I’ve only been driving for about six years, but I can remember a time when a gallon of 87 octane gasoline cost less than $1.00 – .99 to be exact. But today, that’s not happening – not by a longshot.
I filled up yesterday at Citgo for $1.45/gal, and when stopping there today for coffee noted that the price jumped to $1.58/gal in just one day! It’s insane. The highest price I’ve seen for 87 outside of the city is a whopping $1.64/gal, and that’s not very far from what I would’ve paid at Citgo.
Gas prices are going up everywhere, to be sure, but county, state, and municipal taxes really do tack on a lot. On a recent vacation to Florida, I noted that the cheapest price I saw was still over $1.30, whereas when I went to Florida the previous year, we found gas for as low as .79.
What’s causing it is OPEC – as always. They really do call the shots when it comes to gas, and I don’t like it.
But one potentially positive result of climbing gas prices may be this: SUV owners may finally see the light. When they understand that 4000+ pound vehicles get well under 20 miles per gallon, and gas costs ridiculously high amounts, they might opt for a car again. The Honda Insight, with its 70 mpg claim, seems a lot more appealing.
I’m hoping that’ll be the case. -pm
Posted in Miscellaneous