Gas prices breaking records ... near Big Sur, $3.69 buys a gallon

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/09/BAGOBC5R3Q1.DTL

A rare event occurred at a busy San Francisco service station Friday morning -- the price of gas went down. All the way to below $3.

For at least a time Friday, the price of a gallon of plain old unleaded gasoline at the Chevron station at the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Union Street was $3.03 (plus the always-unmentioned nine-tenths of a cent). It appears to be the first station in San Francisco to have boosted the prices past the $3 threshold, except for a few stations where owners temporarily jacked prices sky-high to make a point.

... It can get really expensive in the hinterlands. Tourists filling up at El Portal just outside Yosemite National Park this week were being squeezed to the tune of $3.08 a gallon. Comey said the highest price he'd heard of was at a station in the town of Gorda on Highway 1 near Big Sur -- $3.69 a gallon.

more

Edit: Skinner was looking for a photo of the $3.03 price sign -- this story has it.

[Endangered Specie]

1. In North Carolina its 'only' about 220-240 a gallon

:)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. And nothing burns my ass more than seeing that when I go cross country

California produces, drills and refines 90% of the oil we use...but we pay more than everywhere else

[Endangered Specie]

6. Wonder why that is?

taxes? I understand its also pretty bad in the Chicago areas.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. yes our gas taxes repair our highways

whereas my federal taxes repair roads in states that don't like to pay taxes :grr:

[Toots]

16. They also elect Ah-nold for their governor

They do not seem to make much sense at all IMHO..

[hadrons]

12. that's the going rate in NYC ....

[hadrons]

23. I was wrong, its about 10 cents higher across the board here in NYC

[liberal N proud]

18. ONLY?

Isn't that sad when we thing that ONLY 2.40/Gallon is reasonable?

I scream ever time I go the the pump and the price is more than 1.75, they are killing what was left of the economy.

[sally343434]

2. $2.74 / gallon in Seattle

That's what I paid last Thursday for premium grade. Standard grade, which is what is usually quoted in these news articles, was a little lower.

[lovuian]

3. This is the Cheney talk he had with the Energy companies

We never did get to see those notes!!!

Screw the Americans is their motto!!!

[Itsthetruth]

7. Here's Some Pictures

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

15. San Jose, yesterday...

I haven't ventured out today. Yesterday, the prices were down from $2.69 / $2.79 / $2.89 the day before.

So compared to Menlo Park, I'd classify San Jose as "Arm, Leg, and Left Nut."

:evilgrin:

[BlueEyedSon]

4. "Mission Accomplished!"

[Catch22Dem]

8. $2.16 in Tulsa

Former "Oil Capitol of the World"

[woofless]

10. FWIW BP Cherry Point refinery is about 35 miles east of here.

Gas is $2.45 for regular last time I looked. (I often don't look,'tis frightnin'.)

[cliss]

11. Let's look at this in perspective....

My boss is starting to get a little sweaty......he and his wife drive combined 120 miles round trip, to and from work. He told me that's about $10.00 each way X 2 = abour $100.00 per week in gas for the two of them. He lives in an elegant McMansion, about 50 miles from work.

This is the same boss who leaned over me last November, after the election. He got his fat face really close to mine, and said with his racoon-breath, "Kerry is about to give his concession speech....heh heh....heh heh....."

I was so furious. He knew it. He was gloating, every chance he could get.

He's not gloating any more. In fact, he's starting to look a little panicky. He told me last week that he was "worried about the economy, and why isn't Alan Greenslime doing anything about it?" (as if that Indentured Servant could do anything!!).

Heh heh this promises to get interesting. And I promise NOT to gloat.

[hadrons]

13. gloat here, cliss ... I enjoy Dumbya supporters getting it in the rear

[leftchick]

19. Something for you to put at your desk cliss....

I know a few of these repuke pigs myself. I can't imagine working for one your poor thing...

http://www.cafepress.com/beatbushgear.15139692

[cliss]

25. Thanks, left.

I'm going to print this! Cute.

[XemaSab]

21. Raccoon breath?

Like he's been eating raccoons, or like he IS a raccoon?

[cliss]

24. LOL...I tried to come up with something really rank....

he actually smells like Roadkill every afternoon. I have to sit next to my boss a lot, and every day in the afternoon, this putrid smell comes out of his mouth....smells like something is dead in there.

In fact, there is. He's a big meat eater.....phew....oh, what we do to bring home a paycheck.

*I've actually never smelled a raccoon's breath, but I'm sure they stink.

[XemaSab]

26. I don't know what raccoon breath smells like

they've sure got pointy teeth, and I'd be afraid to get too close.

I bet possum breath smells pretty bad too.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

36. I'll gloat for you.

[wallwriter]

14. With some sympathy

for people who struggle to make ends meet based on the price of gas, the price needs to go up. This country needs to be wrenched out of its profligate habits of consumption somehow. It's just too bad that the money goes to oil company profits and not public transportation, urban revitalization, alternative fuels, etc. Gas should be $7 - $8 a gallon. Some price that reflects costs from war, environmental degradation, etc. Then maybe we'd get off of our fat asses, out of our SUV's and walk somewhere...

