Edit: This post is intended only for those who compulsively shop around for low gas prices
OK, I was thinking about a rant about this, but I'm going to go ahead and put it here.
Why the fuck do people care so much about gas prices!? Do you realize how silly you sound when you think they concern your daily driving habits?
But first: a disclaimer. Gas prices do affect you, indirectly, they effect the cost of shipping goods accross the nation, and these costs eventually make their way down to you.
With this in mind, I now plan to address those who complain constantly about the price of gas and/or shop around for the lowest prices at various gas stations.
Different prices of gas affect you much less than you believe.
Lets take, for example, average Joe. Joe drives an average mid-sized family sedan an average amount of 15,000 miles per year. Joes sedan averages to about 23 miles per gallon. Assume Joe can choose between 2 gas stations, one that charges a low rate for gas, and one that charges 20 cents more per gallon (an extreme amount). The 20 cent difference (way greater than you will ever find), amounts to an extra $130 per year in gasolene costs. This in turn breaks down to just about $10 per month.
I piss $10 per month. Joe could save twice that amount of money switching from regular cereal to generic cereal, paying off his credit card, switching cell phones, or getting more efficient appliances around the house.
My point is this: gas prices don't affect you nearly as much as other things despite the fact that I hear people bitch about them constantly. Shopping around for gas prices is pointless.
Assuming you can always find a gas station 5 cents cheaper per gallon (good luck) that amounts to about a $2.5 per month savings, if worrying constantly about cheap gas, and fretting and getting pre-mature heart attacks due to increased stress is worth $2.5/month to you, you are a worthless human being and deserve to die.
That is all.
[ May 12, 2004, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: DJ FC ]
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