The J-Walk Blog: Problem At The Pumps (Comments)

Thursday, 08 May, 2008

Problem At The Pumps

When gas prices exceed $4.00 per gallon, some gas stations will have a problem.

As gas prices rise, some stations with older pumps are encountering an unexpected challenge: They can't be set to charge more than $3.99 9/10 per gallon.

For example, take the three pumps at Vashon Island's Engels Repair & Towing -- please, said Lou Engels, 68, who has owned the garage for 41 years.

"When I bought these brand-new in 1995, nobody could imagine gas would ever be higher than $3.99 a gallon," he said. "Now, it would cost thousands of dollars to replace them, and the upgrades for the pumps are back-ordered."

I recall a similar problem when gas prices soared above $0.99. The solution was to set the price at 1/2 the amount, and then charge double what the pump read.

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- Reader Comments -

Following are comments in response to this item.
The most recent comment is at the bottom.

By . Comment posted 08-May-2008 @06:59am:
Start selling in litres. Like the civilised world.
By . Comment posted 08-May-2008 @07:25am:
Rob, that would be so funny I would have to start hanging out at gas stations just to watch the idiots fight over the conversion
By . Comment posted 08-May-2008 @07:32am:
NPR had a blurb about this a few weeks back where gas stations where having this same problem and the solution was to allow them to sell the gas in 1/2 gallon units.
By Sheldon. Comment posted 08-May-2008 @07:35am:
When gas hits $10 a gallon we'll be looking back at today as the good old days...
By . Comment posted 08-May-2008 @07:50am:
Redefine the "gallon". You have silly undersize gallons anyway, so just make 'em a bit more so. How about making a gallon be 4 pints, which is half of a proper Imperial gallon. Oh, hang on, no it won't. You have undersize pints too. OK, make a gallon be 80 fl. oz, which is four Imperial pints. This is a winner in several ways: whatsisname can dispense fuel (these pumps were new in 1995? Sheesh), everyone gets to talk about how awful it all is and you're a little closer to converting to Imperial measures, which will be useful when you give up on that silly Independence notion and start being English colonists again. Except we sell petrol (you'll need to learn that gas is a gas come the un-revolution, by the way) in litres. Not liters. They cost about $2.30 right now...
By JoeV. Comment posted 08-May-2008 @09:39am:
Well doubling was fine before we had pay at the pump.
By . Comment posted 08-May-2008 @09:54am:
I filled up this morning. I used 2.420 gallons for 119 miles since Monday.
By Mark. Comment posted 08-May-2008 @10:02am:
Hey Mike you would be calling it Benzin it was not for the USA.
By john weeks. Comment posted 08-May-2008 @04:06pm:
I know where to buy $4.50 b-50 biodeisel for $3.99 all day long,
and I'm only telling Mean Jean!