10 billion

[FreightTrain]

Looks like American's drove almost 10 billion fewer miles in May of 2008 vs May of 2007. For argument sake lets say every vehicle in America gets 20 miles per gallon. If you do the math from May of 2008 vs May of 2007 Americans used 500 million fewer gallons of gas. You would think these bastards would be choking on gas right now, but all we get is a 20 cent drop in price. :mad:

I love the part of the article were big government starts to cry about less taxes being collected and how the highway trust fund is in trouble. Show me a government agency that isn't in trouble and actually spends less than they take in. Never mind the fact the goverment raids the gas tax coffer's to prop up all kinds of other agencies. Or the fact how most new roads are Toll roads and zero tax dollars are spent to build these roads. I wish they would have mentioned how the tax payers take it in the shorts. We pay the gas tax and then we get to pay the toll for the toll roads.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/BusinessTravel/story?id=5465036&page=1

[slow99]

Looks like American's drove almost 10 billion fewer miles in May of 2008 vs May of 2007. For argument sake lets say every vehicle in America gets 20 miles per gallon. If you do the math from May of 2008 vs May of 2007 Americans used 5 billion fewer gallons of gas.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/BusinessTravel/story?id=5465036&page=1

I'll preface this with the fact that I'm hammered, but something about those numbers isn't adding up.

[FreightTrain]

I'll preface this with the fact that I'm hammered, but something about those numbers isn't adding up.


LOL well since I've had a few and its late I had to redo my math. Seems as though I counted one to many zeros. I'll fix the numbers so the math is correct.

[Slowhand]

Go Union; only the best and brightest there.

I'll preface this with the fact that I'm hammered, but something about those numbers isn't adding up.

What are you talking about? 2 MPG sounds about right, does it not? ;)

[FreightTrain]

[QUOTE=SOHC]Go Union; only the best and brightest there.


[QUOTE]


Nice ninja edit. To answer your orginal post I don't get emotional about these kind of things. I get pissed off when the goverment thinks the American people are to stupid to realize they are getting fucked twice. It sickens me to see how much money I pay in taxes every pay check.

[Slowhand]

I get pissed off when the goverment thinks the American people are to stupid to realize they are getting fucked twice. It sickens me to see how much money I pay in taxes every pay check.

The American people are the largest conglomerate of dumbass on the face of this planet; I feel zero sympathy for any person in this country, financially speaking.

And it sickens me to see how much money I pay in taxes every pay check, and guess whose fault it is? The American public. The people in office that are taxing us out the ass were put into office by your fellow Americans.

It could be worse; we could live an any number of European countries, where 50% of your income goes to taxes, which subsequently go to pay for people who choose not to be employed.

[slow99]

It sickens me to see how much money I pay in taxes every pay check.

You could always ask your Union Rep to negotiate a market wage for you. :D

Just some late night pot stirring, that's all.

[Slowhand]

You could always ask your Union Rep to negotiate a market wage for you. :D

Just some late night pot stirring, that's all.

Lmao, nice one liner...asshole. :D

[slow99]

Lmao, nice one liner...asshole. :D

Hey, I love BNI...not sure if that's who freightrain works for, but they did me alright in Q2 of this year.

[FreightTrain]

You could always ask your Union Rep to negotiate a market wage for you. :D

Just some late night pot stirring, that's all.


LOL the company wouldn't have any part of that. Our wages/contracts are negotiated on a national level. That means you get paid the same amount wether you work in California, Texas, or New York. A railroad job is consider good money in most states. However in California and a few other states it's considered a joke. To put things in perspective the average employee in Texas works 33 years and then retires. In California they have a hard time getting guys to stay 5 years and they are always hiring because most guys can't afford to work for the railroad.

[slow99]

LOL the company wouldn't have any part of that. Our wages/contracts are negotiated on a national level. That means you get paid the same amount wether you work in California, Texas, or New York. A railroad job is consider good money in most states. However in California and a few other states it's considered a joke. To put things in perspective the average employee in Texas works 33 years and then retires. In California they have a hard time getting guys to stay 5 years and they are always hiring because most guys can't afford to work for the railroad.

Are you with BNI?

[FreightTrain]

Hey, I love BNI...not sure if that's who freightrain works for, but they did me alright in Q2 of this year.


Pm headed your way.

[slow99]

Pm headed your way.

Answered, I have family over at BNI.

[TexasDevilDog]

Mathematics for the WTL for some people

10 billion less miles with an estimated 250,851,833 registered passenger vehicles in the United States according to a 2006 DOT study makes an average 39.86 miles less per vehicle. If average mpg = 20, then 500 million gallons less gasoline would be used. (which is correct)

A change of 10 billion miles to 254.7 billion miles is only a change of 3.8%. If gasoline fell 20 cents from $4.00 to $3.80, that is a change of 5%.

