Beetles look good again

By Staff
May 18, 2004
Increases in gasoline prices are stunning enough without the added complication that prices in Meridian were already among the highest in the state. When you factor that element into the equation, drivers who fill up at Meridian stations are really being nailed to the wall.
Why? No one seems especially interested in providing an explanation. But when gas is cheaper in Collinsville than it is in Meridian, the pricing structure does come into question and perhaps, one day, someone can construct a logical explanation.
The price for regular gas at most Meridian stations last week was nipping the $2 a gallon mark. It's a scary scenario that already has many motorists putting less gas in the tank and trying to cut down on the miles they drive.
That's a tough assignment for salespeople, newspaper carriers and everyone else who earns a living by hitting the streets, and for leisure travelers. The American Petroleum Institute gives more than 20 reasons gas prices have risen, including high crude oil prices, restricted world supplies and an increase in sport utility vehicle sales.
What can we individuals do about it? Not much, except as one local resident suggested the other day: He's driving his VW Beetle a lot more and leaving the Lincoln Town car at home.