33 Quotes by Carol Thorp

Nationally, production is down and demand is up compared to last year. In addition, many regions of the country are having trouble getting sufficient supplies of ethanol, which is used in new formulas for gas. Uncertainty about supply has lifted gasoline to near-record prices on the spot market and that filters down to the neighborhood gas pump.

Wholesale gasoline prices have dropped across the country and West Coast gasoline inventory is strong. That actually led to a slight decline in pump prices in the last few days, although overall averages are still higher than at this time last week. However, oil industry analysts expect wholesale prices to start heading up again once the more expensive summer-grade fuel starts going on the market at the end of February.

We hope drivers are aware that the California Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies are likely to be using extra patrols to look for drinking drivers during holidays.

We don't know if that's going to cause some people to change their minds. Historically when gas prices have gone up, people have not changed their minds.

When a worker complains about harassment, you take it seriously.

The speculators on the market are pushing the price up - they're worried about oil coming from Iraq, they're worried about what Iran could do to affect the price, they're worried about labor unrest in Nigeria.

Prices went up throughout Southern California this past week, but not at as rapid a pace as we've seen during other gas price spikes. It's likely that increases will continue for at least the next few weeks.

Prices rose 4 cents today (in San Diego), and that is not unusual lately. There is profit-taking; no one can avoid that conclusion.

Prices remain on the rise but there is hope that we may be nearing a peak. Wholesale gas prices have averaged about $2.60 per gallon for the past week. Taxes add about 60 cents to that, transportation and dealer profit is another 5-10 cents. Prices in the L.A./Long Beach area could peak at $3.25-$3.30 by mid-May then they could decline after Memorial Day.