Oct. 11, 2005
 
Gasoline Prices Declining in Face of Consumer Resistance
 
By David M. Kinchen
Editor, Huntington News Network
 
Hinton, WV (HNN) – What a difference a day makes: Gasoline prices were sharply down in Hinton on Monday, Oct. 10, 2005 and even with the big drop, there weren’t any long lines at the Go Mart, the town’s biggest station.
 
On Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005, regular unleaded at Go Mart was $3.09. It was the same at the other stations in Avis and Bellepoint and on the By-Pass. On Monday morning the Go Mart on Stokes Drive in Avis was down to $2.85 and most of the other stations were at $2.99.
 
Checking with http://www.westvirginiagasprices.com I found that the lowest statewide prices for gasoline were in the Northern and Eastern Panhandles, with the lowest price $2.59 in Wheeling and $2.69 in Martinsburg. The highest price listed was the BP station in Mt. Storm (Grant County) at $3.18. Huntington’s prices were fairly high, with most stations at $3.09 per gallon.
 
Charleston gasoline prices ranged widely from a high of $3.09 to a low of $2.76, according a Charleston gasoline price internet site. Check out http://www.charlestongasprices.com for gas prices in the capital city.
 
At the rate things are going, with diminished demand and resistance to high prices, we can probably expect a drop in gasoline prices, despite the disruptions of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
 
By the way, you’re not getting any breaks if you drive a diesel car or truck (I’ve owned two diesels -- a Mercedes and a Peugeot -- and I can’t recommend them if you’re trying to save money). Diesel fuel in the few places in Hinton where you could get it was $3.48 a gallon. I’ve noticed more and more diesel-powered pickup trucks locally.