Maybe silly question...

[Maddie]

I posted a reply this morning but for whatever reason it wouldn't post on my end, so if this is a dupe, sorry.

I knew someone would come up with a reason not to drive to save gas money, I'm only surprised by how long it took.

Since I only camp about once a month, I like to get the beast out and drive it anyway. Plus, I get an additional discount at the station for buying their groceries. So I drove 5.5 miles, and paid $3.08 for the first twenty gallons, and 3.13 for the next 46 gallons. I would have to drive it anyway even if I gassed in NC, though not as far. Gas in NC is $3.34.

So if I'm wrong, I sure have a lot of company.

 

[Frank Hurst]

If you are going to be driving anyway then my figuring gas burned don't count. I try to plan my gas stops in order to get the best prices. One can also fool themselves by driving 20 miles (40 miles round trip) out of their way in order to save $10-15.00 on their camping fee.

Frank

 

[gmsboss1]

The last time I checked, NC gas taxes were 25.4 cents per gallon higher than SC taxes. (57.6 vs 35.2).

As a NC resident I can tell you that I will drive any reasonable distance to fill up in SC (or TN, 39.8, or VA, 38.2 or even GA, 47.8) as a protest to those taxaholics in Raleigh!  Very often gas prices in NC exceed the difference in taxes with the other states which just means that the gas wholesalers are gouging us too!

And please, no "well your gas taxes go to highway maintenance" rhetoric.  That's not true in NC.  It used to be, but at  least 10 years ago the pols in Raleigh transferred the highway trust funds to the General Revenues account and changed the law so that our gas taxes now go to the General Revenue account to be spent for anything the legislators think they need to get votes -- and road maintenance is not high on that list!

So do the calculations, and if the difference is not great, vote on the NC tax with your accelerator by buying out of state!

Don

 

[Mavarick]

Here is WA state I can say first hand that if you forget and left the engine running and start pumping fuel the station operator will shut off your pump remotely. If you?re filling 5 gal cans they have to be removed from your vehicle and sitting on the ground, static electricity.
My understanding of the cell phone law was that it was created because of static electricity also. Most start the pump on auto and then climb back in the car on the phone (or at least do not hang onto the pump handle when on the phone). When the pump shuts off they go over and reach for the pump handle first and that is where the static electricity can be the problem. There are large signs on the pumps telling you to either keep the pump handle in your hand or touch ?here? on the pump housing to dissipate any static electricity before grabbing the pump handle again.
Don?t know what the odds are on static electricity but I do know how my luck runs!    I just shut everything down.

 

[RV Lyfe]

The last time I checked, NC gas taxes were 25.4 cents per gallon higher than SC taxes. (57.6 vs 35.2).

As a NC resident I can tell you that I will drive any reasonable distance to fill up in SC (or TN, 39.8, or VA, 38.2 or even GA, 47.8) as a protest to those taxaholics in Raleigh!  Very often gas prices in NC exceed the difference in taxes with the other states which just means that the gas wholesalers are gouging us too!

And please, no "well your gas taxes go to highway maintenance" rhetoric.  That's not true in NC.  It used to be, but at  least 10 years ago the pols in Raleigh transferred the highway trust funds to the General Revenues account and changed the law so that our gas taxes now go to the General Revenue account to be spent for anything the legislators think they need to get votes -- and road maintenance is not high on that list!

So do the calculations, and if the difference is not great, vote on the NC tax with your accelerator by buying out of state!

Don

I agree with you Don!  I always think it is so funny that the states that are known for higher taxes and bigger government always seam to run to us southern states because our prices are cheaper.  I sometimes wonder if the same people that vote for the politicians that are known for higher taxes are the same people that will drive to the "smaller government/lower taxes" states to save money?  Obviously not talking about anyone specific.  Just a wondering. 

My wife and I wanted to move to North Carolina.  What a beautiful state.  But we just would not pay the extra taxes and DEF were not going to pay a state income tax.  Rocky Top it was!