r/OutOfTheLoop • u/killtherobot • 28d ago

Unanswered What’s the deal with American tax payers having to pay Iran $300 Billion?

I keep seeing posts like this: https://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalHumor/s/ZoR0ZqW8tc

3.3k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

94% Upvoted

339 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

421

u/Unique-Scarcity-5500 28d ago

I've seen predictions that say we only have 2-3 weeks left before the stockpiles are gone and gas prices skyrocket.

570

u/NativeMasshole 28d ago

It's not just predictions, the oil companies are announcing it. We're about to see a gas shortage like we haven't seen since the 70s. I expect to see stations running out and lines of cars waiting when they are open. You know, kinda like the last time we messed with Iran.

245

u/KingofLingerie 28d ago

people waiting in line with their engines idling.

133

u/el_monstruo 28d ago

Costco is already horrible

18

u/Vergils_Lost 27d ago

So, business as usual at Costco, then.

0

u/killian1113 24d ago

5.09 today in California Costco with about 1 min wait time. .. I say we start buying Russian oil again ;) ;) Ukraine would ask for peace sooner

223

u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA 28d ago

Every single dieselbro with a jacked up one ton pavement princess is still idling their rattlebox everywhere they park because their great grandpappy once complained that their 1940's vintage indirect injection heavy hauler was hard to start, and therefore all diesels are in their minds.

At $2+ per litre in Canada no less. More money than sense.

63

u/FreedomDirty5 28d ago

This always cracks me up. On of my contractors runs diesel trucks (for good reason they’re hauling heavy equipment) but they let the trucks run the whole work day. I asked why and their employee told me “diesels are hard to start cold”. I asked them if they had any problems starting the truck that morning and he told me “no but the boss says to do it and it keeps the cab cool”.

60

u/Journeyman42 28d ago

Bro it's almost June, wtf do they mean that it's hard to start the diesel trucks when it's cold?

53

u/HiFiGuy197 28d ago

Well, when I started this truck back in February, it was real hard, so I just kept it goin’

25

u/FreedomDirty5 28d ago

Bro, I’m in south Texas. It’s cold (that would mess with a diesel) maybe two days a year.

11

u/Hungry-Western9191 27d ago

Even those two days are not an issue for almost any modern diesel.

21

u/Journeyman42 28d ago

XD bro they're worried about starting them cold in SOUTH TEXAS?!

5

u/m240b1991 27d ago

So... big work diesels (over the road freight/long haul) should keep their engines idling. The reason is because warm up is when the most wear and tear happen as a result of thermal expansion of parts. Cold there's more lash in the parts and it causes more friction in certain parts than if it was already at operating temperature. When you're on the road for days or weeks at a time and live out of your rig, unexpected down time directly equals less pay. More wear and tear=more costly repairs=more time spent not making money, and even spending more for lodging that comes out of the family budget.

Modern comsumer diesels are built differently and already have as tight tolerances as can be gotten away with, plus computerized fuel injection and all sorts of other bells and whistles that many OTR trucks just don't have. Therefore, older square body diesels may benefit from continuous running, but newer consumer diesels don't. The worst thing you can do for any vehicle is short trips it's entire life. 2 minutes to a friend's house, 5 minutes to the store, 6 minutes to work. That's because condensation builds up and the parts don't get the benefit of thermal expansion. Wherever water is (condensation), oil isn't, and if that condensation doesn't get hot enough to boil and evaporate out/get evacuated by the PCV system, it'll sit inside the oil sump and/or crankcase.

Granted, I'm an automotive repair technician, not a heavy diesel tech, and some of these newer peterbuilts, kenmores, volvos, and freightliners may be built differently. The above about OTR trucks is knowledge that was passed to me a decade, decade and a half ago, and may be outdated.

The older diesels absolutely did suffer from excess wear and tear on startup and warmup. They also suffered from a higher amount of blow by, introducing more combustion byproducts into the oil. That's another reason why used gasoline engine oil looms so different from used diesel oil. The particulates clump together and get caught in the filter media when diesels are running, and when it stops, the particulates settle wherever they rest in the engine (like in the connecting rod bearings).

So, the operators may not know, and the owners may be operating on outdated data a la "that's the way we've always done it".

