STOMP GAS PRICES OUT!
Internet fuels protest against rising gas prices
May 4, 2007
BY ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
The nation’s drivers are trying to fight fast-rising gasoline prices by staging an Internet-driven “gas out” on May 15.
Prices today hit $3.10 a gallon, the highest for Michigan drivers sinceAug. 7 last year when prices reached $3.12. Today's price is only adime off the all-time record set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrinaon Sept. 3, 2005.
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Michigan currently has the ninth-highest prices in America, behind states like California, Hawaii, New York and Illinois.
Last year at this time prices were averaging $2.85 a gallon in Michigan.
AnInternet chain letter dated April 30 has been circulating around e-mailsystems across the country urging drivers to avoid pumping gas on May15. The unsigned letter suggests that a one-day “gas out” could resultin siphoning off nearly $3 billion from oil company profits.
"Somepeople think $4 a gallon is on the horizon," said Jim Rink, a AAAMichigan spokesman. "If consumers balk at the rise they will curb theirconsumption and prices will come down."
Industry observers, whosay these kinds of chain letters tend to get passed around as pricesrise, say they generally don’t have much impact on oil companies'bottom line.
“This stuff does not work,” said Mark Routt, asenior petroleum analyst with Energy Security Analysis Inc. inWakefield, Ma., who received a copy of the letter earlier this week.“The only thing that does work, in terms of lower prices, is a changeof lifestyle and habit.”
The United States is the world leaderin consumption of crude oil - the feedstock for gasoline - at 20.8million barrels a day. That compares to about 19.7 million barrels aday in 2000.
But a growing number of consumers are convinced that something sinister is afoot.
“I’mgoing to participate in the gas out because I feel you’ve got to get amessage to" the oil companies, said Myron Goff, a retiree in Livoniawho saw the letter about a week ago. “If people stop buying on one daysomething has got to happen. It’s going to take profits away from themand that’s all they are worried about -- profits.”
www.freep.com
May 4, 2007
BY ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
The nation’s drivers are trying to fight fast-rising gasoline prices by staging an Internet-driven “gas out” on May 15.
Prices today hit $3.10 a gallon, the highest for Michigan drivers sinceAug. 7 last year when prices reached $3.12. Today's price is only adime off the all-time record set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrinaon Sept. 3, 2005.
Advertisement
Michigan currently has the ninth-highest prices in America, behind states like California, Hawaii, New York and Illinois.
Last year at this time prices were averaging $2.85 a gallon in Michigan.
AnInternet chain letter dated April 30 has been circulating around e-mailsystems across the country urging drivers to avoid pumping gas on May15. The unsigned letter suggests that a one-day “gas out” could resultin siphoning off nearly $3 billion from oil company profits.
"Somepeople think $4 a gallon is on the horizon," said Jim Rink, a AAAMichigan spokesman. "If consumers balk at the rise they will curb theirconsumption and prices will come down."
Industry observers, whosay these kinds of chain letters tend to get passed around as pricesrise, say they generally don’t have much impact on oil companies'bottom line.
“This stuff does not work,” said Mark Routt, asenior petroleum analyst with Energy Security Analysis Inc. inWakefield, Ma., who received a copy of the letter earlier this week.“The only thing that does work, in terms of lower prices, is a changeof lifestyle and habit.”
The United States is the world leaderin consumption of crude oil - the feedstock for gasoline - at 20.8million barrels a day. That compares to about 19.7 million barrels aday in 2000.
But a growing number of consumers are convinced that something sinister is afoot.
“I’mgoing to participate in the gas out because I feel you’ve got to get amessage to" the oil companies, said Myron Goff, a retiree in Livoniawho saw the letter about a week ago. “If people stop buying on one daysomething has got to happen. It’s going to take profits away from themand that’s all they are worried about -- profits.”
www.freep.com