A holiday present from the gas companies..

I was not surprised yesterday when I saw the lump of coal for our Christmas stockings from the gas companies in the form of the traditional holiday price jump. Were any of you surprised? Naw, I didn't think so.

I don't plan on using much gas over the holidays. We'll be staying close to home. 4 of our 5 kids and 8 of the 10 grandkids live within 10 minutes drive here in Springfield so they won't be using much gas either to get to Christmas Central at our house.

To all of you readers, if there actually are any, my wife and I wish you all the very best wishes for a happy and safe holiday season.

"Rajah"

Happy Holidays Gas Buddies..

It's been a few busy weeks since I last posted here. My wife and I are very involved in the Memorial Hospital Foundations's Festival of Trees, which was the week of Thanksgiving. I hope some of you went. We were there everyday from before open to after close.

I don't see any blog comments. Please feel free to respond. So don't be shy. It would be nice if this rather active Springfield group of price posters could get to know each other a bit better. If blogging isn't your thing, I can provide a discussion forum, bulletin board style, too.

We've got Private Messaging on the GB site..

I've been suggesting that for some time now so there's a way for us gas buddies to communicate other than just hit or miss on the discussion forums. It's finally arrived and I hope folks will make good use of it.

I've been very impressed at the level of posting activity here in Springfield. It's a lot more than I would have expected for a town this size. It's what got me interested a couple of years ago ehen I found the site.

I've invited a bunch of you Springfield folks to my "Buddy List". I hope that we can co-ordinate some occasional local activities.

In addition to this Springfield Gas blog, I'd be glad to also set up a Springfield discussion forum, too, if there's any interest. Let me know via comments to this blog, private message or email.

As some of you may have noticed, there's a Springfield GB meeting proposed for March. I think that's great. The one earlier this month was originally supposed to be here in Springfield, but somehow got moved to Champaign and only two people showed up. We could have done a lot better than that if we had been able to communicate better. Now we've got the opportunity.

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In other news.. Did any of you notice the goofy pricing at Citgo at 817 S. Dirksen Pkwy this morning? The prices went $2.71, $2.89 & $2.99! Is that nuts?

I'm seeing that they're changing the name of Citgo to Petro Express in some locations since a lot of people have been boycotting them due to the association with Hugo Chavez and think that changing the name will get them to come back.

So what's new with Springfield Gas Buddies ?

I guess not a whole lot or there would have been something posted here since August 3rd.

I had hoped that this blog might be a way for Gas Buddies around Springfield to communicate, but it's hard to get the word out, it seems, for reasons I've mentioned before. It looks to me like we have a good sized number of posters in the area, too, but the only one I've actually communicated with directly is Scrapbasket. How about some of you other folks?

One thing I'd like to see happen is a get-together right here in Springfield. If we can get one orgainzed, I'd be glad to advertise it in the local papers. I'm thinking that some time after the holiday maddness is over and we've had some time to recover.

So, if you read this, don't be shy about posting a comment, even if it's just to let me know someone actually stopped by.

Jman83 has jumped on the blog bandwagon !!

Check out his new blog, chicagogasprices.

When "Regular" isn't the cheapest gas..

I report the prices **as posted** on the signs at the stations. The Ayerco 66 at 5th and Stanford is on my way to and from work so I post it often. I called Ayerco in Quincy and asked why "Regular" is 5 cents more expensive than "Plus". Their answer is that the "Regular" grade gas they sell there contains no ethanol and does not get the same tax break, but since it's 100% gasoline, which has a higher energy density than ethanol, it also gets better gas mileage so it's still more cost effective than the "Plus" grade which is 5 cents cheaper.

It has been suggested that the cheapest price be reported as "Regular" regardless of what the actual grade is. I've been around the journalism trade long enough to think that is not correct. Reporting is reporting and should be accurate. Whether many people buy the "Plus" grade since it's the least expensive at the station in question, is not relevant. If the station calls it "Plus", then, to me, it's not "Regular" as they have another gasoline grade that they designate as "Regular".

Am I wrong to try to be accurate? Comments?

Looks like prices are spiking today..

I've been enjoying the relatively low prices and keeping our tanks full of the "cheap" gasoline. As I drove to work this morning, I was relishing the nice $2.57 or so prices at most of the stations, but was rudely awakened as I passed the last station on my route, the Shell on Clear Lake.. $2.89 !!! Ooops!!

