Drivers get creative as gas prices rise

When gasoline prices topped out in 2008 at $4.04 per gallon, people panicked. Many traded in their gas guzzlers for something more compact.

Three years later, with hostilities in Libya and the Middle East threatening the petroleum supply chain, prices are again on the rise.

So far, motorists are reacting with restraint. According to a survey by MasterCard Spending Pulse, which tracks the volume of gasoline sold at 140,000 gas stations across the nation, people are simply opting to buy less gas.

During the first week of April, gas stations reported selling 2.4 million fewer gallons, which reflects a 3.6 percent drop over this time last year.

“Based on that survey, I get the sense that people do modify their habits when the price creeps up,” said Eric Steltzer, an energy policy analyst for New Hampshire’s Office of Energy and Planning. “Historically, once pricing gets to $3.50 and $4 per gallon, consumers start to take some different measures.”

50 miles per gallon

For Gary LaBlanc of Pelham, that means riding his Harley-Davidson Ultra everywhere he goes. It gets 50 miles per gallon.

“It’s the only vehicle I own. I use a company vehicle during the week, but this is all I drive,” said LaBlanc, who was filling up his five-gallon tank over the weekend at Klemm’s Mobile on the Run in Windham, where unleaded regular was selling for $3.69 per gallon.

Gary and Kim LaBlanc of Pelham get ready to fill the tank of their Harley on Sunday at Klemm’s Mobil in Windham. (CAROL ROBIDOUX)

According to Steltzer, that’s slightly higher than the state average, which as of Monday was $3.65 per gallon. And that is still lower than the current national average, which was $3.77 per gallon Monday for the cheap stuff.

Tom Jenney of Windham, who was actually filling up his hefty-sized Chevy Silverado truck at the Irving Circle K on Hooksett Road in Hooksett, was paying $3.63 per gallon. His V-6 engine gets about 18 miles per pricey gallon, and he knows he could have gotten the gas cheaper closer to home, but his tank was running dry.

“Sure, I’ve thought about a motorcycle. I used to have one. Now I have a wife and kids,” said Jenney. “I mentioned the kids. I have two of them, which means we have four cars. What I am doing is trying to drive less, although since I live in the suburbs, that’s not easy to do. I will admit that I drove to the park today just so I could walk, for exercise.”

Shopping for best price

Cheryl Avery of Campton was also filling up at the Irving in Hooksett. She said her Jeep Wrangler could get better mileage, but since it’s what she’s got, she’s taken to adjusting her driving habits.

“I totally care about the price. I shop around as much as I can, but I don’t think this is the cheapest, is it?” Avery said.

In fact, it wasn’t.

Hooksett’s cheapest gas was being sold Monday at Mr. Gas on West River Road, where Ben Davis was filling up his car.

“I’ve been waiting for this place to open up, and I saw the sign and noticed the price looked good, so I came in,” said Davis, who was satisfied with the $3.56 per gallon he was paying for regular unleaded.

Station owner Tony Aoude said he just opened for business on Saturday, and made a point of having the best price in town.

“I am hoping to keep the lowest prices I can — I am going to try,” said Aoude. “Definitely my price will stay low. My overhead isn’t too high, so I’m going to do my best.”

According to NewHampshireGasPrices.com, an online crowd-sourcing price guide, the lowest gasoline price in the state Monday was $3.54 at gas stations in Chichester, Londonderry, Hillsboro and Concord. The highest price was logged at $3.87 in Weare.

Beyond online resources, many consumers are turning to smartphone apps to check prices while they are on the road, planning their gas stops along the cheapest routes.

Where prices are headed

With no sense of when prices will level out — or where they will max out — experts expect consumers will continue on a conservative trend. According to a survey of major gas-station chains around the country, 70 percent said sales were down in March by 3 percent — the greatest drop in sales since prices went over the $4 mark in 2008, according to the Maryland-based Oil Price Information Service, which publishes a weekly newsletter tracking petroleum prices around the country.

Although Steltzer was hesitant to make any predictions about just how high gas prices may go in New Hampshire, he said one good gauge is to see where things were this time last year.

“A year ago today the average price of gas was $2.75 per gallon, which represents a 32 percent increase. It’s hard to make predictions in a global marketplace. Gas prices were pretty stable right up until October of last year. Since then, it’s been a steady increase, with the biggest increase coming in February,” Steltzer said. “And some might say there seems to be some connection between that spike, and what’s happening in Libya.”