Peoria Pundit

News and Media from River City

Local: Gasoline dips below $3 in Peoria

As I was driving home from work this afternoon, I noticed that a local station was selling a gallon for $3.09. Not bad, I thought. I’ll have to top off the tank later today.

I few hours later, I was driving to Whitey’s after the council meeting, and I saw gasoline being sold for $2.99 per gallon. Like one of Pavlov’s dogs hearing a dinner bell, I pulled over and got in line.

Under $3 a gallon. That’s one of the psychological markers that signals to people that things are getting better. I figure I saved a whopping 50 cents by buying that five gallons a few hours later in the evening.

If I wake up and see gas selling for $2.89, I’ll just smile. If gas is $2.79, I’ll probably mutter a dirty word. But if I see a gallon selling for $2.69, I’ll kick something. Then go on a road trip.

I can’t believe was was so excited about gas dropping below the $3 milestone. A few weeks ago, it was about $4.39. But was was a few years ago, it was under $2.

I’m old enough to remember $.69 a gallon.

19 Responses to “Local: Gasoline dips below $3 in Peoria”

  1.   Marie Says:

    Very interesting. I bought yesterday in Springfield at $3.29 a gallon and thought that was great. I have to say, I never thought it would get below $3.00 a gallon again.

  2.   Mahkno Says:

    Enjoy it while it lasts.

    It’s down cause the global economy is tanking (lower demand worldwide).

  3.   11Bravo Says:

    Yeah its not really a pyschological marker that things are better, but rather a sign that globally things are worse and that price per barrel of oil must decline in order for oil producing companies to continue to sell it in viable quantities. But who knows, the impact could be enough to help bolster the US economy since, as we have seen in the past few years, our economic performace is closely tied to fuel costs.

  4.   Cameron Says:

    Sorry for the ignorance, but where is Whitey’s and is it good? I assume it’s good, otherwise I assume you would not go there. Always looking for an excellent pizza joint.

  5.   PEORIA Says:

    (laughter) Notice how quickly ALL the talk about ” alternative fuel sources ” and ” new energy reserves ” disappears once the price of gasoline drops back to affordable levels?

  6.   Mahkno Says:

    All industrial commodities are tanking except precious metals.

  7.   tsheets Says:

    Working tonight in Macomb, where it’s still at $3.31…Hope I have enough to get home!! haha!

  8.   Ian Schwartz Says:

    http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/ILmetro.asp

  9.   Mitch Mitchell Says:

    Billy,
    Your not as old as I. I remember when gas was .15 per gallon and then when there were gas war s the price was .10. With that you could get leaded or unleaded. You also received a choice of drinking glasses, or a towel. For $1.00 we could cruise the four Steak & Shakes with plenty left over for Sunday and all the A&W’s. Remember the old Martin statons?

  10.   Eyebrows McGee Says:

    Dude, I’M old enough to remember when gas was below a buck! It’s not that long ago!

    I remember being in college when it went over $1 in Indiana for the first time, and I was so pissed off at paying over a buck for Indiana gas (it was one thing to pay over a dollar in Chicago metro, but in Indiana???? Blasphemy!) that I refused to fill up until I was driving on absolute fumes and afraid I was going to have to push the car to the station. And 10 years later, still irate about it! lol

    I think that was the year that gas just about doubled in 12 months and never went back down.

  11.   Summer Blend Says:

    They are dumping the summer blend that they can not sell after …

    Don’t worry, the gas is going to go right back up when you start pumping the winter blend.

  12.   postsimian Says:

    I’m not excited at all. Gas should never go above $2 for premium under the highest demand conditions. I’m not going to be happy until it hovers around $1.30 again.

  13.   BJ Stone Says:

    $3.49 at 7:30am this morning in Kewanee. $3.19 in Elmwood, 25 minutes away.

    Shouldn’t be possible.

  14.   mortonmalaise Says:

    BJ,
    What’s crazy is, Morton is $.12 higher than Peoria, and Morton doesn’t have a gas tax.

  15.   Mazr Says:

    $2.99 at the Clark on Sheridan by Sheridan Nursery.

  16.   prego man Says:

    Mitch, they didn’t have “unleaded” gas back then. You must be thinking of “ethyl” or something like it. That was well before anyone had any problems regarding lead in the air. What a bunch of pansies, huh?

    I remember when unleaded gas tanks had an opening that a leaded pump couldn’t fit into. Don’t read anything more into that than is there, thank you very much.

    I don’t recall gas going below 19 cents, and we saw that on vacation in the southwest, around the late 1960s. Free maps; Enco tiger banks for 50 cents with a fill-up; yep, them were the days. Heck, look what you got, just for being willing to suck in some lead fumes?

  17.   Paul O;Donnell Says:

    You could have summer blend changing to winter blend, half the refineries in America blowing up and China industries going into double overtime and I think you would STILL see the price of gas drop the month before the Presidential election!

  18.   Sam Bush Says:

    I filled up for $2.699 a gallon today at at Casey’s in Iowa.

  19.   Anon E. Mouse Says:

    So, is there just one Casey’s in Iowa?