Next time you gas up - for readers outside California

[gurdymonkey]

We're all feeling the pinch. It's being driven by uncertainty over current events in Libya and stock market speculation by investors hoping to cash in on the spike in oil prices.  However, according to http://www.newjerseygasprices.com/GasPriceSearch.aspx, I could get a gallon of regular unleaded gas for a mere $3.31 at the Hess station in my old neighborhood. I paid $3.78 on Friday at the Safeway, which included the 3 cent/gallon "discount" from swiping my store card - and I have to pump it myself. The cheap place on the other side of the freeway was up to 3.85 this morning, and there are prices being reported in San Francisco that are even higher. 

Here's why, courtesy of the Energy Information Administration http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/analysis_publications/primer_on_gasoline_prices/html/petbro.html

"The State of California operates its own reformulated gasoline program with more stringent requirements than Federally-mandated clean gasolines. In addition to the higher cost of cleaner fuel, there is a combined State and local sales and use tax of 7.25 percent on top of an 18.4 cent-per-gallon Federal excise tax and an 18.0 cent-per-gallon State excise tax. Refinery margins have also been higher due in large part to price volatility in the region.

California prices are more variable than others because there are relatively few supply sources of its unique blend of gasoline outside the State. California refineries need to be running near their fullest capabilities in order to meet the State’s fuel demands. If more than one of its refineries experiences operating difficulties at the same time, California’s gasoline supply may become very tight and the prices soar. Supplies could be obtained from some Gulf Coast and foreign refineries; however, California’s substantial distance from those refineries is such that any unusual increase in demand or reduction in supply results in a large price response in the market before relief supplies can be delivered. The farther away the necessary relief supplies are, the higher and longer the price spike will be.

California was one of the first States to ban the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) after it was detected in ground water. Ethanol, a non-petroleum product usually made from corn, is being used in place of MTBE. Gasoline without MTBE is more expensive to produce and requires refineries to change the way they produce and distribute gasoline. Some supply dislocations and price surges occurred in the summer of 2003 as the State moved away from MTBE. Similar problems have also occurred in past fuel transitions."

According to the "beta" bike directions,  which is their way of saying, "We THINK you can get there from here, do be sure to email us if you get killed or fall in a pothole,", Google Maps indicates that I am a whopping 1.9 miles from the Fruitvale BART station.  My ears could've told me that. I can hear the trains pull in and out on the far side of the freeway on quiet evenings.) San Leandro BART is two stops, with another  another 1.3 miles predicted to get me to work.  I'm not ready to ride it tomorrow, I've had much of the winter off,  thanks to a lot of rain and a dicky knee. I do hope the weather holds enough that I can bike to taiko tomorrow.  I'd like to try riding the route to work and back on Saturday morning, in broad daylight. I can get a feel for road conditions, where  traffic lights are, what it takes for me to maneuver Mimi through BART gates, up and down stairs and on and off a train, and so forth. 

If I chicken out, you all feel free to laugh at me. Especially baronalejandro .

Comments

[baronalejandro.livejournal.com]

Noted.

I live 4.5 miles from work, and am building a commuter bike specific for the purpose.

[melaniewing.livejournal.com]

I wish it wasn't 27 miles each way...

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I knew I could count on you. ;-D

I honestly don't know how beat up the pavement is on the Oakland side of the Fruitvale bridge. It runs out of Alameda under the freeway into Oakland and gets a lot of traffic. That could be the longest half mile ever. The San Leandro leg shouldn't be too bad. Alvarado Street is a pretty straight shot and I seem to recall there's actually a bike lane on it.

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

It's averaging about $3.45 here in Dubuque, but that's the ethanol version. The non-ethanol is somewhat higher. Also, we pay slightly higher prices here due to a lame agreement with Wisconsin and Illinois that prevents stations on the Iowa side of the border from having drastically lower prices.

Must be the gas tax that is making the difference?

We get a discount on Ethanol in Iowa since we produce so much of it here.

It's nice that you have access to public transportation.

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

One of the things I'm doing when I move is loading my bike onto the back of my car to take with on the first go. I think it will be a good idea to have it.

The route from your house to the BART is likely to be pretty rough. Do you have thorn guards in your tires? They help a lot with preventing flats from broken glass and junk on the road.