HFM!? - Petrol Prices

Isn't it the usual oil price hike? Some economist type person mentioned that £100 per barrel (I think) was possible and so everyone thought "Oh that's a good idea" and started raising prices.

Ah, righty. I did briefly consider that at the pump, but thought surely not, as with the influx of Iraqui oil now everything's all hunky dory there, the price would surely be lower if anything? ;)

In the early hours, I often wonder what is going on with the price of oil. It doesn't seem so long ago it was 30 USD a barrel, and I can't see how it can possibly have gone up so much unless there's oil company greed or an undisclosed lack of the stuff at play.

Still, at least that's answered my original question, thanks :)

I have seen the Chinese consumer expansion blamed for an increase in demand.

When I bought my Escort, I could fill it up for £35. It now costs £50. That's been in a month!

Some dodgy oil company let their refinery explode.

When I started driving, unleaded was 64.9, or 60.9 over in Reading (not far, and I was often there anyway). The other day I paid 88.9p/litre for diesel.

Pah. When I started driving there was no unleaded but the equivalent grade was 4s 10.5p (four shillings and ten pence halfpenny) per gallon. This equates to about 5p a litre. I suddenly feel old. :-)

Oil has gone up from $36 to $56 dollars a barrel since Christmas.

Unleaded is currently 82.9 here, it *will* be close to 90p a litre by the end of the month unless oil prices take a nosedive - thats unlikely.

Start imagining there is an egg under your accelerator pedal and your MPG will increase no end!!

MattF

Howard Neil ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOVETOREPLY.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

What's a "shilling"?

As will the size of the queues behind you at lights, roundabouts, junctions, single-carriageways etc.

With apologies to Terry Pratchett:

NOTE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND AMERICANS: One shilling = Five Pee.

It would help if I explained the monetary system in the UK before 1971.

Two farthings = One Ha'penny. Two ha'pennies = One Penny. Three pennies = A Thrupenny Bit. Two Thrupences = A Sixpence. Two Sixpences = One Shilling, or Bob. Two Bob = A Florin. One Florin and one Sixpence = Half a Crown. Four Half Crowns = Ten Bob Note. Two Ten Bob Notes = One Pound (or 240 pennies). One Pound and One Shilling = One Guinea.

The British resisted decimalized currency for a long time because they thought it was too complicated. ;)

That's right, rub it in. :-)

Just in case it was a serious question,

This being a problem because..?

Guineas are still sometimes used. I know of one livestock auction market that only uses guineas and there may be others.

In terms of conserving fuel I was thinking more along the lines of not flying up behind someone until you are a foot from their bumper, then braking unnecessarily and repeating the procedure several times in some vain, pathetic, i have a small penis kind of attempt to get the car in front to go faster.

MattF

Acually the recommendation for cars with fuel injection is to use a wide open throttle but not exceed 2000rpm for maximum fuel efficiency. Can anyone explain the logic behind this?

W.

Less throttling losses. On a carb engine the increased richnes at full throttle more than made up for it.

Howard Neil ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOVETOREPLY.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It wasn't.

I was born almost exactly one month after decimalisation - so I'm a mere babe-in-arms - not *quite* half way through my three-score-and-ten. That's next year.

??

Not possible on an automatic is it?