Who still gets gas at bp

[Imbarrie]

This is all about consequences.

There are a lot of alternatives to BP right now. BP owes its customers a much better business practice than it has been pursuing. If BP thought about the consequences of drilling in an unsafe manner and revised their contingency plans they could have prevented spilling millions of gallons of oil. Accordingly their brand would not be getting hit like it is.

This is similar to the local bank branches that were closed due to unsafe banking practices. Should we have continued banking with them when they were recklessly exposing their customers deposits by investing in ridiculous CDOs or Swaps because their tellers had families and needed the money?

This is called business risk. Everyone who starts a business knows about it.

 

[AlohaTropics]

So here is an analogy that is a little extreme but let's say CON ED is under heat because they caused some nuclear spill that messed up the environment. By the same logic, we should boycott any business that is putting money into CON EDs pocket to try to penalize CON ED, right? Disregarding the collateral damage to the business.

The issue is, you are trying to penalize BP by directing your gun at small businesses hoping that it will trickle up to BP and affect them. Meanwhile, the blunt if the attack is on the small business owner.

Like I said, you can't declare war on an entire country hoping to take out the group of terrorists within it. Your directing your main gun at the smaller target in an effort that he shrapnel will hurt the larger target. In the process, your blowing the smaller target up to pieces.

I'm not defending BP in anyway, but it is simply irresponsible to choose a course of action that hurts the people on the side so much.

If you close a bank because of bad practice, that's different becase the employees can take a little while and find another job. It's not the same as shutting down a small business owners entire operation, what are they suppose to do then? They aren't skilled labor that can go find another job. Most don't have a huge startup fund to start another business from scratch. I mean, how would you feel if someone set fire to your entire neighborhood because they wanted to get even with one of your neighbors?


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[Imbarrie]

Does not relate because Con Ed has a localized monopoly, you cannot buy your electricity from a different utility because you think ConED is recklessly supplying their customers. You are stuck buying from ConEd.

 

[beerfish]

So here is an analogy that is a little extreme but let's say CON ED is under heat because they caused some nuclear spill that messed up the environment. By the same logic, we should boycott any business that is putting money into CON EDs pocket to try to penalize CON ED, right? Disregarding the collateral damage to the business.

The issue is, you are trying to penalize BP by directing your gun at small businesses hoping that it will trickle up to BP and affect them. Meanwhile, the blunt if the attack is on the small business owner.

Like I said, you can't declare war on an entire country hoping to take out the group of terrorists within it. Your directing your main gun at the smaller target in an effort that he shrapnel will hurt the larger target. In the process, your blowing the smaller target up to pieces.

I'm not defending BP in anyway, but it is simply irresponsible to choose a course of action that hurts the people on the side so much.

If you close a bank because of bad practice, that's different becase the employees can take a little while and find another job. It's not the same as shutting down a small business owners entire operation, what are they suppose to do then? They aren't skilled labor that can go find another job. Most don't have a huge startup fund to start another business from scratch. I mean, how would you feel if someone set fire to your entire neighborhood because they wanted to get even with one of your neighbors?

Your examples are pretty extreme. We're not shooting anyone, or setting their block on fire. We're talking about not buying gas from a business.

You're doing as any friend should, and trying to offer your support where possible, but the fact is, business is business. I ran my own business for a long time before taking too many hits to keep going, so I broke down and got a job. I plan on eventually striking back out on my own, but I did what I had to in order to keep me and my family afloat.

Here's a less extreme example. If McDonald's burgers killed 16 people... would you continue to eat there? I wouldn't.

 

[ming]

Does not relate because Con Ed has a localized monopoly, you cannot buy your electricity from a different utility because you think ConED is recklessly supplying their customers. You are stuck buying from ConEd.

You can buy electric from another supplier, you would just need to pay delivery charges to use ConEd's utility lines, but the electric itself would come from another supplier.

