WHY THE NINE-TENTHS?

For the second time in 2 weeks...our local gas prices have gone up to $3.99. A week or so ago...it jumped from $3.75...to $3.99...overnight. I can understand when it might have to go up a penny or two or three...but 25 cents overnight?

The price had eased its way back down a few cents since then. Some station owner thought that $3.97 might bring more customers...and then the guy down the street sees that that idea works...so he drops his to $3.95...and so on. So yesterday...the price had gotten down to $3.81 in a few places...until the seemingly unanimous decision to bump it to $3.99 again.

The part that is sorta funny...to me...well...not funny really...but thought-provokingly obvious to me...is that NONE...not one...of any of the local stations has bumped the price to $4.00...on either occasion. It's like...they think we won't buy gas...or that we'll raise a ruckus...if gas goes ALL THE WAY UP to $4.00.

So...every station has put the ceiling...twice in 2 weeks...at $3.99.

Now what bugs me...is the REAL price. The sign out at the street says $3.99. But the price on the pump is $3.99.9

What the hell is that about? What genius came up with the idea..."let's really charge an additional 9/10 of a cent more than listed?"

So in reality...our gas price is 1/10 of a cent from that dreaded $4.00. One-tenth of a cent! Imagine how much MORE the gas companies are making from that 9/10 of a cent. It may not seem like a lot when you're asked to pay it as a consumer...but when you add up all the 9/10 each person is paying per gallon...per day...at every station across the country...it's mind boggling.

All right all you gas industry big shots...let's lose this .9 cents crap...just tell me it's $4.00 and I'll buy it or I won't. But stop the disguise that it's "UNDER" $4.00. And quit making us try to believe you're not making any money. We know better.


Dan