[More Than A Feeling]

32. Economically speaking, you are correct

Subsidizing the price of gas delays the day when substitutes become cheaper, thus holds down investment in alternate fuel technologies.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

38. Except the people getting hurt the most aren't the people driving SUVs....

...it's the poor and middle class who are already burdened beyond belief.

Most of us understand this...how come YOU don't?

[wallwriter]

42. Yes, yes, rush to judgment!

This is supposed to be a forum for debate, not ad hominem attacks. The question I am posing is whether or not rising prices would create concern and need among a sufficient number of people to make things like public transportation more politically likely. Obviously, that is not ideal, but neither is the incredible crisis that we are facing under current types and rates of oil consumption. Either way, poor people are going to suffer. Clearly, there is no easy answer.

I am very disappointed that your response is on the order of trying to single me out as an idiot rather than actually engaging the issues of the debate. But how do we find the most effective solution?

I do not appreciate your attempt to single me out as ignorant and oblivious on the basis of a comment that is first of all brief and second of all designed to elicit thoughtful responses.

[leesa]

17. Good. If that's what it takes to wake up selfish Americans, then so be it

[leftchick]

20. my thoughts as well.....

The smartest thing we ever did was move from the suburbs into town 3 years ago. I walk my boys to school. there are stores, restaurants and pharmacies within walking distance. Some days I never get in my car.

[Johnny Noshoes]

28. I guess

there are advantages to living in NYC. I can get to and from work for less than the price of two gallons of gas thanks to mass transit. I also get a tax advantage because the cost of the fare comes out of my pay pretax. I use a benefits card to buy the metro card and the money goes on the card from the pretax deduction. The whole thing was probably a Democratic idea :) People always wonder why I don't drive. Living in the city my whole life I never had the need to learn or own a car. If I did get a car it'd be a Prius. Hell in NYC I'd only have to fill the 11 gallon tank probably once a month.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

39. "Selfish Americans"?? Are you referring to the vast majority of....

...Americans who were having trouble making ends meet BEFORE the price of gas began to rise? You know, the folks from which the record bankruptcies and foreclosures are coming from, the folks that are becoming homeless in record numbers, and the folks that are standing in soup kitchen lines every day?

Yes, indeed...those are some VERY selfish Americans, aren't they?

[roughandtumble]

22. Who cares what you blue staters pay?

I mean, really. You didn't vote for me, so F*** Off! We did it too you during 'your energy crisis' and we are doing it now. Taste the pain, Dems!!
K. Rove.

[Itsthetruth]

27. Gas To High? Get One Of These!

[rustydad]

29. Supply and demand

The effects of Peak Oil will be all around us this year. Pulling those twenties out of the wallet will be leading Americans to pull their collective heads out of the sand. We are on the downside of world oil extraction JUST as the demand in China, India, and many third world states is skyrocketing. It's all about oil folks, Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, perhaps Syria. Wars for oil. Get a bike or two. Bob

[hector459]

30. Consumers are being gouged. Oil company PROFITS are hugely up!

If they are not gouging the public why can't their profits remain level or just slightly up? Their profits were already at record highs BEFORE this latest increase in prices. There is NO SHORTAGE of oil and the crap about refineries is for public consumption since they don't understand what the hell it means. It blows my mind that people are not in the streets or protesting on capitol hill to have "profit caps" on these oil conglomerates...but that's "capitalism" for you. The rich get richer and the rest of us get bitter.

[teryang]

31. You're right, big oil profits up enormously

What are they doing? Investing in new refineries with new technologies? Seeking alternative sources of energy? Developing alternatives? No, by and large the money has gone out in dividend increases and share buy back programs.

After the Unocal buyout, I'd expect further merger and acquisitions. Buying some one out is considered doing something.

[hector459]

37. It still baffles me as to why Congress is silent on this.

Our nation is on its way down a slippery slope. We cannot maintain the kind of national standard of living that we have enjoyed over the past decades when so many people will be thrown into financial and emotional crisis because of low wages and increasing prices of basics.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

40. You're kidding, right?? The oil companies OWN Congress!!

[AnneD]

33. Last week when I filled up.....

I managed to find gas at $1.98 and today it was $2.09. We mine and refine here in Houston, but these are record prices for us. The oil companies may be making the profits but we aren't seeing the benefits (jobs, etc).
The Offshore Technology Conference should be here next month so I'll snoop a bit. I am more concerned about Cheveron and Unocal merger (lot of slimy politics there). The refinaries are working full throttle and doing that for such a long time is asking for trouble. We need more refining capacity (really) but due to regs etc, we haven't built a new one in decades.
Due to personal reasons and needing to down size for financial reasons, I will be moving further out (yuck), but will save so much in rent. I can afford a bit more in gas. However, I will be checking into routes and times. If they are reasonable, I may finally park the car.
Love the description for Bushie boss. The typical support can't see past their dick, can't focus on anything other than their belly button, and have all the comparion and warmth of a dead mackrel. I won't gloat (too much) but I can sleep better knowing I did what I could to prevent the Bush fiasco part deux.

[rugger]

34. Cheney: "American lifestyle is a Blessed one" Where are you now, fatass?

[Bouncy Ball]

35. Ay-yi-yi.

Guess I should stop bitching about $2.15 a gallon?

[Corey_Baker08]

41. Indiana

or this part anyway, 2.15-2.25

[struggle4progress]

43. Can anybody say CAFE? eom