Posted on 07/13/2004 3:10:35 PM PDT by Willie Green
TAMPA, Fla. -- Denise Quenneville drives 30 miles each way to her $7-an-hour job as a cashier at a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop here. With this year's surge in gas prices, she's paying $23 every couple of days to fill up her car, up from about $19 a year ago.
"A $4 difference is a lot," says Ms. Quenneville, who now is pouring about a quarter of her take-home pay into the tank of her blue 2000 Oldsmobile Alero. To keep her car on the road, the 19-year-old has run up a balance of about $500 on her gas-company credit card.
The cost of gas, currently averaging $1.89 a gallon nationwide, is creating a new burden for everyone who drives a car. But the toll is particularly heavy among low-income workers, for whom higher gas prices amount to a palpable pay cut.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlive.com ...
Well that's her stupidity. Can she not find a $7/hr job anywhere closer to home? Flame on.
I think this young lady needs to get a job closer to home.
Why would someone drive 30 miles each way for a 7.00 an hour job. You can't tell me with Florida's unemployment as low as it is you can't find a local job especially in the Tampa area.
Car-pool.
Consider taking a job closer to where you live.
Take a different shift for a higher shift differential, thus having more cash for gas.
Move closer.
Blame Bush.
Hello You can make more than $7.00 bucks an hour waiting tables. 30 miles 1 way is not the sharpest tool in the shed
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Unemployment Rate 3.6
Florida Unemployment Rate 4.5
World to end .... women and minorities hit hardest alert.
Well, if the federal, state and local governments would repeal their obscenely high taxes on gasoline, it would be affordable for everyone.
But, of course, such an action is unthinkable. It's much easier just to blame it on the current President.
Truly pathetic.
I agree, she needs to get a job closer to home.
The problem is, however, for too many people, gas prices are seen as a vital indicator of economic performance. Consumer confidence dropped significantly as gas prices have risen. In fact, there is even a correlation between Bush's approval rating and gas prices. Since the price of gasoline is among the least 'sticky' of most consumer goods, it is seen as an indication of inflation, which carries a negative vibe.
Even though it is completely irrational, Bush needs to do something about this. Bush needs to signal to traders that he would release oil from the SPR the instant there is any shock to supply from any terrorist attack in the middle east. He also has to keep pressure on the Saudis to keep pumping at capacity. Oil prices, if they remain this high, will slow down the economy... and they are already making it look much weaker than it actually is.
The good news is that demand tradtionally drops towards the middle of August, and falls through the middle of November. This, along with added supplies from the Saudis should lead to a glut of supply around the end of August, and with it a drop in prices.
She's nineteen years old and yet she has a car that is 3 years newer than mine.
Sob!!!!! Her story breaks my heart.
"$23 every couple of days to fill up her car, "
What? Even at $2/gal you get 11 1/2 gallons. (lets call it 10 just for argument). That means that whatever she is driving is getting about 12 mpg. This would indicate an SUV. However, everyone knows that an SUV has a tank that would easily hold TWICE that much.
Conslusion. Someone is lying through their teeth. (Hint: media bias).
Mathematically, everything is going to take a higher toll on low income workers, so what's your point?
$23 every couple of days / $1.89/gallon = 12.2 gallons every couple of days
30 miles x 2 ways x 2 days = 120 miles every couple of days
120 miles every couple of days / 12.2 gallons every couple of days = 9.9 Miles Per Gallon
She must be driving one of those Evil SUVs.
She must be driving really fast if she is only getting 120 miles out of a tank of gas.
There is no way an Olds Alero requires $23 in gas to drive 120 miles.
The article supposedly says she is driving an Old Alero which is a compact car with a 4 cylinder engine.
Average combined gas mileage of 2000 Oldsmobile Alero = 24 mpg. I don't know what the fuel capacity is, but either she's driving way more than she says she is, needs to get something fixed on her car, or she's lying.
Get a bicycle. Although...you might burn $4.00 worth of calories in food riding that far and back every day. Of course, she does work at a Krispy Kreme.
C'mon guys, you all know that none of these smoke and mirrors statistics about unemployment and fuel prices are worth a dang when it comes to real people like Denise Quenneville. It's time to take up a collection.
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