jrsva

Champion Author
Virginia
Posts:9,852 Points:1,613,000 Joined:Jan 2006
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Message Posted: Sep 14, 2011 10:02:45 PM
Today I entered $3.93 for regular at a small country store (expected to be high) and the reasonableness checker had no complaints. That is 45¢ above the state average of $3.48. It landed near the top of the state-high list, the only station on that list outside of the northern Virginia high-price area.
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gspecilk236

Veteran Author
Harrisburg
Posts:393 Points:103,935 Joined:Mar 2011
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Message Posted: Sep 14, 2011 6:35:41 AM
Wow I did not even know there was a reasonableness checker. I haven't gotten a message so far.
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jrsva

Champion Author
Virginia
Posts:9,852 Points:1,613,000 Joined:Jan 2006
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Message Posted: Sep 13, 2011 11:42:50 PM
Looking at today’s GB Blog one sees that the hi/lo range can be close to $1.00 in some areas. Perhaps the algorithm should compare an entry to the average price for the same grade and the same state, showing a warning if the entry is not within ±50¢ of the average. That might put up a few false warnings but very few.
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kwzh

Champion Author
San Jose
Posts:20,649 Points:3,683,360 Joined:Jul 2001
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Message Posted: Sep 12, 2011 2:18:57 AM
1.00 is way too large a spread -- I'd guess something like 0.40, or measure it in terms of standard deviations instead of absolutes.
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drivefast99

Champion Author
Greensboro
Posts:2,317 Points:378,945 Joined:Jul 2011
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Message Posted: Sep 11, 2011 8:48:19 PM
I like kwzh's idea. What if the algorithm looked at the average price for each grade (including diesel) and +/- 1.00.
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CampKohler

Champion Author
Sacramento
Posts:9,463 Points:1,563,165 Joined:May 2007
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Message Posted: Sep 11, 2011 5:15:10 PM
Does it even check for diesel? I seem to be able to put anything in there without it hiccupping.
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jrsva

Champion Author
Virginia
Posts:9,852 Points:1,613,000 Joined:Jan 2006
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Message Posted: Sep 11, 2011 7:40:51 AM
Virginia prices range from $3.30 to 3.89 for regular and $3.48 to 4.39 for premium, so $4.05 is well inside the range. I think kwzh has the right idea for the problem and the fix.
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kwzh

Champion Author
San Jose
Posts:20,649 Points:3,683,360 Joined:Jul 2001
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Message Posted: Sep 10, 2011 11:02:48 PM
Permanently solve the problem? Probably not. As prices climb and cause the previously unreasonable number to be reasonable, we'd find a flood of people who can't remember how they set that limit a few months ago...
Anyway, I assume that the algorithm adapts to the current price range, rather than needing to be periodically reset by someone; I'd rather keep that, than be expected to update some hard limits every now and then. In fact, I'd probably just set extreme limits (1.00 - 10.00) just to avoid the annoying dialog box, and that would render it useless. Let's keep the algorithm, but fix it.
Wild guess: the algorithm ignores fuel type when checking reasonableness. (Current VA prices seem to be about 3.50 for regular, so the 3.05 guess does seem more likely in that context.) Fix: determine appropriate limits for each fuel type separately.
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CampKohler

Champion Author
Sacramento
Posts:9,463 Points:1,563,165 Joined:May 2007
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Message Posted: Sep 10, 2011 1:01:47 PM
Some time ago before the reasonableness checker was checking for reasonableness, I suggested that each member be allowed to set his own limits. That would take the storage of only two prices per member and would permanently solve the problem.
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ziyulu

Champion Author
Oklahoma City
Posts:8,499 Points:1,602,875 Joined:Aug 2007
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Message Posted: Sep 10, 2011 9:21:48 AM
You can get regular gasoline for about $3 per gallon in Mexico.
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NHLiveFree

Champion Author
New Hampshire
Posts:11,095 Points:1,623,180 Joined:Jun 2008
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Message Posted: Sep 9, 2011 10:45:11 PM
An unreasonable reasonableness checker sounds just right for GB and PD's Newsville.
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