[01WhiteCobra]

I love the part of the article were big government starts to cry about less taxes being collected and how the highway trust fund is in trouble. Show me a government agency that isn't in trouble and actually spends less than they take in. Never mind the fact the goverment raids the gas tax coffer's to prop up all kinds of other agencies. Or the fact how most new roads are Toll roads and zero tax dollars are spent to build these roads. I wish they would have mentioned how the tax payers take it in the shorts. We pay the gas tax and then we get to pay the toll for the toll roads.

You point out the single largest problem about the gas tax which is our Congress and President continue to raid the highway fund for the War on Terror and Katrina and a few other things along the way.

The larger problem is DOT is taking back over 3.15 BILLION from States this year which was earmarked for road improvement. Money they already have given to the States! This year Texas will give back 257 MILLION. Texas has been asked to give back 900 MILLION to DOT since 2005.

Why is SH 121 becoming a tollway? Because NTTA has given Denton, Collin and Dallas counties hundreds of millions of dollars that will be used to do highway and road projects that can no longer be funded by TxDot (the stupidity and inefficiency of TxDot is another thread.)

Not only are we slowly selling our future to foreigners (debt) we can't even keeping up with basic infrastructure.



A change of 10 billion miles to 254.7 billion miles is only a change of 3.8%. If gasoline fell 20 cents from $4.00 to $3.80, that is a change of 5%.

Apples to oranges comparison. If you comparison was valid we would have all stopped driving completely by now given the over 100% in gas prices over the past couple of years.

[mikeb]

You would think these bastards would be choking on gas right now, but all we get is a 20 cent drop in price. :mad:


My guess is that the refineries have reduced output; I think I heard lately that they are only running around 80% of capacity. So if the refineries are using less crude it stands to reason that crude will eventually either back up, or will get bought by another country and stockpiled or refined (china is reported to be stockpiling oil in preparation for the olympics). Some are saying that once the olympics are done then china will reduce it's demand for oil. I think this point in time will bear watching carefully for the oil bubble to pop. Other countries are using less oil & gas (the U.S.) and still other countries are removing their government subsidies, thus raising prices to their populations and probably reducing demand.

The whole oil picture is quite interesting to watch at the moment.

You are right about the tax situation, and the states crying about not having money to fix/build roads while they siphon off motor fuel taxes for welfare.

[Vertnut]

You point out the single largest problem about the gas tax which is our Congress and President continue to raid the highway fund for the War on Terror and Katrina and a few other things along the way.

The larger problem is DOT is taking back over 3.15 BILLION from States this year which was earmarked for road improvement. Money they already have given to the States! This year Texas will give back 257 MILLION. Texas has been asked to give back 900 MILLION to DOT since 2005.

Why is SH 121 becoming a tollway? Because NTTA has given Denton, Collin and Dallas counties hundreds of millions of dollars that will be used to do highway and road projects that can no longer be funded by TxDot (the stupidity and inefficiency of TxDot is another thread.)

Not only are we slowly selling our future to foreigners (debt) we can't even keeping up with basic infrastructure.




Apples to oranges comparison. If you comparison was valid we would have all stopped driving completely by now given the over 100% in gas prices over the past couple of years.
The saddest part is that one of the few jobs our government is supposed to do, is keep up with/construct roads, neither of which is being done very well.

[Denny]

I'll preface this with the fact that I'm hammered, but something about those numbers isn't adding up.
LMMFGDAO!!!

If you know Jody, it's even funnier!

[TexasDevilDog]

Apples to oranges comparison. If you comparison was valid we would have all stopped driving completely by now given the over 100% in gas prices over the past couple of years.

Gasoline is an inelastic product. ;)

[Gripenfelter]

Here it is, gasoline supplies are low even thought we drove 10 billion less miles. Oh, don't forget the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped down, seems like a good reason for price to jump. Gotta keep those prices up. :rolleyes:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices;_ylt=AhqwUza6F5xesHs1l_hX2fOs0NUE

NEW YORK - Oil prices shot up Wednesday, jumping as much as $5 a barrel and halting a dramatic two-week slide after the government reported a surprise drop in gasoline supplies. Also supporting prices was news that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will step down in September, a move that raised doubts about progress for U.S.-backed Middle East peace efforts in the oil-producing region.

[01WhiteCobra]

Here it is, gasoline supplies are low even thought we drove 10 billion less miles. Oh, don't forget the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped down, seems like a good reason for price to jump. Gotta keep those prices up. :rolleyes:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices;_ylt=AhqwUza6F5xesHs1l_hX2fOs0NUE

Of course supplies are lower. Why would you want to buy and store something that is dropping in price and not wait for it to drop further?

A gnat farted in Venezuela... oil up $10!