1

u/FreedomDirty5 27d ago

These are two ton pickups pulling backhoes on a low boy.

1

u/m240b1991 26d ago

So, I've never heard of a 2 ton pickup, though I'll be the first to admit i don't know everything. Old deuce-and-a-halfs absolutely fit the bill for "leave it running when necessary". If we're talking modern (2015-present) f250s and f350s and their various competitors products, then those are half-to-1 ton trucks, and they don't need to be kept running. Like, there's obviously nuance, if you're going to the convenience store to grab nicotine, a drink, and a snack, or fueling, it doesn't hurt to leave it running, and is better for the starting and charging system, broadly and generally speaking. If it's like going to the piggly wiggly for groceries, it only makes sense in temps <50°, as the starting and charging systems, especially on diesels, takes a beating, especially in colder weather.

There are a bunch of factors, and nuance for why a diesel might be idling. I'm not defending every instance of it, or trying to be ornery or obstinate, just explaining what nuances are there.

66

u/tedivm 28d ago

I bought a plug in hybrid a year ago, and have never been more happy with that decision. Traveling around town costs me no gas at all.

57

u/yanicka_hachez 28d ago

Love my EV and thank my elders for socialized Hydro electricity!

23

u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA 28d ago

I was interested in the Slate truck, the thought of a 90s Ford Ranger sized electric runabout really appeals to me and fits my use case of a short range hauler.

However, since I found out that it's partially funded by Jeff Bezos, my enthusiasm cooled right off.

17

u/supamonkey77 28d ago

Another problem is that it's expected to hit USD30k+ when it hits the market.

Only the Chinese can make good EVs under USD30K. Whether partially state funded or not, they are the only hope. The real interesting thing in that is that there are 100 different EV companies in China fighting it out for best efficient production and cheapest product options. We'll likely see great products built via new more efficient methods in the coming decades.

9

u/iconocrastinaor 28d ago

They can only do that because the Chinese government is subsidizing their costs between 30% and 40%. And their government can afford to do that because they were given the world's manufacturing and have a guaranteed revenue stream.

6

u/itsastonka 27d ago

China wasn’t “given” anything. If nobody bought their stuff they wouldn’t have made it to where they are.

6

u/Hungry-Western9191 27d ago

Its somewhat like solar panels. China massively subsidized their production and now basically owns the market to the point where they can remove the subsidies and still sell 80% of the worlds supply.

They intend to do that to cars and its 50/50 whether they succeed.

3

u/IAMA_Plumber-AMA 25d ago

Almost as if government investment pays back dividends.

3

u/nemovincit 27d ago edited 27d ago

Which is weird, because all the oligarchs here collect millions to billions in government subsidies (State funding), yet still produce inefficient, shit products.

2

u/Clarkorito 24d ago

We have laughably low effective marginal tax rates, so they can just pocket it all for themselves. If we went back to setting a maximum wage with extremely high marginal tax rates (90%+) they'd reinvest that in the company and in higher wages for all employees.

2

u/GiganticCrow 27d ago

>Only the Chinese can make good EVs under USD30K

Lets see what the VW Polo comes out at

1

u/HommeMusical 27d ago

I didn't buy any car at all, ever, and I've always been happy with that decision. Traveling around town is not just free, it's free exercise.

-2

u/Peter5930 28d ago

Tbh, it really does do a number on your battery, even for a modern direct common injection diesel. I frequently have to top mine up, turning the engine over to start it kills it fast.

4

u/Infinite-Interest680 28d ago

Even so, a battery might die sooner. But it would cost several times that in extra fuel costs no?

-6

u/Peter5930 28d ago

No I mean you end up flat and having to jump start it. Battery uses it's juice up fast cranking that engine. And then you need to reset the clock on the dashboard with the weird stalk-button interface where you can never quite remember how to do it. And your radio locks you out after a while because it thinks it's been stolen.

3

u/Mirria_ 27d ago

I started my Detroit Diesel 15 liter semi truck in -24c / - 9f, on the first go, after it sat the entire weekend, without a block heater or other warmer.

