Published: March 19, 2008 05:34 pm      

Is $4 gasoline on the horizon?

Gasoline prices have been rising steadily toward the $4 mark this year and show no signs of slowing. The sharp increase at the pump is causing pain for consumers who are trying to pay their bills, put food on the table, and have enough money left over to spend time with their families on other things such as recreation.

The price of oil remains above $100 per barrel, reaching a high of $111. That’s compared to 90 cents a barrel in 1939.

Randy Bly, spokesperson for the American Automobile Association, said it is highly probable we could be paying close to $4 per gallon of gasoline in the near future.

“We will likely see prices this spring anywhere from $3.45 to $3.75 per gallon (self-serve regular unleaded) barring unforeseen circumstances,” Bly said in a recent email interview.

Already, in the last few weeks, several area gas stations have begun to charge just over $4 per gallon for diesel. The highest price in our area is $4.15 in Chiefland. Closer to Mayo, the S & S convenience store across from the Agricultural Inspection Station on SR 27 in Branford has diesel priced at $4.09 per gallon. Other gas stations are on the verge of breaking the $4 barrier.

Various factors are to blame for the spike in gas prices. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the production of ethanol as an alternative fuel source and an increase in the demand for gasoline from China, India, the Middle East, and other Asian countries are among the leading causes for the current price at the pump.

Bly reminds motorists to practice driving safety by doing things such as checking the air in the tires. He notes that these small precautionary measures will also help provide savings at the pump.