With Easter almost upon us, the usual people are complaining in advance about how the price of petrol will shoot up when hordes of people take to the roads for the long weekend, with the oil companies mysteriously wanting to cash-in.
Well, duh. What do you expect? This is how the free-market economy works. And we (collectively) have made it this way. We’ve given the oil companies virtual control over our economy by spending up big on roads and cars for decades so most people are dependent on petrol. And the oil companies, in case nobody noticed, are private companies aiming to make a profit. We want petrol. We’re willing to pay more. So we do. Who can blame the companies involved for wanting to make a buck?
On the bright side, perhaps the prices dampen demand, reducing congestion and carbon emissions. Well, we can only hope.
(All that said, if I use up my half-a-tank and have to re-fill at $1.30-something, I’ll be spitting chips too.)
PS. Lunchtime. I noted a big queue in Haigh’s Chocolates as I walked past on the way to work this morning. I assume they don’t jack up their prices at Easter, though I guess they easily could. Oh, and those who’ve switched from petrol to LP Gas recently shouldn’t be smug today.
7 replies on “Easter petrol prices”
I just sold my gas guzzling Commodore and am not replacing it, having switched to cycle and purely public transport. Every time I see the price of petrol I shiver and then pat my wallet and my new ipod which I bought with what would have been car rego money.
Have you seen the South Park episode “Smug Alert”? Well, as much as I feel a little smug not having a car any more, the benefits far outweigh any social pariah status I might attain as a result :)
Haven’t yet dispersed with my own personal wheels, and to be honest I probably never will (out of choice anyway), but the new car is much more fuel effient than the 15 year old magna and I’m aiming to work either closer to home or within PT distance sometime in the near future, so baby steps for me.
Only thing the high petrol prices do for me is not allow me to take my kids on a drive on the long weekends or holidays, as my Mum would have with us kids.
PT not being an option where I live, I’ll continue to drive my wasteful, petrol sucking Crown Victoria (and love it), petrol prices notwithstanding. As Ed Hudgins from the Objectivist Centre put it:
“Energy is not for conserving; it is for unleashing to serve us, to make our lives better, to allow us to realise our dreams and to reach for the stars”
Rae: yeah it’s never going to be for everybody (even if they’d want it). But we can all plan to reduce our dependency.
Bob, people like you are why I hope petrol prices continue to climb.
Did the ride to work thing yesterday (as opposed to the tram in, 50 minute walk home). My legs feel like jelly and my bum isn’t it’s usual self, but it does feel good. The car trip to work from now on will strictly be a once a week thing.
The petrol companies treat us with such contempt. Do they expect us to believe the price jumps right before every public holiday?
I would like to get everyone possible to boycotte one of the majors, like shell for instance, for one month. Surely that would cost them a few million in lost sales around the country and perhaps make them realise that we the public can be pushed only so far.
Might give the others a wake up call too.
Just thinking….
Yes, it’s depressing how many people want their own little patch of territory deregulated (“I don’t need government controls on ME!”) then rush whining to Big Brother when some other deregulated business does what comes naturally. High petrol prices will do a lot more to motivate research into alternatives than any amount of Green campaigns or government hand-waving.