SodaHead Celebrates Green Week

Question Business

Gas Prices Near $6 a Gallon In Parts of Florida: Is this illegal?

Pamela *Raccoon* September 15, 2008 23:12:14

Gasoline prices rose up to $5.50 a gallon in parts of Florida on Friday when rumors of a fuel shortage spread across the state. Motorists in Tallahassee were lined up to pay $5.49 per gallon.

A fuel panic swept Gainesville on Thursday, where long gas lines spilled over onto a busy thoroughfare, tempers flared and the police were called, said Randy Bly, a spokesman for AAA Auto Club South.

But Agriculture and Consumers Services Commissioner Charlie Bronson responded quickly.

“There is no fuel shortage in Florida,” Bronson said. “There's hundreds of millions of gallons available.”

Bronson promised to act quickly to any price gougers.

He said he would subpoena the records of any gas station suspected of price gouging. Violators face a $10,000 fine per violation, up to $25,000 a day. He said retailers can’t raise prices arbitrarily just because they anticipate higher prices in the future.

But, according to Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesman Terry McElroy it doesn't necessarily mean retailers are gouging customers when prices rise wildly.

If wholesale prices justify the increases, there's not much regulators can do, he said.
Marsha Kut, travel Manager for Lee County AAA, predicted a 20- to 30-cent increase at Lee County pumps.

She said the hike should be short term, lasting a few days to a week.

“We have enough oil,” she said.

Ike’s relentless march across the Gulf of Mexico has had little effect on crude oil future contracts. They even dropped below $100 a gallon at one point Friday before settling at $102.50.

Randy Bly, a spokesman for AAA Auto Club South, said rising prices at the pump seem counterintuitive. He said the increase is related to refinery capacity.

“Our office has been flooded with calls,” Bly said “This was consumer-driven, it was like a run on the bank. There really is no shortage, we are well supplied. There could be some spot outages. We anticipate a price increase of 20 cents to 30 cents a gallon in the next few days.”

Gasoline contracts for October delivery spiked more than 8 percent — 2.08 cents per gallon — on Friday.

“The nightmare scenario is unfolding before our eyes,” said Jim Rouiller, senior energy meteorologist with Planalytics Inc. in Wayne, Pa.

Ike’s storm surge will “completely inundate all the refineries and chemical plants that line Galveston Bay from Texas City all the way to Baytown. It’s a storm surge that this part of Texas hasn’t experienced in a lifetime.”

The American Automobile Association reported that the statewide average price for a gallon of unleaded gas in Florida today is $3.69, a penny higher than the national average. Average prices peaked nationally at $4.13 a gallon for regular unleaded on July 1 and have been falling steadily ever since.
Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?
No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.
Undecided
You!
Add Photos & Videos

Top Comment
  • +4 raves jasper perriwinkle September 16, 2008 00:58:22
    jasper perriwinkle

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    It's called gouging.
    View thread
Sort By
  • Most Raves
  • Least Raves
  • Oldest
  • Newest
Comments
  • bluecountry September 18, 2008 16:12:56
    bluecountry

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    Here we go again kick the little man while hes down...Thats why this world is so messed up now..
  • BfromAbove September 18, 2008 13:53:23 (edited)
    BfromAbove

    Undecided

    It's probably not illegal due to our 'free market' economy - the better question: Is it immoral? That's a definitive YES. And all we can hope for is independence from oil so the greedy bastards living large off our pain will have to drink the shit to get rid of it.
  • beatfreak September 18, 2008 08:25:30
    beatfreak

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    Im pretty sure this is illegal
  • sadiesmom September 17, 2008 18:30:58
    sadiesmom

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    Time to go here...
    http://gaswatch.energy.gov/
  • +1 raves
    norm September 17, 2008 01:10:21
    norm

