Will a one day gasoline boycott make any difference?
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
March 9, 2011 10:17pm CST
There is an invite going around on FB for a few different days asking Americans to not buy gas on a specific day. Do you think a boycott for one day will impact the oil companies enough to reduce their prices? We all know when there is unrest in the Middle Eastern countries or a tropical storm wants to cruise thru the Gulf of Mexico prices jump. Then of course the price of goods jump in particular essentials like food. We are in a recession people can't afford to pay more for much of anything. Sure there are some that are doing well despite the economic times but I don't know many if any who actually are.
Do you think not buying gas for one day will make a big enough mark?
I don't think it will. Now if it was for a more substantial amount of time where no one bought gas I think it may open their eyes and yours. And by this I mean say if it was for a week or two + and we used old fashioned & or childhood means to get about like walking, horses, skates, and bikes to transport ourselves. We'd be in better health and probably save a few Dollars to put tward something else.
5 people like this
24 responses
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
10 Mar 11
It would definitely require more than just one day to even get their attention. I also agree that we need to make different choices as far as how we get around and do things. For some that would not work, but car pools and mass transit would.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
10 Mar 11
I have been given a bike, but it is still in another state. I will be glad to pick it up, it supposedly has an extra cushy seat. I have great saddlebag baskets here to put on the back if they will fit, then I can shop by bike.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
10 Mar 11
Exactly! You are right alternative means may not work for everyone but I say if you save a few bucks in your wallet it's worth trying! I know the city bus here runs every hour and has very few connections so you would need to go back to the main depot to catch the right connecting bus... quite a pain. I know I will be walking more once the weather gets decent again... come on SPRING!
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
15 Jul 11
Did you ever get that bike Gerty? I'd like to do more by bike but then I'd have to have a trailer or some device to haul the kids and the busy highway we are off of w/ o sidewalks isn't very encouraging.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93740)
• United States
10 Mar 11
I don't think it will make a difference, but then it can't hurt. So I plan on boycotting that day, and I know my parents will do the same when I remind them about it. I wish it would make a real difference, but we know it won't. It's just not that easy.
1 person likes this
@vjohnson08 (71)
• United States
10 Mar 11
if you don't think it will make a difference, why are you bothering?
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
10 Mar 11
One can only hope it says something to the government and oil companies that people can't afford it.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
10 Mar 11
No. They've done this before and it's pointless. Just because you don't buy gas one day doesn't mean you're not going to buy it the day before and the day after. They'll never know it, as far as supply and demand goes. It may be a protest, but that's all it is.
If we really want to make a difference, we will change our ways permanently. Walking is good exercise; so is riding a bike. Riding a city bus is cheaper than maintaining a car. Carpooling makes more sense than a thousand vehicles carrying a thousand people. Will we? Not yet. Gas prices aren't hurting enough yet.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
15 Jul 11
It will probably have to get a lot higher for people to make more permanent changes, I agree. One thing most people don't realize is that the price of gasoline is mostly taxes. The oil companies make a profit, yes, that's the reason they're in business and it would be foolish to stay in business without making money, but they don't make nearly as much from a gallon of gas as the government does. I don't blame totally the oil companies for the prices. There are a lot of other factors involved.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
15 Jul 11
Good response as always Peavey! The hard part is getting people to make changes on a permanent basis not on a whim of what's trendy. I'd walk more if there were side walks here but when the road nearby see's 70,000 cars a day. Sadly prices are still up and have climbed since the 4th of July holiday weekend. I think people are getting used to being over $3.50/gal... I was hoping it would be something we would not have to get used to as the oil companies make billions in profits we go w/o so we can drive.
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
10 Mar 11
No I do not think so because it will cost just as much to import it so regardless they know that one day will not make much of a difference. You will have those buying it the day before and or the day after.
It will be a given fact that no one is going to be rid of their vehicle for this cause so unfortunately in my opinion it will not make much of a difference.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
15 Jul 11
Very true, we are so used to the convience of being able to drive where we'd like on our own time frame when we please. And of course you also live in a climate with winter I certainly am not walking in that season.
@vjohnson08 (71)
• United States
10 Mar 11
For those of you willing to boycott, how do you think it will make any difference at all? I'm just curious as to what I'm over-looking here. I'm not going to waste my time or money on something that won't even mean a drop in the bucket. Show me how I can make a HUGE impact, then I'll listen.
1 person likes this
@misswu (6)
• China
10 Mar 11
no,i disagree,it is not useless at all.
when the boycott day actually become a special day like festival,it means the mind of controlling oil price is accepted by most of people,also it become a truth at the same time,so whatever and whenever truth will win eventually.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
15 Jul 11
I don't think it would be useless either but to be for a longer duration than a day.
