More hassles as gas prices exceed spending limits

Here's a new twist on gas prices. Did you know that your average gas pump won't deliver more than $75 at a time? Gas prices have reached such a high that some folk are finding that the pump is cutting out before they have filled their tank. They are obliged to complete the transaction before swiping their credit card a second time to fill up. The $75 limit is apparently a security feature to protect consumers from fraud.
Some stations are also having to refit their pumps because older models can't register prices above $3.999!

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- David Adams

Comments

[rick from Largo]

Oh well, it's only money and more time. That's another thing Bush/Cheney have cost us.

[weird Al]

I think Gas prices are fine. It hasn't slowed down the SUV Juggernauts on the road{although most are charging to a Business and writing it off the taxes}
If regular reaches $5 or $6 a gallon the Economy will still Thrive.
LONG LIVE CAPITALISM THE MARKET FORCES OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND......

[Stevo]

What better way to get the gas-guzzlers to open their eyes than to jack the price of gasoline to the point it hurts... Those who conserve and do not waste should not be paying as much as those who continue to ignore the situation. These people should be paying 10 times as much for their fuel, then taxed and fee'd to any extent possible, telling them if you don't need it, don't drive it.

[Splinter]

I drive a truck that gets 16 to 17 MPG. It is paid off so the only thing I have to pay for is gas. If I buy a new vehicle that gets better milage it will save me $100 a month but cost me a $400 monthly car payment. My net loss is $300 a month. My only solution that is cost effective is to purchase a used motorcycle for $2,000 to commute to and from work with. It would pay for itself in a year and a half. Only problem... Lots of Motorcycle deaths in the Tampa Bay Area.

[JG]

What about Hess? They cut you off @ $50.00 for credit card transactions--I try to avoid Hess because of this!

[Fred]

Take the bus, or walk, or bicycle to work, the store, etc. No gas to pay for...no problems.

[Starfish]

Yeah easy for you to say Stevo. When you live an hour from work, it takes a little bit of gas to get there. Public transportation would take me 4 hours to get to work from wesley chapel. Im not gonna go and quit my job that I love to save a little bit of gas. And Im not gonna sell my house because it probably wouldnt sell in a market like it is now. So to say that those of us that use a lot of gas should be taxed like crazy isn't really right in my eyes.

[Matt]

The best way to combat all of this is to use as little of the stuff as we can possibly get away with. We need to turn the table on the oil companies, and stick it to them like they've stuck to us.

[Helen]

Fred, that's naive. Gas pricess affect everyone, even if you don't drive. Watch your power bill jump, the fuel charge will be passed through to the consumer. Service companies are adding $5-10 "fuel" items to their bills. Businesses are not swallowing the increases, it gets passed on to us.

[Tony]

Starfish - It is nice to see a voice on reason on these boards. So many want to blame others and tell me what I need to do.
Rick, Stevo and weird Al all need to get back on their meds. Why the hate?

[Phil]

Dont knock Hess because of their $50 purchase limit (the ones by me dont have that), theyre one of the few companies that dont do business with Persian Gulf suppliers, take a look :www.terrorfreeoil.org

[CC]

Hey, quit complaining. Afterall they did give us a stimulus rebate and okay so it was only HALF of what they said I would get and yes those 99 cent chicken nuggets where $1.49 last week (least I forget that McDonalds filled the mcnugget box completely with mayonaise instead of mcnuggets) and eggs are now nearing as much as a gallon of gas. Maybe they will let up on the puppet strings a little and maybe throw us a tax free week on beer so we can numb ourselves for the next time they pull the strings tauntly.

[CC]

BTW, How many of us actually have $50 availible on our cards? When's the last time you put that much in your tank? I donno about u but today it was $18.03 in the tank and $1.97 for the coffee to fill me up, tomorrow is another story and I may have to get out the penny jar.

[UPSET]

Did we not go to Kuwaits aid when they needed us? why is Kuwait not helping us with the increase in fuel costs???

[Jimmy Mack]

Soon, we will all have to find jobs and take vacations within walking distance of our homes...

["Hard Working"]

I haven't driven since gas went above 1.50 per gallon. I sit at home and watch soaps while laughing to the bank.

[On The Wall McFly]

Anyone else ever notice the similarities between oil cartels and drug cartels ? They operate on the same principals of "supply and demand" Those at the top supply a product that those at the bottom become addicted to. Once "hooked" on a cheap and plentiful product, it becomes scarcer and more expensive.
The only way to break the power of the cartels is to quit using the product completely. Just cutting back wont work cause the top just charges more to make up for the loss in volume.
Until one is ready to give up one's addiction of choice entirely, then the spiral of drug and energy usage will continue to bleed us of our resources both natural and earned.
This spoiled and degenerate generation of mass consumers is now reaping the whirlwind of its own making. Alternative sources of energy are not the answer no more than swithcing from heroine to cocain solved the drug prob. New sources of energy will only come with higher price tags.
Its time to make a choice, "Kick the habit" or find more money to support it. The good news is we still got a choice..... use it wisely in the time we have left.

[Bryan W.]

It just occurred to me that while we rant and rave about the SUVs and other gas guzzlers wasting gas how many of us have children driving to school instead of taking busses? How many teachers could ride a bus and therefore chaperone those children riding buses? Ever check a high school parking lot lately? It’s as full as Tropicana’s parking lot during a sell out. Heaven forbid our kids should be forced to ride a bus. Think about it!

[save money on gas]

I heard about a bunch of older pumps that couldn't go past $3.999 and the owners can't afford to upgrade the pumps. Sad really...

[Russ]

The best way to combat prices is to single out a single gas company, i.e. Exxon/Mobile and not buy from them, period. That will force them to reduce their prices, forcing others to follow suit. It will hurt some of the franchises unfairly but it will work. I stopped buying gas from Exxon/Mobile, everyone else do the same!

[Tino]

Russ, you should probably learn to spell the names of the companies that you are "boycotting". It makes your meager attempts a bit more believable.

[Zac]

To Starfish: Who's fault is it that you bought a house an hour from your job? Can you say suburban sprawl? We need more compact communities that would justify better public transportation.

[Kimberly]

Now would be a good time to remind everyone about Bay Area Commuter Services (www.TampaBayRideShare.org). It's funded by the Florida Dept. of Transportation. The programs are available to people getting to/from work or USF students getting to/from classes. Check out the following programs :

Carpooling: Free registration, advertisement, & computer matching.

Emergency Ride Home: I've been using it for 9 1/2 years. Hasn't cost me a cent. The voucher even pays for my bicycle to ride with me.

Park and Ride Lots: Drive to the lot and park the car. Carpool, ride the bus, or bicycle the rest of the way.

Bicycle Pooling: Bicycle to/from work/USF classes in a group. Some people enjoy bicycling by themselves; give them time to think. Other people enjoy bicycling in a group; someone to talk with.

If you can't use the programs, pass the info on to someone else who can.

Save money on gas? I save about $10,000.00 per year by not owning a car. I was able to pay off my mortgage in less than ten years.

[Kimberly]

Bicycle Pooling: Bicycle to/from work/USF classes in a group. Some people enjoy bicycling by themselves; give them time to think. Other people enjoy bicycling in a group; someone to talk with.

Oops. I mean "Some people enjoy bicycling by themselves; gives them time to think."

I've been able to think through, find the pros and cons to various options, and find solutions to all kinds of difficulties because of bicycling by myself to and from work.