their “operable” capacity. This is a “created” shortage, which the wholesalers and marketers can use as an excuse to stick it to the consumer. Refinery utilization normally is in the low to mid 90’s by this time of year, but they chose to put off their “maintenance” later than normal, and hence we now have a “shortage”. Last year the excuse was the changeover to reformulated fuel blended with Ethanol. What’s the next excuse? We’re all waiting with baited breath and empty wallets.
It is a clear indication of how divorced from reality the American public and media are when a story like this gets attention. Boycotting gas stations may make the average person feel good but how about we try this? Demand increased funding for mass transit, demand better zoning laws from your local officials that allow mixed use, higher density, walkable communities. Rely less on driving. reduce your addiction to oil. We are witnessing the start of the effects of PEAK OIL. All of the investment in suburban sprawl has been a huge waste. I wish the media would pay attention to the clouds gathering over the “non-negotiable way of life” to quote Dick Cheney. By the end of the year, $3 a gallon will look like great deal.
Rockefeller knew the secret of controling the oil industry. It is refining that is critical, not supply of oil. There’s plenty of oil around, but refineries are scarce. A monopoly still exists over 120 years later. Who’s learned anything from history? And, the government lets the oil industry get away with it. How can the government regulators continue to state that there is no monopoly or price controling. What a farce!!!
The only thing that will cause gas prices to drop is if people here use less energy. The USA uses about 23.5% of the world’s crude oil usage but only has 5% of the world’s population. If you don’t like $3 gas just think where prices will be when China & India have as many cars as the USA has.
UK gas prices are $7.20 per gall and people drive 1.7 litre engines cars. Why do we need 4,5,6, litre cars here?
If everyone switched to fluorescent light bulbs in their houses that would save a huge amount of energy. less A/C in stores & restuarants would also help.
Boycotting gas won’t work because they know you’re just postponing your purchase. A no drive day will only be temporary. If you want to hurt them, get a gas credit card and buy only a candy bar every other month. They have to bill you, handle your check, and give you a paid statement…They will loose money every month handling your account.
The THEORY of supply and demand does not apply to gasoline because demand is almost constant regardless of price. If we were talking about potato chips or ice cream, which nobody actually needs, then a boycott might actually work because a drop in demand would result in a glut of goods that would either go unsold and rot in the garbage dump, or eventually find a buyer because the price was too low to resist.
While oil execs shrug off higher prices as “market forces”, the truth of the matter is that it costs about the same amount of money to extract, refine, and deliver a barrel of gasoline at any price. We saw the same thing in California when Enron was “gaming the market” with electricity.
As for me, I definitely wont be buying gas on May 15 because my Prius gets such excellent mileage, I only fill up once a month.
You are correct! A boycott will do nothing but something should be done. If you follow the oil market daily you will see patterns. The oil companies build refineries in third world companies because those countries need money and it puts people to work. But thier governments are so unstable that every time a toilet flushes the oil supply is in jeopardy. Here we have to change the summer/winter blend twice a year and then we seem to have a rash of fires etc. Look what happened in Venezuela new ‘dictator’ and he takes over the oil fields. Something has to change. Just saying that we should get use to $4.00/$5.00 a gallon in US is not addressing the issue. All it is doing is putting your head in the sand.
I agree a one day boycott may not solve much but you have to start somewhere. Who knows the one day boycott may lead to more or even a lower consumption. Funny how the spin went from effecting the big oil companies to effecting the small businessman, I don’t know of too many people who can go without their morning coffee.
It’s each person for themselves. Even collectively we don’t have any control over the big oil guys not matter what kind of boycott. Each of us has to live within our own means. If Joe SUV wants to pay the big bucks for the gas hog, let him/her. If you can find a more reasonable means of transportation that fits your budget, good for you. The local governments or companies we work for could offer more incentives for using other mass transit options.
Buy light trucks, less SUV’s. Travel short distance by car but long distance by flight. Avoid waste of consumer goods and groceries; reduce weekly purchase trips and only buy necessities.
Is it true that we have oil, but can’t refine it to meet demands? If that be the case, why is it that a new refinery hasn’t been built in 28yrs? Our government wants to add “pork” to different funding bills, so why are they spending it towards new refineries instead of their BS objectives?
Instead of a 1 day gas boycott, how about writing your Congress to remove some of the Federal taxes on gasoline and ask your Congress person to take a pay cut for once. The whole thing is a shame for the rich and the rest of us are just along for the ride…
I don’t think it will work. what we need to do is boycott 1 oil company. No one buys from Chevron or Shell for the whole summer. I guarantee the one being boycotted would lower there prices.
We should all call in sick nationwide for 5 days straight and shut this economy and the oll boys down. They can’t fire all of us.
One day of no buying may not work … but … if we all don’t buy from Mobil and Exxon they might get the message.
I know that there is a company that has made hydrogen fuel cells that work but such a company was bought out by Chrysler/Daimler Benz and the technology buried. The fuel cells are no longer being made and/or researched. Maybe the auto companies are also culpable for the current high prices of oil!
my take, if you want to boycott, is to not buy gas from any of the “Big 3″
Exxon Mobil….BP…Shell. There is enough other gas stations out there to do this. If you are not sure about where a station gets it’s gas from check the three websites and they tell
you where. do this for 2 to 3 months.
