Gas prices went up from $3.49 per gallon on Tuesday September 9th 2008, up to over $5.00 per gallon on Saturday September 13th as Ike came ashore in Texas. I went to fill up my truck on Thursday and I decided to test the station where I normally buy my gas. I won’t mention the name of the station but it’s located on the corner across from Auto Zone on Shelia Blvd and Cobbs Ford Road. The pump price was set to $3.61 per gallon. I pumped exactly one (1) gallon and the price showing on the pump was $3.79. After a worthless conversation with the store clerk and after telling about 12 other drivers who had just pulled in to fill up, I left there and went towards the Interstate, looking for a better price. I went to one of the largest stations and repeated my test. The advertised price there was $3.59 per gallon. I pumped exactly one gallon and the pump price was $3.80. I went inside to complain and found 3 others doing exactly what I was trying to do. The manager there tried to explain that they could increase the price of the fuel via computer and that they didn’t have to update the pumps or the extremely large overhead sign unitl mid-night. Now I work with several computer systems and I know he was feeding us a line. Why would you have a computer system that could increase the price per gallon pumped and it not update the digital price that is displayed on the pump? I got no where at the TRACK, so I ventured back in towards town.
I remembered the newly rebuilt station on Hw. 31 and Shelia Blvd, so I went there. The posted price was $3.48. I did my greety man’s test and low and behold, after pumping one (1) US gallon, it showed exactly $3.48. I then went ahead and filled up my truck. I went inside the store and metioned to the clerk what I had run into earlier. He stated that several customers had come in with the same complaint. He also stated that his corparate headquarters sent them a message that said they were not allowed to increase the price of the gas they had already stored. As of Saturday, thier price is still the same and they still have some gas in their tanks.
How can one gas supplier hold their price while others see fit to increase it by 30% over the hype generated by the media, the public, and the oil companies. It’s time our government started treating the oil companies like it did Ma Bell a few years back. When your prices run amuck and you are making over 150% profits, it’s time the Federal Government gets in there to regulate that business. Don’t you think so? Remember, the Bell System was the only phone service provider in the whole United States. They steadily increased the prices until it got to where normal everyday citizens couldn’t afford it anymore. The Feds broke up the Bell Telephone system and started regulating the cost of our phone bills. As a result, today, we can get all the services we want for a very low monthly fee of around $25. Imagine what gas would cost if the Feds set the same guidelines on companies like Mobile, Texaco, Exxon and the like? Yes, I agree, DRILL DRILL DRILL, but with the understanding that our government won’t allow the oil companies here to set a price based on the International Oil Propectus based on OPEC, since this oil won’t be coming from OPEC, it should be fairly priced.
See how easy it is to get into a Rant? All I wanted to do was fill my tank with gas before the weekend and it led to all of this. The point to this message is this… No matter where you buy your gas, do the one (1) gallon test. Pump exactly one gallon and check the price on the pump. If it dose’t match the advertised price on the pump and the signs. Simply pay for that one gallon, voice your complaint with the owners/operators and contact the Alabama State Agriculture Department to file a complaint. They will have to investigate your findings! Then move on to find you a gas company who is honest.
We will keep you informed of any more discrepancies that we find as our gas will run out by about next Thursday. Hopefully it won’t be over $5.50 by then.
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Thanks!
