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A majority of Americans set gas prices for all of us

GasBuddy Blog -- As much as it stinks to hear, sometimes rising gasoline prices are partially our own fault. The fact that Americans are beginning to spend more shows that the economy is on the mend, and while Americans may be buying more food or clothes, they're also making more trips to the store, the mall, etc. The one product letting them get there is gasoline. We can directly tie increased shopping purchases and retail sales increases to gasoline demand. The more people are purchasing, the more gasoline they're undoubtedly using to get to stores or to the mall.

February's retail sales report showed definite signs of people beginning to open their wallets more for items they want, but that also means they should prepare to pay more at the pump...

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Submitted Mar 12, 2010 By: PD

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foxups Champion Author Toledo Posts:3,252 Points:645,060 Joined:Feb 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:20:25 AM Ignore foxups Report Abuse let the good times roll and gas up too
baitmn Champion Author New Orleans Posts:4,008 Points:1,129,025 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:20:18 AM Ignore baitmn Report Abuse This is bull, IT is the GREED of the Sand People along with the GREED of the Oil Speculator trying to control the market prices, that are pushing the pump prices upward. I hope they all loose their A.. off in the market.
DVGas Sophomore Author Seattle Posts:237 Points:414,365 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:18:58 AM Ignore DVGas Report Abuse OH...Now they are blaming all of us for the gas price increases! Nice!
cdanielwyke Champion Author Greensboro Posts:1,550 Points:409,485 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:18:04 AM Ignore cdanielwyke Report Abuse even though our "demand" may be "rising" it still isn't high enough to justify the price of gas we are seeing. simple fact is though, the higher the price goes, the more stifled our economy will be. especially since our economy is currently consumer based.
Road-Runner Champion Author Denver Posts:3,606 Points:1,224,850 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:17:26 AM Ignore Road-Runner Report Abuse Baloney! The reason is cartel pricing (in large part thanks to the EPA) and almost total lack of real competition.
TopGunn Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,244 Points:1,640,735 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:16:53 AM Ignore TopGunn Report Abuse Yesterdays stale 'article' - and only a point if view, not a fact.
GasholeMI Champion Author Lansing Posts:5,289 Points:760,890 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:15:15 AM Ignore GasholeMI Report Abuse Regarding the words "...that the economy is on the mend,..." I will wait to see on that. I see very few signs that it is actually true.
braves89 Champion Author Chicago Posts:2,755 Points:657,420 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:15:10 AM Ignore braves89 Report Abuse damn specualtors
VDubBill Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,004 Points:486,050 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:15:01 AM Ignore VDubBill Report Abuse " ... and while Americans may be buying more food ... ." Were Americans starving during the last year? Not that I see from here. What irks me is buying the nearly lowest priced gas in town and someone else is buying gas at 15 cents or more a gallon just a mile or two away. It looks like they are setting the prices because they settle for buying gas at a higher price.
Bou Champion Author Maine Posts:6,368 Points:1,703,665 Joined:Jan 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:14:30 AM Ignore Bou Report Abuse I haven't noticed a big change in the amount of shopping being done, but that said with increasing gas prices towards $3.00, shopping will come down. unemployment still around 10%.
njerald Champion Author Seattle Posts:2,897 Points:667,455 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:14:11 AM Ignore njerald Report Abuse DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tnerbeel Champion Author Houston Posts:3,747 Points:776,635 Joined:Mar 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:14:00 AM Ignore Tnerbeel Report Abuse What a profound headline. Sounds almost like a 'Yogi' [Berra].
pbc2001 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,311 Points:416,430 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:13:40 AM Ignore pbc2001 Report Abuse Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
donny47 All-Star Author New Hampshire Posts:837 Points:349,170 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:11:16 AM Ignore donny47 Report Abuse supply and demand.
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,826 Points:763,480 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:08:39 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse that way... gas will go down for all of us!!! NOT! Got Hybrid?
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,826 Points:763,480 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:08:03 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse so if I have 3 bucks... and choose not to spend it on a gallon of gas.. but instead by a gallon of milk... will gas go down and milk go up? so everyone should go buy milk and forget the gas!!!
Bhmf4 All-Star Author Alabama Posts:504 Points:404,340 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:06:51 AM Ignore Bhmf4 Report Abuse Yes, oil companies raise prices when they can and lower them when they must. We do the same thing with our wages and salaries, with the exception of government workers. This is good for our economy. When prices are going up, then investors are looking for more supply, when prices are down, we like it but the exploration for new supply goes down. As long as the market can rule and not government or monopoly interests, then we all win.
