Comments on: Oil Strikes and Gasoline Boycotts

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:38:52 +0000

This is so true. I’m so sick of hearing people talk about about how a gas strike for a day will make such a big difference. The fact is just that so many of them aren’t willing to put in the effort to change their lifestyle. A lot of the people I see making that claim are the same people that drive across a small shopping center’s parking lot because they don’t want to walk, who drive more powerful vehicles than they’ll ever need, who idle their car for ten minutes outside their house.

By: John

John — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:08:34 +0000

Tyler, station owners actually make little to no money on the sale of gas, it’s seriously penny a litre type profit. The only way they make any money is through the sale of car washes and convenience items inside the snack shop. The only price they should care about in the event of a gas boycott would be advertising deals on red bull and doritos in hopes that people will continue a gas boycott but not a food boycott.

Geoff, I think you’re handsome.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:23:13 +0000

Hey Geoff. I really enjoy this article, it’s top notch in my opinion. I just have a question. What happens to those Shell gas stations if a boycott lasts long enough? Won’t the station owners try and do something to help themselves?

By: Max

Max — Sun, 18 May 2008 01:01:18 +0000

I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100%, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong.

By: Adam Pieniazek

Adam Pieniazek — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:41:41 +0000

Great article. Thanks for taking the time to write such a well-explained analysis of why the stop-gap measures won’t work. Now I can simply send people to your page instead of trying to explain the shortsightedness of a gas strike/boycott etc.

+15 million life points to you good sir.

By: Dennis Bubla

Dennis Bubla — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:21:43 +0000

The Ultimately Boston Tea Party Against High Gas and Oil Prices! Imagine a block of 50-100 cars and trucks travelling down the freeway at 20 mph below the posted speed limit in all lanes disrupting traffic flow patterns during rush hour. My ultimate form of protest to which I am using is to reduce my motor vehicle travel speed to less than 20 miles per hour (mph) below the posted speed limit when I drive on any roadway—- even the freeway. I have made my gas in my tank last two weeks by doing this. Knowing that not all would do this, if most everyone protested in this manner and drives 20 miles per hour (mph) below the posted speed limit, a reduction in the amount of gasoline will be seen, with a reduction in speed in the amount of traffic that can move along the streets, with a reduction in the amount of tickets that can be issued by the police, with a reduction in the amount of revenue that can be obtained by municipal governments, which will force governments to reduce speed limits on roadways, which could then be met with an additional 15-20 mile per hour (mph) below the speed limit reduction by motorists-if the price is not reduced to the 1.50 per gallon level for purchased gasoline. Ultimately if the government does not limit the price gouging, perhaps the motorists will hit government in the revenue pocket where they belong-since taxes are collected per gallon of gasoline sold. So through this protest, hopefully the word will get out to oil companies and others responsible-lower the price of gasoline or the people will use gas and oil against the same entities that use gas and oil against us. Doesn’t matter who is at fault in the increase in gas prices: OPEC is, or the government is, or the Wall Street speculators are or the local gas stations are-somebody is. If the consumer drives less or drives slower, in a planned, chosen protest day, ultimately this protest or numerous protests around the country or globe will lower the price. What excuse would anyone have then to raise the price of gas? President Bush already said to change driving habits, is this not the ultimate way? Sort of a Boston Tea Party, but on oil and gas. Feel free copy my protest idea as a national protest, but thought I would pass it on. Sure beats not being able to do anything else as others get richer of the money I pay for gasoline these days.

By: MattBoston

MattBoston — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:03:44 +0000

Finally, someone that very eloquently and simply was able to write up how this all works. Now if only we can get people to stop sending those boycott emails around.

By: mekaeel

mekaeel — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:26:47 +0000

thanks! that was an interesting read ^_^ well done!

By: Curtis

Curtis — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:23:53 +0000

Great Info! i agree if the demand does not change, nothing will change! The France has implemented a plan to improve the environment. This plan go back to a time before the automobile. Riding bikes. The bikes are provide by the government at a finominnal low rental fee, with docking stations though out the city. I did hear Washington D.C will be receiving from the French the docking bikes for the cit of Wash. D.C.

By: Ben

Ben — Thu, 15 May 2008 05:32:50 +0000

I think you’ve got it: long-term demand reduction. Not just for oil, but for energy in general. Technology is not our main limitation. The big roadblocks are policies and habits and lifestyles. We commute an hour to work every day, we can’t walk to shops and restaurants, we ship food and goods across the country and back rather than buying locally, we pour grain and land into factory-farmed animals for a greatly reduced food output (the amount of food you get from a cow is much less than the food you fed to the cow).

The solution is not to make gas prices go down, it’s to find another way of doing things.