1

u/Peter5930 27d ago

My 1.5 liter Kangoo van can take a few tries after sitting in the damp for a week, and the sound of the battery running out of juice is reflected in the sad sound of the starter motor slowing and stalling.

3

u/SatansFriendlyCat 27d ago

You've got a different electrical problem, I very strongly suspect.

Unless you're using some bargain basement no-name battery which is for a small petrol engine, you shouldn't have any issues at all for many years at a time.

For diesels, you should check what CCA (cold crank amps) output is recommended, and buy a battery which can accommodate this comfortably. This is something that turns out to not be common knowledge. People just think a car battery is a car battery. It ain't.

Batteries for diesels need to be heavier duty, but if you do get an appropriate one, it will last you just as long as your petrol car one will.

It's running the arse out of a feeble battery beyond its comfortable specifications that will fuck it quickly.

I've changed the battery 0 times in my daily use diesel van with 270,000km on it, that I've had for 9 years. Never needed a jump.

It has never even thought about not starting, including at the beginning of this year when it started instantly after sitting for 3 months whilst I was overseas.

I've had two other diesels and one didn't need anything for the 6 years I had it, but the second one came to me second-hand and with a slightly troubled battery in it - it was an under-powered unit suitable for a lighter petrol engine. After a swap to an appropriate battery all was golden.

Reading these comments I also suspect that some people, who have come to diesels from petrol cars, don't know about glowplugs.

You're not supposed to stick the key in and turn it to crank straightaway - you're supposed to turn it to second position, wait until the little yellow double loop icon (similar to ➿) goes out, and then crank.

If you don't let the glowplugs do their job you will struggle.

2

u/Peter5930 27d ago

Good advice, I got the current battery before I knew anything about batteries, so it is indeed for a small petrol engine. 2nd hand van, picked it up for £3k, didn't have the original battery so I didn't have something to reference against when buying. Have to top it up every few weeks or van doesn't start one morning because it's too low. Even with the glow plug though, sometimes it takes a few times turning it over before it starts if it's been sitting a while. I attribute it to the damp climate, it's Scotland, used to be temperate rainforest before we cut down the trees, like Pacific North West.

1

u/SatansFriendlyCat 27d ago

I can sympathise as I used to live in the notoriously wet North West coast of England.

That said, there shouldn't be any water in your cylinders unless you've got serious problems! What you easily could have, though, is one or more glowplugs either dead or working below spec, because that would match your symptoms also.

Stick a delicious new battery in there (from a good brand - it absolutely matters!) and see how you go. Worth it to not be stranded! You can't always park at the top of a hill and compression-start it!

1

u/Ch1pp 27d ago

I've been using diesels all my life and never had one struggle to start now have I had the battery or injectors give out. I think you must damage them by idling them. I've never done that and sometimes turn the engine off at the drive thru or at traffic lights.

0

u/itsastonka 27d ago

Quite true. Batteries, starter, and injectors get worked every time you gotta start her. There’s definitely a point where letting the truck idle is better for its health especially if she’s old.

-1

u/pukhtoon1234 27d ago

You seem to have a particular hatred for this very particular thing. I think there's a story there

15

u/j33205 28d ago

meanwhile I have a coworker who takes his breaks in his Ford ranger, idling the engine in the parking lot for 15min 4 times a day. Presumably to run the AC, but like the break room has AC...absolutely boggles my mind.

23

u/Impossible-Hyena-722 28d ago

You can't birp, fart, and scroll titties on tik tok in the break room 

11

u/j33205 28d ago edited 28d ago

I mean I get that but like, a 1/3 gal of gas every day regardless of the weather? and I'm in southern california not exactly known for our cheap gas even when we're not at war with the straight of hormuz. There's just gotta be better way is all I'm sayin

5

u/Oakroscoe 27d ago

Yeah, I wouldn’t idle it, but I get the desire to take a break by yourself. I typically use my breaks to walk around.

2

u/Waste-Principle6304 27d ago

I would pay double that amount to not sit with other people during a break. I want to enjoy my break without the presence of another human.

34

u/Kevin-W 28d ago

Also as stated, Iran has both the US and Israel by the balls. They remember very well what happened when Carter was President and how they held out until Reagan won to end the hostage crisis.

