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submitted 9 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

Detroit man steals 800 gallons using Bluetooth to hack gas pumps at station::undefined

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[-] nostradiel@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

4$ per gallon that's approximately 1$ per litre.

I hope it will at least double for you so you know what it's like to pay for petrol in Europe..

[-] namelessdread@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I get what you're saying, but I'm not sure you realize just how much that would hurt people. Europe is much more densely concentrated and has far better public transit options. Many parts of the US are extremely rural. My nearest grocery store is a 30 minute drive away. There are no stores in walking distance at all. There are no sidewalks. There are no busses, trains, or cabs in my area, and that is not wildly uncommon.

If costs of gas doubled, at least without viable alternatives, it would absolutely bankrupt people. And it would disproportionately impact poor people in rural areas where it's very common to commute to work 30-60 minutes of driving is a common commute. While it varies by state, US federal minimum wage in the US is $7.25/hour. Many people commute for work, and an hour drive one way is also not uncommon.

Let's take 7.25 an hour x 40 hours = $290 before taxes.

We'll keep it simple and say a person uses only 1 gallon of gas per day to get to and from work which, at $8 a gallon x 5 days a week = $40. Just that travel to and from work and no other travel at all (or maintenance on the vehicle) would be 14% of pre-tax income.

So many things need to change so I understand the perspective, but I think it's really important to consider the widespread impact. Obviously the US has a lot of issues contributing to this situation.

[-] daemoz@lemmy.world -2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

I agree but will counter, maybe people should be prioritizing buying motorcycles and heated jackets over trucks and suvs that make up 80% of new sales. I think gas price should be based off mpg MORE than now. If you get 15 mpg than you pay 15 per gallon. Get 30mpg you pay 7 per gallon. Only exceptions are for vehicles used for operational work, not commuting.

[-] namelessdread@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

That's a fair counter, and I definitely agree there are many things that could be changed to improve the situation.I also think the US needs to move away from large vehicles, and it's a huge problem that so many people are purchasing vehicles that get poor mileage and are ultimately bad for the environment.

I would argue though that there are some issues with the motorcycle suggestion. First, in many areas of the country it's only feasible to ride a motorcycle about half the year due to weather. In the New England area, it's only feasible in the summer. Otherwise, the snow and ice make it far too dangerous. Plus, if you have a family/children, then you also need some kind of car, so now you have to buy, register, inspect, and maintain two vehicles. There are also costs for getting a motorcycle endorsement on your license and an additional fee each time you renew your license to maintain that motorcycle endorsement on your license.

The problem with the "pay per mpg" would be older cars. I used to drive a very old car with very bad gas mileage. I also lived in that car. There's risk of disproportionately impacting people with low income. Of course, that could be countered based off the the year of the car, or income, or some other thing -- but I'm sure there would be loopholes and other issues there.

Anyways, really interesting topic to consider. Thanks for the respectful discourse!

[-] daemoz@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Good reply, id fully support the exception for those living in vehicles and having the cost decay over time like registration does.

As for the cold, thats only a part of the country for a part of the year. I can buy 2 reliable cars and a motorcycle for the cost of 1 new luxury truck. People want new big and flashy to feel self important, ita sad. But I guess that acceptance of debt is what keeps America going now idk.

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this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
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