Do you believe "I cannot come into work because I cannot afford gas" will be viable?

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Hu, considering our commuting allowance and commuting assistance are being increased this month, I guess the US doesn't have something comparable, right?

Helping people with their travel expenses? That sounds like evil communism to me bud :P

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Sorry but no, the government/taxpayers don't owe people subsidized gas.

Big Oil is already heavily subsidized...even though they are making record profits.

[Shadowferal]

Big Oil is already heavily subsidized...even though they are making record profits.

You can't give out a few bucks to people because you have to give billions to big business. It's the libertarian way.

[Ghost of Cow]

I'm usually pretty apathetic to money issues, and I know many people are are very tight budgets. But still it seems like the math for gas increasing by $2/gallon to be a reason not to be able to afford to go to work is a stretch. A 20 mpg car (which isn't even that good) and 20 miles from work (quite a distance) is only an additional $4 for a commute with $5 vs. $3 gas. Even McD's pays $15/hour, and is essentially the new minimum wage. If you're working anywhere for less than $15/hour, you're being underpaid. $4 in gas for a shift is not going to come close to making working a shift not worthwhile or viable. What it takes to "fill your tank" and the cost to drive around for personal reasons has gone up, but that's a different discussion. The math for work travel not being viable because of a $2/gallon change in gas prices simply doesn't add up.

This is basically what I came to post!

I fill up my tank like once every two weeks, give or take. Assuming I don't let it empty completely each time, that's 13-14 gallons. Even a difference of two dollars/gallon means I'm spending an extra $1.75 a day.

That would add up over time, but it sure as hell isn't keeping you from getting to work.

As for vehicles with shit fuel economy and/or a lot of recreational driving...well, that's on the individual. I know no one likes to hear that nowadays, but that's how it is.

[PC2]

Big Oil is already heavily subsidized...even though they are making record profits.

Great then you can be happy if you think gas should be subsidized.

[Zan15]

Sorry but no, the government/taxpayers don't owe people subsidized gas.

But somehow, we owe every farmer subsidized everything....to just name one group.

Oil should have been a national resource like many other countries.
Just like water.

It was one of the biggest mistakes this country ever made

[Mayhem]

Helping people with their travel expenses? That sounds like evil communism to me bud :P

Yeah, you're right, I forgot.

The farther you live from your workplace the more money you get to help with travel expenses, so in practice, public transport is free for me.

silly socialism

[unfilteredJW]

Sorry but no, the government/taxpayers don't owe people subsidized gas.

Another day, another uninformed take from PC2.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Great then you can be happy if you think gas should be subsidized.

You're leaving out the "for the people" part...

Subsidizing an industry that is making record profits makes no sense.

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Yeah, you're right, I forgot.

The farther you live from your workplace the more money you get to help with travel expenses, so in practice, public transport is free for me.

silly socialism

Obviously your country must be in financial ruin. :P

People probably don't even have enough money to purchase the guns and ammo they need to shoot up their local schools.

[Mayhem]

Obviously your country must be in financial ruin. :P

People probably don't even have enough money to purchase the guns and ammo they need to shoot up their local schools.

Funny enough, we kind of are, not really but it's getting worse, but that's because we were despite all of this socialism run most of the time by a right-wing government that well mostly worked for themselves and the rich.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Funny enough, we kind of are, not really but it's getting worse, but that's because we were despite all of this socialism run most of the time by a right-wing government that well mostly worked for themselves and the rich.

Your honest answer undercut my sarcasm. 100 DKP MINUS.

[Cthulhu 2020]

You're leaving out the "for the people" part...

Don't forget, as of Citizen's United, businesses are people too!

[Unholyground]

Sorry but no, the government/taxpayers don't owe people subsidized gas.

That mentality is exactly the problem with people. Individuals value themselves over all else.

[Rasulis]

Another one of "life's choices" that people can't afford; 100 Million People in America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt[/i]

A lot more in that link.

US health care, even with ACA which I am grateful for, is atrocious. One of the main factors why my wife and I worked so hard at keeping our weight, sugar and cholesterol down.

[postman1782]

Another day, another uninformed take from PC2.

Its a day ending in Y, so not surprising.

[Forogil]

You think companies will give breaks to people who literally cannot commute to work because of how expensive it is?

Not sure whats worse, companies demanding employees go back to the office or risk getting fired vs. Companies doing this while gas is at an ATH.

But thats just my opinion.

Thoughts?

That gas prices are too low in the US (in part due to the excise tax not being adjusted for inflation), and these prices will make people more aware of the fuel-consumption of their cars, and of alternatives (ride-sharing, mass-transit, hybrids, electric, moving, etc).

For comparison the prices in many countries in the EU are at least 30% higher.

Yes, I understand that this is unpopular and adapting to higher gas prices will be painful.

[Al Gorefiend]

You think this is bad, wait until food starts becoming so expensive people resort to pet food quality human kibble n' bits to feed their families. Gas prices are interlinked to the trucks that deliver food, after all.

[Muzjhath]

That gas prices are too low in the US (in part due to the excise tax not being adjusted for inflation), and these prices will make people more aware of the fuel-consumption of their cars, and of alternatives (ride-sharing, mass-transit, hybrids, electric, moving, etc).

For comparison the prices in many countries in the EU are at least 30% higher.

Yes, I understand that this is unpopular and adapting to higher gas prices will be painful.

For lots of those alternatives the infrastructure needs to exist.
And in lots of the US it just flat doesn't.

They've got a 4-6 lane stroad with a 70km/h or more speed limit with 5-15 crossings with or without lights where you've got to cross in an environment openly hostile to anything outside of a car.

[Forogil]

For lots of those alternatives the infrastructure needs to exist.
And in lots of the US it just flat doesn't.

But not for all of the alternatives, and the infrastructure is more likely to be built if there is a need for it - obviously it will take time.

That's why I stated that adapting to higher gas prices will be painful.

[Elegiac]

You think companies will give breaks to people who literally cannot commute to work because of how expensive it is?

Not sure whats worse, companies demanding employees go back to the office or risk getting fired vs. Companies doing this while gas is at an ATH.

But thats just my opinion.

Thoughts?

Probably wouldn't be viable, no.

Then again, I'm of the opinion that employers should be required to compensate workers for time and resources spent commuting.

[MCMLXXXII]

Probably wouldn't be viable, no.

Then again, I'm of the opinion that employers should be required to compensate workers for time and resources spent commuting.

Wait, that's not a thing in every civilized country? Dayum. I get 19 cents per kilometer, no tax. Also 150 euros per month for other expenses.