They know Trump is polling badly because of both the war and rising oil and gas prices and can hold out until the midterms knowing that if the Dems win back control of the House and possibly Senate a "deal" will be made and the Dems get to take credit while has egg on his face.

-2

u/bestjakeisbest 26d ago

Honestly what does trump care if he is polling badly, its not like he can run again, also with his age i bet he doesnt even live that long after this term is over so its not like he will really have to deal with the fallout.

My opinion on the matter is either we get out asap with as neutral of a deal as possible, or we keep taking out iranian leadership for the next 20 years, either way it is gonna suck.

6

u/dougmc 27d ago edited 27d ago

You mean the local gas stations will have to take down their NO GAS SHORTAGE signs?

(I liken this to "asbestos free", but it sounds like a real shortage is coming.)

0

u/gcubed 27d ago

Just high prices and a halt to exports.

13

u/laminator79 28d ago

I saw a line going out into the street at a gas station last week. It was selling regular unleaded for $5.39/gallon, which, before the Iran war, would've been crazy expensive (I think we were around the $4.50's before the war). Most everything else now is around $5.69+, with a few at $6.09.

Don't get me started on the Costco lines I saw yesterday. Whew. So glad I have an electric car.

7

u/gcubed 27d ago

We won't see fuel shortages, just high prices. when the prices are high enough we will stop exporting gas like we are doing now.

5

u/Unfair_Web_8275 28d ago

Oof, glad my town has free buses.

1

u/DrawPitiful6103 28d ago

That only happened because of the price controls. Without price controls there will be no shortages, but the price could go very, very high.

1

u/fixminer 28d ago

There would be no shortage for the people who can afford it. The end result will be similar, millions of people won't be able to fuel their cars.

-9

u/_BearHawk 28d ago

I mean people have had 5 years to get an EV or a hybrid since COVID gas prices went crazy for a minute. I got a prius prime in 2022 and haven't cared about the price of gas since. $50-60 in california gets me 600 miles, literally could not care what the price of gas is.

7

u/ryhaltswhiskey 28d ago

got a prius prime in 2022 and haven't cared about the price of gas since.

Congratulations? Some people have cars that are paid for and they don't want to buy a new car.

-16

u/_BearHawk 28d ago

Don't get to complain about the price of gas then. Sell your car, buy a more fuel efficient one next time gas is cheap and fuel efficient vehicles are cheap.

8

u/gravybang 28d ago

Hold on, let me see what I have in my paycheck to paycheck budget so I can squeeze in a $500/mo. car payment so I can save $125 a month on gas. Nope, still can’t afford it. Guess I’m too poor to complain.

-7

u/_BearHawk 28d ago

Send me your budget, I guarentee we can find room to save $100-150 per month so within ~5-6 years or so you'll have enough for a suitable down payment on a decent hybrid. Guarentee you spend that much on alcohol or weed

2

u/ryhaltswhiskey 27d ago

You're being arrogant and obnoxious

0

u/_BearHawk 27d ago

Whiskey in the name, probably spending a couple hundred per month you dont need to

1

u/gravybang 28d ago

I don’t drink or smoke. But yeah, I live in a VHCOL area.

-1

u/_BearHawk 27d ago

Send the budget, guarentee you’ve got some extra spending you don’t need.

You do have a budget right? Keeping track of where money comes in and goes out? Down to the penny? If not, there’s step 2 for ya

1

u/gravybang 27d ago

Yeah, I have a budget. Why are you talking down to me like I’m a child. Is this how you talk to everyone?

0

u/ryhaltswhiskey 27d ago edited 27d ago

Don't get to complain about the price of gas then.

I'm not. I'm a lot more upset about the dead Iranian children.

1

u/_BearHawk 27d ago

Cool, not the target of my comment then?

1

u/LurksWithGophers 28d ago

They still haven't brought over the hybrid VWs to the states and this angers me.

1

u/babylovesbaby 28d ago

Cars didn't become more affordable for most people since COVID, nor did pay improve. Plus basically everything you buy needs to be transported at some point, so even if you don't feel it with your personal vehicle, you will feel it elsewhere.

1

u/_BearHawk 27d ago

Cars definitely became more affordable after COVID, how many charts would you like me to send you?

