Pain At The Pump

I’ve been on gas duty at work for the last few days as our e-mail accounts and phones are overrun with viewers feeling a pinch at the gas pump.

Honestly, if I didn’t work in news, I would probably be one of those callers. I personally drive about 15 to 20 minutes to work every morning -- depending on the traffic. My wallet is bleeding too.

I know all about the sinking feeling of watching your kids’ college fund flow into your gas tank. For me, it’s a European vacation that splash into that seemingly bottomless pit known as my car.

There are two major buzz words in almost every call we get in the newsroom these days. “Price” and “Gouging” are words that seem to find their way into every single conversation. But, as frustrating as higher gas prices are, it seems most of the rises we saw last week were actually justified. State Attorney General Henry McMaster did enact our state price gouging law, but reminds us that not everything higher is gouging.

Yesterday, I was sent out to talk to the experts to find out what was likely to happen next. Luckily, they think the worst may soon be over. After running dry this weekend, most gas stations now have full reserves and the prices should start falling in the next few weeks.

I interviewed this super-friendly gas delivery guy who spent the day filling empty fuel wells at gas stations. He said he had never seen such a shortage at stations in all his years on the job.

One economic expert I spoke with thinks we could actually see prices fall under $3 again soon. I can’t believe that I’m actually excited about the prospect of $2.99 a gallon gasoline. But that gets me much closer to Tuscany than the current prices.