Agabel Champion Author Colorado Springs Posts:1,521 Points:943,790 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:06:20 AM Ignore Agabel Report Abuse the refineries are not even running at full capacity so how can this cause prices to go up?
ndhoanggia All-Star Author New York Posts:696 Points:215,505 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:04:36 AM Ignore ndhoanggia Report Abuse It's greed!
cloud23465 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:3,148 Points:657,220 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:04:08 AM Ignore cloud23465 Report Abuse This has to be the dumbest thing I've ever read! It's our fault?! yeah! NO... it's not the greedy oil companies (OPEC) cutting supplys and speculators either... it all us...
wiwhite87 Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,032 Points:117,445 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:02:30 AM Ignore wiwhite87 Report Abuse Changed behavior en masse will produce new results. The easiest way to induce change in the market is to pull out your money.
PaylessKY Champion Author Kentucky Posts:3,585 Points:664,380 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:02:13 AM Ignore PaylessKY Report Abuse Just because people ar going to shopping centers more is not a valid reason to raise gas prices. As some of the previous posters stated more people are shopping on line. The oil people raise prices because they can.
rbrowdersr Champion Author Detroit Posts:3,009 Points:984,365 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 11:01:21 AM Ignore rbrowdersr Report Abuse A deversion to cloud the issues.
Hazelnut Champion Author Greensboro Posts:1,881 Points:754,305 Joined:Sep 2003	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:56:17 AM Ignore Hazelnut Report Abuse They didn't mention the online shoppers which didn't use any gasoline for the trip to the mall. Except for delivery vehicles ...
thepi Sophomore Author Twin Cities Posts:150 Points:597,215 Joined:Nov 2001	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:55:27 AM Ignore thepi Report Abuse Blah, blah, blah....we have one month where retail sales are up a small amount, and gas prices are "ok" to go up. All BS. Maybe, if the politicians listened to the people instead of the lobbyist...oh heck, preaching to the choir, right?
Doubleeez Champion Author Connecticut Posts:2,742 Points:545,515 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:55:00 AM Ignore Doubleeez Report Abuse Could it be that there were more trips to the stores and malls because of the severe winter weather which required purchases that were not expected?
I10Express Champion Author San Antonio Posts:3,705 Points:662,345 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:54:22 AM Ignore I10Express Report Abuse When the speculators drive the price of oil up and the pump price jumps the next day that is just plain greed. The oil was not refined and gas shipped to the pump that fast.
mmene Champion Author Houston Posts:2,570 Points:585,470 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:53:12 AM Ignore mmene Report Abuse Yes, consumer demand obviously must play a key role in the price of gas just like anything else. And frankly, the best way to cut that demand is increasing adoption of mass transit. Not that it is the right solution for every person in every circumstance. But it definitely can be a lot more widely used that it is today. It is the one technology that is completely ready, completely available and can cut fuel/transportation costs massively. All it takes is sustained political will. [Edited by: mmene at 3/13/2010 10:55:01 AM EST]
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:5,957 Points:1,169,270 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:51:37 AM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse My demand is down from this time last year.
ifallsguy Champion Author Minnesota Posts:2,723 Points:756,625 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:51:36 AM Ignore ifallsguy Report Abuse what goes down, must go up
Robert44 Champion Author Columbus Posts:2,835 Points:752,000 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:50:56 AM Ignore Robert44 Report Abuse Up and Down, Up and Down, so on ...
vegaland Champion Author Houston Posts:2,403 Points:501,795 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:50:11 AM Ignore vegaland Report Abuse Same as yesterday.
DrLyon Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,909 Points:251,400 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:47:33 AM Ignore DrLyon Report Abuse A lot of the increase is "seasonal" demand.
MacDad614 All-Star Author Atlanta Posts:513 Points:405,700 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:40:33 AM Ignore MacDad614 Report Abuse So to lower gas costs we should sit at home and buy nothing except that little bit of gas to get to/from work and the store where we buy our groceries? I for one do not believe everyone is traveling more and shopping more. A mall near us has had about half of the stores in it close - they are gone.
sivart Champion Author Arkansas Posts:11,917 Points:2,103,080 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:39:27 AM Ignore sivart Report Abuse If we are driving more, then tell me why the demand is down!!!
