I don't believe we (the world) is using less. I believe it's an election year if anything but I'm open to other thoughts.

Agreed that the world as a whole has not changed that much in the last 3 or so weeks. What has changed is the usual seasonal variation, plus and election year:
1. After Labor day, the summer travel decreases, so we usually see a decrease in gas prices in anticipation of this.
2. Bush, and other politicians, realize that this is a hot topic in this election year. So, they are going to push for low prices across the board.

So, the ~$1.00 decrease in the last few weeks is actually something we should expect. As hybrid owners, we look at the long term investment. With this, a fuel saving vehicle makes the most sense. I expect that the price will increase overall in the next year.

30+mpg vs. 20+ mpg with a minimal decrease in cargo-room -- why should someone consider a nonhybrid?

Just the 'invisible hand' at work.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

Blame the guy when it goes up, blast him when it goes down.....

I think the price of gasis dropping for the opposite reason it shot up so much a year ago. A very quiet hurricane season has allowed the gulf rigs and refineries to catch up some, inventories are increasing as the high prices this summer kept a lot of people home. Factor in the little situation in Israel stabilizing, Iran pretending to cooperate with the world and I think all that is a recipe for prices to come down.

I don't think the president made gas prices come down any more than he was responsible for them shooting up.

JMO of course.

This is just how it works, I think. A big chunk of it was speculation in the oil market, which has cooled down considerably with the end of the summer driving season. Investors made their money, now they get to go buy Lincoln Navigators and Hummers with their profits. Prices were unreasonably high, so they are just settling down to where they ought to be. It will be really interesting to see where they land.

I know there is probably some truth to the 'election year' theory, but from the conversations that I have had with the futures traders who really set the prices, they were taken by surprise:

1) Expected Hurricanes
2) Lebanon/Israel conflict has cooled
3) Iran is still talking and Iraq pumping
4) Missile tests over the Sea of Japan were over blown
5) The BP Pipeline issue ... wasn't as big as first thought
6 Oil producers and refineries are cranking at 100% due to high margins
7) Supplies are up (see comment 'rumor' in at least Ohio)

When you get hung out as a trader and the direction changes ... the pendulum swings in excess as those wanting out of their contracts.

--RichC --- "My Desultory Blog" & CinciTDI Club

See my Post #12 on this thread for a good explanation of why prices are low. Has nothing to do with an election season. Politicians in the USA only WISH they had influence and power over international oil markets.

http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/t...highlight=bush

I read in the paper this morning that some hedge fund was out $9 billion dollars after betting wrong in natural gas futures. I wonder how much that fund has made in the last couple years on the same type of speculation.

The only downside to lower gas prices is it will take longer to break even on the purchase of my hybrids.

Check out:

http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/tr...W145_full.html

to find the truth about gas prices.

Pump Predictions

Gasoline prices expected to drop to average of $2.25 a gallon, according to Energy Information Administration