Forums > Social Discussion > UK Fuel Prices
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
addict
434 posts
Location: UK
addict
434 posts
Location: UK
Posted:
Ok I know fuel prices follow the price of oil but does anyone else find a 7% drop in price confusing? A week ago we were looking at 99.9p per litre at most pumps in my area. This week its dropped to 92.9 at my local Sainsburies, with 5p off a litre voucher (thanks mum
) thats 87.9p a litre!
Now, dont get me wrong, I'm not complaining about cheaper fuel, saved me a few pennies this week. But.. what are your thoughts on the changes in fuel prices. Is there an element of price fixing? Bring on the conspiracy theories.
Ok I know fuel prices follow the price of oil but does anyone else find a 7% drop in price confusing? A week ago we were looking at 99.9p per litre at most pumps in my area. This week its dropped to 92.9 at my local Sainsburies, with 5p off a litre voucher (thanks mum
) thats 87.9p a litre! Now, dont get me wrong, I'm not complaining about cheaper fuel, saved me a few pennies this week. But.. what are your thoughts on the changes in fuel prices. Is there an element of price fixing? Bring on the conspiracy theories.
SILVER Member
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Geek
1,261 posts
Location: Manchester, UK
Posted:
I still cant get my head around the fact that I have to pay more for diesel now than people pay for petrol.
It has better emission rates and all diesels give a better mpg than petrol engines. Surely the government should be encouraging people to use diesel over petrol by lowering tax on it or at least freezing tax while petrol continues to increase.
I still cant get my head around the fact that I have to pay more for diesel now than people pay for petrol.
It has better emission rates and all diesels give a better mpg than petrol engines. Surely the government should be encouraging people to use diesel over petrol by lowering tax on it or at least freezing tax while petrol continues to increase.
Scientist of Fortune
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh
Posted:
Mostly tax, then petrol price, then price fixing.
Well, technically not price fixing, just not bothering to lower prices unless someone else does. That's just the way the wonderful world of capitalism works.
Costly petrol keeps down emissions, but keeping prices inflated is bad for the economy, so it's a doubled edged sword real.
Personally I walk. After the revolution we'll probably all be made to give up our cars and wear grey jump suits, so I figure it's time to keep the legs working.
Mostly tax, then petrol price, then price fixing.
Well, technically not price fixing, just not bothering to lower prices unless someone else does. That's just the way the wonderful world of capitalism works.
Costly petrol keeps down emissions, but keeping prices inflated is bad for the economy, so it's a doubled edged sword real.
Personally I walk. After the revolution we'll probably all be made to give up our cars and wear grey jump suits, so I figure it's time to keep the legs working.
According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...
SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA
Posted:
Seye, right now diesel in the states is cheaper than gasoline in most locations.
However, diesel emissions are not necessarily lower than gas emissions. There are a few states (California is one of them, and I have forgotten the other 2) that don't allow diesel cars because their motors do not meet the strict emissions standards in those states. So, I guess it depends on your diesel engine as to whether it's better than gas or not. You are right that regardless they get way better mileage.
Seye, right now diesel in the states is cheaper than gasoline in most locations.
However, diesel emissions are not necessarily lower than gas emissions. There are a few states (California is one of them, and I have forgotten the other 2) that don't allow diesel cars because their motors do not meet the strict emissions standards in those states. So, I guess it depends on your diesel engine as to whether it's better than gas or not. You are right that regardless they get way better mileage.
GOLD Member
addict
434 posts
Location: UK
addict
434 posts
Location: UK
Posted:
Good on you for walking to work. The trouble is its cheaper for me to live at my parents and commute for 2 hours a day (i do pay rent by the way) than it is to rent a 1 bed flat close to where I work. I've recently moved back to my parents for exactly that reason. I guess its a case of environment 0 my wallet 1 in this case. I'd be only too happy to live and work in the same place but with housing prices as they are its just not practical for me.
I was just shocked at the difference, theres not many goods that would shift in price by as much as 7% in a week for the end consumer.
Written by: jeff(fake)
Mostly tax, then petrol price, then price fixing.
Well, technically not price fixing, just not bothering to lower prices unless someone else does. That's just the way the wonderful world of capitalism works.
Costly petrol keeps down emissions, but keeping prices inflated is bad for the economy, so it's a doubled edged sword real.
Personally I walk. After the revolution we'll probably all be made to give up our cars and wear grey jump suits, so I figure it's time to keep the legs working.
Good on you for walking to work. The trouble is its cheaper for me to live at my parents and commute for 2 hours a day (i do pay rent by the way) than it is to rent a 1 bed flat close to where I work. I've recently moved back to my parents for exactly that reason. I guess its a case of environment 0 my wallet 1 in this case. I'd be only too happy to live and work in the same place but with housing prices as they are its just not practical for me.
I was just shocked at the difference, theres not many goods that would shift in price by as much as 7% in a week for the end consumer.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
*entering the realm of world politics*
Well, guess.... natural desasters, broken pipelines, war in the middle east, sheiks needs new international airport - prices rise.... aftermath - prices slump.
The "Graph of correction" (aka "Hassan, got the swiss bank account statements ready?" "Oops, Sheik Bobby, we made a few extra trillion dollars!" "Fair enough!")... basically is like going fishing: When the lad is on the hook, fisherman pulls.... relaxes.... pulls harder.... relax.... But ultimately the fish looses the fight, unless he can cut off the string...
