Petrol prices - is there a tipping point ?

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lukegriffen

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With prices heading for €1.10/ltr, I'm just wondering whether people think there'll be some kind of tipping point any time soon, ie. the price at which people start changing their car usage based on the price at the pump, and either start using public transport or telling the kids to make their own way to school !
At the moment, anyone I've talked to doesn't seem that bothered & aren't going to lower their mileage.
 
we're a long way off that for the majority of people. look at the amount of gas guzzlers on irish roads and you'lll see most dont care about wasting fuel at current prices so i doubt 20 or 30 cents a litre is gonna worry them.if our economy wasnt doing so well im sure this could be different. look at the yanks they think their gas/petrol is really expensive now even though we are far higher in price here,i dont see many complaining here yet.oil prices have tripled in 5 years but has petrol? because of the large tax element to it here i dont think the rises are equivalent but not sure.
 
Heading for €1.10 per ltr? It's already €1.13 per ltr in Cork!

I don't think people will consider leaving the car at home and taking public transport to work because for a lot of people (myself incl) public transport isn't an option - it simply isn't available - unless I could start at 11am or later!
 
I have no option but to use the car. I can't get to work on public transport and use the car during the day. Personally I don't care if it goes up by 50 cent a ltr. An extra €20 a week won't kill me.
 
Purple said:
I have no option but to use the car. I can't get to work on public transport and use the car during the day. Personally I don't care if it goes up by 50 cent a ltr. An extra €20 a week won't kill me.
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€20 a week extra won't kill me either but I'd rather not be paying inflated fuel prices especially when the fuel prices are artificially set anyway- i.e. fuel prices go up or down based on fears of shortage/ or surplus of supply. Personally I shop around for the best value at the pump (insofar as that is possible or feasible) and I am aware of the effect driving style has on economy etc. Luckily I am within walking distance to my employment and can walk to work 'most every day. People who are aware of fuel economy etc. (people like me:D ) are also the type of people who will switch off unnecessary electric appliances etc. A lot of people don't bother, probably about the same number of people who aren't interested in recycling or reducing their consumption of stuff either I suppose.
 
E20/week = E1000/year. That combined with rising interest rates and hence mortgage repayments is going to stress a lot of people financially. + rising inflation, + increased energy costs (ESB announced yesterday that their margins for home customers are ~1.5% - if oil prices stay high expect a large increase in the ESB bill too).

Agreed that most people don't have a realistic choice about using the car - it would probably take a doubling of price before you'd see a reduction in usage.

BTW see the taxi drivers are looking for a 50c fuel surcharge on every journey!
 
gearoidmm said:
(ESB announced yesterday that their margins for home customers are ~1.5% - if oil prices stay high expect a large increase in the ESB bill too).
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I'm more bothered by this sort of c**p from public utility monopolies. Why can't they cut their cost base (the bit that they control) like the rest of us?
 
Actually I think the biggest impact will be on the recent homeowners who've purchased houses in the commuter belt, places like Portarlington, Portlaoise etc. based on the economic viability of purchasing a house in a cheaper location whilst driving to work in the capital each day. With every increase in fuel and other running costs the balance is tipped heavily against them. Rising fuel prices will impact heavily on all consumer goods and construction costs will rocket- tipping the balance further...
 
with all the fuel hikes increasing costs across the board for consumers nad businesses and the fact the stuff is going to run out, wheres the talk/push on bio fuel ethanol etc. Will the bio reneale stuff replace oil inthe future where is the world at with the repalcement of oil. More importantly what companies are looking good with the alternative energy sources. When can we a change in the oil companies abilty to hold the world to ransom???
 
Not in Ireland we are awash with money,look at cigs,drink we just keep buying it is in our nature even if u go abroad on holidays the Irish I would say on average bring more holiday cash than other EU Countries, I travel alot and the Irish just think the money will always be there so far Its been throught, In the states if it goes up a small % they start to use public transport, If average fuel in car is around 35 E a week give or take Dublin area,so if Petrol goes up say 25% that would mean price would be 44E would that be a problem to most with cars ,I dont think so, Price of 2 Pints
 
There are obviously people who need their car to get to work/school/shops etc as they live a good distance away and will need to drive no matter what the price is, but I've noticed that people are becoming a lot lazier and using their car for the most pointless reasons.
I live less than 300 yards as the crow flies from the shops and the two girls I live with refuse to walk. If we are heading over together I'd walk and they'd drive. I'd get there around the same time & then they spend a couple of minutes trying to get a parking space near the door. Its nonsensical on a time, financial & environmental basis.

Its the same with the school run in the morning. People within a five minute walk of the school rather spend half an hour queing to drop off their 'little' darling right at the gates. And there are a lot of them that could do with the exercise! But thats another thread I suppose...

As we've become wealthier, we've become lazier. I'd guess the price of petrol will have to hit 2euro before you will get people to actively change their driving habits.
 
I cycled to the shops yesterday rather than take the car. I couldn't have walked as it is a tad to far but it was a nice cycle. I deliberately did this because of the rising cost of petrol and I intend to cycle as much as I can rather than use the car.
 
Average tank is 45/50 litres .increased by approx 25 c over last 2 and half yrs.thats an extra 12.50 every tank-which is a big difference. If the same trend continued for another 2 yrs it would be intersting to see the no. of 4wheel drive cars(huge consumption) on city roads.
 
For me I have to drive to work as there is no alternative. So I probably will not be changing my driving habits due to increases in petrol. However I think when the SSIA comes through I will be changing my car to a smaller engine - currently have 1.6 but think will change down to a 1.3. Can't understand anyone buying big 2litre + engines with the prices of petrol at the moment.

As for the person who commented that €20 extra a week won't break the bank - when you are spending €160 every month on petrol as it is, this would bring it up to €240 a month ...... so while no it won't break the bank, as far as I am concerned it is a waste of money & I would prefer to spend that €80 a month on something besides petrol!
 
The whole debate about the use of a car for short non-essential journeys is an interesting one. I've often contemplated making more use of my bike as I only live 5 minutes from town but I am discouraged by the lack of adequate cycle lanes. We have some "cycle lanes" that radiate from the periphery of the town but there are no actual lanes in and around the town. It's a pity and I know that it's a problem that exists in every town in the country.
 
The media hype doesn't help, when the price of a barrel of oil hit 70 dollars I could see the petrol station owners running out to change the prices, even though it was probably bought 3 months ago !!!!
 
Winnie said:
For me I have to drive to work as there is no alternative. So I probably will not be changing my driving habits due to increases in petrol. However I think when the SSIA comes through I will be changing my car to a smaller engine - currently have 1.6 but think will change down to a 1.3. Can't understand anyone buying big 2litre + engines with the prices of petrol at the moment.
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Depends on your regular routes to be honest - a 1.3 is fine for nipping around the city, but if you're doing motorway driving at 120kph, a larger engine will be much more fuel efficient. A diesel even more so, if your annual mileage justifies the higher price of buying one.

Having said that, I don't see any need to go beyond a 2 litre engine either.
 
Interesting article about what Iran president siad about oil not at true value.

[broken link removed]
 
found this

There are 159 litres (42 US gallons) in a barrel of oil. Once refined a barrel of oil yields about 72 litres (19 US gallons) of gasoline.

rest can be used for other things.
[broken link removed]
 
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