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It's probably like the price of gas in America. Easily seen, frequently bought so it causes anxiety. I know for some in America transportation is a serious co

It's probably like the price of gas in America. Easily seen, frequently bought so it causes anxiety. I know for some in America transportation is a serious concern, but there is also a lot of irrational reaction as well. After COVID, the person in the office next to mine was really upset that gas was like +$1. Like your house went up a quarter million in value and your mad because gas cost $5. You're never going to buy enough gas for it to matter. People are strange.

PaulHoule 1y ago
I've thought about carbon pricing. $100 a tonne sounds like a nice round number and it is in the ballpark where it is claimed that carbon capture and storage is affordable for coal burning power plants, oil refineries and such. That comes to about $1 a gallon on gas, which I have two thoughts about: (1) I don't think it would change people's behavior that much -- gas has been $1 higher at times in the past and it didn't discourage me from driving and I'm not rich, I wouldn't consider spending more than $25k on a car whereas I know people who think nothing of buying an $80k truck. (2) I think Americans are highly sensitized to price increases right now and I think it would politically impossible to add $1/gallon to the price of gas, people would complain they are all out of spoons or it is the straw that breaks the camel's back or something. I think even 10 years ago it might have been easier, but right now, forget about it.
nozzlegear 1y ago
I used to live paycheck to paycheck, and when you live that way you're very sensitive to the price of gas since transportation is so vital. Gas going up by a dollar means you're now paying $60 to fill up your 15 gallon tank instead of $45. It's only $15 more, but if you don't make much in the first place and you already live paycheck to paycheck, it makes a huge difference and can cause a lot of stress watching that fuel gauge tick down.
- reverendsteveii 1y ago
  This. When I was a bartender it wasn't uncommon for the last little bit of free cash I had at the beginning of the work week to be (barely) enough to get me to work

PaulHoule 1y ago

I've thought about carbon pricing. $100 a tonne sounds like a nice round number and it is in the ballpark where it is claimed that carbon capture and storage is affordable for coal burning power plants, oil refineries and such. That comes to about $1 a gallon on gas, which I have two thoughts about: (1) I don't think it would change people's behavior that much -- gas has been $1 higher at times in the past and it didn't discourage me from driving and I'm not rich, I wouldn't consider spending more than $25k on a car whereas I know people who think nothing of buying an $80k truck. (2) I think Americans are highly sensitized to price increases right now and I think it would politically impossible to add $1/gallon to the price of gas, people would complain they are all out of spoons or it is the straw that breaks the camel's back or something. I think even 10 years ago it might have been easier, but right now, forget about it.

nozzlegear 1y ago

I used to live paycheck to paycheck, and when you live that way you're very sensitive to the price of gas since transportation is so vital. Gas going up by a dollar means you're now paying $60 to fill up your 15 gallon tank instead of $45. It's only $15 more, but if you don't make much in the first place and you already live paycheck to paycheck, it makes a huge difference and can cause a lot of stress watching that fuel gauge tick down.

reverendsteveii 1y ago
This. When I was a bartender it wasn't uncommon for the last little bit of free cash I had at the beginning of the work week to be (barely) enough to get me to work