Letters

March 31, 2003
Use the public's language

Use the public's language

As long as we in the oil and gas business insist on talking to ourselves the public isn't going to understand us. We are going to keep on getting, to us, their inane statements such as the AAA hinting at gasoline price 'gouging' (OGJ, Feb. 24, p. 19).

We have a message to get to the public. We should talk the public's language; should have years ago. What's wrong with telling them that the pricing of gasoline is no different then pricing a grocery item, lettuce for example. That price varies over 200% in a season. When was the last time the press wrote about price gouging of lettuce? Yet, its price varies from 49¢ To $1.69 or more in a matter of days, subject to similar market conditions that befalls gasoline. Economics 101 teaches about supply and demand. In more advanced courses, one learns when lettuce prices get too high, people use more cabbage. When one super market brings its price down, the others follow immediately—or visa versa. It's not much different for the message we should give to public—that so do the service station owners or managers.

When gasoline prices get too high, leave the car in the garage more. Skip that jaunt to the bowling alley to see how your buddies are doing. Car pool more on necessary trips. Use your human ingenuity to save on fuel. When gasoline supply comes into balance again, prices will moderate. They always have, no different then any other commodity one likes, needs or wants. All the public has to do is learn to adjust to gasoline too.

Toby Elster
Consulting Geologist
Gas & Oil Exploration & Development
Wichita