IMHO
*entering the realm of world politics*
Well, guess.... natural desasters, broken pipelines, war in the middle east, sheiks needs new international airport - prices rise.... aftermath - prices slump.
The "Graph of correction" (aka "Hassan, got the swiss bank account statements ready?" "Oops, Sheik Bobby, we made a few extra trillion dollars!" "Fair enough!")... basically is like going fishing: When the lad is on the hook, fisherman pulls.... relaxes.... pulls harder.... relax.... But ultimately the fish looses the fight, unless he can cut off the string...
IMHO the best smiles are the ones you lead to 
GOLD Member
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Posted:
I have a car, I have a student budget, and I can safely say that petrol has a hugely inflated price, and that the price is also incredibly unstable. I'm willing to bet that the main reason that petrol prices go up when there is some oil-related news story is to make more profit than usual, rather than to match the petrol price increase.
However, I also agree with the high petrol price. It WILL dissuade people from driving too much, and so it WILL spare the environment more. It is also unfriendly to SUVs, which is a huge bonus as loads of people drive a big car for no reason other than it makes them 'feel good', and that really gets to me.
I think it would be a good idea to apply it in the US, and see if the emission levels drop dramatically over a few years as it kicks in to people that, actually, efficient cars are better.
https://www.teslamotors.com/
If I had the money, this would be my car, without question. its not environmentally perfect, but its an excellent start. Eliminates the cost of petrol altogether =)
I have a car, I have a student budget, and I can safely say that petrol has a hugely inflated price, and that the price is also incredibly unstable. I'm willing to bet that the main reason that petrol prices go up when there is some oil-related news story is to make more profit than usual, rather than to match the petrol price increase.
However, I also agree with the high petrol price. It WILL dissuade people from driving too much, and so it WILL spare the environment more. It is also unfriendly to SUVs, which is a huge bonus as loads of people drive a big car for no reason other than it makes them 'feel good', and that really gets to me.
I think it would be a good idea to apply it in the US, and see if the emission levels drop dramatically over a few years as it kicks in to people that, actually, efficient cars are better.
https://www.teslamotors.com/
If I had the money, this would be my car, without question. its not environmentally perfect, but its an excellent start. Eliminates the cost of petrol altogether =)
GOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted:
Eclipse, it makes up for it in electricity, which is far cheaper than petroleum in the UK.
The problem with pure battery cars is that while they're great for day-to-day use, when they run out of juice, it takes a LOOONG time (hours) to recharge them. That makes them completely worthless for high-demand jobs or long road trips.
I heard of a rather interesting solution, which is that a car could be driven by batteries, but to make it technically feasable, rather than recharging the batteries, all cars would come equipped with industry standard replaceable batteries. You'd pull into a swap-out station, pay, and then a robot would pull out your spent batteries and put them into a charger, and then it would replace them with fresh batteries. And then you'd drive on. Total time would be comparable to a fill-up.
Eclipse, it makes up for it in electricity, which is far cheaper than petroleum in the UK.
The problem with pure battery cars is that while they're great for day-to-day use, when they run out of juice, it takes a LOOONG time (hours) to recharge them. That makes them completely worthless for high-demand jobs or long road trips.
I heard of a rather interesting solution, which is that a car could be driven by batteries, but to make it technically feasable, rather than recharging the batteries, all cars would come equipped with industry standard replaceable batteries. You'd pull into a swap-out station, pay, and then a robot would pull out your spent batteries and put them into a charger, and then it would replace them with fresh batteries. And then you'd drive on. Total time would be comparable to a fill-up.
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella
A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura
GOLD Member
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Posted:
Electricity is not only cheaper, but environmentally potentially emission free - Tesla mention on their site that they are collaberating with solar cell producers to produce a home charging method that has zero emissions. And that, of course, would be free after the investment in solars.
That is the proposed method for hydrogen fuel cells, I believe. That would work very well indeed, whereupon the problem would be getting the industry to agree to a standard - the robot would have to fit neatly into the unique body shape of each model, and so there would have to be some identical part on every car, which no doubt industry people would be very unhappy about - the batteries would be far to heavy for people to lift.
Written by: Doc Lightning
Eclipse, it makes up for it in electricity, which is far cheaper than petroleum in the UK.
Electricity is not only cheaper, but environmentally potentially emission free - Tesla mention on their site that they are collaberating with solar cell producers to produce a home charging method that has zero emissions. And that, of course, would be free after the investment in solars.
Written by: Doc Lightning
The problem with pure battery cars is that while they're great for day-to-day use, when they run out of juice, it takes a LOOONG time (hours) to recharge them. That makes them completely worthless for high-demand jobs or long road trips.
I heard of a rather interesting solution, which is that a car could be driven by batteries, but to make it technically feasable, rather than recharging the batteries, all cars would come equipped with industry standard replaceable batteries. You'd pull into a swap-out station, pay, and then a robot would pull out your spent batteries and put them into a charger, and then it would replace them with fresh batteries. And then you'd drive on. Total time would be comparable to a fill-up.
That is the proposed method for hydrogen fuel cells, I believe. That would work very well indeed, whereupon the problem would be getting the industry to agree to a standard - the robot would have to fit neatly into the unique body shape of each model, and so there would have to be some identical part on every car, which no doubt industry people would be very unhappy about - the batteries would be far to heavy for people to lift.
© 1998 - 2024 Home of Poi
All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com