Who's The Big Winner In The New Gas Regs.

Monday, February 11, 2008 03:47 AM

Will the upshot of the new way of buying gas at the pumps result in fewer people working at your local gas station? That is what has happened in many other provinces and states where after 10 pm you either pay in advance or with a credit card or you don’t get any gas.

In BC it is known as "Grants Law." after a youngman who was dragged for several kilometers when he trie dto stop a motorist from speeding away without paying at the pump.

Is it overkill ? Many States and Provinces say no. There was an ever increasing occurrence of people jumping the pumps and police don’t like to waste their time going after this type of crime.

But you can be sure that the Oil companies have looked at this new law. It may only be 10 bucks an hour, but it is 80 dollars in the pockets of the company if they can do away with one employee.

The argument that you always get is that the local gas operators don’t make any money on gas. I’d buy into that, but there seems to be a lot of gas companies operating not only in this city but across the country and if they were losing money on the stuff, then they wouldn’t be in the business. Just look at Exxon who showed a profit of $40.6 billion dollars last year.

Will the price of fuel come down as a result of the new regs? Simple answer, No, will there be fewer young people employed in the trade? Yes.

Will we continue to see mega profits posted by the major oil companies,? Yes. Will we continue to see the same prices at the pumps in this city , in spite of the large number of so called independents? Of course we will because the prices aren’t fixed now are they?

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.

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Posted on Monday, February 11, 2008 03:47 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: acrider54 on February 11 2008 6:18 AM

Oil companies are only worried about their profits, they could care less about the employee. Whats to stop the croooks from clubbing the cashier over the head and emptying the till? Nothing! But no one will be running off with their precious gas.

Posted by: chickenbus on February 11 2008 7:16 AM

I keep saying the same thing over and over. Walk and bicycle more - use less gas. Its the best way to get even. Your chances of an accident decrease, (thus keeping insurance down), your vehicle will last longer and you and the environment will be healthier. The oil companies? Who cares if they suffer a few billion less every year? I sure don't.

Posted by: northman on February 11 2008 8:47 AM

Where does chickenbus live? From the sounds of it they havent had to commute 20+ km's each way with no bus service in -30 weather. If it was possible in the north more people would walk and ride bikes but the weather and lack of public transportation doesnt make it an option. I will be silenced in these argumetns the day i see a logger/expiditor pulling their tidy tank behind a bike out to the bush in the winter.

Posted by: hartbooks on February 11 2008 8:55 AM

agree northman...a bicycle this morning would have been suicide, 30km of whiteout snow conditions to get to town...on a bike?.. if you met a logging or transport truck with the understandable whiteout swirl the trucks create they'd find the soggy remains of the cyclist in the ditch in spring.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on February 11 2008 9:14 AM

Come on chickenbus,that's a great theory,but not even realistic!
The bodies emerging from the snowbanks along side the roads in the spring would be disgusting!
And even if it DID mean less sales for the oil companies,that too would cost someone their 8.00 buck an hour job.
Once again,the government has shown it's ignorance about how things work out here in the real world!

Posted by: Bridge on February 11 2008 10:26 AM

Chickenbus Im with you. Its this attitude that I have to have a vehicle to get to work and to shop that keeps the gas companies rich. And then there is the attitude that "I like more steele between me and the road" thats the other problem.

We are aware that you cant ride a bike in the winter in Prince George but neither do you need a big gas guzzler to get to work and why do you live 20 kilometers from work? Its called "attitude". And as long as you think that I need this life style the cost of gas will keep increasing.

We are caught up in this American crap that bigger is better. Why dont we start by sharing a ride with someone and maybe I could ride the bus or reduce my trips to the super market.

In the 70's when I worked at a pulpmill there was this Scot ( I mention Scot because he was a new canadian and had a different attitude then most of us)that rode his bike to work so you to could ride your bike to work in the summer months and the benifits are enormous. You will have a few bucks extra you will feel better and above all you will have a complete attitude change. Why not try it its graet. "Been there and done that".

Cheers

Posted by: Bridge on February 11 2008 10:34 AM

Sorry I can't give you a lot of URL's like some of the poster on this site to confirm all these good things I have bored you with so that you will spend hours getting convinced that there is some merit to my tale.

Cheers

Posted by: diplomat on February 11 2008 10:41 AM

Chickenbus, I am with you too, but there is one thing we need to remember: The net world population keeps increasing by approximately 3 times the population of Canada every year, year after year!

All these people will want to drive cars, ride on buses and airplanes. That takes fuel, i.e. oil! Plus, there are several hundred million adult people in countries such as China and India who have never owned a car and are gradually acquiring the money to get motorized, i.e. more oil needed!

If we save fuel (and I am all in favour of that) it won't make one iota of a difference to the global consumption of oil which will only go up and up and the profits go up too!

I personally have over the years switched from V8 to V6, smaller vehicles and have now a 4 cylinder economical vehicle - which serves us well.

And, we drive only about half as much as we used to.

Posted by: Harbinger on February 11 2008 11:03 AM

I am waiting for a Skytrain to Beaverley. In the meantime, I will keep hating being treated like a potential common thief by the system. Next thing you know, they will demand you wear a helmet when you buy gas.