I just phoned my wife to top up the tank on her car if it was down enough to make it worthwhile. I filled up the company car yesterday so my timing was good there.

I knew it couldn't last much longer with record high crude prices being reported yesterday.

Update: I see additional $2.89 prices popping up on Gas Buddy now, too shortly after 9:00 a.m.

Contacting other gas buddies..

Why does it have to be so difficult? The ability to send Private Messages (PM's) to other registered members of a discussion forum has been around for ages. Trying to help new GBs when they're just getting started would be a lot better than them getting an email about how a price post has been deleted.

Of course, too, it would be very nice to be able to organize a local GB meeting. Springfield has enough participants, but there's no way to get in touch with them. Why not?

Of course, too, I don't understand why the guidelines are not more prominent. It's just human nature to jump in and start posting prices. That's what I did two years ago.

New preliminary favorites list..

It's at the same place, http://myramp.us/GB I'm expecting some revisions and corrections, but it's a starting place with the new rules in mind. Please feel free to comment here or on the GB forum.

As I posted on the GB forum, we've got a problem on the MSL. Two of our Shell stations have been deleted and replaced as Jiffi Stops, which, of course is not correct since we use the brand of Gas to identify stations. I hope Jman83 or someone that reads the forum can get this corrected and the individual notified about the rules.

I'm pretty sure we had the two stations on Clear Lake and Sangamon Avenue on the MSL and verified, but they're gone now. It would appear that our enthusiastic new price poster who hasn't been shown the rules is now working on the MSL. Not a good thing. I'm all for enthusiasm, but it needs to be directed in useful directions. I know. I was like that a couple of years ago.

I'm still confused.. That's hardly news... :-)

Here's the source of part of my confusion about station address formats.

In TB's Guidelines it says, in part:

"STATIONS: The name of the station should be obtained by using the dropdown window in the left column under either “Report a Gas Price” or “Search for a Gas Price”. If the brand of the station you wish to post is not listed, use the "other station" column to the immediate right. Be sure to capitalize the first (and only the first) letter of each word. If there are a few or more of this brand of station, we can suggest to the administrators that it be added to the dropdown list. You may notice gasoline brands, clubs, and convenience chains in the dropdown.Please post each price only once. If the station happens to be in the list twice, such as Citgo AND 7-Eleven, please use only the gasoline brand name first when available.

Example:
Citgo 123 Main St & Cross St (7-Eleven)
or
Citgo 123 Main St & Cross St (Delta Sonic)"

But then I see Jman83 saying in the thread at http://illinoisgasprices.com/Forum_MSG.aspx?master=1&category=1195&topic=269143&page_no=1&FAV=N

Method #2 is correct. Actually, the preferred way would be:"Stanford Ave & 5th St"...numerical and directional ordinates aren't needed until we start using the MSL.

I see most folks including the street number. I had removed them from my favorites, but am afraid that I'll be causing some dupes by doing that since it differs from common current usage by most posters here.

Which is it?

UPDATE!! OK, I'll be editing my favorites list to get into compliance with the new rules as best I can. When I'm done, I'll be posting it somewhere that you all can see it if you want to use any of the information there. It won't include all the stations in Springfield as there are some that aren't on my usual paths.

Price spike..

Hardly a surprise other than why it took this long. I'm seeing $3.29 at a lot of stations, but a few seem to be lagging. We topped off both our personal cars last night and I filled the company car this morning for $3.09 so our timing appears to have been good.... This time.

I still haven't heard back from Jman83 regarding what problems he sees with my favorites list, but he's a busy guy. What I'd like to do is to be able to post a list on the http://springfieldgas.googlepages.com site with "approved" addresses for most of the stations around town so it can be used as a reference by others once we really figure out what's satisfactory.

Of course, one problem with that is that almost nobody knows about the site. The other ongoing problem is that new folks to posting prices haven't read the posting guidelines as they are not particularly visible. The guidelines are great, but there are exceptions and interpretations. A true MSL, if it could be implemented, whereby it's a pull-down menu, or a Master Favorites List (MFL) so nobody free-hands locations, is the ideal, but it's just not going to happen any time soon.

I'm baaaack !!!