Don20 Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:4,740 Points:1,646,850 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:38:42 AM Ignore Don20 Report Abuse As much as it stinks to hear, sometimes rising gasoline prices are partially our own fault. The fact that Americans are beginning to spend more shows that the economy is on the mend, and while Americans may be buying more food or clothes, they're also making more trips to the store, the mall, etc. The one product letting them get there is gasoline. We can directly tie increased shopping purchases and retail sales increases to gasoline demand. The more people are purchasing, the more gasoline they're undoubtedly using to get to stores or to the mall. And if the price of gasoline goes up, they will also stop buying so lets keep the price of gas down.. High gas prices will also kill any recession recovery..
close2broke All-Star Author Detroit Posts:799 Points:304,075 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:37:41 AM Ignore close2broke Report Abuse It's all our fault. Yeah right, who wrote this article, Obama?
tazdriver Champion Author Huntsville Posts:4,892 Points:1,180,600 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:37:08 AM Ignore tazdriver Report Abuse Higher gas prices are an indication that oil companies are collecting future profits. We need low prices for 2 or 3 years with no profit to bring the market back to life. The oil companies have already collected profits for years into the future.
gasper All-Star Author Edmonton Posts:622 Points:507,405 Joined:Mar 2002	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:36:06 AM Ignore gasper Report Abuse This statement is an insult to all of us we are the problem? I think not if we slow down the use of fuel the economy will not grow people will stay home and people will lose jobs. I think that this article is an insult to the people who keep the economy going by vacation and spending money at restaurants hotels amusement parks etc. and the list goes on this person who wrote this is not looking at the big picture.
ironbox_sara Champion Author Albany Posts:4,711 Points:1,295,675 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:35:54 AM Ignore ironbox_sara Report Abuse All BS. But that's what we've come to expect.
NatureBoyKY Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,886 Points:618,815 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:35:14 AM Ignore NatureBoyKY Report Abuse This is true BECAUSE the price of fuel is now more closely tied to comodities trading than to actual supply and demand. Thank you George!
TeachR06 Champion Author Raleigh Posts:3,535 Points:1,012,760 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:31:42 AM Ignore TeachR06 Report Abuse Right....it's the consumers fault if it goes down or up even if the economy is the same.
eddyp94 Champion Author Ontario Posts:4,166 Points:870,410 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:31:02 AM Ignore eddyp94 Report Abuse I don't believe what they say....
Skipper52 Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:2,546 Points:631,975 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:30:44 AM Ignore Skipper52 Report Abuse It's all tied together and you can't do one without the other unless you bye online. But then there are more delivery trunks on the road.
vizilo Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,936 Points:1,835,620 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:30:24 AM Ignore vizilo Report Abuse Sounds like higher gas prices may signal a mending economy and more jobs. I don't mind paying more for that
mckellyb Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:7,155 Points:1,287,330 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:28:42 AM Ignore mckellyb Report Abuse There was an upside to $4+/gallon fuel. People paid attention much, much more to driving. The looked ahead, and didn't have a foot pedal in use 100% of the time.
Goatroper Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,061 Points:416,190 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:28:35 AM Ignore Goatroper Report Abuse But gasoline consumption is still down....so why blame the shoppers? Don't confuse my buying groceries with the increase in the price of fuel.
mackconsult Champion Author Portland Posts:1,265 Points:268,655 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:24:15 AM Ignore mackconsult Report Abuse I think people combine trips more now .... [Edited by: mackconsult at 3/13/2010 10:24:26 AM EST]
DocWyeth Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:12,779 Points:1,147,110 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:22:16 AM Ignore DocWyeth Report Abuse Drive slower.
w4kh Champion Author Riverside Posts:6,866 Points:1,276,520 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:20:28 AM Ignore w4kh Report Abuse This is simply reporting the basics of Econ 101 - as demand increases against a relatively fixed supply, the price will rise... we are seeing people spend more, which means a few more jobs, which means even more spending, and more gasoline usage, which in turn drives up prices. Some people, who assume that speculators in the crude oil futures market are controlling pump prices, do not seem to grasp that there is only a very tenuous link between crude oil futures and pump prices, and that there are two totally different markets at work with very different supply and demand pressures that set prices.
DABEE1073 Champion Author San Diego Posts:2,983 Points:597,535 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:13:30 AM Ignore DABEE1073 Report Abuse THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE. I SAY BRAVO SIERRA. THE SPECULATORS SET THE PRICES OF CRUDE AND THE OIL COMPANIES SET THE PRICES AT THE PUMP.
CptnCanada Champion Author Saskatoon Posts:2,753 Points:412,000 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 13, 2010 10:11:33 AM Ignore CptnCanada Report Abuse They will raise the price of fuel again and that will start more job loss and a new recession.