 

[jaa1456]

Here's a less extreme example. If McDonald's burgers killed 16 people... would you continue to eat there? I wouldn't. (Qoute from Beerfish) That's a little extreme in its own way. Would you knowingly poison yourself? Chi Chis never rebounded after the Ecoli scare but Taco Bell did. People got sick and died from there but it's still thriving. Fresh bagged spinach had Ecoli and killed a few people, they still sell it and people still eat it.

 

[beerfish]

Here's a less extreme example. If McDonald's burgers killed 16 people... would you continue to eat there? I wouldn't. (Qoute from Beerfish) That's a little extreme in its own way. Would you knowingly poison yourself? Chi Chis never rebounded after the Ecoli scare but Taco Bell did. People got sick and died from there but it's still thriving. Fresh bagged spinach had Ecoli and killed a few people, they still sell it and people still eat it.

My point is that BP essentially killed people on their rig by not being safe.

In addition, most of the larger companies that have boycotts run against them do bounce back as you mentioned, but most of them did the right thing by performing rigorous inspections, and temporarily barring some ingredients until the issue was controlled. The boycotts worked.

 

[AlohaTropics]

Your examples are pretty extreme. We're not shooting anyone, or setting their block on fire. We're talking about not buying gas from a business.

You're doing as any friend should, and trying to offer your support where possible, but the fact is, business is business. I ran my own business for a long time before taking too many hits to keep going, so I broke down and got a job. I plan on eventually striking back out on my own, but I did what I had to in order to keep me and my family afloat.

Here's a less extreme example. If McDonald's burgers killed 16 people... would you continue to eat there? I wouldn't.

In all honesty, I think you are taking it too lightly. I'm being extreme because the boycott affects people such as my friend in an extreme way. I am a business owner myself. Now, if business slowly declines and I decide to close up shop and do something else that is one thing. If I was making a decent living, had a home on long island, paying my kids tuitions, making lets say $150,000 a year. Then all of a sudden in a matter of days, my average salary drops to like $75,000. How am I suppose to make that kind of severe adjustment overnight? If the boycott persists and grows stronger, then all of sudden I am making 1/4 of what I normally make. 3 months down the line, I start going into forclosure. How do I pay both of my kids upcoming tuition for the fall?

I'm making extreme analogies because this kind of public lashing in anger affects innocent people in extreme ways. Whats the difference between losing your house to forclosure and losing it to fire? Except at least in a fire you have insurance.

Making a conscious decision to slowly get out of a declining business is one thing. Having your business destroyed overnight is another. My friend is only one example. Its happening to thousands all over the nation. I'm not sure which tv station made a report, but they actually pleaded for people who were vandalizing and causing problems for local BP owners to stop.

Besides, if you wanna stop all of BP's business, how are they suppose to pay damages? Who is gonna cover the cost of damages then? Are the other gas companies that you are giving all of your business to going to donate all that extra money to help? I don't think so.

 

[beerfish]

In all honesty, I think you are taking it too lightly.

I think you're looking at it from one side and feel that you are taking the damages that continue to be done too lightly.

I'm being extreme because the boycott affects people such as my friend in an extreme way. I am a business owner myself. Now, if business slowly declines and I decide to close up shop and do something else that is one thing. If I was making a decent living, had a home on long island, paying my kids tuitions, making lets say $150,000 a year. Then all of a sudden in a matter of days, my average salary drops to like $75,000. How am I suppose to make that kind of severe adjustment overnight? If the boycott persists and grows stronger, then all of sudden I am making 1/4 of what I normally make. 3 months down the line, I start going into forclosure. How do I pay both of my kids upcoming tuition for the fall?

Business is a risk, and honestly, if you take a pay cut to $75k while there are gulf workers living in shacks, I'm not losing sleep over your kids schools. You learn to cope like everyone else does. If you don't want the risk, don't start a business.

I'm not sure which tv station made a report, but they actually pleaded for people who were vandalizing and causing problems for local BP owners to stop.

Again, I'm not talking about vandalizing (which is illegal), I'm talking about boycotting.

