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Subscribe to RSSGas prices have been climbing at a rapid pace, with 32 straight days of increases culminating in a four-month high. The national average for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.73. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
U.S. gas prices have hit a four-month high with 32 straight days of increases at the pump bringing misery to spring breakers and job hunters.
The Automobile Association of America said Monday that the national average for a gallon of regular is $3.73 -- 43 cents more than a month ago -- with prices topping $4 in California and Hawaii.
"It's become the perfect storm," AAA spokeswoman Nancy White said.
White and other experts blamed a series of factors for the uptick that started in mid-January:
-- Some refineries are switching over from winter to summer fuel, which is more expensive to produce.
-- A Hess refinery in New Jersey that supplies 7.5 percent of the Northeast's gas is closing.
-- Midwinter maintenance has led some refineries to go offline temporarily.
-- Demand for gas is up, fueled in part by the return of more people to working.
The price hikes come at a bad time, however, for Americans who are still out of work or facing smaller paychecks because of higher payroll taxes.
"Try the bad gas prices while trying to find a job," one unemployed driver vented on the Facebook page for GasBuddy.com, which tracks fuel prices around the nation.
Patrick DeHaan, an analyst with the website, said many cities have seen increases of 8 cents to 20 cents in just the past week. "This is what we usually see in late winter, early spring, but prices have started to rally two months earlier than usual," he said.
He said his firm's unscientific user surveys suggest that the pinch at the pump could lead to less travel over spring break in March and April and changes in plans for Memorial Day and even the summer.
"There are people predicting that it will go over $5 a gallon," DeHaan said. "I don't believe that's possible, but it shows how concerned motorists are."
On the Facebook page, many posters were worried that the rise in gas prices could cause an economic meltdown.
"When you raise prices on gas people will stop spending money because they need to get back and forth to work and pay their bills each month," one wrote.
"If it's this high right now, imagine what it's gonna be here in a few months!" another fretted.
White of AAA said that based on historical trends, prices will likely continue to rise into the warmer months and driving season, but not at the same pace they did in 2011 and 2012, when developments in Libya and Iran caused big spikes.
"That is not so much part of the picture right now," she said. "But that could change should something else happen overseas."
This story was originally published on Mon Feb 18, 2013 3:24 PM EST
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We need to break into the reserve and at least give some temporary relief, till stuff is back on track. Plus extend that pipeline.
Where do you propose to refine this or are you just going dump crude in the tank?
All I see is greed from the far right. If anyone actually believes that these prices aren't completely controlled by the oil industry, you are unbelievably naive. It is not about Obama or more money in circulation. It's about the oil industry doing what it does best, rig prices, with no oversight. Blame it on OPEC, or our own big oil billionaires. These prices are obviously fixed by the industry,
Of Course Bob!!!!!!! To blame obama or his policies is completely racist. Hey, how's all that Green Energy working out for you. $734 Billion lost and still counting.
Blame Bush and the Republicans????? WAIT!!!! Obama and Key Democrats like Schumer, Pelosi, Boxer, and the gang have been getting the bulk of the Oil Industries Political Contributions the past fours Years!!! Even Worse!!! The Green Energy Money flows only to Democrats and we the Taxpayers are giving them more subsidies than all the Oil Companies combined. REMEMBER THIS FOLKS!!!!! It was Obama's Energy Czar who stated in an NPR interview that $7.00 or more Per Gallon would Control the Country and restrict movement.
This must be OLD pricings.....Long Beach Ca.....$ 4.79 as of 2/18/13 But the sheeple keep paying,so who is REALLY at fault? I refuse to pay these Mafioso prices and have invested in a monthly bus pass ( $ 24.00) to get to work and back ( 15 mi ea. way ) The govt. is just a stupid dog that will keep eating if the people keep feeding it..Wake up..
Five dollars exceeding in california, don't spice it up
The dollar isn't worth sh%t anymore because Barry keeps printing it . Wake up! The price of everything is going up. You voted for him. Enjoy.
by the time the real impact of money printing hits....his greatness will be planning his barry lie-brary
All you have to do is call one of the big oil companies and ask to speak to someone in the Department of Lies and Excuses and they will give you the true facts.
And your call will be automatically transferred to the propaganda bureau at the White House.
...and the most obvious and important cause of rising prices....OIL COMPANY GREED
the rest is horse manure
There is something that people can do about the rising cost of gas. Whether it's up or down; you wouldn't be bothered if you know what to do. It's really simple; but people have to work together to make it happen.
" Mr.President..we're in TROUBLE..again.."
"Don't worry JOE..i've got ..a Plan..."
"What plan..Mr. president..?"
"Joe..I'm sending a MANNED MISSION...to The Sun..To Bring Back Energy...For The U.S."
"WHAT,,,? That's Crazy Mr..President..the Men will Never Reach the Sun..They'll Be TOAST...in FIRE.."
" Don't Be so Stupid Joe....I'm Gonna' send Them......at....Night.."
Just wait for the price to go up at retailers etc, it costs a lot of money to get these items to the store because the price of fuel for truckers is huge and truckers pay a lot out of their pockets for fuel to get you your merchandise. We haven't seen anything yet.
i) Greed
ii) Avarice
iii) We don't give a F*CK how much we charge
iv) Chance to laugh at the poor and middle class
v) Ashtrays in the Bentley are full, need a new one--gold plated this time
vi) Chance to marvel at our ability to impoverish an entire planet selling dinosaur juice
vii) Them whores ain't gonna pay themselves
viii) Three words: Massive Coke Party!