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
16 Mar 11
No, I don't think it will have a big enough impact to make any great difference. Besides, good luck in getting everyone to give it up for a day. Many just can't. I think if we all boycotted the larger companies like Exxon and Mobile then possibly we might grab their attention. The key is getting everyone to follow suit.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
12 Mar 11
Of course it wont' help. They know people will just gas up the day before and the day after. Where's the harm? Where's the impact? The problem is going to hit when truckers can't afford gasoline and stop trucking product across this nation. Just us getting to work isn't going to matter much, when the store shelves and things like that are barren! Oil companys and the president know we little folk, common man etc, will do whatever we have to to take care of our selves...they dont' care...our tax dollars pay for their gas! We do without, they don't care...as they know...we can only do without for so long!
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Mar 11
hi 3snugglebunnies I doubt it too not just one day but if everyone
worked together for a week or ten days yes it could have
a great impact on prices. people could walk for a lot of their
'errands and have food delivered to your home instead of using car. also you could take the bus to someplace you need to go and leave the driving to the bus company. we here in orange county have a good bus service all over the county so no need to use a car if you wish to make them lower our gas prices. wow I just had a pain pill and am falling asleep here at the computer. but I think a week or ten day boycott could have a huge impact on getting the prices to come down.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
2 Jul 11
I think that you're right. I saw the invitation you were talking about and I think we'd need to go without filling our tanks up for atleast a week if not two weeks before it did anything, and then again maybe a month would be better. Some people will still fill up regardless, but if we could just do something that would make a bigger impact. I'm sure that the gas companies know about the boycotts and prepare for them, becuase I think I've seen a two or three actually a year. In any case, If we would skate, bike, walk, or even use motorized bikes and mopeds for awhile it'd be easier, we'd see the better impact we're making on our health, on the environment, on gas companies.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
12 Jul 11
No.
A: you won't get even a fraction of the people to do it.
B: If you got 90% to comply, it would still not stop the rest of the world.
C: If you got the rest of the world, it wouldn't stop businesses.
D: If you got businesses and the rest of the world to comply, it wouldn't stop the millions of uses for oil that are not transportation related.
E: (All of the above) No, it wouldn't do anything at all.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
12 Mar 11
No, I don't think that a one day boycott of buying gas will make a difference. People have tried this tactic before of not buying gas for a single day and it has never made a difference. I think that if a week long boycott could be arranged that it would start to make a difference. The reason that I say this is because of the fact that I don't know anyone that has to buy gas on a daily basis so what difference would one day really make. Personally, I only have to get gas in my car once every week and a half or so.
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
8 Jul 11
I am sorry to interrupting your assumption, and imagination here. If one day of without using gasoline, the financial sector will be on a collapse virtually. Transportation like those trucks will not be able to transport goods to supermarket and other areas. People are facing many difficulties in access food and other stuff. So, what you are saying just not practical. You have to see the big picture here. Everything within the U.S. must rely on gasoline to operate and to circulate.
@vjohnson08 (71)
• United States
10 Mar 11
No I don't think it will have any impact at all. I feel that most of Americans are like my husband and I and I'd say yes! To not buy gas tomorrow or even the next day would mean my husband couldn't go to work. If he can't go to work, we can't eat or pay any bills. A one day boycott is a waste of time.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
10 Mar 11
That's exactly how life works. You don't work you don't eat. And you need to find a way to get to work so you pay the lowest price you can find for gas & cross your fingers it will not continue to go up.
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
10 Mar 11
It did work the last time that we did it. All we can do is try and see!
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
11 Mar 11
No I do not think it would make a difference. The gas stations are only charging us what they are being charged. I think more people should start relying on different types of transportation or budgeting their trips (doing as much as possible with one trip, carpooling, etc.) to really cut down on the gasoline intake. This summer when gas reaches $5 a gallon perhaps more people will be interested in this! I cannot tell you how odd it is to see these people wheeling around in these large trucks and SUV's still.
@Nadinest1 (2016)
• Canada
12 Mar 11
I saw that on FB as well. Personally, I don't think there would be enough people boycotting to make much difference. That would practically take all on the US and Canada to NOT buy gas on that day. I think it is too widespread for everyone to do it.
@jahernandezrivas (11288)
• United States
10 Mar 11
I think you are so right one day will not do anything at all and I know that it has been tough for us for a long time and the people responsible for this have to know the whole world is upset and there is nothing we can do so they just keep pushing up the prices but if it was for a week or 2 I would be more than willing to walk and NOT pay for gas at all!!! It would like you said help us all in the wallet and health wise! I would not mind at all not giving the stupid rich idiot gas people a dime for 2 weeks!!! Let them feel the pain like we are!!!!
@sender621 (14893)
• United States
10 Mar 11
If enough people worked together in a gasoline boycott, i do believe a difference could be made. No business wants to lose money. without customers, the gasoline pumps could definitely feel a crunch even if it is for just one day! @asyria51 (2861)
• United States
10 Mar 11
A one day boycott is not going to do anything. The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted weeks of people not using the public transportation. It will take sustained drop in usage across the entire country, not just in pockets for the oil companies to do anything about prices.
Prices fluctuate based on supply and demand. Right now the demand is the same, but the supply is hampered due to the conflicts in the Middle East where we import so much of our oil from. As thing stabilize or get worse, we will get a better idea of where gas prices are going to stay.