Until the Ameican public votes out those that oppose more drilling and building of refineries, we are stuck. The dems said they would do something during the election. They did…gas is the highest ever.
Ron H. Wheaton, Il
Boycotting gas for one day will do no good because the demand will not change. If an individual does not get gas one day they will just need it the next day. The only way boycotting gas would work is if nobody drove their cars on May 15th. This is an impossible task for an American citizen with a vehicle!!
Absolutely not, a boycott would not work exactly for the reasons stated people would simply buy on the 14th or the 16th.
One day of boycott would do no good , you would have to be able to commit to a week or possibly two of the entire country not buying gas for something like this to be effective and THEN your looking at it hurting us as a people because of not being able to commute to work therefor not getting paid and the effects just snowball. The ONLY way out of this would be if the federal government stepped in and did something. However we all know that isnt going to happen because anyone involved in something like this is either in the oil companies pockets, oblivious to the real world where real people (like you and I) struggle to make ends meet, or worst case both. There is no end in sight folks, and the worst part is , We let ‘em do it. Sad Really
the only thing that will make a difference with gas prices is to cut down on driving and consumption EVERYDAY, PERIOD. Gas is running out but we keep driving and using like fuel will always be available and somehow it is our god-given right to drive and drive and drive.
Higher gas prices are inevitable. It is economics 101 that as demand increases and supply dwindles prices will increase to maintain equilibrium. It is the mechanism by which capitalism regulates the consumption of resources and products and it is why capitalist economies are wealthier than socialist and communist economies. Moreover, high gas prices are in our long-term best interest. High prices will slow global warming and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Start planning for $5 or $6 dollars a gallon soon and over $10 a gallon by 2020.
i think it is time for americans to show solidarity in this issue…. if it makes the nat’l news in a big way the people will learn a great lesson…and that will be more worthwhile than the reduction in the price of gas…
One-day gas boycotts are foolish. The issue is that we burn too much gas. It doesn’t matter which day we buy the gas. If you _must_ boycott something, how about something that really is a sacrifice — boycott DRIVING YOUR CAR for a day. And pick a day when you actually would normally drive.
I agree that if you make the purchase another day nothing is gained. What I haved recommended is that everyone not drive on a given day. If we all stopped driving one day, didn’t go to work, school, store etc. That would create a gas glut. If driving on June 15th for example was restricted to only emergency trips then the idea will work. Not only would we save a lot of gas, but it would also send a message if no one showed up at work. All those CEOs would get a message that we are serious and they would put pressure on the oil companies. Think about the impact of no one showing up at Nordstroms, Sears, the grocery store, movie, etc. etc. Spend the day at home doing something with the kids, relaxing. The amount of gas saved if only 20% of drivers took part in the stop driving for a day the savings in gas would be significant. And if needed we could do it again in July. Keep it up until there is so much gas available the stations would have gas wars. Remember those? Spread the word.
More effective: all who can use Public Transit on May 15th should do so and see what affect that has on the oil industry.
Of course a gas boycott won’t work. It’s not like people can suddenly stop using gas. Most people in this country have made a conscious choice to live in a place where the only way to move around is in a car. We constantly complain about gas prices, but then we we buy homes further and further from town centers where the only reasonable option is to drive everywhere.
Here’s an idea. I haven’t bought gas in almost two weeks. Why? Because I live close to work and commute on a trolley, and I live in a neighborhood with wide sidewalks where I can walk to everything I need.
People in this country somehow think they are entitled to a 2-acre lot with a 3,000sf house in the middle of nowhere. If you choose to have that living arrangement, then be prepared to live with the consequences of complete dependence on your car.
Boycotting gas on a specific day is the most unintelligent idea i’ve ever heard of. Just because you don’t buy gas on one day doesn’t mean you wont fill up the day before or day after. Either way the oil companies are getting their money. I’d like to meet the person who started that chain e-mail so I can slap them for being so stupid.
Here we have a picture perfect attempt at rebellion by the modern citizenry. “Don’t buy gas for one day!” Ridiculous. How about “Don’t drive your Suburban XL SUV 3 blocks to buy a bag of groceries day!” Or, “Don’t drive on the weekend day!” This shows the maximum of what people are willing to do as a sacrifice when they are “outraged” at gasoline prices. Obesity rates skyrocketing, gas prices at all time highs…coincidence?
It makes a lot more sense to make a concerted effort to carpool – actually take cars off the road. That would impact usage and thus gas purchases. Still it probably wouldn’t impact prices as oil companies will name some obscure damage or incident at the refineries to keep prices elevated.
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Hello my name is Carlo. I have a suggestion for people trying to boycott gas. Instead of trying to boycott certain companies for a few days we should try to organize a weekend boycott of gas every week world wide. All people would have to do is walk a little more on the weekends and would still be able to get to work, and school on weekdays. This would lower the companies profits and lower our dependency on gas.
PS. I suggest you watch a movie called “Who Killed the Electric Car”