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Consumers speak out on gas prices

Times Staff Writer
Published May 24, 2004

Name: Hal Hammer Jr.

Age: 61

Daily mileage: 200 miles from home in St. Petersburg to 16 home building sites in three area counties.

How affected you: "I drive slower to improve gas mileage, which adds about two hours to each workday. The extra gas costs of about $8 to $10 per day must come out of my paycheck. By switching vehicles I save 5 to 6 miles a gallon."

Breaking point: "Don't know. I simply must visit every job site, every day. I don't expect this to be just another brief spike. Gas might go as high as $4 a gallon in California."

Name: Padrica Causey Age: 26

Daily mileage: about 40 miles

Breaking point: Gas prices are already too high, but there is no breaking point. "I can't stop driving."

Name: Lloyd Moore Age: 49

Daily mileage: about 20

How affected you: He hasn't changed his ways much, because he already keeps his driving to a minimum. "We're pretty conservative (at Revealing Truth Ministries in Tampa) in what we do. We don't do anything in excess because you have to watch what you spend anyway."

Name: John Young

Age: 34

Daily mileage: about 40

Breaking point: If it reaches $2.25 a gallon, he'll have to change some habits. "If it gets that high, I've got to start walking, biking, doing something else other than driving."

Name: Gina Henry

Age: 46

Daily mileage: 30 miles round trip to work. Lives in Seminole.

How it's affected you: "Good God almighty, they're taking the prices up while we sleep. Everywhere you go it's higher and higher. My husband turned off the A/C while we were driving because of the gas. I work on a budget and now I've got to make up the money for the gas."

Breaking point: "It's already a real problem. $2.00 is too high."

Name: Melissa Wineman

Age: 19

Daily mileage: Often 80 miles. She works in Land O'Lakes. Lives in Wesley Chapel. Attends school in Brooksville.

How affected you: "I buy premium still. ($2.03 per gallon.) My dad tells me my car will "ping' if I get cheaper gas. So I just pay it.

"It affects how much I could spend on clothes."

Breaking point: "Not really. What could you do. Not drive? You couldn't get anywhere."

Name: Manuel Rizzo

Age: 25

Daily mileage: 25 miles, to and from work.

How affected you: "When we have a choice, we usually drive my wife's car. It gets better gas mileage." He buys regular, at $1.93 per gallon.

Breaking point: Hasn't thought about that much. Says, "Five or 10 cents a gallon, it doesn't make that big a difference."

Name: Jason Varney

Age: 34

Daily mileage: 80 miles. He works in Lakeland, lives in Land O'Lakes. He generally fills up his Tacoma pickup more than once a week.

How affected you: "I shop around, try to save 2 or 3 cents a gallon. I've never done that before. Sometimes the gauge is on E and I'm pushing it, trying to save a few pennies."

Breaking point: Doesn't have one. "You just gotta pay."

Name: Mark Evans

Age: 28

Daily mileage: 100-plus miles. He travels throughout the Tampa Bay area for business. "I spend $150 to $200 a week in gas. It's ridiculous."

How affected you: "Premium is out. Plus is out. Food for the kids is out." He bought regular unleaded at $1.93.

Breaking point: "What are you going to do?"

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