You can all thank King Obama,his liberal friends and those against the Keystone Pipeline.
I met a lady just last week that was a true liberal and felt that our entire town should be driving only electric cars. I informed her that it was only 5 degrees out doors and it is that most of the winter in our area. I then asked her how her heater worked in her car at which she stated very well. I then informed her that the car she drives presently is operated by a gas powered motor and that she would not either have heat or her mileage would be extremely limited with an all electric car during our long winters. She stated she would go with a hybrid then at which I pointed out to her that the car would use the gas engine during the cold months to provide heat and she would not be driving on electricity. This nice liberal lady became very angry with me at that point and stated I didn't know anything.
This shows how stupid liberals really are and no matter what a conservative is always the dumb one even after pointing out the very real flaws of liberal mindset. I guess this is why some people become hermits or go crazy.
There is a nugget of truth in what you're saying about electric and hybrid technologies, but you obviously don't know much more than her about the reality of the technology. At the end of the day, the best bet is to use and buy the most cost-effective solution - including purchase price, maintenance, and operating costs. Fact is, a huge proportion of the population could easily get around in an EV - even with the distance reduced by using an electric heater. Fact is: the hybrid should get better mileage, even if the engine needs to run, because the load is balanced between the gas and electric drive-trains (depending on the configuration). Fact is: it's only cold for half the year - so you could still be more efficient more than 50% of the time.
It's sad that folks have to put every single issue into a left/right mindset. "NOT wasting fuel is a stupid liberal ploy, unamerican, blah, blah". Common sense is completely devoid on both ends of the spectrum.
Approving (or not) the Keystone pipeline should have no short to medium term affect on gas prices. Why "should"? Because - as demonstrated in the article - we've been inundated with silly excuses for the price-fixing of gasoline resources for most of our lifetimes.
Obama can take the blame for devaluing the dollar, but get real if you think he otherwise can somehow affect prices at the pump.
The oil industry has more excuses to raise the price that weatherman have for predicting the weather.
Somebody mentioned opening up the national reserves, great idea. Most of it is in south part of central CA valley near Bakersfield, and was set aside like 60 years ago mainly for our Navy ships and subs in case of war depleting our supplies ... but now most of our large ships/carriers and all of our subs are nuclear powered and don't need a drop of oil. Open up the CA reserves President Obama. Shipping to the refineries in SF Bay and N. of Seattle areas looks very efficient and safe, going right up I-5 or the Pacific coast waters.
Blame it on Global Warming!! I'm glad I've got a Civic Hybrid, 45-50MPG
Well,it's time to invest in this. I'm tired of being on the paying side oly
this is all a bunch of bull and let me explain, first this morning on bloomberg radio an oil expert was on to explain why the price of oil is so hi, and at first it makes sense but when he continues the story you see how the consumer gets the stick up the ass treatment by the oil companies. he said that the reason why u.s. oil and gas is so hi is because we have such a glut of oil in the middle of the country from the north dakota and canada(which is very cheap oil) that they cannot get this really cheap oil to the refineries on the east and west cost so the refineries have to buy more expensive brent oil. but then he said that once the cheap oil does reach the coasts and texas where prices are made the oil is being raised in price a tremendous amount to reach market price. so what the man was saying in a nice way is that the consumer is f**ked and there is nothing we can do about it and the oil companies will make even more profits than ever because they are getting really cheap oil from the u.s. and raising the price and making hugh profits.
Boy oh boy, if Bush was still in office there would be riots in the streets claiming he is an oil man and he is helping his buddies out in the oil industry. Since Osama Been Spending took office the liberals and their talking head media has glossed over the fact that we have been paying higher gas prices since he first took office!
rich get richer....lol....they do not hurt you in the least. In a matter of fact you probably have a job because of the rich provided you with that oppertunity....hell why don't we just let the goverment take care of you. They seem to do a bang up job with their regulations and restrictions.
Thanks obama....now that you won the election you can jack up prices again. I heard obama wants to put heavy taxes on asprin. The only reason we found for this is it's white and it works.
Dear Gov't owned media, Mr. President, The members of Congress, our Senile members of the Senate and Oil Cos.
FU
if you believe the American people are going to gag any longer on your lying BS you're out of your mind. Stick your Climate control, EPA, Gov't Control, Mind Control, Food Control, these assinine, killing Gas prices and Bowel control in the first orifice you can find.
Gas prices on the rise again. Of course they are, FAT ASS BOD & corporations will use any excuse to raise prices to line their pockets. Picture the fat piggies stuffing there faces. Fu#$ big oil.
And FU to all you idiots driving your gas guzzelers - SUV / Pickups like there aint no worries. IDIOTS one and all
USA is soon to be world biggest oil producer + allready 10% is ethanol. well market is flooded with oil but dollar is going down in value(oil is sold in dollars). No sooner do oil companies take note that there is too much gas in supply chain they close couple of refineries like the HESS one in article. The famous Keystone pipeline would supply canadian/usa oil to gulf to be refined and shipped to china. and the list goes on. Wall st should also stop manipulating the market i think speculation they call it. All these things added together and here we are.
Golly, and think of the millions of people who voted for Obama in 2008, because he would make gas prices immediately drop to 50 cents per gallon.
Instead, we gave gotten higher proces on everything, higher taxes, higher spending, higher dept, the the huge increase in health care costs---which we had already rejected when Clinton was Pres.