PU Topic (Prices Up Topic) >> Rising Gas Prices Concerning Motorists (SC)

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

LINK

Spartanburg, South Carolina

RISING GAS PRICES CONCERNING MOTORIST

By CAROLYN FARR SMITH, Business Writer-February 25, 2000

Gasoline and crude oil prices have reached a nine-year high, and consumers are left scratching their heads and reaching for their money.

The average price of gasoline in South Carolina is the second lowest in the country at $1.26 per gallon, AAA Carolinas said Wednesday, but consumers are worried the price will continue to rise.

In Spartanburg County, prices for regular unleaded self-serve gasoline range from $1.26 per gallon up to $1.34.

That's up an average of 40.7 cents nationwide from February 1999, when the average fuel price was 96 cents per gallon.

Al Bishop, an insurance salesman for Woodmen of the World, said the conditions are terrible for someone in his business.

Covering more than 10 counties in a week, Bishop finds himself at the gas pumps at least three times a week.

"The prices are really starting to get to me," Bishop said. "It's terrible that it has gotten so high. One way or another though, you have to pay the price."

As he filled his car up at Fast Phil's at the corner of John B. White Sr. Boulevard and Southport Road, Bishop suffered from a little bit of sticker shock as he looked at the $1.32 price of regular unleaded gas.

"If I hadn't already stopped and got out, I would have probably looked for a cheaper price," Bishop said. "But you have to have it."

Marsha Bullman of Boiling Springs said her car was below empty when she cruised in at the same station.

"I didn't even look at the price," Bullman said. "I just knew I needed gas."

Kristy Tolley, public relations manager for AAA Carolinas, said that in the Southeast, gas patrons are fairing better than the national average.

According to AAA's February Fuel Gauge Report, self-serve regular unleaded gasoline averages about $1.37 per gallon nationwide, the highest price since December 1990.

"In the Southeast we tend to fall five to six cents below the national average," Tolley said. "The western region gets hit the hardest with prices average at about $1.42 per gallon."

In Spartanburg, cheaper gas prices can be found at the Crown Station at the intersection of Highway 290 and Reidville Road. Unleaded gasoline is $1.26 at the location.

=========================================

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 25, 2000

Answers

California skyrocketed this week finally - we were already higher than the rest of you forever! Talk of refinery problems here. Unleaded regular $1.47 - $1.67 (2 weeks ago $1.33 - $1.48) in N. Calif foothills of Sierras, NE of Sacramento

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 25, 2000.

Ouch! Thanks for the report Sheri. =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 25, 2000.

WOW

$1.26 is not bad for gas, here in west Tx. it has gone from$1.34 last week to $1.46 this week for regular unleaded.

-- sandy (rstyree@overland.net), February 25, 2000.


* * * 20000226 Saturday

Up another $0.09/gallon!

Clarkston, Michigan (45 miles north of Detroit):

Reg: $1.549

Mid: $1.649

Premium: $1.749

* * * 20000225 Friday

Reg: $1.459

Mid: $1.559

Premium: $1.659

Regards, Bob Mangus * * *

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus1@yahoo.com), February 26, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