Has the world gone completely daft or what? Fuel Prices. [Archive]

View Full Version : Has the world gone completely daft or what? Fuel Prices.

thebiglad

2nd May 2008, 11:39

Let me explain, I'm a Brit and have been living in France since early 2002.

Whe we first arrived here the price of diesel was 70 cents (about 50p) per ltr and Unleaded petrol was 95cents, so about 30% more expensive.

Today at the local supermarché diesel is 1.32€ and petrol 1.42€, so the differential is reduced.

But the price has nearly doubled - in 6 years !!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

Now, I know you will all say that the price of raw crude is now $115 ish per barrel so that's why fuel is so expensive. Well is it??

My understanding is the of the total price per litr of fuel, the raw material cost was, 6yrs ago, about 5 cents per ltr - so even if you double the price of the raw material, it should only push up the price by 'about' 5 cents.

Oh well, the barrell price is $115 ish and that's due to a weak dollar. Yes that's correct, but at the same time we have a weak dollar. So if for instance I want to buy something priced in dollars, then currently it costs me LESS euros. So therefore one, to a degree balances the other out.

You don't suppose that the oil companies have raised the price because they KNOW that they can, due to the weak dollar.

Others will argue that the barrell price is caused by Indo-China high demand, that may be so, but it still doesn't justify current pump prices.

SOMEONE IS SCREWING US RIGHT ROYALLY !!!!!

I'm astonished that in France as well as in Britain we aren't all out on the streets threatening revolution - but no, we just stand in line to pay:confused:

What do you guys think?????

jetfiremuck

2nd May 2008, 12:08

The problem as i see it is the typical supply and demand market force at work. We need to conserve as best we can while continuing to drill for new supplies to meet the expanding demands from the developing countries

JulesV8

2nd May 2008, 12:31

thebiglad

2nd May 2008, 14:56

Fuel companies did announce this week pre tax profits of £3 billion in this 1st quarter. I guess we must all help them to make more and keep on buying their overpriced juice.

Jules
Now not quite so glad of owning a V8...

I was just going to say that Jules. These poor impoverished oil companies that can't help putting up the price of fuel - have just declared record profits !!!! How many of the directors are also shareholders??

We are being had by a small number of VERY rich individuals and government ministers. I don't believe that this current situation has ANYTHING to do with conservation just profit profit profit.

The worst thing of all is that it's happening all along the chain, so even the local distributors are adding " just a little bit".

We are all being b*tt-f*cked and what do we say about it?? "Oh well, I suppose we can't change things - just have to get used to it."

sharkey964

2nd May 2008, 17:29

And don't forget which ever is your govonment,they are having their MIGHTY slice of what we pay for fuel:(At least "Dick Turpin" wore a mask when he robbed people!

lweight

2nd May 2008, 18:48

Mind you, steam cars were popular and pretty advanced at the start of last century and development continued up to around the 1920s in the States. What happened to that technology - did it just run out of puff?

andymach23

3rd May 2008, 09:10

thebiglad

3rd May 2008, 09:53

How is it that in the UK, diesel is more expensive than petrol and as Biglad says in France it is the other way round?

Diesel used to be cheaper than petrol, back when it was less popular. Now when there are more diesel cars on the road it's dearer than petrol. Eh?

Don't try to apply any common sense to any of this - they just charge what they can get away with, no more no less.

We (yes we, even in France:)) are being done up like a kipper !!