by basil_hayden » Fri 02 Sep 2005, 12:15:41
On Wednesday morning, I went to a job site about 50 miles from home and all the gas stations I saw on the way averaged about 2.65 for regular unleaded. Three hours later, after I finished the job, the gas prices had risen to 2.99 to 3.09 for regular unleaded. The prices have been creeping up further for the last two days.
Last night around midnight, after my fantasy football draft, I was on the way home and near empty. So I went a bit out of my way off the highway to a gas station that has always been the cheapest by far - a Hess station in Portland. This station and an Exxon across the street are normally open 24 hours. Both were closed, and the Hess prices were far more expensive than the Exxon, 3.09 for regular at Hess and 2.89 for regular at Exxon. As I despise Exxon, and I had already driven 15 miles with the empty light on (normally a range of 25 miles between light on and out of gas), I turned around and the Sunoco in Middletown was still open at 2.99 a gallon for regular. I have now experienced my first $40 fill up for my Honda CRV. I was pleased with the fuel though, it actually smelled like gasoline (light sweet crude derived?) instead of heating oil (heavy sour crude derived?) as I pumped it.
Not only have prices risen, but convenience has declined. The tank will never go below one half capacity again, just like 1973. Definitely a change in thinking and behavior is here.