Gas hits four dollars and everyone's squeezed
At least here you get full service.
So, it's finally happened. Gas prices have crossed the four dollar mark. And while we're pretty sure somebody's getting rich, it certainly isn't the gas station owners.
The picture above is from the independent Getty station at 125th St and 5th Ave in Lansingburgh. We stopped by today and talked with Hank Gendron, the owner (that's him on the right). It turns out Hank's only making 12 cents on a gallon of gas right now. (Really, he pulled out one of his invoices and showed us.) Yep, 12 cents out of $4.019.
Hank says he started selling gas at this location in 1971. Back then gas was 29 cents a gallon. Of that 29 cents, Hank says he got seven cents of profit. So in the last 37 years, gas prices have gone up about 1400 percent -- and Hank's profit hasn't even doubled. He says he makes due these days on the repair shop part of his station.
By the way, $4.019 isn't even the highest price we've seen. The Mobil on Rt. 7 in Brunswick was at $4.069 today for a gallon of regular (full service):
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Comments
I'm wondering.. high does it have to get before there is actual widespread panic and/or riots? 6 dollars? 10 dollars? 20 dollars? I keep thinking of that scene in "I am Legend" where Will Smith is siphoning gas from an abandoned gas station, and the sign reads $6.63 a gallon. I remember the audience literally gasping out loud at that scene. Moral of the story? Zombies are not as scary as oil prices.
... said Pantaloons on May 20, 2008 at 5:08 PM | link
I'll riot. Where should we meet?
... said Katherine on May 21, 2008 at 11:07 AM | link
Where's the riot? I'll bring a pitchfork!
... said Kim on May 21, 2008 at 2:57 PM | link
Riot? Lets celebrate. If the oil companies have to get rich for people to start making socially/environmentally conscience decisions, so be it. Maybe now people will stop buying SUVs and moving to the suburbs.
But whatever, if you guys are rioting let me know; I could use use a new bike.
... said Jackers on May 21, 2008 at 4:54 PM | link
Riots? Really? What an exciting time to be a kid in this world. Anyway, Pantaloons, turns out that there's a whole messuh people who think we will probably just take it like an intern would: sitting down and staying quiet (save for a few grumbles). I found this yahoo message board that says so:http://malaysia.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080520072422AANJyLc
... said heathah on May 21, 2008 at 5:05 PM | link
Oops. I just realized my first post had a typo. I meant "how high" instead of "high". I swear, I'm not.
... said Pantaloons on May 21, 2008 at 11:34 PM | link
Riots? Riots!? We don't need no stinkin' riots!
My fantasy is that my car will start producing, rather than using gas, and I actually become a mini gas-station - having to siphon off the top of the tank every few days.
... said Barold on May 22, 2008 at 12:18 PM | link
Do they even make pitchforks anymore?
... said igotnothing on May 22, 2008 at 11:15 PM | link