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.