The Gas Price Soap Box

Gas prices are higher than they used to be.

I remember era's in life largely by what price my dad was complaining the gas price was. I remember when it broke the $.50/L mark. Not a happy day. It got even worse when I started paying for my own gas and it broke the $.60 and then the $.70 marks and then it seemed to jump straight to the $1.00 mark. Not happy times.

It got me thinking...

Sure, paying for gasoline is expensive. The increase in the cost of oil and gas causes the increase in price of most all consumer goods. As it costs more to move stuff around, prices generally go up. This is not good. I never like it when prices go up but I'm not receiving any additional value. But I digress.

See, I don't think the price of gas is the most outrageous and scandalous cost in the marketplace today. And here's why I think that. Imagine if you had to fill your tank with oh, say, Pepsi. A 595 ml bottle of Pepsi costs about $1.50 plus that darned $.10 per bottle deposit. All for a small container of sugar water.

Even worse. What if you had to fill your tank with a bottle of bottled water. Same price and they don't even add the sugar and harmful chemicals! They go to the nearest lake and hook you up with a bottle of stuff they did nothing to create and very little to add value to. Don't think for a second that they're hauling that stuff from some magical mountain in France somewhere.

And then we get to gas. Yes, it costs a lot to fill your tank. I understand. But think about how much we'd be paying for bottled water if it could only be found in say, Saudi Arabia.

That'd be nuts.

My point is this. I'm not sure that ranting on gas prices is the most creative use of our time. Maybe if vehicles consumed less of the stuff, the price wouldn't matter too much. If you went to your local Sobeys and saw a 1L bottle of Pepsi for for $1.10 you may or may not buy it, but you wouldn't be morally outraged. So, sell the SUV, shut off the car rather than letting it idle, get your engine tuned up, walk instead of driving. Whatever.

Just remember the next time you're drinking Pepsi or a $50 bottle of wine, or are considering buying a bottle of perfume (sorry The Sister) - how costly would it be if I actually needed this stuff?

There Margaret. No more hate mail and threats please! {smirk}

Out.