You didn't answer my question about the $200 gallon of gasoline. That doesn't matter if they have a monopoly or not you still have a choice. People lived without electricity since the dawn of mankind until it came along.
Why shouldn't they be able to charge whatever they want? Supposing there are several options in the area and a decent level of competition exists. I could perhaps see an argument if the town were very small and only had enough customers to sustain one fuel station anywhere nearby, giving that station a kind of monopoly. But when you have options to buy from several businesses, and they are all raising their prices in response to shortages and demand, what is wrong with that? Why shouldn't they be able to get $200 ? If you don't want it, don't buy it. Or maybe you should have saved up some emergency storage of fuel yourself. Or made some sort of prearranged agreement with a business. I can tell you if they sold the fuel for less, it would very likely be sold out by the time you got there and then you would likely not be able to get any fuel for yourself. Just a few people would have taken all of it. If the price is very high, as high as it can go, people have an incentive to only take what they absolutely need. If the business decides they don't want to sell at all to anyone during the emergency, do you think they should be allowed to do that?
You know it's also possible that the city government can have a preestablished contract with some businesses, where the government would be able to step in and buy up that entire business's inventory and a pre-agreed upon price anytime the government wanted, which would during an emergency. Of course, the government would probably have to pay money up front to be able to secure such an agreement. I know more Lefty types would might just prefer to confiscate all the business's merchandise during an emergency, forcing them to sell at normal prices.
I keep 7 gallons of gas in my shed primarily for my motorcycle because I buy the non-ethanol gas. Even so it's only good for about 6 months. That ethanol garbage is only good for about three.
Did you think that was relevant to the conversation? You are aware that gas stations in larger population areas only hold enough gas for 3 weeks? I think it might run out much quicker than that, maybe only last 6 days, if everyone was trying to take as much gas as they could afraid it would run out. So it sounds like it is more pragmatic for you to hold your gas for an emergency situation than the gas station. An average gas station in the U.S. serves nearly a thousand customers per day. It would very quickly run out during an emergency.
Of course it's relevant to the conversation because you're suggesting that people should buy gas in advance. Our gas station certainly doesn't hold 3 weeks worth. Our typical delivery is 7 to 10,000 gallons and we have 10 pumps. Two are diesel only
Yes, I do think it's good for society. If more people are well stocked prior to an emergency, then that is that many fewer people out there trying to buy goods when everyone else is.
It's terrible the amount of people here in Southwest Florida that are prepared not at all for hurricane season. Most people probably go to the store every two days three at most. As soon as a hurricane even looks like it's coming this way the local stores are completely wiped out.
I'm not talking about "well stocked", I'm talking about buying entire stores inventory and having more than you will ever use for the sole purpose of charging an exorbitant price when people need it.
So in an emergency would it be a good thing for someone to pull in and fill a tanker that holds 500 gallons just so they can turn around and sell it at twice the marked price?
"No, no, it's not that I am irresponsible. I'm a victim because I did not fuel up the car prior to the hurricane. I mean, who would have dreamed that the weatherman was right about the forecast?" Everybody wants to be a victim. It's a virtue these days...
What if you DID fill up your car but the emergency extends into a 2nd or 3rd week and the gas station is now out of gas because someone came in and bought 500 gallons and is now selling it at twice the price the gas station was selling it for. Is that a good thing?
Yeah it would. How is that different from any other kind of investment or trade? You aren't going to sell at a loss. And it's not like the seller is holding a gun to your head.
Hey- how come the first person sold to the second person? If the first person had sat on the inventory and waited for the third person to come around the first person could have doubled their profit. What you are ignoring is the risk of investment. There is no garuntee that your inventory will increase in value. What if your gasoline is selling for five bucks a gallon pre-hurricane and you plan to sell for $10 a gallon after the storm... ...but the forecast was wrong and the storm misses sending the gas you paid $5/gal into the $3/gal range?
So an elderly couple, the wife dependent on some electronic device to help her breathe or similar, on a fixed income just have to "suck it up" and pay the higher price for gas for the home generator because some guy just happened to have the money and means to buy and store more gas than he could ever use on his own?
That is PRECISELY the reason that prices should go up in such scenarios. The higher price causes a form of rationing. Someone who’s life depends on having gasoline should get it before someone who just want to take a drive in his car.
Happens all the time, that's why many states have laws against it, so it apparently is not a waste of effort.
Okay, and as I’ve explained I’ve got absolutely no problem with it. Consumers should stock up on the things they need beforehand.
Before the emergency, say a hurricane, something people know is coming, the couple buys as much gas as they can store. This guy comes in and buys 500 gallons, more than he uses in a typical six month period. The emergency hits and is more severe than predicted. The gas station runs out of gas and now this guy starts selling what he bought a 2 or 3 times what he bought it for. Is that OK with you?
And if someone can't afford to buy or store 500 gallons of gasoline they should be at the mercy of someone who can? And does it just to gouge those who can't?
So you’re saying that there is no more gasoline at all other than the 500 gallons this guy has? Well then he should raise the price very high, so that frivolous users don’t buy it and those with extreme need (medical for example) can access it.
You keep asking me the same question. The answer is yes. Anyone ought to be allowed to ask any price they want. Always.
