No Gas Day

Tomorrow is the boycott gas day. Here are the highlights from the e-mail encouraging people to boycott the gas stations on May 15th:

“There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the Internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up,” this par­ticular e-mail read. “If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take $2,292,000,000 out of the oil companies’ pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15. Let’s try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day."

Alright...it makes no difference. If you want to boycott gas on May 15th, that's fine. If it makes you feel better, great. But, the fact is that a one-day boycott will have zero impact on gas prices. The problem is that these "boycotters" are going to top off their tanks on May 14th or they will be back at the pumps on May 16th. All that does is shift the profits from May 15th and split them between the 14th and 16th. What differences does that make? I will gladly pay you Friday for a hamburger today syndrome...someone's going to get paid whether it be today or Friday.

To make any difference at all, everyone would have to boycott driving for a day. Keeping all the cars off the road for a day would actually stop some gasoline consumption for a day. But that's not going to happen.

If people really want to make a difference, they will not call for a one-day boycott but rather a lifestyle change. If you want to lower gas prices, look at mass transportation, car pool and more fuel efficient vehicles. Those are longer term solutions and will actually have an impact. A one day boycott, not so much.