Prices are a Pain in the Gas

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Tim Randall / el Don
Filling up continues to cost drivers more

By Gregorio Kowalski

Nothing comes close to the Golden Coast, especially rising gas prices.

You can tan at the beach in the morning, ski a mountain by lunch, then end the day with a cruise down Pacific Coast Highway. California has it all but it comes with a price. You don’t have to pay to enjoy the luxuries this state has to offer, but getting there will cost you.

As prices rose for the 11th straight week, regular gasoline in Orange County cost $4.28 on April 21.

California is the only state besides Hawaii that has fuel prices above $4 per gallon.

Consumers pay 15 percent more for gas than the national average of $3.63, according to Gasbuddy.com.

“Gas prices normally increase during this time of year due to annual maintenance and also by switching to cleaner burning formulas for the hotter months”, said Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick Dehaan of GasBuddy.com.

Gas is 25 cents more than it was a month ago, according to AAA.

In April 2013 gas in California cost 37 cents less, at $3.91 a gallon. For students that spend an average of $40 a week on gas, the increase equates to spending an extra $307 this year.

“I think the type of weather we have been having also has more people outdoors and driving”, said Carlos Hernandez, an Arco cashier. “There isn’t a huge difference in sales but I do notice that people are filling up more often, maybe worried about the price going up before the next pump.”

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