Don't get mad about gas prices -- get even
My sister sent this to me. It's seems like a rather effective plan of action for a consumer protest.
UPDATE: I'm told that Snopes debunked this theory and it won't work. Too bad. I like the idea of dissing Mobil-Exxon.
Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.I'm in. Please pass it on.
Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers.
UPDATE: I'm told that Snopes debunked this theory and it won't work. Too bad. I like the idea of dissing Mobil-Exxon.
posted by Libby Spencer at 12:28 PM
2 Comments:
I hate to throw cold water on this idea, but according to the urban legend site Snopes this won't work:
A boycott of a couple of brands of gasoline won't result in lower overall prices. Prices at all the non-boycotted outlets would rise due to the temporarily limited supply and increased demand, making the original prices look cheap by comparison. The shunned outlets could then make a killing by offering gasoline at its "normal" (i.e., pre-boycott) price or by selling off their output to the non-boycotted companies, who will need the extra supply to meet demand. The only person who really gets hurt in this proposed scheme is the service station operator, who has almost no control over the price of gasoline.
The only practical way of reducing gasoline prices is through the straightforward means of buying less gasoline, not through a simple and painless scheme of just shifting where we buy it.
I'm trying to convince my hubby to plow up our backyard and plant corn that we can turn into ethanol!!
Well that's too bad but I don't hate the idea of avoiding Exxon Mobil anyway. Support Chavez - buy Citgo. ;-}
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