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Fuel for Thought

A seemingly random quote to start that I will reference later.

“Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.” unknown

You may or may no have received the following in your mailbox recently.

I just want to point out a couple of discrepancies in the story. Why you may ask, well I think if we are looking to discover the truth as to petrol or anything else for that matter, then we need to do so truth-fully i.e. full-of-truth.

By the way I do believe that mass action will change the world as long as we are not fighting once again for a “piece”.

Don’t pump fuel on may 15th.
In April, 1997, there was a “gas out” conducted nationwide in protest
of fuel prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

Sorry, nice story but there was no fuel price drop in 1997, not in SA at least. Petrol was relatively stable at around R2.20 in 1997.

http://www.dme.gov.za/energy/history_petrol_price.stm

On May 15th, 2007 all internet users are asked to not go to a gas
station and pump fuel in protest of high fuel prices. Fuel is now over
R7.00 a litre in most places.

Really, I paid R6.79 on the 6th May 2007, the price is actually set and varies from R6.74 at the coast to R7.01 furtherest inland. http://www.dme.gov.za/energy/liquid_latest.stm

There are 73,000,000+ people currently on the internet
network, and the average car takes about R250 to R300 to fill up.

So when you log on to the internet you automatically get a car or do you need to have a car to log onto the internet.

According to NAAMSA there are an estimated 7million cars on SA roads.

If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that’s almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companies
pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the fuel station on May
15th and lets try to put a dent in the middle eastern oil industry for
at least one day.

I don’t know about you but I certainly don’t fill-up car daily. For arguments sake let’s say you fill-up twice a week and your tank is a relatively standard 50litres @ R7 per litre thats R350 per fill or R700 per week, R2800 per month. Or roughly R100 daily. So if absolutely no-one filled up for one day that is roughly R700million.

The fact is 11,279million litres of petrol were consumed in SA in 2006 or 30.9million litres daily to a value of R216million.

BUT: One day of “inaction” cannot cause the change you are seeking, what you didn’t buy today you will have to get tomorrow and then ummmm as the petrol once again flows into your tank, your money flows into the oil companies banks and government coffers.

If you agree (and I can’t see why you wouldn’t) resend this to
everyone on your contact list with it saying ”Don’t pump fuel on May
15th”.

Take Action

  • Avoid unnecessary journeys/ Plan your journey
  • Service your car regularly
    Poor maintenance can significantly increase fuel consumption.
  • Check tyre pressure regularly
    Low tyre pressures increase vehicle “drag” and hence fuel consumption.
  • Drive smoothly.
    In the case of manual transmission vehicles change up as soon as engine speed and conditions allow.
  • Moderate your speed
    Fuel consumption increases significantly when driving at speeds over 100 km/hr
  • Reduce weight in the car by removing heavy items if you are not using them, e.g. roof-rack, etc.
  • Use only quality, clean fuels
    Use of contaminated fuels can result in fuel injection equipment deterioration and increased fuel consumption.
  • Avoid travelling during peak hours
    Optimum fuel economy is achieved during steady constant speed driving. Stop-start driving significantly increases fuel consumption.
  • Use air conditioning sparingly
  • Measure the fuel consumption of your vehicle and consider replacing your vehicle with a more modern, high technology, fuel efficient product.
  • Government controls the fuel price & we the people are “Government” speak up speak out.

If I have missed a detail you consider relevant, please inform me!

References:

naamsa.co.za – The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa

sapia.org.za – The South African Petroleum Industry Association

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