We got back last night after a very nice drive from Minneapolis to Springfield. We decided to eschew the Interstates and took the Great River Road along the Wisconsin side of the Missisippi. I heartily recommend it as a wonderfully scenic and interesting drive if you are up that way and have the time.

Back to gas prices.. {{sigh}} First, I see the prices jumping this afternoon here in Springfield, no big surprise. We actually bought premium yesterday at a little Git-N-Go convenience store for $3.09.

I'm going to be working on my favorites list (again). I just can't seem to really get it right, but I'll keep trying. I'm stubborn....up to a point. I see that I need to add the street number which I had, for some reason, taken off my favorites thinking that the important thing was to have the main street and a cross street, if there was one, and only included the street number for the stations that have no cross or "T" street.

I think we did get it straight that Springfield has two Grand avenues, one North Grand and the other South Grand, that do not, at any point connect.

I'm rather getting the feeling that we should steel our selves to the fact that dupes are going to happen and just live with it since newbies are always just going to start posting prices and giving locations as they would normally say them. The guidelines are not obvious and people are not likely to go looking for them. I didn't notice the discussion forums for months.

Anyway, we're glad to be back from a very nice time in Minneapolis and hope that, in the unlikely event anyone is actually reading this little blog, that you also had a pleasant and satisfying 4th of July.

MSL moving target again..

See the exchange at http://illinoisgasprices.com/Forum_MSG.aspx?category=1195&topic=193023 for 7/2/2007. I wouldn't want Jman83's position for the world. It's a very tough job and clearly requires a lot of his time and energy. Thanks for doing what you do, Jman83.

While there is a good guideline published by TB, there is considerable confusion, at least on my part, about the Master Station List (MSL). I innocently figured that the MSL represented the way that GB management wanted the stations identified. I was making a bad assumption.

I've edited my Favorites, http://www.myramp.us/GB/ ...again. to reflect Aaaa St. & Bbbb St. without street numbers except for a very few instances where there is no cross street or "T" street. I'm still unsure about those, but am sure it will get resolved. There may be a few tweaks, but I hope I'm close to something acceptable.

Now, back to the MSL, what good is it if it's wrong? I assume (assuming again) that the idea is that eventually the MSL will be the defining document as to station locations and folks will no longer be allowed to "free-hand" the station locations, but will pick them from the MSL so as to avoid the dupes. Since I an older guy I'm doubting that I will see it in my lifetime. It's a formitable task, especially if one has to rely on volunteers to do it. It seems to me that someone has to be designated as the "Keeper of the holy MSL" and not allow random editing. No, let me be very clear that I'm not volunteering. I have a life.

About dupes, I wonder how sophisticated the dupe checking software is? Any chance of improvements there?

Anyway, these are just my own observations about this. My opinions are worth what you paid for them.

Everyone have a nice week.

Rajah

Dupe checking..

Scrapbasket and I both posted a station within an hour of each other. It showed up as a duplicate since one of us posted the address using "Cross:" between the two streets and the other used "&". I have to wonder if the dupe checking software couldn't discern that these are really the same thing? I wrote my first computer program in 1964 and I know that what seems like it ought to be simple, often isn't.. Just wondering.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. Gas prices here seem to be continuing to trickle down. The next spike can't be far away.

Getting started..

First, let me say that I'm not much of a blogger, so I'll be looking for you folks to chime in with comments and suggestions. A blog is a two-way street so participation is definitely appreciated.

The first item of business is the Fall Downstate meeting in October 13th in Champaign at Panera. The details are at http://springfieldgas.googlepages.com

I'm very glad there was the nice turn-out at the Bloomington meeting last Saturday. It was great to meet everyone and make some nice new friends.

One of the goals of the site and blog is to get our local Gas Buddies in communication with each other. I'm not sure how to accomplish this since there's no established way for Gas Buddies to reach each other. I've only been in touch with one other Springfield Gas Buddy, Scrapbasket. That was through her wonderful letter to the editor that was printed a while back.

The Gas Buddy sites don't have Private Messaging or ways, to my knowledge, of anonymously emailing each other. The forums are nice, but I seriously doubt that most Gas Buddies even know they exist or pay attention to them if they do. I didn't for quite a long time.

Ideas anyone?? You can always reach me by sending an email to springfieldgas@gmail.com

Rajah