Consumer Strikes Question

Viani

I see these circulating on Facebook, and I think they're working. 3 months ago a little/medium sized group of people volunteered to not buy gas when they were $4.29/g, and the next day the price dropped down to $3.79/g.

While it does happen, that reminded me that, the gas companies could punish the protestors by just altering the gasprice further until they quit opposing it

Would people not buying gas at all for a prolonged period of time harm the gas companies in any reasonable form?
Would gas companies skyrocketing their gas price to triple of it's normal value still get them sales considering alternatives are still under-developed?

Miss Miko Mayonegg

i dunno :o

Previous Calica

First of all, the proper term is "boycott".

Secondly, prolonging a gas boycott beyond a few days would be incredibly difficult.  The unfortunate fact is that unless you live in a major city you need a car to get around, and unless you buy an electric car (a new technology, getting cheaper every year but not quite there) you have to purchase gas.

If a gas station increased its prices to triple its normal cost, they simply wouldn't get customers, since there's no incentive for other gas stations to follow along.

Viani

That seems to make sense.

lee4hmz

I split the difference and got a car that gets 40-50 MPG back in 2009, though that was also because I wanted one before gas prices went up.

Previous Calica

I kind of want an electric car but who knows if/when I'll get/need a car.  I know that when I marry my girlfriend the handicap-modified van will be mine but aside from that who knows.