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    THIS IS VERY ILLEGAL.......THEY WILL BE DELT WITH!!!
  • BfromAbove norm September 18, 2008 17:14:11
    BfromAbove
    I hope so - but by WHOM? Who - in a position to do so - will 'deal' with the ‘Big 5’? Are we to believe that anyone CURRENTLY involved with politics has the guts to bite the hand that's feeding it? The depth of control 'big oil' has over congress AND the white house is biblical. There is not a current legislator, congress-weenie, staffer, executive branch holder, secretary, janitor - you name it - in DC that does not have ‘owned by oil’ tattooed on their shiny asses. There will be no 'dealing' with the oil terrorists until we can, as a nation, tell them to run the crude up their asses - we don’t need it anymore. By then, however, Exxon will most certainly have found a way to charge us for sunlight, I'm sure.
  • babydoll06 September 17, 2008 00:01:50
    babydoll06

    Undecided

    It should be.
  • Waldy1 September 16, 2008 22:46:11
    Waldy1

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    The oil companies use every excuse to raise prices.They make a pitiful argument why this is so!!!!!!!
  • volkl77... Waldy1 September 17, 2008 20:40:56
    volkl77-Ike Ate My Beach House
    waldv...

    This is not the oil companies in this case. This is small franchise owners who are playing a risky game.
  • +2 raves
    AMERAKITA September 16, 2008 22:30:50
    AMERAKITA

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    I agree, a few weeks ago it was $150 a barrel. The price of gas was $4.07.
    Now its $91 and the price is $4.00.
  • +1 raves
    luigi1- in god we trust September 16, 2008 22:29:57
    luigi1- in god we trust

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    nationwide,the price of gas jumped on average .04 cent a gal after ike. if you are paying more than .04 over last week you are getting gouged.
  • +3 raves
    trader September 16, 2008 22:28:07
    trader

    Undecided

    Don't know if it is illegal but isn't right for sure. Guess it is the American way to screw people.
  • Mike September 16, 2008 22:19:37
    Mike

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    How would that fucker feel if sumone raised gas prices on him??? He would probly get pissed off.
  • -2 raves
    Ginnypoo September 16, 2008 19:41:26
    Ginnypoo

    Undecided

    It's the democrats and their stupid ideas to save all our resources until the rest of the world runs short so they can then control everything. It's crazy talk, but, from them would you expect any less?
  • +1 / -1 raves
    rushforpres September 16, 2008 19:18:55
    rushforpres

    Undecided

    Thank the belief that more government is the answer.
    undecided belief government answer
  • +3 raves
    Marked for Life September 16, 2008 19:11:54
    Marked for Life

    No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.

    I heard they were locking up the president of Exxon for this matter......hahahahaha
  • +1 raves
    luigi1-... Marked ... September 16, 2008 22:33:00
    luigi1- in god we trust
    the price of oil as of today is $91 a barrel. that's a 40% drop in two months. the price of petro has dropped only 15% since.

    go figure.
  • Marked ... luigi1-... September 17, 2008 18:19:48
    Marked for Life
    Ethanol is expensive....LOL
  • steve September 16, 2008 19:03:24
    steve

    No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.

    wait, are any of the people saying it is unfair to raise gas prices the same people I see say we should have open markets and no socialism or government intervention?
    because this is capitalism, you can charge whatever you like for goods and services in pure capitalism.
  • AnneMac September 16, 2008 18:39:35
    AnneMac

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    This is a perversion of the "free market" because any perceived demand spike can cause a price spike in the presence of a perceived shortage. The tricky part is how to control the wholesale prices, which is where the real evil lies. Companies like Exxon Mobile posted the highest corporate profit in history this year riding this wave of futures pricing by jacking up the wholesale price of gas. Retailers have no choice but to raise the retail price, so they are off the hook. But there is no one punishing the wholesalers for gouging, and they walked away with all your money. They will return to do it again after the election. They reduce the prices right before an election to take the pressure off their buddies in the Republican party. (Check the last election; it happened then, too.)
  • +2 raves
    Manda September 16, 2008 17:35:54
    Manda

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    Greedy bastards, they'll use any excuse to raise the price of gas. Pathetic.
  • +1 raves
    I dont have one stupid September 16, 2008 17:22:06
    I dont have one stupid

    No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.

