Exactly how bad are fuel prices gonna get?

Steve182

Before we complain too much about our plight we should consider that people in less affluent EU countries such as Poland pay similar fuel prices to us (actually about 20% less due to lower fuel tax), but their incomes are typically 75% to 80% lower than ours.

If you do the maths from that they are paying an equivalent £5.12/litre - (£1.60 X 0.8 /0.25) for fuel   

lincroft1710

I can remember many years ago, people expressing disbelief that petrol prices would rise to a £1 a GALLON. It did and although many had said "I'm not paying that much", they continued to buy it in the same quantities and surprise, surprise still bought it when the price rose again.

Sandtree

lincroft1710 said:

I can remember many years ago, people expressing disbelief that petrol prices would rise to a £1 a GALLON. It did and although many had said "I'm not paying that much", they continued to buy it in the same quantities and surprise, surprise still bought it when the price rose again.

What did they propose their alternative was going to be?

I remember with cigarets many said they wouldn't pay £5 a pack or £10 a pack etc and whilst many did continue a fair proportion did stop... outside of Central London and maybe some other large cities there isn't really that much viable alternative that wouldn't most likely cost more if you were to value time etc. 

motorguy

lincroft1710 said:

I can remember many years ago, people expressing disbelief that petrol prices would rise to a £1 a GALLON. It did and although many had said "I'm not paying that much", they continued to buy it in the same quantities and surprise, surprise still bought it when the price rose again.

It was around £1 per gallon in 1979.  Adjusted for inflation, thats £5.38 a gallon / around £1.17 per litre.  So not that far off what it was before this all kicked off.

Also cars are an awful lot more economical than they were then and in 1979 there'd have been no mainstream diesel car options.

And what have people done over the last 42 years to reduce their dependence on fossil fuelled cars or heating?  Very little it seems, so in many ways we've only ourselves to blame.

motorguy

I'm breathing a big sigh of relief mind you.

I put my aging BMW 6 series up for sale at the end of Jan.  22mpg and £585 VED, so an extremely limited market at the best of times.

Sold it last week.   Phew!

Tranboy

How long before people wake up to find their tank has been drilled or the fuel pipe ripped off and all their fuel has been stolen by some numpty.

Spies

I don't need a car for commuting fortunately, mainly just trips to the shops and train station, I'm only putting a tenner in of late and we are not going anywhere for days out or to see friends/family because we simply cannot afford to. 

Jenni_D

Will this fuel (pun intended) the switch to EV (or PHEV)?

Grey_Critic

There is a very serious side to this. We are coming up to the dayn trip/weekend break/holiday season - At the rate things are going the day trips are the first that will suffer.

I doubt many people be willing to pay these inflated prices to sit in the bank holiday type jams and of course the knock on effect will be to his the various businesses who rely on this trade. Covid has already decimated many.

Bonniepurple

[Deleted User] said:

Hopefully the roads will get quieter as the price shoots up, there will be a tipping point where lack of demand caps or reduces the prices just as it did during lockdowns.

£2 per litre for 12k annual miles in a 45 mpg car is about £2.5k per year vs £1.8k for £1.50 a litre, so around £60 a month extra to put things into perspective.

Hopefully it will stop the people who clog the roads up with unnecessary journeys at peak time from venturing out so won't be a bad thing. 

Some of us would love to avoid driving on roads for short trips and/or peak times.  Some of us don’t have a choice due to disability, life pressures or poor public transport.

FWIW my late mother couldn’t drive and I vividly remember walking to piano lessons in the dark.  Along an alleyway, onto the pavement, going up steep steps to a parallel street when the pavement petered out, down the steps to get back to the road, walking in single file with a torch as there was no pavement and very limited lighting.  It took about 40 minutes each way.  It takes 5 minutes in a car.