Save $2 Billion – Don’t Buy Gas on 5.15.07
I just got this email from my friend and thought I’d pass it along, since gas prices in my neighborhood are getting up to $3.65
Back in April 1997, there was a “gas out” conducted nationwide in
protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon
overnight.
On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in
protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most
places.
There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet
network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.
If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that’s a little over $2 BILLION) out of the oil companies
pockets for just one day.
Please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a
dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.
In theory, this should work as it increases the supply of oil, which in effect should lower the prices in the short term. I know the email says “Americans,” but I’m sure the gas prices have hit everyone around the world, so feel free to repost this to help out your fellow countrymen. Two Billion Saved is Two Billion earned!
What do you think of this tactic as a way of fighting back against the oil companies? What have you been doing to ease the costs at the pumps? Have you been taking public transportation like I have been?
Please repost this email on your blog or copy and paste in an email to your friends and family!
bob h. and 11 others are discussing.
Daniel B. Honigman 3.35 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Good thing I don’t have a car!
Cindizzle 3.47 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
You shouldn’t have sold your VESPA and given it to Moi! =) As much as I love my Zoom Zoom…my wallet has a BIG hole in it.
Cindizzle 3.52 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
I told you not to sell your VESPA!!! You shoulda saved and given it to Moi!!! As much as I love my Zoom Zoom…it’s putting a deeep hole in my pocket. Grr.
Mike 4.09 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Hey Mr. Gary Lee, I think your idea is good but is flawed.
Why? Because everyone is still going to drive that day like that they would any other day, and therefore use as much gas as any other day. Translation… the oil companies make nothing that day, but will make up their losses the next day…
What people need to do is simply use less gas. Of course oil companies will probably just raise the price anyway to cover their losses there.
Perhaps a better idea would be to stop buying gas from a particular company for one month. If everyone avoided a particular company for 3 months. This might show oil companies that people demand more competition. One day without any sales might have a tiny effect, but try 90 days of no sales, that would be interesting…
Gary Lee 5.45 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Mike, you’re absolutely right that this is a flawed request. What we should really should be asking is to ask people to all use less gas than they normally do or even do what you suggested in boycotting a whole chain all together.
Jeff kee 6.33 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Yeah let’s avoid Shell for a month.
Jeff kee 6.34 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Dude your comments automatically subscribe me to your email subscription allt he time, even withotu a checkmark.
KellyCho 7.08 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Every year somebody sends out this stupid email. I’m sorry to say that not even in theory it would work!
Gasoline is a commodity that is subject to forces of supply and demand. A one day gas boycott is not going to make a single difference. Only an ongoing reduction in demand would truly reduce gas prices… but that is unlikely to happen since we’re so dependent on our cars (particularly here in Los Angeles).
On top of this, the boycott doesn’t make people purchase less gas… just to shift their consumption to a different day… but the consumption level will remain the same in the long run so this is a ridiculous idea.
We just need to use less gas by driving less, purchasing fuel efficient or alternative fuel cars, carpooling, and/or using public transportation. That would make a real difference.
Mike 7.31 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Thanks Gary! Thanks also for your comment on my site as well! I also agree with Kelly 100%.
msdanielle 8.35 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
a movement to get us all to work at home?
i’m down for that
Ed Lau 10.21 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Yeah, me too. I’m up for passing gas for a day…
…I mean passing on gas.
Shane 11.52 pm on 01.05.2007 Permalink
Unfortunatley, it won’t work. I got an email last month and explored the idea:
http://www.zoomstart.com/2007/04/16/grass-roots-billion-dollar-take-down/
Wolf Stone 3.48 pm on 02.05.2007 Permalink
Count me In …although..i rarely use gas; i use my bicycle and public transport 98% of the time.
Jonathan Franzone 9.59 am on 03.05.2007 Permalink
Lame idea that’s been tried before. A better idea would be if everyone stopped driving for a day, or took their bike to work for a day. The fact is they are still going to use approximately the same amount of gasoline during the month and so will purchase the same amount during the month. Just not on that one particular day. Wooptie-do.
I blogged about this also if anyone cares to give it a read: http://www.franzone.com/2007/04/27/no-gas-on-may-15th-what/
BTW – I work from home and rarely drive so I’m doing my part!
bob h. 1.36 pm on 03.05.2007 Permalink
idea is good but should continue till people control prices in stead of them controling us.
Rob 5.52 am on 09.05.2007 Permalink
I got that email from a friend yesterday. Here is what I sent him:
While this sounds great in theory, it simply will not work. Think about
it. If everyone in the world refuses to buy gas on any one particular day, then yes, the major oil companies will not get any revenue for that one particular day. However, when you still drive your car around that day toget to work/mall/starbucks or wherever else you may go, you are still USINGgas. This means that although you don’t buy gas for a day, you still use the same amount as you normally would, and thus will end up filling your tank on another day during the week. Therefore, you are still BUYING the same amount of gas, and the oil company doesn’t end up suffering.
Actually, in terms of supply and demand, if everyone didn’t buy gas for a day, then gas should in theory go way down in price the next day, which is when the gas stations will get a FLOOD of buyers at the new low prices (and low tanks since no one filled up the day before). This flood of buyers means gas stations will actually run out of gas and we will likely have a gas shortage, which means the price of gas will go up, more likely higher than what it is today ($3.00). So, essentially, by doing this whole ‘don’t buy gas for a day’ thing we will make the price of gas HIGHER than what it is today (at least in the short term).
If the world really wants to make a difference, then we should get everyone to NOT USE gas for a day. If everyone walked, ran or rode a bike for a day, then we would see a significant drop in the price of gasoline, because we would be changing the quantity demanded – instead of just changing the time in which we demand it (which is what the don’t buy gas thing would do).
-Rob