Sunday, March 19, 2000
Americans driving a little to save a little on gas
BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
OXFORD — It's not uncommon for Darrel Schick to drive from his suburban Dayton home in Montgomery County to Preble County for gasoline. Now, his pursuit of cheap gas is taking him to Oxford.
“I started asking around and found that, strangely enough, the best prices were in Oxford,“ said Mr. Schick, who works for Miami University. “Most recently I bought gas for $1.50 a gallon at Speedway. As I drove through Eaton I checked prices and found gas was at $1.57 a gallon.”
Across the country, price-conscious drivers are finding ways to cope with the rising cost of gasoline.
Some are crossing state lines. Those living near an Indian reservation are filling up there, minus state taxes.
A few are using a method common during the Arab oil boycotts of the 1970s: They're pumping and running — without paying.
The main cause is OPEC's decision over the past two years to cut production, an effort to raise what, at the time, were historically low prices.
“Cheap gas prices are nowhere to be found in the Midwest,” said Richard Bement, a salesman from Butler County's Milford Township.
Mason resident and sales representative Jim Burton agreed: “I carry seven different charge cards. When I stop for gas I will look around and choose the lowest price. I save a penny here or there.”
Production cuts have boosted the average price of a gallon from about 85 cents a year ago to well over $1.50 nationwide.
While the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to boost production this month, that's not expected to be reflected at American gas pumps for six weeks or more.
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