Posted by: diplomat on February 11 2008 12:39 PM

President Hugo Chavez on Sunday threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States if Exxon Mobil Corp. wins court judgments to seize his government's assets. Oil from Venezuela makes up about 12% of US imports of foreign crude.

Gasoline is going to be more expensive no matter how one pays for it, cash or credit card.

"Next thing you know, they will demand you wear a helmet when you buy gas."

With a propeller, flashing lights and a siren.

Posted by: Bridge on February 11 2008 3:01 PM

Harbinger we dont think that you are or should be treated like a common thief and besides Beaverley is avery nice place to live. You should consider reducing your gas consumption.

Diplomnat tells us that we can't make a difference because of the growing world population now I suppose that is a valid point that he/she makes. But the first rule of success is that we have to believe in what we are doing.

I dont know about gas consumption in the USA. But I have herd that they only produce about 5% of the world food supply and consuume up around 50% of the world food supply. How much of the world oil supply do they use?

The USA is dependent on our oil, gas and electricity. Do they consume more of our natural resources then we do? So why worry about the rest of the world why not put a crimp in their consumption. Is it possible then that maybe we could make a differnce and the first step would be to change our attitude about consumption of our resourses.

I too have gone to a small 4 cylender car in the winter I probably only fuel up once a month. The cost about $30.00. My daughter fuels up her SUV and the cost is around $150.00. She no more needs an SUV then I would need a space craft. And these are the people that need an attittude change.

I am retired and have also ajusted my life style accordingly. Hey and its fun when I look at my bank balance at the end of the month and see I have couple of bucks left over.

Cheers.

Posted by: hartbooks on February 11 2008 4:04 PM

Those of us that live 20km or further from work often do so for several reasons, a few are:
-we can afford to buy property & pay the taxes that far out
-we can buy land that hasn't been bombarded with lawn chemicals & the like or get the overspray from the neighbour applying chemicals
-we can grow much of our food, both vegetables & meat
-better air quality
-community spirit and more of a "help your neighbour" mentality

Yep, I drive into work - part time, just enough days to cover the bills. If I could make the same amount working from home I surely would. Being on the roads is no picnic, nor is working in downtown PG.

Posted by: Harbinger on February 11 2008 5:03 PM

Hey Bridge: I didn't say "treated like a common thief". What I said was," treated like a potential common thief". Accent on the word POTENTIAL. I am sure Beaverley is a nice place to live. Did you think I was sounding demeaning to Beaverley when I suggested a Skytrain to and from there? Lastly, I just don't feel like lowering my standard of living by driving less. I could move into the bowl and just walk a lot, but then again my lungs are my friends and they don't deserve that kind of punishment. If I can afford to drive, eat and pay rent I will continue. Careful what you write, folks. People are sure to mis-read or underestimate your ability with words to express yourself without misinterpreting yer thoughts.

Posted by: diplomat on February 11 2008 6:00 PM

Bridge, your last post is a good one! Of course you and I are doing already our part -yet the oil companies are going to be calling the shots for a long time to come!

The USA, with 5% of the world's population is consuming 40% of the world's resources.

Can they continue to do that much longer? I doubt it. There are going to be international conflicts as they try to secure what they believe is *rightfully* theirs!

Posted by: Sean on February 11 2008 6:20 PM

Keep in mind, folks, that water will be, by far, the most sought after resource in the world one day. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will stop the Americans from coming into Canada and taking it.

On another note, gas isn't that expensive in Canada. We have close to the cheapest prices in the world. Wars are always about one resource or another. Right now, it is oil and Canada's involvement in Afghanistan is mostly about the oil pipelines from the Caspian Sea; let's not kid ourselves.

If the world's oil supply fell into the hands of a fanatical regime, the price of oil would triple and the world would fall into a depression.

Gas is very cheap in Canada!

Posted by: Sean on February 11 2008 8:43 PM

At the end of the day, the real winners are the gas station employees, who faced danger from the likes of the trash, who were born and raised in a social compost heap,who killed Grant. The likes of Grant are now safer. That is why this law was created and not to have a cynical go at oil companies.

For every positive, Ben, you have to look under a rock with a crowbar for a negative. Same with your airport comment.

Posted by: youwho on February 11 2008 9:48 PM

Who cares where chickenbus lives, I'm certain that they know all about PG and have treked many miles! ;) chickenbus makes a good point.

Sounds like hartbooks is onto something... the privileged can afford property and can live out of town, but that doesn't mean that those living outside of the bowl can't do their part.

as for "overkill" Ben - poor choice in words. perhaps "spin"? but poor choice considering someone was killed.

Posted by: diplomat on February 13 2008 6:12 PM

"...the privileged can afford property and can live out of town,"

It's not always the best idea to live that far out of town! I knew a (young!) guy living quite a ways out on Chief Lake Road who had a heart attack. By the time an ambulance finally got there it was too late to do anything for him.

Had he lived right here in town there is a good chance that he might have been saved in time.

There usually is a fly somewhere in every ointment.