Adding fuel to the fire: Burned consumer torches gas stations
Why burning down gas stations is unlikely to spark lower gas prices
In the sleepy town of Danville, California a 64-year-old arsonist Diane Craig woke up on Wednesday morning with a burning desire to do something about the volatile gas prices in her community. Her plan: Start burning down gas stations. (see story below). Ms. Craig began lighting the way to lower gas prices around 10 a.m.
It almost worked.
Diane successfully started fires using "fire logs" at two local stations before she was apprehended. Apparently, Ms. Craig is a woman of action. The authorities say she had eight more logs in her car. In addition to the two gas stations she set on fire, she also tried to torch a local Starbucks.
(Starbucks is one of the few liquids that costs more than gas).
As someone who has protested high gas prices in Southern California for more than ten years, I have to admire Diane's enthusiasm. And given the high price of Starbuck's coffee, her reaction is completely understandable. But thinking about crazy things and actually doing them are two entirely different things. That's why Ms. Craig's methods fail to get me fired up about burning down gas stations. First, it is illegal, second, it could kill somebody, and third, you could end up in jail with a cellmate named Bubba.
Those are the logical reasons, but if you're a real firebrand radical, logic may not be enough. That's why I'd like to respectfully suggest three other good reasons why arson is a bad way to fan the flames of change.
#1: The gas station retailer is getting bent over an oil barrel, too.
Right now, gasoline retailers are lucky if they can make 6¢ a gallon profit on
their gasoline. That means that for every 12-gallon tank of gasoline you buy,
the dealer makes about 72¢ ( Rooty Toot!). This is why gas stations are closing
in record numbers.
#2 The oil industry actually wants fewer gas stations ...
This may sound sound a bit far-fetched, but the truth is that the oil companies really
dislike all those pesky gas stations. Here's why: In areas where there are lots of
gas stations, gas prices are cheaper. This is because more stations means more
competition. As a general rule, the oil industry does not like competition - it's bad
for business. By burning down a gas station, you are simply helping Big Oil make
more money at your expense.
#3 The oil industry LOVES gasoline fires.
It is an undisputed historical fact that Big Oil makes big profits from gasoline fires.
Every time there is a fire at a major refinery, the price of gasoline shoots up. These
price hikes are always followed by reports of increased industry earnings. Coincidence?
I think not. So if you set fire to a gas station, all you are doing is making more money
for the oil industry. Please think about that.
What's the solution?
If you would like to fight high gas prices, there are better ways than burning down gas stations. Specifically, the best way to fight back is to stop using gasoline. If you can't do that, then find a way to use less gasoline.
They hate that.
Which brings me to my favorite tool for cutting fuel consumption: UCAN's Guzzler Buster. Not only is this 28-page book free to any San Diego resident, it has 127 tips for increasing your miles per gallon.
Try it - it could keep you out of jail. But be advised ... at this price we're burning through them quickly.
Danville woman started fires to protest gas prices, police say
'I wanted to take a stand,' police say suspect told them
Source: Mercury News
Article Launched: 06/04/2008
DANVILLE — A Danville woman, who told police she was sick of high gas prices, was arrested Wednesday for trying to set restroom fires at two gas stations and a Starbucks outlet, police said.
"I wanted to take a stand," Diane Craig, 64, told officers after her arrest, Danville police Lt. Mark Williams said. Craig was arrested on suspicion of premeditated arson and burglary, the lieutenant said.
Police received a report at 10 a.m. about a woman using a fireplace log and lighter to burn the restroom of an Arco gas station at Camino Tassajara and Tassajara Ranch Drive in Danville, Williams said. A gas station clerk put out the fire and then called police.
Soon after, police received a report of another restroom fire, this time at a Chevron station at Crow Canyon Road and Camino Tassajara. A fireplace log again was used and a woman matching the description of the suspect in the Arco case was reported in the area, Williams said.
A third call came soon after, when a restroom was reported on fire at the Starbucks, at 11000 Crow Canyon Rd.
No structural damage occurred in any of the restrooms, Williams said.
Craig was spotted by a Danville police sergeant at a nearby McDonald's restaurant. She had eight logs with her, Williams said.
Craig admitted she was behind the mini-fire spree, Williams said. She said she woke up in the morning wanting to do something about high gas prices, the lieutenant said.
Police said they don't know why Craig targeted the Starbucks.
Harcharandit Kaur, who was working at the Chevron at the time of the fire there, said the woman came into the store and wandered for two or three minutes before asking for the location of the restroom. She didn't say anything else, Kaur said.
According to Kaur, the fire was detected by another woman shortly after it began.
"Thank God that lady came in and saw the fire," Kaur said.
Manjid Singh, who works at the Arco station, said the woman who set the fire asked for a restroom key but said nothing else.
Meanwhile, the police car carrying Craig to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking was involved in an accident at Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon, police said. Craig complained of neck pain and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, police said.
The other driver, a 27-year-old Pittsburg man, was arrested on suspicion of driving without a license, according to police.
Reporter Sam Sutton also contributed to this story. Reach Sophia Kazmi at skazmi [at] bayareanewsgroup [dot] com or 925-847-2122
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replay
High prices in the market create responses on both the supply and demand side for fuel. Companies may turn to conventional sources for fuel that were not profitable in the past because they were difficult to obtain, unconventional sources that may have higher production costs or alternative fuels.
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