Besides, if you wanna stop all of BP's business, how are they suppose to pay damages? Who is gonna cover the cost of damages then? Are the other gas companies that you are giving all of your business to going to donate all that extra money to help? I don't think so.

There's enough in the BP coffers. They're PROFITING around $20 billion annually.

 

[Imbarrie]

through its negligence BP killed rig workers, but they also killed and continue to kill wildlife as the damage progresses. People are boycotting for all this collateral damage.

Does anyone remember the Ford Pinto? The cost to Ford was less if they paid the families lawsuits than it would be to correct the problem. Thus production was deemed more valuable than safety.
Same thing here, BP deemed it was more advantageous to keep drilling and open an unsafe well for production. Production was more valuable than safety once again.

Ford bounced back because they corrected their failings. How will BP bounce back when their collateral damage is spread over thousands of miles over several states?

 

[Larissa]

I understand that one member here has a friend who owns a BP station, and I feel for that friend, but as already has been said, any business owner takes risks. I own three businesses, so I know.

But you're getting too extreme in your metaphors. No one's talking about stoning businesses or vandalizing private homes. The issue is a boycott, and only a boycott. Thing is, it is our right as consumers to buy our products from whomever we choose (unless you're talking cable or energy companies, and don't get me started on that 'cause that's a rant you don't want). I choose not to buy from BP any more. That's my prerogative, and it's my prerogative to encourage my friends, acquaintances, and contacts to also go elsewhere for their fuel.

You know what? It might not hurt BP's wallets. But I think it lets the company know that the general public is damned displeased with this mess.

And yeah, it was an accident. Fine. I'm more concerned with how it's being dealt with post-accident. They're acting like asses, and I do hope they go down over this. Won't happen, of course, but a girl can dream, can't she?

 

[NYreefNoob]

Aloha no different then when Toyota had lid about certain safety items, and people stopped buying toyota's for a period, people just didnt buy them, we had over 20 deals back out because of it, Toyota doesnt own the dealership, people do and it effected them, my own personal choice is not to buy gas from BP reguardless if it effects the people that own them or not, i wouldnt give any of my money to the company that supplies them. and Ming lower octane is what cause's the ping in the engine, not higher octane, higher octane burns off at a higher rate and has less other stuff in it. if you fill your car up with 87 octane and notice how it performs, then after you go to re-fill fill it with 91 or 93 octane and notice that the throttle is more responsive, and ive read all that stuff and so on, yes a higher compression motor definately needs it, and just like everyone of those site, it is there opinion, as is this is mine after being in the car business almost 20 yr's

Yes! If anything, high octane gas will help reduce engine knocking in most cars (assuming your car's manual says it's okay to use such a gas). The reason follows from the fact that octane is related to how much energy is needed to ignite the gas. If the gas ignites too easily, it can ignite before it's suppose to, which causes the engine knocking or pinging sound. Using high octane gas can reduce and even eliminate that knocking, and help your engine run more efficiently

 

[Bob 1000]

Bob i always run either 91 or 93 octane doesnt really matter to me where i get it from, usually from mobil cause it is on way to work. Your not really getting sediment in the gas anyways because of the micron filter on the pump. People avoid the higher octane because it is usually 10-20 cents more a gallon, but when filling your car up it only cost a couple dollars more, the higher octane gas burns off cleaner leaving less deposits in the engine ect.

Thanks Rick

 

[Larissa]

In all honesty, I think you are taking it too lightly. I'm being extreme because the boycott affects people such as my friend in an extreme way. I am a business owner myself. Now, if business slowly declines and I decide to close up shop and do something else that is one thing. If I was making a decent living, had a home on long island, paying my kids tuitions, making lets say $150,000 a year. Then all of a sudden in a matter of days, my average salary drops to like $75,000. How am I suppose to make that kind of severe adjustment overnight?

Felix, my father put me through the most expensive university in the country (at the time), with no financial aid, by running his own business. Privately-owned businesses often don't slowly decline. Frequently, they can be gone in a day, and not just from fire.

My father took that risk. He got lucky, and nothing went wrong. Your friend is unfortunately not so lucky. That sucks, but it's his risk and responsibility, not the consumers'.