    Unfortunately in a capitalist society this would not be illegal. Perhaps not voting an oil businessman into the White House would've averted this problem, huh Florida?
  • lsuchick1292 September 16, 2008 14:43:02
    lsuchick1292

    Undecided

    ya know, when the hurricane was commin this way, our local station showed where most of the refineries were in the gulf and the biggest bulk of em are on the louisiana coast.....so this makes no sense.....yeah, im sure that there is some damage but that is the price u pay for drilling offshore....and i know that there are reserves...so why raise prices till we are in the reserves??? but what am i sayin, it doesnt matter in the end....
  • +2 raves
    Jebrel September 16, 2008 14:41:02
    Jebrel

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    It should be illegal..
  • luigi1-... Jebrel September 16, 2008 22:37:53 (edited)
    luigi1- in god we trust
    prices went up two days before the hurricane hit.

    in houston, gas shot up .05 cents after ike. in georgia it shot up $2.00.

    maybe we should move to the disaster area to save.
  • fred " In Christ I Trust " September 16, 2008 13:25:39
    fred

    Undecided

    i would have to say that just sucks gas is 3.45 here but natural gas now come this winter is going to be bad it is going to cost me on average $250 a month on budget yeah national fuel decided to raise its prices by 33% this winter
  • +1 raves
    atmer fred "... September 16, 2008 15:15:46
    atmer
    Ugh! I'm moving to Panama where they don't even HAVE heaters!
  • +3 raves
    max September 16, 2008 13:20:42 (edited)
    max

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    Well being that the price of crude oil fell down to $91.54 a barrel I think that any gasoline stations charging more than $1.39 a gallon are crooks. There is absolutely no reason gas shouldn't be $ 1.39 - 1.42 a gallon. Bunch of thieves.
  • Chas September 16, 2008 12:56:29
    Chas

    Undecided

    Its probably out of line but if you figure in the cost of our military guarding the waterways for tankers to reach our shore and you add that cost were probably paying 10 a gallon anyway, the hidden cost that no one thinks about.
  • +2 raves
    burianek September 16, 2008 11:09:50
    burianek

    Undecided

    This BS and every one no's it we have had Hurricanes for years and gase prices were not this high I think its part of the bush BS
  • sdeakins September 16, 2008 10:13:24
    sdeakins

    No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.

    Shud stupidity be illegal?
  • nomorer... sdeakins September 16, 2008 20:42:37
    nomorerepukes
    moderated...
  • De'~ September 16, 2008 06:33:15
    De'~

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    And if it isn't it should be.
  • BAMAGIRL September 16, 2008 06:23:42
    BAMAGIRL

    Undecided

    Umm.. I thought there was limited damage to the rigs and refineries during Ike. I'm not sure why some places are gouging.
  • +1 raves
    macatxfl September 16, 2008 05:44:56
    macatxfl

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    PRICE GOUGING IS ILLEGAL IN THE WHOLE USA NOT JUST FLORIDA the greedy little bastards should be put out of business for good
  • +1 raves
    mreslight September 16, 2008 03:48:01
    mreslight

    No. Rising gas prices is fair due to Hurricane Ike's crisis.

    It's called a free market. If it's too expensive, don't buy it. The right to cheap gas is not in the constitution. Capitalism works, government tinkering does not.
  • +1 raves
    macatxfl mreslight September 16, 2008 05:50:56
    macatxfl
    if its called a free market i got a apple i'll sell you for $15.00 a lbs what are you Ignorant or RICH,,,,,,,,,, its ILLEGAL to raise gas prices more then .30 cents on what the gas station bought it for per gallon how do they come up with 5.50 from 3.69 you can do math right MRESLIGHT
  • +1 raves
    ren September 16, 2008 03:29:28 (edited)
    ren

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    more importantly, how can they be competitive if they're charging 5.49? what is the competition like, or is this some kind of monopoly? I mean, it sounded like people were willing to pay it?

    sounds like collaboration to me.
  • +1 raves
    ~Robin~ September 16, 2008 03:08:27
    ~Robin~

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    I'm sure the Attorney General is looking into it. It's called gouging....they should be fined....if you paid that price keep your receipt this happened in Indiana when 9/11 happened and the stations had to refund us our money.
  • +1 raves
    MIR September 16, 2008 02:44:03
    MIR

    Yes. If the average is 3.69, how can someone charge 5.49 because of a gas shortage rumor?

    I think this is called price gouging!!!!!
or
Cancel