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GasBuddy News Article

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Americans take to road but cautious after gas shock

Reuters -- GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - Robert Neal will take to the road this Independence Day holiday the same as millions of other Americans. But there's a difference in their road-trip ritual this Fourth of July.

The price of gasoline, while down sharply from last year's peak, means the 74-year-old owner of a motor home may not venture as far as he has in the past.

Standing in shorts and sneakers outside his RV at a campground in Grapevine, a lakeside town near Dallas, Neal said he and his wife remained unsure where to go next. "The gas price as it is now, it's a maybe, maybe," he said.


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Submitted Jul 03, 2009 By: GM
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GOLDWING2003 Car icon
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:47:22 PM

I'll wait until next week when the local prices go down.
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fitwit Car icon
All-Star Author Stockton

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:43:03 PM

I'm gonna go next door to Lodi and sit on a blanket by the lake and watch the fireworks. I love the fourth and the history of this Great Land.
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Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:35:00 PM

Most are still trying to recover from last year and just getting by this year with pump prices around the $2.70 a gallon. Their is more greed in the west that east. That could come back to get then!
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Champion Author Pittsburgh

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:32:49 PM

unemployment makes US cautious
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Kato51 Car icon
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:29:17 PM

I also have a Class A motor home. True, I haven't been using it as often or gone as far as I normal did, but you really need to study how far you are going, how long you will be gone etc because it may be much cheaper to take the RV when you figure the lodging costs, food, etc, even with the cost of gas. This must be an individual decision.
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Champion Author San Bernardino

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:24:28 PM

With Unemployment and Gasoline prices so high it is amazing anyone is on the road for pleasure.
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Champion Author San Francisco

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:15:40 PM

Most people can't afford to take trips.
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Champion Author Grand Rapids

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:14:51 PM

Hate to say it, but I am also going to travel a bit this weekend.
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Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:13:46 PM

thats been my feeling for the last year
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Champion Author Kentucky

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:13:27 PM

people dont have money to drive anywere. alot dont have jobs. just staying home eating bbq chicken, if they can afford that.
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All-Star Author Colorado

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:08:49 PM

Gas is cheaper than last year; maybe Americans are not traveling as far because they don't know if they'll still have a job when they return?
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Champion Author Omaha

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:08:36 PM

camping in the house this year.
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Champion Author San Francisco

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:06:50 PM

only travelling when nececessary and affordable
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Rookie Author Austin

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:06:42 PM

I'm not going on long trips any more.
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Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:04:29 PM

camping in the backyard this year
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Champion Author Delaware

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 4:00:00 PM

I'd like to go home to see my family but I am staying put to conserve but it would be nice to be able to go somewhere.
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Champion Author Sacramento

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:59:27 PM

There was an article in the Sacramento Bee that said according to AAA, Californians used less gasoline for the 14th consecutive month. Yet, our prices are still the highest, go figure.
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Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:54:35 PM

Gas is still expensive for most ... and people are still driving/traveling less than they were years ago. EARTH SHAKING NEWS ... RIGHT?
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Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:52:20 PM

Most Americans will go somewhere during the summer. Some further than others. It happens every year. What we have to remember is to conserve the rest of the time. Conserving is how the gas prices came down last year. Not conserving is how they went up this year. We really need a good viable alternative fuel like Hydrogen. Maybe it makes to much sense to come through now but when it does and it will big oil and opec will really get a wake up call.
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Champion Author Oregon

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:51:03 PM

My RV is changing the sheets on the bed.

Most of us can't AFFORD to take time off.
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Champion Author Cincinnati

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:47:49 PM

heard it thru the GRAPEVINE!
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Champion Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:42:52 PM

Most gas stations here are about the same price as last week. I saw two today that dropped regular 5 cents to $2.64 and $2.57 respectively.
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Champion Author Oakland

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:41:19 PM

My RV is a bicycle and a tent etc...
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Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:39:05 PM

Gas dropped 15 cents today after hitting a high of $2.69 yesterday. Makes you wonder why there is such a difference every other day.
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Champion Author Kansas

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:38:51 PM

well its nice to relax, I guess.
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Champion Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:36:40 PM

Just gotta keep on conserving.
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All-Star Author Charleston

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:32:59 PM

It's probably a good thing the 74+ age group is not driving something as large as motor home on the street we drive everday.
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Champion Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:28:01 PM

Gas dropped 6 cents here this morning.
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Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:23:46 PM

I am down to only 4 or 500 miles a month. At the rate it is not worth it for me to get a vehicle that get better gas milage.
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Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:21:06 PM

bad enough running a home let alone an rv
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Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:19:09 PM

wise man
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Champion Author Gary

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:13:31 PM

We have been thinking twice before doing any travling.
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Sophomore Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:08:51 PM

I wanted to take a vacation, but wife says no. So she wins.
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Champion Author Orlando

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:05:21 PM

Staying home this summer, no vacations till fall.
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Champion Author Baton Rouge

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:05:21 PM

I think it is really funny that an article posted here about two months ago predicted gasoline to be at $1.50 a gallon for the 4th of July. Isn't it amazing that really good news never pans out!!!!
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Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 3:02:27 PM

I am staying close to home.
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Champion Author Raleigh

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:53:34 PM

me too.
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Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:53:02 PM

High gas prices have taken a toll on retired people who have taken long RV trips in the past. I guess you can save $75 to $100/ day if not staying in nice hotel rooms; however, it would take a lot of days to make up for the cost of the RV and the gas that it uses.
Elkhart Indiana is 20% unemployment when the sales of RV's hit the skids.
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Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:49:07 PM

need to keep conserving spend the $$ on something other than gasoline....
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Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:42:45 PM

I'll wait until next week when the local prices go down.
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Champion Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:42:26 PM

I'm staying home and drinking. I'm supporting the beer companies instead of the oil companies!
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Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:39:58 PM

wish i could afford a rv let alone the gas
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Champion Author Buffalo

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:39:54 PM

Less demand, price drop, right?
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Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:37:42 PM

My RV gets 32-35mpg highway. It's a car with a tent!!!!
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All-Star Author Pensacola

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:36:10 PM

Wish I was in Nebraska!! You're lucky
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Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:27:43 PM

I will admit that an RV trip looks better this year than last. By the time you take out hotel rooms, resturant meals by using the RV cost is way down from last year. That said however, the wheel covers are staying on mine until the planned trip this fall that I am already budgeting for, just like last year.

Got to plan ahead for 10 mpg, lol.

[Edited by: JerryBx7 at 7/3/2009 3:31:00 PM EST]
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Veteran Author Rochester

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:26:15 PM

Im thinkin there are a lot of Mega RV's that can be had pretty cheap!
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Champion Author Omaha

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:23:31 PM

Prices have dropped almost 40 cents over the past few weeks here in Nebraska.
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Champion Author San Antonio

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:23:28 PM

Gas is still too high for serious road travel.
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Champion Author Kansas

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:19:03 PM

Gas prices have dropped here by about a dime over the last 2 wweks.
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Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:18:00 PM

stay off the roads conserve gas
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Champion Author Tucson

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Message Posted: Jul 3, 2009 2:17:11 PM

Local price of gasoline is down, lowest in Arizona.
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