Look, when my sister was in graduate school, the state of NJ had an agreement with PA for her to get in-state tuition at her school in PA even though she was from NJ. The summer before her 4th & final year, Corzine came in and decided that NJ could no longer afford to foot the bill for that agreement, and canceled it. The students already in school were not grandfathered in, and my sister was suddenly short many thousands of dollars for that year's tuition. This happened in AUGUST, with the school year starting in SEPTEMBER. Not a whole lot of warning there. Many students probably couldn't go back or had to delay a year. My sister was able to find the money and make it work, so she was able to continue.

Does it suck that she lost that funding? Damn straight. Does it suck that other students couldn't find additional funds and had to quit or delay school? Hell, yes. But things happen in life, bad things. We all have to face them, and we all get through them.

 

[cupcake]

Let me clear up the gasoline quality myth. In the metropolitan area, the only oil co. that actually distributes its own product is Exxon/Mobil. And other "major" gas companies also buy at Exxon/Mobil's terminals! Gasoline comes to this area primarily in a pipeline that runs underground and water from the south, and gets to the distribution terminals that way. The terminals add the different additives that each company advetises(which is mostly b.s.) to the loads before they go to the retailers. All the gas at every gas station is the same! The prices are usually determined by the regional offices of the companies based on traffic in the area and prices charged by other retailers in the same area. Only independent operators have any leeway in determinig price. So basically if you like the service at your favorite station, patronize it, the gas is the same everywhere!

 

[NYreefNoob]

Ming also the reason you use the factory reccomended octane is because the timing is set to ignite at certain X and this was set using a set octane, bmw, mercede ect say to use premium because of the advanced timing in them, all newer cars have a knock sensor that changes the timing when the pinging starts it advances the timing, you cant advance timing in cars anymore it is computer controlled

and btw i wasnt trying to get a whole debate why u should or shouldnt buy gas from BP but curious as to how many still do

LOL on the Chi Chi's i was a manager at one when that happened, they was already in a bankrupcy filing before that happened, my last pay check bounced from them, as well as when they came in and shut down my quarterly bonus was gone

 

[Larissa]

I kinda miss Chi Chi's.

 

[NYreefNoob]

All the gas at every gas station is the same

not true, even though mobil does supply alot of the odd gas stations with there gas not all gas stations are using mobil gas, modil actually has the highest amount of detergents added to their gas.

The prices are usually determined by the regional offices of the companies based on traffic in the area

also not true

octane and other factors of gas have a set standard they have to pass, then any extra's therefor added afterwards are up to each company

 

[grknyer]

there is lots more going on than the one way media is reporting

+1

 

[AlohaTropics]

I understand everyone's position. I too have been involved as an activist in many issues when I was younger. My problem is, after this incident happened, everyone's first impulsive response is "Stop Buying Gas from BP Gas Stations!" which took me as a naive, irresponsible, reaction that is not thought through.

BP Gas is everywhere. You are buying BP Gas and different Gas Stations even if its not BP labeled. I hate what BP did and what is continuing to do but in my opinion, people taking it out by boycotting the independantly owned (NOT FRANCHISED) gas stations is a reckless response. You are only hurting innocent business owners.

There are other ways to penalize BP besides hurting our neighborhood business owners. Okay, so lets not go extreme with the analogies. No killing involved. Doesn't everyone agree that it was not a good thing when Israel blocked the humanitarian aid ship from entering Gaza? Some of this aid would have found its way to help Hamas and because of that, Israel did not want to let it in. So the collateral damage is the poor helpless people that could use this aid...but we don't say so what, they can rough it.

Basically, your telling me that you can't make an omlette without breaking some eggs. I don't agree with that saying at all. We try our damn hardest to not break any eggs at all. That is really the American way. Doing the right thing and being responsible and minding the freedoms of ALL of our citizens. We don't say well too bad, they're just gonna have to deal with it. We're hurting our own friends to try to get to BP. Thats just screwed up in my book.