Gas Prices Set New Records For Presidents’ Day Weekend
In the Coachella Valley and other parts of California prices are now topping $4.00 for a gallon of gas.
It’s “$88 for 20 gallons — just to fill it up,” said Russ Charles of Desert Hot Springs. “I mean that’s a lot bro.”
According to figures compiled by AAA and Oil Price Information Service, the Inland Empire and Palm Springs areas have an average price of $4.03 per gallon.
But what if your vehicle needs premium gas?
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Matt Sotelo of Newport Beach was paying $4.15 per gallon for premium in Thousand Palms. After visiting Scottsdale, Ariz., for the holiday weekend, he needed to fill up in order to make it home.
“You might as well fly,” said Sotelo. “You can fly to Phoenix for $150 round trip. Do the same in a car, it kind of makes you rethink next time if you even want to go at all.”
The spike in gas prices stems from Iran halting crude oil exports to Britain and France and threatening other nations in retaliation for the Europeon Unions upcoming sanctions over its nuclear program.
In California, it also doesn’t help that some oil refineries that supply the state have been shut down in order to make the transition from producing winter blends of gas to summer blends that burn cleaner.
But whatever the reason, the higher prices are forcing people to make choices about how they spend their money.
Ruben Guierrez of Santa Maria makes minumum wage. Unless, gas prices go down, he says he’ll have to sacrifice eating in order to visit family in Yuma, Arizona.
“If you go see family in Arizona, maybe one day not buy food for putting gas in the car. It’s terrible,” said Guierrez.
And if prices continue to increase at their current rate, analysts predict the national average will reach $5 for a gallon of gas by Memorial Day.
Hard to fathom when some people who remember the days when you could buy a gallon of gas for under a dollar.
“I wish I would have invested in oil back then, but it’s too late now,” said Sotelo.
