Re: gasoline prices 1949-1999

[Scott Dredge <sdredge@yahoo.com>]

I don't see any flaw in the data.  The chart doesn't
state anything about being adjusted for inflation,
but it appears that the numbers have taken inflation
into account.  It looks to me like gas prices have
never been cheaper than they are right now.  Is there
any other data available for refute this?

Also, the discussion on gas prices on this list
usually isn't about how high gas prices are in
general, it typically is along the lines of "Why
is gas so much cheaper in Lewiston than in Moscow?".
The same complaint is made all over the country along
with charges of collusion, conspiracies, calls for
congressional investigations, etc.

Personally I think it's the free market.  And right
now where I live, Shell and Chevron prices are only
2 cents higher than the lowest price independent
Gas and Shop station which usually undercuts the
big names by 10 to 12 cents per gallon.

-SD


-SD

--- Don Coombs <mushroom@moscow.com> wrote:
> > Susan wrote:
> > 
> > For those who engage in the price of gasoline
> > discussions, you may be interested in the attached
> .jpg
> > file that charts the prices at the pump from
> 1949-1999.
> 
> Interesting. I have no reason to doubt the data, but
> I
> would point out that the presentation is flawed.
> When you
> truncate the graph (don't include the range from 0
> to $1
> at the bottom) you make it look like the present
> price is
> almost nothing and like the ups and downs were more
> significant than they really were.
> 
> Don Coombs
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! 
http://auctions.yahoo.com