What killed the 2008 season!

[David Drummond]

Gas prices!

Unless your carpooling and splitting expenses, chasing this spring just keeps getting more and more expensive. New records were set today for a barrel of oil. I see the station next to me just jumped from $3.29 to $3.46/gal. From empty that is just about a $90 per tank fillup for me. Most chases not local are at least 2 tankers if not more. So I am looking at $90-$180 or more just to fuel a one day chase. At least I get halfway decent gas mileage.

I can imagine this making chasing near impossible for all but local stuff for you college students unless you buddy up.

Don't get me wrong, I love chasing and nothing I love more than a good storm. But like most folks, the money I spend on a one or two day chase could buy lots of other things. It's sadly getting to the point where I am having to think about if I want to spend that kind of money to see some cool condensed water vapor, or something a little more tangible and longer lasting. A good two day chase now, with meals and a couple of motels could easily approach $500!!

 

[Brent Gilles]

I'm in total agreement with you. I used to think nothing of a day chase in excess of 500 miles, but now that gas is so ridiculously expensive, I find myself asking if the day is worth the money or should I save it for another day. I feel like the hurricane hunters. Only so much money to chase for the season and I have to choose chasing everything now or holding out for something better that may never materialize.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Well, where I work, I am being forced to work 2 overtime days a month. I used to B**CH about having to do that, but now I'm glad I am making that extra dough to supplement my chases. I've been having to do this for about 8 months now so I have saved up enough money to chase this year. Otherwise, I might have had to stay close to home this year. Last week when the tornado hit Breckenridge, I spent about 170 dollars in gas. On empty, it's going to take about $60 to fill my tank up. OUCH...

 

[Shane Adams]

It's really killing those of us who live check to check anyway, regardless of chasing. I'm paying my bills and eating, but I'm getting really tired of having 35 cents in the bank constantly between paychecks, after bills and chasing. If you take away the April 9 chase, I'd have about $100 in the bank from my last payday. As it is, after bills from each paycheck are subtracted, chasing eats away the remaining 99.9% of my money. I certainly don't mind this, because chasing is what I live for, it's just a shame this country has become so greedy it's now destroying its own economy. No one should be paying over $2/gallon for gas, but because they can, they will continue to rape us until it eventually does wreck the economy.

The cost of living isn't dropping but the cost of driving keeps skyrocketing, and people are only going to work (to buy gas to get to work) for so long. I just keep thinking back to 30 years ago, when the cost of oil rising was a good thing, because the oil companies actually gave a f*ck about the customer and passed their good fortune along to the consumer.

EDIT: One good thing about 2008 so far, every time we've been broke after a chase and wonder where our next money is coming from (before paydays), I make a video sale. Thanks to Michael Bishop of Dearborn, MI, we now have gas money and will chase today's event....wouldn't have been able to without that sale. Thanks Mike!!!!!

 

[Mike Kovalchick]

For those that don't already have this link handy:

http://michigangasprices.com/Price_By_County.aspx?state=MI&c=usa

Shows a map of the US with the average price of gasoline in each county.
You can zoom in to see prices at individual gas stations.

Tornado alley as a whole is actually one of the cheaper locations in the U.S. for gas. You can save a few bucks using the map as prices can vary dramatically over a small distance.

I estimate I could spend as much $1000 in gas for my chase vacation starting May 15 until Memorial day assuming prices don't get any worse. (If I don't spend $4 a gallon somewhere on this trip-I will be surprised.)

 

[Karen Politte]

I agree with David, Shane and the others on this - chasing has become a sport of the wealthy, which was predominantly born from low gas prices. Now that the tables have turned - chasing could very well see a dwindling crowd of fans.

We none of us are totally exempt from being affected by the economy - so, when you wake up one day in May and suddenly realize that, to chase western Oklahoma today, you will be spending in excess of $200......and you LIVE in Oklahoma......well it gets you thinking. Thinking about when your next paycheck is, thinking about that TV in the spare bedroom that needs replaced, thinking about how to fund this year's Christmas gifts......the list is endless of the worthwhile things that you could be spening that money on, instead of chasing.

Like Shane, I'm a paycheck-to-paycheck person until I find a higher paying job (which is in the works sort of). I know there are some places I COULD curtail my spending - but it's weighing that against my quality of life. Do I really want to live on Ramen noodles and crackers??

Today's employers are, on average, offering a 2-3% payraise per year. That won't even cover the rising gas prices, let alone the raise in price that all of our merchandize and groceries will see as a result. How depressing. I think it's about time that this country started appreciating it's employees a bit more.

KP

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Paycheck-to-paycheck here. Cigarettes are about to be quit for chasing due to the high costs. Probably actually less dangerous to chase, anyway ...

My Civic gets 30 mpg, so unlike those with trucks or vans, I'm not as hard-hit. Even 3000 miles of chasing in a month all by myself will cost $25 extra with the increase, and that's if I chase alone - but, thinking about it, that's one of my monthly credit card payments!

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I thought you were serious when I saw the thread title. I was actually hoping it was serious because the last time I remember people claiming the season was ruined this early was 2004 and we all know what happened starting May 12th that year.
Gas prices are kicking my ass too.

Darrin said...
"Cigarettes are about to be quit for chasing due to the high costs"

You smoke. Good man. I don't trust a man that doesn't smoke lol.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

Living in a town only a few miles wide has its benefits... with it finally getting warm in North Dakota, I'm riding the bike into school every chance I get. Maybe that will help offset storm chase eating habits too

 

[John Cameron]

For those that don't already have this link handy:

http://michigangasprices.com/Price_By_County.aspx?state=MI&c=usa

Shows a map of the US with the average price of gasoline in each county.
You can zoom in to see prices at individual gas stations.

Thats a fascinating map, Mike. Logic suggests there are a lot of Illini filling up in Missouri and a lot of New Yorkers filling up in New Jersey. Californians are getting straight up jacked!

 

[Warren Faidley]

Well.... when the CEO of Exxon Mobil gets a 21.7 million dollar bonus, what do you expect. They made 36 million last year, the highest grossing income of any company in history, and the CEO also gets a 400 million retirement package. I for one will not buy gas at Exxon Mobil. One way to reduce fuel costs is to simply drive less by targeting locations at the right time to avoid extra driving.

Warren

 

[John Cameron]

This is the main reason (A) I chase locally and (B) I wait for something worthwhile to show up on radar.

 

[Jason Branz]

Californians are getting straight up jacked!

You ain't kidding there. The gas prices here in Sac are among the cheapest in the state, and we've just come down to $3.70/gal. It was $3.90 for a couple of weeks. Luckily I live close enough to work to walk every day, so I only have to drive once or twice per week. The $2K I have saved up for my chase trip is gonna go pretty quick.

 

[James Siler]

The Lancer me and my chase partner chase in used to cost $12 to $15 to fill up on premium. Now it cost almost $50 to fill up on regular. And both of us are in a financial situation cause of so much money has gone to gas. I was checking into a Ford Escape Hybrid but can't afford those payments right now. Wish there was something we could do.I do try to car pool as much as possiable and cut out non needed driving when possiable.Any other tips would be appreciated.

 

[Andrew Stoller]

Well.... when the CEO of Exxon Mobil gets a 21.7 million dollar bonus, what do you expect. They made 36 million last year, the highest grossing income of any company in history, and the CEO also gets a 400 million retirement package. I for one will not buy gas at Exxon Mobil. One way to reduce fuel costs is to simply drive less by targeting locations at the right time to avoid extra driving.

Warren

That would be BILLION.