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Gas prices have some drivers taking their lumps at the pumps

In a time of historically high prices, the bigger the tank, the bigger the bill.

By GRAHAM BRINK and SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
Published April 13, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Gas prices are so high these days that it costs about as much to fly one way to New York City as it does to fill up a Hummer H2.

And the Hummer won't make it to Atlanta, even with a full tank.

While few people drive a vehicle with the weight of an Asian elephant and the aerodynamics of a toaster, drivers of anything gas-powered are feeling the pinch of historically high prices.

"This is ridiculous," said Richard Clure, while pumping $2.19-per-gallon diesel fuel into his Chevrolet pickup truck. "I put as much as $61 in her."

The average price of regular gasoline in the Tampa Bay area Tuesday was $2.25 a gallon, about 50 cents more than this time last year. Gas prices often go up a bit in April as refineries produce cleaner burning summer blends, which are federally mandated.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, though, said last week that he sees lower prices on the horizon. Greenspan told oil industry officials that high prices should decrease demand.

Not everyone, of course, is feeling the pain.

Scooter drivers revel in smug satisfaction as they take only a few seconds, and dollars, to fill up.

P.J. Cheney's Kymco ZX 50 scooter weighs less than the 32 gallons of gasoline it takes to fill a Hummer's tank.

"I'm in and out for 5 bucks," said Cheney, a St. Petersburg resident. "And it lasts me a week."

Cheney chuckled when reminded that gas prices were at all-time highs. He has barely felt any effect. When he fills up with gas, which takes less than 20 seconds, he senses that other drivers harbor some resentment.

"I'd rather spend my money on food than gas," said Cheney, as he loaded a week's worth of groceries into his scooter outside the Publix in downtown St. Petersburg.

Snowbirds getting ready for the return trip north for the summer are bracing for a beating at the pump.

Clure, 69, expects to pay about $300 in gasoline for his drive to Illinois next month with his wife to see their children, he said while filling up at the Flying J Travel Plaza off I-4 in eastern Hillsborough County.

The truck gets 19 miles per gallon regularly while he and his wife are in town for part of the year, living in a recreational vehicle in eastern Pasco County, Clure said.

But once they hit the road, pulling the RV, that number will drop.

"I'm hoping to get 12 miles" to the gallon, he said.

James, of Lutz, and his wife will hit the road May through October for a 15,000 mile trip around the country. They stop at square dances in every state.

At 7 mpg, James said he expects to shell out $1,000 more in expenses than last year.

He can't bring himself to predict the total gas bill.

"I don't know, I'm afraid to add it up," he said.

Since breaking the record average price for self-serve regular gasoline on March 17, fuel prices have skyrocketed to record after record. Prices rose nationally 21.2 cents per gallon since March to $2.266 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA. Tuesday, in fact, was the first day since the old record fell that gasoline prices declined; down one penny per gallon from Monday's average price of $2.276 per gallon.

James, the RV driver, lashed out at President Bush for not using more muscle to strong arm other countries to lower fuel costs.

"He's a gas man," James said of Bush's past experience with oil companies. "His foundation is gas. His background is gas."

--Times news researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Graham Brink can be reached at (727) 893-8406.

[Last modified April 13, 2005, 01:31:06]