Finally, Some Relief

Remember the days when unleaded gas cost less than $3 a gallon? Well, it's still possible to return to "the good old days," according to an AAA spokesman.

A gas station in Springfield, Mo., is selling unleaded for $2.57 a gallon, and according to Randy Bly, director of community relations for AAA in Tampa, within two weeks the price here will likely hit less than $3 a gallon.

Betty Cayton, of Lake Placid, chose to pump gas at the Raceway, south of Sebring on U.S. 27, Monday, because she said gas was at least a dime cheaper per gallon than it was at home.

Since the average Florida price dropped 30 cents a gallon in just a week, from a July high of more than $4 a gallon, Cayton has changed her driving habits again.

With gas at about $3.19 a gallon, she chose to visit a dentist in Avon Park instead of staying closer to home.

If prices stabilize or drop, Cayton plans to get out of town more often.

"I miss seeing my son and grandson in Port St. Lucie," said Clayton. "I'm looking forward to taking more trips to visit them at the beach."

Gary Basden, of Lake Placid, was happy to see prices drop.

"I don't go anywhere unless I have to - usually just home and work," he said. "I might now go fishing once or twice."

Like the rest of us, Brian Collinsworth, of Avon Park, has watched prices both fall and increase. He bought petrol Monday at the Marathon station in Avon Park on U.S. 27 for about $3.18 a gallon.

"Whenever it comes down, it takes a long time to come down," said Collinsworth. "But whenever it rises, it goes up faster."

Bly noted that a "market correction" is likely underway and, typically, gas prices go down this time of the year.

Decreased worldwide demand, high inventories and the world financial situation helped bring crude prices back down to about $81 a barrel, on Monday. On July 11, crude sold for an all-time high of $147 a barrel.

Mickey Byrd, of Sebring, also blamed the economy for gas price fluctuations.

"It's such a scare with Wall Street," said Byrd. "Everybody is staying at home and the oil companies see people are not driving."

An Oct. 13 press release by Bly stated that Americans consumed the "lowest daily consumption of crude oil- 18.7 million barrels a day- since 1999."

Travel also was recently down 1 percent, with some drivers choosing to stay closer to home, the press release added.

Hurricanes Gustav and Ike "shut the fuel pipeline spigot off" and, in turn, prices increased, said Bly.

But Bly scoffed at the view held by many, like motorist Rex Orburt, that the upcoming election and politics play a role in price fluctuations.

"It's a myth," said Bly. "Oil prices are set on a global market."

Those who purchase crude oil and set the prices don't care about the presidential election, said Bly.

So why do the prices vary from town to town and corner to corner?

Bly said gas prices differ from station to station because the cost of doing business varies from town to town; different suppliers use different price ranges; independent and company owned stations can vary in price and competition can affect prices.

Mary Collinsworth hedged her bets and was taking no chances. She filled two five-gallon cans on Monday at the Marathon station with gas for her Rototiller and other gardening equipment.

"The price of groceries got even higher than gas, so I'm doing more gardening." said Mary Collinsworth.