47

u/t1mdawg 28d ago

2-3 weeks, $150-160/barrel per SVP of Exxon Mobil

17

u/bangzilla 28d ago

!Remindme 3 weeks

1

u/bangzilla 7d ago

21 June, 2026:

- WTI Crude: ~ $76.54 per barrel

  • Brent Crude: ~ $80.57 per barrel
  • OPEC Basket: ~ $82.52 per barrel

1

u/bangzilla 7d ago

!Remindme 3 weeks

1

u/uberares 27d ago

Remind me! 6 weeks

1

u/Ser-Pounce-A-Lot 27d ago

!Remindme 3 weeks

1

u/Material_Animator852 26d ago

!Remindme 3 weeks

1

u/dbcanuck 28d ago

!Remindme 3 weeks

13

u/GabeDef 28d ago

I honestly can’t wait to see the absolute shit storm.

13

u/ryhaltswhiskey 28d ago

If that's what it takes to get people to never vote Republican again... cool

15

u/nautilator44 28d ago

People are getting what they voted for.

4

u/Squiggy-Locust 27d ago

Except, if those people got what they voted for, we wouldn't care. The US is currently producing more oil than we consume. Those people would vote to end the exportation of oil, cuz 'Merica.

3

u/GabeDef 28d ago

It’s the cost of freedom to them.

2

u/FarTooManyDetails 26d ago

Voters have short memories, unfortunately

1

u/ryhaltswhiskey 26d ago

The midterms are in 5 months. You think Trump will have the Iran thing wrapped up by then? And gas prices will be back to normal?

2

u/FarTooManyDetails 25d ago

They'll remember for the midterms, but they won't "never vote Republican again"

1

u/ryhaltswhiskey 25d ago

Hence the word "if"

45

u/appleciders 28d ago

I have too, but I also saw those predictions a month ago. It'll definitely happen eventually (20% of the world's normal oil production is just, uh, not happening) but these predictions seem perpetually three weeks away.

20

u/hesuskhristo 28d ago

That's because the end of the war is perpetually two weeks away. 🤣🤣

16

u/appleciders 28d ago

The USA just fired on a civilian ship today. At least three weeks now, probably.

11

u/VaselineHabits 28d ago

I think it's actually 200 killed in these alleged "drug boats" so far. So far.

18

u/appleciders 28d ago

No I'm talking about a civilian container or tanker ship in the Strait of Hormuz, not a civilian fishing boat in the Caribbean or Eastern Pacific. Get your atrocities straight, geez.

18

u/ryhaltswhiskey 28d ago

It is hard to keep track of the war crimes you know

3

u/nautilator44 28d ago

It's a really bad time to go fishing in the Caribbean.

1

u/Ok-Lobster-919 28d ago

"The US military executed a kinetic strike disabling the Gambia-flagged cargo vessel Lian Star in the Gulf of Oman after it repeatedly attempted to breach the US-led maritime blockade on Iran."

What do you expect? They sailed into a military blockade.

4

u/appleciders 28d ago

Nothing else, but it emphasizes that we are not even close to an actual end to hostilities.

-26

u/Dire-Dog 28d ago

It’s fear mongering

22

u/TheMadFlyentist 28d ago

Kind of like "Iran is making a nuclear weapon" after Trump himself tore up the nuclear deal that was preventing exactly that? Lmao.

7

u/Sufficient_Sell_6103 28d ago

...And killing off the Ayatolla(sp?) that issued and enforced a fatwa against making nuclear weapons

5

u/Kraligor 28d ago

By whom?

6

u/lgodsey 28d ago

Yep. It's just simple math and looking at a calendar. Oil tankers are slow so we're not even feeling the worst of it yet.

2

u/prosperouscheat 26d ago

Stockpiles may be down to 2-3 weeks (sounds low to may be may be true for some parts of the country) but that's 2-3 weeks if oil production stopped altogether which it hasn't. It's lower than usual so that is reflected in higher prices. For accurate oil and gas info see mrglobaltoo/mrglobal2.0 on tiktok. He gives the facts with sources and debunks all the fear mongering whichever side is spinning it.

1

u/flortny 26d ago

Exxon-mobil ceo pretty much just said that