How Much Do You Pay in Gas Tax?

[rPGoatBoy]

Those are some nice pictures. How about I-5 around 5pm?

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Oh, Hell no!

 

[HotRodZilla]

Dayum...And I thought NM was around $.27 per gallon. Now I feel like I'm being robbed!!

Not really...I'm actually glad that we're well below the national average.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Don't complain too much! Gas taxes are the income for DOTs to build and maintain roads, bridges, drainage systems, and all the other accoutrements of the highway networks that give us a place to ride.

With steadily increasing vehicle fuel efficiency and electric cars, gas tax revenues are falling. This puts already-out-of-money DOTs into positions where they simply can't maintain what they already have.

 

[mcatrophy]

You Yanks should stop grumbling about fuel tax.

(Source https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2621307/British-motorists-pay-highest-fuel-taxes-world.html)

 

[Fred W]

I did not post the tax chart as a complaint, more of an awareness thing. I think a lot of folks just don't know how much (or maybe I should say how little) we are actually paying in gas tax.

 

[fjRaven]

Got me to thinking about the one or two states that have the mandatory attendant at the gas stations who fills your tank for you, like Oregon, do you let them fill your bike?

 

[Fred W]

New Jersey is another one. I think they usually hand you the hose.

 

[wnyfjr]

When I lived in Fairbanks people were always up in arms about the price of fuel. After all, the Trans Alaska Pipeline runs past the edge of town and went through a refinery (now closed) in the town of North Pole about 20 miles south of town. One would have thought that these conditions were ripe for us getting cheap fuel. Instead our gas prices ran 60-75 cents per gallon higher than the national average and heating oil was well over $4 a gallon when I left in 2011. The answer to the conundrum was provided by the operating manager of the refinery during a radio interview. He said they charged so much "Because we can." His point was that there was no other practical source for fuel in Fairbanks since the only other refinery in Alaska was in Kenai over 500 miles away. He went on to say that we were lucky they did not charge more. At least he was honest.

I used to live in San Jose and there was a refinery not far away. At one point, there was commentary in the newspaper that we shouldn't have to pay so much for gas since the refinery was right there and transport costs were low. The refinery folks (or someone who represented them) answered in a letter to the editor that proximity to the refinery had no bearing on local fuel prices. Some time later there was an explosion and fire at that refinery that reduced it's capacity by some amount. Local gas prices went up a fair amount rather quickly, and when officials were asked, the public was told that the decrease in supply from that refinery caused the increase in price...

 

[Geezer]

New Jersey is another one. I think they usually hand you the hose.

Yes, in Jersey the attendant will usually offer you the hose. If he doesn't then I just say 'I'll get it' and they hand it to me. I think they would rather not take a chance of scratching your bike.

New York is a pump your own state, but they disable the latch on the pump handle so you have to stand there and hold it while it pumps. Some states don't do that and I don't understand why some are different. Either it is a safety issue or it is not.

 

[ionbeam]

Got me to thinking about the one or two states that have the mandatory attendant at the gas stations who fills your tank for you, like Oregon, do you let them fill your bike?

In Oregon I had one gas station attendant walk almost to my bike, she saw me reach for the hose then turned and walked away. At all other Oregon fills I simply pulled in and fueled like I would in New England and never saw an attendant. In New Jersey the attendants were a bit more 'present' at the time of the fill. I never had to resort to growling or threatening actions to shoo away the attendants.

 

[Bounce]

During the Mass Gold record-setting BBG, we were starting to stack up at a Bend, OR gas station. This was before their update to their pump laws, so the attendant insisted on pumping each bike himself. I had freaked him out by starting to pump mine myself while **** Fish was grilling him about his willingness to accept financial responsibility for any damage he caused. After paying, I was pulling away when I saw the attendant knock one bike over into another.

It was my first exposure to ORs job security law.

Again, no way political; just a mindset that (to this day) I still don't understand.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Funny, but the states that eliminate the "locked and spewing" mechanisms all seem to be located where you will lose fingers to frostbite when handling those cold nozzles.

(Of course, I don't use the mechanisms when filling the bike ....)

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I don't know a station in NM where an attendent pumps your fuel for you. Wonder what that adds to the cost per gallon where it's madatory? Do they wash the windsheild too?

 

[Fred W]

In those states where it is mandatory, it is a means to provide more low paying, unskilled labor jobs. So, yes, the buyer pays more for the fuel than they might otherwise, to pay those individuals. It is impossible to discuss that public policy any further without becoming political, so let's just leave it there.

 

[BigOgre]

There is a township by me that still mandates attendants even though the state and the county don't. Goes back years and the original intent was concerns about fire safety. Once or twice the retailers tried to get rid of it claiming a greater safety threat to the attendants from violence than any possible accident but the town has held firm. Prices are competitive with the neighboring towns.

 

[stealth1]

There is a township by me that still mandates attendants even though the state and the county don't. Goes back years and the original intent was concerns about fire safety. Once or twice the retailers tried to get rid of it claiming a greater safety threat to the attendants from violence than any possible accident but the town has held firm. Prices are competitive with the neighboring towns.

They probably have fewer people driving off with the nozzle still in their tank.

 

[stealth1]

Funny, but the states that eliminate the "locked and spewing" mechanisms all seem to be located where you will lose fingers to frostbite when handling those cold nozzles.
(Of course, I don't use the mechanisms when filling the bike ....)

When driving the cage I always just wedged the gas cap in the handle If the locking mechanism wasn't functioning.

 

[Geezer]

Funny, but the states that eliminate the "locked and spewing" mechanisms all seem to be located where you will lose fingers to frostbite when handling those cold nozzles.
(Of course, I don't use the mechanisms when filling the bike ....)

When driving the cage I always just wedged the gas cap in the handle If the locking mechanism wasn't functioning.

That too is illegal in NY. They have signs on the pumps telling people not to do it.

I suppose some people would simply lock the pump on and walk away.

 

[Daniel78362]

Don't know which roads in this great state of Texas Radiummadman is talking about, but in my own experience, our roads leave something to be desired.

Next time anyone drives through the state pay attention to when you cross a county line, you'll notice that the road surface changes in texture and quality. The wealthier the county the better the road will be. Will be the same for Farm or Ranch to Market Roads (FM or RM roads) State Highways and the Interstates................Rmember, you get what you pay for

Daniel

P.S. The city of Corpus Christi's roads were so poorly funded and under maintained that a "road use surcharge" was added to city residence utility bills to pay for improvements. Corpus is a port city with more refineries than you can shake a stick at