Originally posted by Wayno
Its call Labor Day Weekend Holiday coming up .
Oh yeah without a doubt. If they SLOWLY ramped up the cost it would not call attention to the hikes. That shell station I mentioned before went from 1. 79 to 2. 07 IN THREE SECCONDS
Why Do Gasoline Prices Fluctuate?
Even when crude oil prices are stable, gasoline prices normally fluctuate due to factors such as seasonality and local retail station competition. Additionally, gasoline prices can change rapidly due to crude oil supply disruptions stemming from world events or domestic problems, such as refinery or pipeline outages.
Seasonality in the demand for gasoline - When crude oil prices are stable, retail gasoline prices tend to gradually rise before and during the summer, when people drive more, and decline in the fall and winter, when people drive less. Good weather and vacations cause U. S. summer gasoline demand to average about 6% higher than during the rest of the year. If crude oil prices remain unchanged, gasoline prices would typically increase by 5-6 cents during the summer.
Changes in the cost of crude oil -Events in crude oil markets were a major factor in all but one of the five run-ups in gasoline prices between 1992 and 1997, according to the National Petroleum Council’s study U. S. Petroleum Supply - Inventory Dynamics.
Crude oil prices are determined by worldwide supply and demand, with significant influence by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Since it was organized in 1960, OPEC has tried to keep world oil prices at its target level by setting an upper production limit on its members. OPEC has the potential to influence oil prices worldwide because its members possess such a great portion of the world's oil supply, accounting for nearly 40% of the world's production of crude oil and holding about 67% of the world's estimated crude oil reserves.
Rapid gasoline price increases have occurred in response to crude oil shortages caused by, for example, the Arab oil embargo in 1973, the Iranian revolution in 1978, the Iran/Iraq war in 1980, and the Persian Gulf conflict in 1990. The most recent gasoline price increases are due in part to OPEC crude oil production cuts in 1999. In addition, higher demand from a recovering Asian economy caused more competitive bidding for crude oil supplies in the international market and was a contributing factor to an increase in gasoline prices in 1999. OPEC once again cut crude oil production in January 2001 to forestall anticipated excess supply in late Spring.
Product supply/demand imbalances- A continuing economic boom in the United States has led to greater demand for gasoline. If demand rises quickly or supply declines unexpectedly due to refinery production problems or lagging imports, gasoline inventories (stocks) may decline rapidly. When stocks are low and falling, some wholesalers become concerned that supplies may not be adequate over the short term and bid higher for available product. Such was the case in late summer 1997, as a demand surge drained gasoline stocks and prices rose rapidly.
Gasoline may be less expensive in one summer when supplies are plentiful vs. another summer when they are not. These are normal price fluctuations, experienced in all commodity markets. For example, the price of corn is higher than normal just before harvest time because corn inventories are depleted at that time. Prices may remain high after the harvest if a drought occurred during the growing season, thereby limiting the supply of corn. Or prices may decline when a healthy crop is produced.
However, prices of basic energy (gasoline, electricity, natural gas, heating oil) are generally more volatile than prices of other commodities. One reason is that consumers are limited in their ability to substitute between fuels when the price for gasoline, for example, fluctuates. So, while consumers can substitute readily between food products when relative prices shift, most do not have that option in fueling their cars.
Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Price hikes are being blamed on the Phoenix broken pipe line:{
(thank god for aux tanks) Gas was 1. 499 in Amarillo and diesel was 1. 39 in Querqe
