Pumped Up Prices At The Pump Keeping People Put

The crisis in the Middle East is hitting home here in the Coachella Valley. It is likely hitting you right where it hurts, your wallet.

“With prices being what they are today we have to stay home,” said Rick Valdez. He’s not alone. The average gallon of gas will cost you $3.53. It went up a penny on Sunday. In the last 19 days, prices at the pump jumped 18 times.

“The prices go up and down it’s something you can’t control,” said Ilana Fix. Fix was in town from Los Angeles trying out her new car. “I just bought this car because it has better gas mileage. My last car was horrible,” said Fix.

A weekend trip to Los Angeles is costing you more, at least $50 dollars per trip. To matters worse, problems in the Middle East help push up the price of crude oil. Everytime a barrel of oil goes up a dollar, you can expect to pay three cents more at the bump. But high gas prices aren’t keeping everyone at home, at least not yet.

“When I have vacation time I’m going to take it,” said Dwayne Buszta traveling back home to Las Vegas, Nevada.