Accelerating fuel costs are spring disappointment

Nothing gives spring’s arrival away better than the ever-growing thorn in all drivers’ sides.
When I think of spring, I generally think of things that make me happy.
For example, with spring comes warmer weather, outside events, volleyball, warmer weather, getting a tan, volleyball and the always enjoyed... warmer weather.
In a small rural community like ours, the farms tend to shine and the scenery, for the most part, looks similar to pictures you might see in a magazine.
However, with spring also comes a list of things that tend to get under my skin.
The Kentucky Crud, tornadoes, insect bites and not being able to go to sleep at night due to your nostrils being clogged.
But among all of the negative things that come with spring, one stands out and continues to be that proverbial thorn for all drivers... gas prices.
Recently gas prices in Harrison County have jumped, in a matter of hours, as much as 30 cents per gallon.
Now I am sure I don’t have to say this, but I will anyway, something about a 30-cent jump in a matter of hours does not seem right to me.
No matter how much a household might generate in income, 30 cents for every gallon of gas bought can really add up in no time, especially when gas was high to begin with.
I have heard stories of many veteran drivers talking about the good ole days when $10 would nearly fill an American made V8 engine up and run them for almost two weeks... one week if there was a race on Devil’s Backbone that night.
When I started driving, gas was around $1.35 per gallon.
My dad would put $10 on the counter every Monday morning for gas money as an agreement that I would pick my sister up from school.
On the way to school I would stop at Northfield Oil and hand over the $10.
On an average, the money would put the gas gauge just above 3/4 of a tank full in the old, yet styled-up Ford Ranger.
However, as I started college and upgraded to a gas efficient car, the money needed to fill up increased in no time.
I went from paying $1.35 for a gallon of gas to -- at one point -- paying as much as $4 per gallon.
For a guy with very little money to spare and tons of places I thought I needed to go, gas money began to turn into being more precious than gold.
When gas took a 30-cent jump last week, the horror of warmer weather quickly overran the positive side to spring.
Why a 30-cent jump?
I received a phone call from one of the citizens of Harrison County wanting me to find out the reason for the ridiculous jump in fuel.
I called our local officials and was informed of bad news. The bad news was news that I had heard already.
Apparently Harrison County is a smaller business area for the selling gas or  “liquid gold,” as I like to call it.
During the conversation I threw out the phrase “price gouging,” but was told that the attorney general does not consider gas prices as being “gouged” unless there is a limited supply during an emergency time.
I immediately thought that the attorney general must be affiliated with the federal government... not stepping in to help the middle man just doing what it can to help the rich become richer.
When does a county become a “small area of business” when they have six gas stations within the city limits?
Why is it that when one gas station increases its prices, the rest follow shortly behind it?
At times I tend to wonder if all the gas station owners/managers meet at McDonalds in the morning and roll dice to see who will set the gas prices for the day.
I try my very best to keep money inside Harrison County, but when I see cheaper gas as I am driving back from an outing, I have no problem in pulling over to cap off the tank.
Gas station owners should be more cautious when setting prices.
So what if they don’t make as much per gallon, at least they will have more Harrison County drivers buying their fuel.
During our present situation with the economy, people will go where they can get the best deal.
It makes me sad to know that many drive to neighboring counties to fill their tanks up and while they are there they spend money on other things as well.
I encourage everyone who is tired of paying too much for gas to do their part in bringing prices back down.
We Americans have forgotten what we are capable of doing when we unite.
Americans in the past have changed our country just by standing beside each other for what is right.
I encourage everyone to write letters to their elected officials and of course to the editor.
In time I know it is possible to right this wrong.